Toasters are a convenient kitchen appliance, but like any tool, they have certain limitations.
This includes specific items that should never be placed inside a toaster.
We are not discussing body parts here, but rather items you might commonly find in the kitchen.
If you think it’s safe to stick your fingers or any part of your anatomy into a toaster, there’s not much that can be done to assist you.
However, there are numerous food items and other kitchen items that should absolutely be kept away from the toaster.
What are these items? Let’s explore.
Toasters cook using heated elements, similar to a grill; they provide a dry heat that achieves that nice toasty finish.
While these are excellent for cooking foods from a distance, problems can arise when something comes into direct contact with the element.
This is particularly problematic when the item in contact with the element is something fatty, like cheese.
While cheese begins as a solid, it tends to melt when heated, potentially dripping onto the element and igniting since fat is flammable.
While we’re discussing fats – if you plan to butter your toast, ensure that you do it only after the bread is toasted.
Applying butter beforehand is quite unusual.
Hot melted butter combined with a heating element could lead to toasting not just the bread but also the toaster and possibly the kitchen.
To be clear: fat can catch fire, especially when it’s hot.
You might consider making a grilled cheese, but avoid using the toaster. Use a pan instead.
But what about bacon? It’s known for being delicious when grilled!
That’s correct, but consider what contributes to bacon’s crispiness and flavor.
It’s the fat on the bacon.
However, the fat may seem solid, but when heated, it melts and drips onto the heating elements.
You can guess the outcome from there.
Now, pastries are a bit tricky. Some like Pop-Tarts are designed for toasting, and those are fine.
However, other pastries with icing, jam, or sugars are not suitable.
Sugar is flammable, particularly in powdered form, and melted jam or sugar on heating elements can ruin your toaster.
Unless specifically made for toasters, avoid toasting pastries.
Is it necessary to explain why using plastic in a toaster is a terrible idea? Yes? Alright.
Plastics release harmful chemicals when melted, which you don’t want contaminating your food or filling your kitchen with plastic smoke.
To avoid toxic chemicals and odors, keep plastic forks far from the toaster.
Surely metal is safe, right? While most metals won’t melt in a toaster, using them is still risky.
It’s tempting to use a fork or knife to remove stuck toast, but this is dangerous.
The heating elements in toasters use electricity, and touching them with a conductive object could result in a severe electric shock.