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Comment by MertsA | Hacker News Reader

Yeesh, looks like an antique fire hazard to me. Also, unless the video is mistaken, if that complex linkage fails or the inner heating element fails then the thermostat on it is going to be blocked by that bit on the bottom of the bread carriage that's meant to block it while the carriage is lowered. That seems like a good way to get it stuck in the on position so if someone just looked at the toaster, they might not even realize that it's still on because the bread isn't lowered. What happens if something flammable like a letter slides off of something unnoticed and falls into the toaster? Even if someone is home and awake the thing moves slowly and is downright silent when it turns on and lowers the toast. The first sign of something going wrong might very well be flames.

This thing is a burn hazard, shock hazard, and fire hazard all in one.

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I grew up with this toaster, and it is not anywhere near as dangerous as you make it out to be. We never had anything like the issues you describe, and personally I think your situations (leaving flammable material where it can fall on the toaster, leaving the toaster plugged in all the time) are downright dangerous regardless of the type of toaster in question.

Survivorship bias. The design is ridiculously dangerous by modern standards. It would probably set my cat on fire.

You sir, have a very narrow cat. I grew up with one of these. Not a death trap. Any time it gets hot inside the thermostat turns off the elements. The only thing that lets it stay on is the cool, moist bread absorbing energy in front of the thermostat.

That said, my father in law was the third generation owner of a large toaster company. He was appalled any time he saw someone using a toaster under a cabinet.

I remember reading about a remote tribe of people being appalled when a writer pitched his tent under a tree. Trees fall down. Why would you take such a risk?

I'm not trying to imply that it's likely to occur, just that when talking on the scale of millions of homes with toasters in them, some of those convenient and ingenious design features would probably burn down many houses that a more modern design wouldn't have. Tons of people leave toasters plugged in all the time but you're not going to ever accidentally turn on a modern version where you have to push down a spring loaded plunger to switch it on.

We had a toaster where the side carriage broke and tilted over to the side and let the bread come into contact with the heating elements, there were some flames from the bread (and lots of smoke) but not enough to make me think the kitchen would burn down... I just yanked the cord out of the wall and pulled the toaster into the sink but in retrospect, I don't think even that was necessary, the bread was already pretty much burnt out.

Moral of the story is -- toasters are heating devices, so don't let them run unattended.

Why would you have a letter near your toaster? Also why not unplug it when done?

> Why would you have a letter near your toaster?

The standard American household with 2.3 kids has everything on the counter near the toaster.

For the "oven" style toasters there's an significant chance that there's something made out of either paper or plastic atop the metal roof ready to melt as well.

> Also why not unplug it when done?

And plug it back in every morning? That'd be unnecessarily annoying.

> The standard American household with 2.3 kids has everything on the counter near the toaster.

I always, and have always, pulled my toaster out on to a clear portion of the counter before using it, to make sure nothing is too close when it operates.

> And plug it back in every morning? That'd be unnecessarily annoying.

Again, that's how I have always done it.

Growing up, both of these things were considered Toaster Safety 101.

Why not just turn it off rather than actually unplug it?

Probably because American sockets are normally un-switched.

(I don't get it - Every socket where I live has a built in switch)

They are always unswitched, with the exception of some houses where a wall switch controls a receptacle on the other side of the room (for lamps).

There's no room for a switch on the receptacle, and North America has used the same plug arrangement since the 1910s (a ground prong was added later, but an ungrounded lamp from 1915 is still compatible with modern receptacles). Changing it now is not likely to happen. It is possible to buy a combination unit with a receptacle and a switch on a single yolk and wire it up so that the switch controls the receptacle, but I've never seen it done.

Oh I see, thanks, yes me too.

> And plug it back in every morning? That'd be unnecessarily annoying.

A lot less annoying than waking up to a 3-alarm fire methinks...

I still unplug kitchen stuff when not in use and it's been a long time since I was a kid in the 70's when stuff could (and probably would) "fail hard" and burn down your house.

I have one of these things and it is a think of beauty as well as useful.

Since it has not had the cord replaced I have a switch at the outlet to turn off the power.

There is this new fangled technology called a switch - or can you not turn American sockets off at the wall.

I was shocked when I first discovered that US sockets do not have a switch!

You can

That's the exception, not the rule in America. The only widespread use of switched outlets was back when floor lamps were much more common around the 70s. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a switched outlet on a kitchen countertop other than the one below it for a garbage disposal.

I am a standard American with 2 kids and we don't have enough counter space to keep the toaster out all the time and my house is 2600 sq feet!

One of the advantages of the combination of 120V, ground wires and keyed plugs is that by and large electronics here have not really needed to be unplugged between uses by most people still living.

In fact the most likely vector to shock yourself is the plug on your vacuum cleaner, because it is so often plugged in and mistreated in the process. The materials and stress relievers have gotten better and it’s probably been 30 years since I’ve seen a frayed cord...

Well, except for my Apple power cords. sigh

> Also why not unplug it when done?

Americans don't have time for this. They barely have time in the morning to grab their hot toast, hop on their Segway, or motorcycle, or rocket-ship, or what have you, and go go go go GO!

Love me some Americans.

The burning letter would probably stain the chrome finish.

I bet it wipes clean.

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