Morphy Richards 44732
Product Type: Morphy Richards toasters
Newest Review: ... you think about using it! Its slots are wide and thick and especially handy for thick sliced bread of the kind I have become accustomed to!... more
When this one is TOAST - I'm buying another!
Morphy Richards 44732
Member Name: elysia2003
Product:
Morphy Richards 44732
Date: 25/01/12, updated on 15/09/12 (87 review reads)
Rating:
Advantages: Looks stylish and works well too
Disadvantages: Not the fastest toaster on the market
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Morphy Richards Accents 44732 Four Slice Toaster
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Our new(ish) fitted kitchen is now predominantly black, where it was white before. The whole effect while visually appealing, on dark winter mornings it can make the room feel quite dull and cold; therefore I like to add splashes of colour with appliances and accessories to lift the whole effect. Having already purchased a red kettle, I saw no reason to replace the toaster until it was broken, as it lived in a cupboard; if it didn't match, it didn't matter. Recently our poor old toaster, popped it's last slice, and so I immediately did some research and decided upon the Morphy Richards Accents Four Slice Toaster; the purpose of this review.
Having only had a two slice toaster before, which was adequate for our needs when I bought it, I had wanted to upgrade to a four slice one this time. I knew too, that I wanted it to be as compact as possible, as I was running out of cupboard space, it now needed to live out on the work surface. My only other requirement was that it had to be red to match my other appliances. Luckily, it's quite a hot colour at the moment, and I was inundated with choice. Which one to choose?
Comparing many varieties, I decided upon the Morphy Richards Accent 44732 Four Slice Toaster. The reviews were excellent on Argos, being rated at 4.7 out of 5. That's good enough for me! This toaster is usually in the £60 range, but at the moment (25/01/12) it is on sale for a reduced price of £39.69 - Bargain. The Argos number is 423/4449 should you require it.
After queuing and paying, you receive quite a bulky box to take home. I did measure the toaster according to the given dimensions (29cm x L 25cm x H 20cm) before purchase, but it was quite a shock to see just how big the box was. Unpacking, it was quite a relief to see all the packing materials, and it did mean that it was kept safe and sound during transit. It wasn't until it was out of the plastic wrapping, I realised it was from the same range as the kettle I own. I really wasn't bothered about it being a perfect match, but as it is, it was a bonus.
--------------
Appearance
--------------
The Toaster has a retro design, and features 1950's styling. The chrome levers, dials, slots and sides give it a vintage yet modern feel. The bright cherry red, metallic finish is stunning, and very lustrous. To co-ordinate with the rest of the Accents range, it has been given a black plastic plinth, which it looks to be resting upon. At the corners of this plinth, there are rounded feet, which are non slip, and provide a good grip to the surface. This is a really smart looking appliance, as I'm sure you will agree, when you see the photographs I've added below.
The mains cable is shorter than other appliances at 75cm, rather than the usual meter length. This may cause a problem if you have sockets above counter level the same as I do, but luckily there is one just above where I wanted to situate the toaster. A shorter length also means that there is less flex to try and tuck away and hide from view. There is cable storage underneath the toaster if you should need it; another plus point.
Before first use it is recommended that you operate the toaster for the first time without any bread. This gives off a 'new' odour, which smells a little like burning, but the smell doesn't linger for long, and this will prepare the element for toasting in future.
---------------------------
Operating the Appliance
---------------------------
The toaster has four slots, and each pair of two is operated by its own controls. You can either use them individually, or to cook four slices, use them both at the same time. The slots are wide enough for the thickest of bread slices, and will even cope with bagels sliced in half, teacakes, and fluffy crumpets.
The first thing to do is select your level of browning, according to how dark you like your toast. The dials are numbered from one through to nine, and we find number four is the most used setting in our house. It gives a medium toast, which leaves the centre still moist and beadlike, but the outside crispy.
Insert your bread (if it's not frozen) by depressing the levers all the way down, until they lock into place. This switches the toaster on, providing it is already connected to the mains. If it has no electrical source, operating the levers will not turn it on. We often have children visitors to our home, so I tend to leave it unplugged to be on the safe side. While I'm on the subject of safety, it is worth noting that this toaster has cool wall sides.
-----------
Features
-----------
If you have frozen bread, there is the added feature of a defrost button. You need not adjust the browning setting at all. Place the bread inside as usual, and depress the button in the centre. This will defrost your bread and then toast it. Unlike the matching Kettle in this range, which I also own, this button has a rather nice matching red illumination (the kettle annoyingly glows blue).
Once the toast has reached the desired depth of colour, the bread will pop up automatically ready for removal. The lever pops up into its usual position and the element will have switched off. If you are toasting something smaller than a slice of bread, say a teacake or a crumpet, if you lift the levers upwards, it will initiate the high - lift feature, making them easier, and safer, to get hold of.
A great feature of this toaster that I use quite regularly is the re-heat button. On my old toaster there used to be a keep warm function, this was great if you were in the room, but if you'd forgotten all about your toast, you came back into the room to find charcoal. This reheat gives a short blast of heat for 5 seconds, so it warms it through, rather than keeping cooking it. This button is also illuminated with a red light.
If you wish to remove your food before the time is up, there is a cancel button which will cease all cooking, and this button does not have a light.
As with all toasters I've ever owned, the first batch of toast is always cooked perfectly, and consequent batches are darker. It seems to be a problem which can easily be rectified. The easy to use instructional manual tells us to leave 30 seconds between batches to allow the elements to cool a little. I've tried this numerous times, and while waiting 30 seconds on a busy morning getting kids ready for school etc may be annoying, it is worth doing, as the results are more even, with no burnt toast for me.
------------------------------
Cleaning and Maintenance
------------------------------
All this toaster will ever need is a wipe down, but as my toaster is situated next to the cooker, it often suffers from the odd splash from my cooking; a quick wipe with damp cloth does the trick, and keeps it sparkling like new. It is advisable to refrain from using chemicals, as these may damage the chrome and red coating finish.
Whenever I give it a wipe over, I try and empty the crumb trays at the same time. There are two of these, and are located under each set of slots. This not only keeps my counter clean but it is important as crumbs can catch fire, and if you get into the habit of doing it regularly, it's not a problem. They are just slid out, emptied and washed, and slid back in again. You can access these from the rear of the appliance.
---------------------
Other Information
---------------------
As well as the red toaster I own, the Morphy Richards Accents toaster is also available in a range of colours including translucent black, solid black, cream, plum, blue, green and cream; and also in stainless steel (all over). There is also a two slice version for smaller households.
To see the full range of Accent kettles and toasters visit their website: www.morphyrichards.co.uk
Morphy Richards Helpline: 0844 071 0960
Replacement Parts Number: 0844 873 0726
The Argos price quoted above is fixed until 07/02/12
---------------
My Thoughts
---------------
This toaster has become a much loved and well used appliance in our home since I purchased it. It is both stylish and performs its tasks well. It complements the matching kettle perfectly, and instead of being hidden in a cupboard like our old toaster, this one takes pride of place. In summary, this one gets a high recommendation and the full five stars from me.
Morphy Richards Accents 44732 Four Slice Toaster
------------------------------------------------- --------
Our new(ish) fitted kitchen is now predominantly black, where it was white before. The whole effect while visually appealing, on dark winter mornings it can make the room feel quite dull and cold; therefore I like to add splashes of colour with appliances and accessories to lift the whole effect. Having already purchased a red kettle, I saw no reason to replace the toaster until it was broken, as it lived in a cupboard; if it didn't match, it didn't matter. Recently our poor old toaster, popped it's last slice, and so I immediately did some research and decided upon the Morphy Richards Accents Four Slice Toaster; the purpose of this review.
Having only had a two slice toaster before, which was adequate for our needs when I bought it, I had wanted to upgrade to a four slice one this time. I knew too, that I wanted it to be as compact as possible, as I was running out of cupboard space, it now needed to live out on the work surface. My only other requirement was that it had to be red to match my other appliances. Luckily, it's quite a hot colour at the moment, and I was inundated with choice. Which one to choose?
Comparing many varieties, I decided upon the Morphy Richards Accent 44732 Four Slice Toaster. The reviews were excellent on Argos, being rated at 4.7 out of 5. That's good enough for me! This toaster is usually in the £60 range, but at the moment (25/01/12) it is on sale for a reduced price of £39.69 - Bargain. The Argos number is 423/4449 should you require it.
After queuing and paying, you receive quite a bulky box to take home. I did measure the toaster according to the given dimensions (29cm x L 25cm x H 20cm) before purchase, but it was quite a shock to see just how big the box was. Unpacking, it was quite a relief to see all the packing materials, and it did mean that it was kept safe and sound during transit. It wasn't until it was out of the plastic wrapping, I realised it was from the same range as the kettle I own. I really wasn't bothered about it being a perfect match, but as it is, it was a bonus.
--------------
Appearance
--------------
The Toaster has a retro design, and features 1950's styling. The chrome levers, dials, slots and sides give it a vintage yet modern feel. The bright cherry red, metallic finish is stunning, and very lustrous. To co-ordinate with the rest of the Accents range, it has been given a black plastic plinth, which it looks to be resting upon. At the corners of this plinth, there are rounded feet, which are non slip, and provide a good grip to the surface. This is a really smart looking appliance, as I'm sure you will agree, when you see the photographs I've added below.
The mains cable is shorter than other appliances at 75cm, rather than the usual meter length. This may cause a problem if you have sockets above counter level the same as I do, but luckily there is one just above where I wanted to situate the toaster. A shorter length also means that there is less flex to try and tuck away and hide from view. There is cable storage underneath the toaster if you should need it; another plus point.
Before first use it is recommended that you operate the toaster for the first time without any bread. This gives off a 'new' odour, which smells a little like burning, but the smell doesn't linger for long, and this will prepare the element for toasting in future.
---------------------------
Operating the Appliance
---------------------------
The toaster has four slots, and each pair of two is operated by its own controls. You can either use them individually, or to cook four slices, use them both at the same time. The slots are wide enough for the thickest of bread slices, and will even cope with bagels sliced in half, teacakes, and fluffy crumpets.
The first thing to do is select your level of browning, according to how dark you like your toast. The dials are numbered from one through to nine, and we find number four is the most used setting in our house. It gives a medium toast, which leaves the centre still moist and beadlike, but the outside crispy.
Insert your bread (if it's not frozen) by depressing the levers all the way down, until they lock into place. This switches the toaster on, providing it is already connected to the mains. If it has no electrical source, operating the levers will not turn it on. We often have children visitors to our home, so I tend to leave it unplugged to be on the safe side. While I'm on the subject of safety, it is worth noting that this toaster has cool wall sides.
-----------
Features
-----------
If you have frozen bread, there is the added feature of a defrost button. You need not adjust the browning setting at all. Place the bread inside as usual, and depress the button in the centre. This will defrost your bread and then toast it. Unlike the matching Kettle in this range, which I also own, this button has a rather nice matching red illumination (the kettle annoyingly glows blue).
Once the toast has reached the desired depth of colour, the bread will pop up automatically ready for removal. The lever pops up into its usual position and the element will have switched off. If you are toasting something smaller than a slice of bread, say a teacake or a crumpet, if you lift the levers upwards, it will initiate the high - lift feature, making them easier, and safer, to get hold of.
A great feature of this toaster that I use quite regularly is the re-heat button. On my old toaster there used to be a keep warm function, this was great if you were in the room, but if you'd forgotten all about your toast, you came back into the room to find charcoal. This reheat gives a short blast of heat for 5 seconds, so it warms it through, rather than keeping cooking it. This button is also illuminated with a red light.
If you wish to remove your food before the time is up, there is a cancel button which will cease all cooking, and this button does not have a light.
As with all toasters I've ever owned, the first batch of toast is always cooked perfectly, and consequent batches are darker. It seems to be a problem which can easily be rectified. The easy to use instructional manual tells us to leave 30 seconds between batches to allow the elements to cool a little. I've tried this numerous times, and while waiting 30 seconds on a busy morning getting kids ready for school etc may be annoying, it is worth doing, as the results are more even, with no burnt toast for me.
------------------------------
Cleaning and Maintenance
------------------------------
All this toaster will ever need is a wipe down, but as my toaster is situated next to the cooker, it often suffers from the odd splash from my cooking; a quick wipe with damp cloth does the trick, and keeps it sparkling like new. It is advisable to refrain from using chemicals, as these may damage the chrome and red coating finish.
Whenever I give it a wipe over, I try and empty the crumb trays at the same time. There are two of these, and are located under each set of slots. This not only keeps my counter clean but it is important as crumbs can catch fire, and if you get into the habit of doing it regularly, it's not a problem. They are just slid out, emptied and washed, and slid back in again. You can access these from the rear of the appliance.
---------------------
Other Information
---------------------
As well as the red toaster I own, the Morphy Richards Accents toaster is also available in a range of colours including translucent black, solid black, cream, plum, blue, green and cream; and also in stainless steel (all over). There is also a two slice version for smaller households.
To see the full range of Accent kettles and toasters visit their website: www.morphyrichards.co.uk
Morphy Richards Helpline: 0844 071 0960
Replacement Parts Number: 0844 873 0726
The Argos price quoted above is fixed until 07/02/12
---------------
My Thoughts
---------------
This toaster has become a much loved and well used appliance in our home since I purchased it. It is both stylish and performs its tasks well. It complements the matching kettle perfectly, and instead of being hidden in a cupboard like our old toaster, this one takes pride of place. In summary, this one gets a high recommendation and the full five stars from me.
Summary: When this one is toast - I'm buying another
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