Why Shouldn't Shake Your Toaster To Get The Crumbs Out
Few kitchen appliances can become as unsightly as a toaster when it's covered in the browned and burnt crumbs of whatever food items have been shoved inside. Yet with the frequent use these machines receive, it is understandable if this is the case.
Whether you've gotten creative with using your toaster to reheat pancakes and pieces of pizza or mistakenly left a bagel slice to toast a minute too long, crunchy crumbs can easily fall into the toaster and become sprinkled around the bread slots. As tempting as it is to turn the toaster upside down and give it a good shake after your morning bagels or toast, your sudden urge to tackle this easily-forgotten chore could do more harm than good. The next time you want to quickly erase any traces of your blackened bialy, you may want to pause before hastily shaking the toaster over the kitchen or break room trash.
A delicate yet dependable appliance
Toasters are in the lineup of essential kitchen equipment, but they are quite fragile things. Vigorous shaking can destroy some of the internal components that either toast the breads to perfection or help pop them out when done. You might get away with it the first few times, but with enough shaking, your toaster will break down, and you'll eventually find yourself struggling with a toaster with broken elements or a spring lever that doesn't return.
Instead, look for the little door or lever that conceals the tray at the bottom of the toaster. This crumb tray can be removed with a gentle tug and wiped clean without much struggle. Toast is more likely to burn if this tray isn't clean, and your gentle attention to this appliance can help the toaster work properly for close to a decade.