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40 of 40 found the following review helpful:
poor quality, danger of shock or electrical fireNov 29, 2003
The Toastmaster 6431 does not have an Underwriters Lab label, which would make anyone hesitate before buying it. The Underwriters Lab endorsement (a "UL" logo) indicates that the electrical product is properly designed and constructed so that it is safe. We found the product online, where there was no info about the UL status of the product. The first thing that broke was the temperature control. We fixed that by oiling the screw whose in-out motion controls the heat setting. The more serious problems emerged when the fuse blew. We looked inside and discovered overheated wires with partially-melted insulation. This condition could cause both an electrical shock to the user and an electrical fire that could burn down a house. Toastmaster makes another hot plate (model TTS1) which does have an Underwriters Lab endorsement. We bought one today, and we hope that it will work safely until after the end of our kitchen remodelling project.
28 of 28 found the following review helpful:
A good 2-3 month investmentApr 22, 2003
By skeletor After reading some of the reviews for this I was skeptical, but knowing that you always hear more complaints than praise, thought I'd give it a shot. I'm a college student and was looking for an easy, inexpensive way to cook in my dorm. And for the most part, this was perfect.It's nice and small, so storage wasn't a problem. The first couple times you use it, there's a weird smell like something's burning, but I'll assume that's normal. It doesn't heat very quickly, but once it's heated it takes a while to cool back down. Having it on high then turning down to low doesn't have much of an affect, at least not for a few minutes. But if you're just boiling pasta or heating soup, it's all good. The entire thing gets really hot when cooking, so it has to sit a good 30 minutes or so before you can deal with it again. But this morning it stopped working. I've had it for about 2 1/2 months, and it worked perfectly up until now. I used it about 2 to 4 times a week. I haven't dunked it in water or anything, it just won't turn on. I just wish it hadn't died right before finals. All that said, was it worth the investment? Sure. But that's up to you. If you need something for a couple months, this is absolutely perfect, but if you're looking for a long term investment, look elsewhere, or just buy one every few months.
31 of 32 found the following review helpful:
Worthless JuckJan 07, 2006
By Mr. Wright
"Tech"
This product is a poorly designed piece of crap that is destined to fail from the first day you use it.
A friend had purchased this item a few months back and asked me to look at it when it died recently. (I have been repairing electrical and electronic equipment for almost 30yrs). This is a perfect example of a "throw-away" item. If more care had gone into the design and a few more dollars into producing it you might have a product that could last a few years. Neither was done. Look at how many reviews mention the item failing after only a few months... and even the positive reviewers usually have only been using it for a month or so-
Do yourself a favor and buy a commercial grade hot plate from a reputable manufacturer. You will pay more but you will likely still be using it many years from now. (Not too mention that the operation will be better also). How much "VALUE" is in a $20 hot plate when it is headed to the landfill a few months from now? It is a shame that so many people are willing to accept low quality products these days and think it is OK if it lasted a few months (note the reviews...)
Good Luck-
29 of 30 found the following review helpful:
Just why does it burn out??Oct 26, 2003
By Edward Scott
"ewscott"
I've loved my little hotplate for 3 months, but it died. Froze the temp control at the time of death. Up until then I was very happy except for trying to boil large pots... never got there, and on frozen stirfry it has a hard time coming back after you add the frozen veggies... but ALL of the reviews are accurate, the high ratings just haven't used it enough times for it to burn out.. looks like anywhere from 50 to 100 uses, depending on how often you turn it all the way up. Highly recommended for a temporary use while on vacation or broken stove... now to try to get some warranty help!
15 of 15 found the following review helpful:
Useful and efficient for its priceJan 21, 2002
The toastmaster single burner is definitely a product I'd recommend for people without gas burners in their kitchen. Its design is compact, powerful and enables you to cook whatever you want. It saved my life when my burners went out of order!
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