Society has basically run out of ideas. Whether it’s music and movies or some other kind of media, there seems to be an absence of original thought as of late. In fact, it seems there aren’t even a whole lot of unique gadgets out there, just a lot that claim to be improvements on the original. Some genuinely are better than their predecessors. Others, not so much.
It’s up to you whether you think the Bodum Bistro Flatbed 4-Slice Toaster (Amazon, $69.95) is better than the traditional two-slice model or just a hunk of overpriced junk. Before you judge though, let’s go over the facts. It’s got to be hard to rethink a toaster, but the general idea is that a toaster’s walls were way too confining when it came to large bread items. This design cuts out the walls completely and gives you a flat toasting surface that works with any size or type of bread. If you’re working with a standard piece of bread, you can fit up to four slices on at a time but you are limited to toasting one side at a time so your total crisping time may increase. That’s pretty much the only difference here as all the other usual toaster amenities can be found: variable shade settings, defrost and reheat options, slide out crumb tray, and on/off indicator light. You’ve got to admit, it does a lot cooler than your mom’s toaster.
A lot of people like to complain about how you can’t use this toaster under a cabinet and that it doesn’t have any safety restrictions. I guess this is a toaster for capable adults then.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 14 3/5 x 10 1/5 x 3
-Flatbed toaster with stainless steel heating surface
-Toasts 1 side at a time
-Toasts up to 4 slices at a time
-Works with any size or type of bread
-Variable shade settings from 1 to 9
-Defrost and reheat options
-Slide out crumb tray
-On/off indicator light
-Made of stainless steel with black silicone finish
-1 year limited warranty
