Innovation of the day: The toaster

By Sarah Robson, August 10, 2011 @ 9:28 am

Who: Charles Strite

Innovation: The automatic pop-up toaster.

What does it do?

A device which ejects your freshly toasted bread - now toast - once it has finished toasting.

What problem does it solve?

Prior to the advent of the pop-up toaster, people toasted bread by placing it in a metal frame and holding it over a fire. The next step in the technological development of the toaster was the invention of toasters that only toasted one side of the bread at a time.

A success?

Strite patented his toaster in 1919. It wasn't until 1925 that the Waters Genter Company made the first household friendly toaster. In other news, the first machine-sliced and machine-wrapped loaf of bread was sold in 1928. Toasting bread is now as easy as popping into The Warehouse and forking out $12 for your very own toasting device.

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