What's the best toaster in the world that will last the rest of our married lives?

[bohemianbint]

I can't actually believe am posting about a toaster...but we need one, ours is crap. So's the kettle, come to think of it. And we just got married last Thursday, and have a little bit of cash, and it seems fitting to spend it on sommat housey, like a toaster. Or a kettle.

Any recommendations?

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Hello. This thread is a little old now and some of the recommendations may be out of date. Take a look at our round-up of the best toasters - according to Mumsnetters - for more up-to-date suggestions. MNHQ.

[funnyperson]

Yes to red lever and plug in cable pigletjohn I was quite surprised in the shop to discover that kettles dont plug into cables anymore!

[dikkertjedap]

And agree about Dualit kettles - I had two in one year, they kept breaking, absolutely useless. A Tesco kettle is better.

[dikkertjedap]

Dualit. Also good for tosties with the tostie rack. But they are quite bulky.

[FamiliesShareGerms]

A dualit toaster will last for ever, if only because it is designed to be repairable. And they have the best customer service department to manage the repairs too (we needed a new timer, apparently quite a common problem)

Dualit kettles are rubbish in hard water areas - we had one as a wedding present and it pained me to bin it, but it was really not good (and not repairable like their toasters)

[PigletJohn]

Oh, I used to have one of them. It had a red lever to make it boil, and the flex actually plugged in to the kettle

I think the knob broke off the lid in the end so I chucked it away.

I like this 2008 thread

[funnyperson]

I just replaced my Russell Hobbs kettle which I had for 35 years. I have bought the newer version in purple. It has a toaster to match and other colours too.

[eggsandwich]

I've got a De'Longhi which I've had for 10 years and still going strong! It's a four slice toaster with removeable crumb tray on the bottom of the toaster. It's a bit pricey but worth the money.

[StuntNun]

We've had a Dualit toaster in daily use since our wedding in 1998 so I vote for them too.

[PigletJohn]

Your question was formed to get the answer "A Dualit Toaster"

I reckon their kettles and other products are just trading on the name. I'm sure Mr Dualit must have retired years ago, so he didn't design the kettles, and they're probably made in Korea or somewhere. The big reason their toasters are so reliable is that they have been making the same simple, sturdy design for many years with only minor technical updates.

I am quite happy with my Dualit and its sandwich-toasting holders, but it would probably be an equally good economic choice to buy a cheaper one every few years.

[MartinLittler]

I bought a Dualit DAB kitchen radio. So thrilled that I bought another one, then another for my son and another for my Mum (we also have toaster and kettle - Dualit fans). Mum's radio stopped working. When I found out it was duff I sent it back to Dualit. Their letter was so disapointing! bit.ly/DualitService. You either pay them to send it back still dead or it's landfill. The Dualit website says that "they go the extra mile for customers". I don't think so.

[mumblecrumble]

Having thought about this by making toast... May I suggest you get a random cheap toaster nd spendyour wedding money on something beautiful that will far out last even the best dualit toaster???

[mumblecrumble]

I adore our dualit 4 slice toaster, a surprise and much loved wedding present.

I swear it does the most delicious toast and suits me because I'm one of those annoying people who likes to check the toast, turn it round etc.... Had ours a good 5 years and its still fantastic.

Personally in your position I;d look for a nice matching lettle and toaster = have a look injohn lewis?

[MrsDinky]

Love our Dualit toaster too, took a bit of getting used to, and agree the timing your bread instead of toasting it is annoying, but far better overall than any other we've had.

Would also love to know what the equivalently good kettle is, whatever we buy never lasts more than about 2 years, now buy whichever is on offer in Argos.

[thefestivesprout]

I am looking for a toaster too. I tried to fix our old one and now it is most definately broken. I had no idea, I thought a toaster was just a toaster, surely by now someone would have perfected it.

I was going to go for a dualit too but after reading about some if the safety issues on Review Centre....

www.reviewcentre.com/reviews3678.html

..i have decided to stick with the grill and timer. I have replaced the battery in the smoke alarm.

[helenelisabeth]

We have only had dualit toasters - they are great. Agree about the kettles though, they are shite. Since we have had out new kitchen we now have a swanky boiling hot water tap, never have to boil a kettle brags !

[blithedance]

Dualits are made for the catering trade (Sis has an 8-slicer!) that's why they last so long.

should warn that I love ours (which I got for our "Steel" anniversary) but DH is a bit ambivalent as

• you have to set the number of slices, if you get it wrong you get burnt or half-baked ones

• the timer is clockwork. If toaster is turned off at the wall it is possible to time your toast but not toast it.

He's not too good in the mornings...

The toast is good though!

More kettle ideas please. Ours is crap. What is the automatic kettle equivalent of a Dualit toaster? Is it one of those old Russell Hobbs ones that our mums had, that you used to burn your fingers on but that lasted for 20 years?

[nannyL]

another vote for dualit

[bohemianbint]

Crikey, they are pricey though, aren't they! Just looked on John Lewis's website...

[Roobie]

Yep, Dualit definitely. They're very simple mechanically with no flash electronics to go wrong in 5 minutes.

[iamdingdong]

love my dualit too

[CurrantBM]

Another Dualit fan here, 4 slots with the sandwich toaster thingies, mmm, toasted cheese.

[ProfessorGrammaticus]

Zazette has it right - my Dualit toaster is old.

You can order spare elements from the manufacturer, fix it and then feel satisfied with your work all day (saddo that i am!!)

[bohemianbint]

Thanks everyone! So, on the whole, Dualit for toasters are good, will investigate. Not for kettles. We recently bought a kettle for a fiver from tesco and it was the shittest thing ever, it was really flimsy and if you picked it up one handed (as I seem to do everything these days, DS wants to be at my eye level in the kitchen so he doesn't miss anything) the base came up with it and made me swear ridiculously.

Why is it though, that most things in this day and age are rubbish and don't last?

[MilaMae]

Another vote for Dualit. Ours is 5 years old and good as new, the kettle has been good too again 5 years old and fine.

Both take a battering,have been in storage and survived 3 moves too!!!