Let me tell you about my toaster...

[Old and In the Way]

Ok, the wife bought a nice toaster last Spring. Extra wide opening for doing bagels.

It broke a few weeks ago - the handle wouldn't stay down to turn the toaster on. I could hold it down, but the inside coils were inoperative too.

So, being thrifty and inquisitive, I thought I'd see what I could do to fix it. Turn it over, see 4 screws in the base. Easy.

First 4 screws come out of the base, no problem. The top doesn't disassemble from the base. Upon closer inspection, I see 2 more screws that need to come out. After trying to unscrew them, I look closer and see that they have some kind of tamperproof screw head I've never seen. Impossible to take out. Screw that, I take my drill out and use carbide drill bit to deal with that problem. Messy, but effective.

So I diss-assemble the top from the base and, instead of the expected electro-mechanical toaster technology, I've got a high tech toaster with not one, but 2 printed circuit boards! Instead of a variable pot to control the darkness, I've got a PCBA with a capacitor/Resistor network and some timer transistor. On the main board, I've got a relay that energizes a magnetic coil/transformer to act as a magnet to hold the handle down and boost the voltage to the heater coils?. What a clusterfuck. Give up. I cannot believe that someone would actually redesign a toaster to incorporate 2 PCBA's to replace the simplicity and reliability of a friggen toaster. I assume this had to be for some energy compliance standard, but I think the true purpose is to make it impossible for someone to fix the damn things.

[postulater]

1. Have you pulled all your hair out yet?

I hate new stuff.

I just replaced a burner in our 50 year old stove. I can keep that going as long as I can still get parts.

[jeff47]

2. PCBs have gotten really, really, really, really, really cheap

It's not a conspiracy to prevent you from fixing your toaster. Those 2 PCBs are probably as cheap or cheaper than the old electro-mechanical parts.

Plus the manufacturer can put in limits to prevent fires (maximum time it will run, perhaps a temp sensor that shuts it off if it gets too hot) to protect themselves from lawsuits.

[Old and In the Way]

3. True, but the point is you need a scope and soldering station to fix these things now.

Bimetal safety switches have been around along time...when they heat up due to excessive current, they open and don't reset until they cool to room temp. I agree that PCBs are very cheap now...< $.10 si on double sided boards....still, it strikes me as technology overkill to go that route.

[madokie]

4. Designed obsolescence

All things now a days is made that way. They can't be having anything lasting much longer than the first cleaning now can they.

[amerikat]

5. I gave up on new toasters. Went to the antique/thrift store

and bought an old, heavy, Toastmaster from the sixties.
Chromed steel and Bakelite. Works great.