Fixing a toaster

It's unlikely, though not impossible that the element has blown. Most likely suspects are as Scrungee suggests a safety auto cut-out or a faulty thermostat. You can, as has been suggested try the vacuum cleaner 'cure' but if that doesn't work you'll be looking at a bill for someone to properly diagnose the fault and then the price of spare parts - if they are available.

Having just re-read your post, the "puff" could well be an element giving up the ghost.

We've had a cheap silver Tesco toaster for about 6 years and it's still going strong. We've also got another real cheapo Tesco one that we sometimes take on abroad on holiday and in our motorhome and it cost about £7 three years ago!

 

Interestingly, we also have a Breville toaster which has worked fine for the last couple of years but recently has had a tendency to overdo the toast even on the lowest time setting. Don't know whether it's because the timer has got a problem or because the bread we're using has a reduced moisture content

 

Had ours 5 years - from Lidls if I remember correctly. Make = Bifinett. Still goin' like a good 'un.

 

I had already cleaned out the crumb tray but it hasn't helped. Graef have replied and told me to take it back to the shop. So I've asked them how I could get it fixed.

I can't see how an element could easily be replaced, you'd have to open it up and unwind the entire thing.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/09/16/exploding-toaster-vine_n_3933429.html

 

I've never tried to fix a toaster. "No user accessible parts" and all that.

Five years ago , this "followed me home" when we went into Curry's for a new tumble dryer. It went wrong last year, but it had a five year guarantee so they replaced it.

Total self-indulgence!



Most people would consider it a total waste of money. Mind you our matching red kettle was about the same age and that was twenty quid in Tesco's.

But it's the only toaster we've had that will toast thin slice bread evenly both sides as little metal frames close in on each side to keep the bread in the middle of the slot and it will toast just one side of a bagel.

 

What, like this?

 

Yes it would have been quit a bang! Quite a few amps in a toaster. Same sort of problem with an old fashioned reflector fire with exposed elements, or worse the EHT in an old cathode ray TV.