[dtnewman]

> * When they sold out in '97, domestic toasters had been infeasible for years already. *

I’m not gonna claim to know anything about toasters or manufacturing, but I’d hypothesize that selling American made toasters to the masses is no longer feasible. Most people just want to buy a cheap toaster and don’t care where it is made. So if you were a large company selling to the masses, that business model doesn’t work. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make a much smaller business selling to toast enthusiasts today. I just think it’s largely about branding. Can you make a superior, long, lasting toaster that will appeal to toaster enthusiasts? And can you do it for a price that is in the realm of reasonable? I can imagine buying an overpriced toaster that will last me 30 years for $300 (I personally wouldn’t but if we’re into toast, maybe). But I wouldn’t spend $1000 on it. On the other hand, what do I know? There’s plenty of fancy coffee equipment that sells for more than that, although I’d guess that the coffee snob market is much larger.

[tonyedgecombe]

We have one manufacturer in the UK that still makes toasters here.

https://www.dualit.com/products/4-slice-newgen

Not their whole range though, the cheaper products come from China.

[coffeebeqn]

I know there is a niche - someone posted Balmuda earlier. I do wonder how far it scales. If you love bread there are better investments than a fancy toaster