Earlier this year I bought a 50's toaster and in case anyone is inspired enough to look for their own I just wanted to give you a word of caution regarding old toasters.
Old toasters get very hot -they aren't like today's toasters where they have lowered the temperature to reduce the chance of burns and fires from things coming into contact with the hot surface. What is much more of a concern is asbestos.
I saw my first asbestos toaster today at a thrift shop. I would recommend if anyone is getting a toaster to do their research or even get their toaster asbestos-tested by a professional. The toaster I found today was an easy catch as the asbestos was blatant. The heating coils are wrapped around a pale grey square that looks papery in texture. I could see the asbestos fibres around the edges. I took the toaster off the shelf and alerted a store employee.
It's something to be cautious about when buying vintage! It should always be considered when buying items for your kitchen and even more so when you are buying products that are meant to come into contact with heat. Old vintage oven mitts are another thing to watch out for.
Stay safe!
