Toast & eggs all in one go (Tefal Toast n Egg TT550015)

Member Name: ScottishWestie

Product:	Tefal Toast n Egg TT550015
Date:	21/08/09 (137 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tasty eggs, simple to use, saves time

Disadvantages: Slow to toast bread, water bowl can corrode quickly

Is this the answer to problem we have never had in the first place? A toaster than poaches or boils an egg while it toasts the bread. Could it be a gadget that our grand children will look back on & laugh about in 50 years time or something that we can really use?

As our old toaster expired just before Christmas & we needed a replacement, we found this rather smart looking toaster with an egg facility. For me breakfast is my most important meal of the day & I eat like a king in the mornings but time is always against me. I eat the simple foods during the working week & leave the cooked meals for the weekend when time is on my side.

Making a poached or boiled egg isn't that difficult in the first place but it does mean a little time spent near the cooker watching what is going on. With this toaster it will toast bread & poach or boil an egg in minutes while you do other things.

The R.R.P. was £39.99 but both Tesco & John Lewis were selling it for £34.99 & we bought one. It's a little bit bigger than a normal toaster measuring just under 38cm long & 19cm wide. The main toasting section is like a normal two slot toaster which will accommodate two thick slices of bread or crumpets but there is no provision for heating croissants.

In front of the toaster is the 'egg section' consisting of a number of parts.
The lower section contains a water bowl, it forms part of the toaster body & cannot be removed, this is where you add water for the boiling or poaching process. Above that sits a high quality plastic holder for four boiled eggs.

If you decide not to boil eggs & poach them instead, you add the small poaching pan in place of the eggs, which sits within the base.
On top of that is a small grill where pre cooked items can be placed to keep warm while your egg is cooking. Ideal for small amounts of bacon or mushrooms.

Once that grill is inserted you then locate the top which has a small vent hole to allow steam to escape, picture # 5 & items can be viewed through it.
In theory while the bread is toasting the eggs are cooking, but does it really work?

Before you use it for the first time you are instructed to lower the toasting rack without bread three times & boil water in the bowl once to eliminate the plastic smell form the machine. In reality you need to do this at least four times as the smell was still evident after the first real toasting.

POACHED EGGS

First thing to do is to insert one or two slices of bread in the toaster but don't switch anything on at this stage. Next, using the supplied water / measuring cup, pour in the desired amount of water.
The amount of water used is critical, less water is required for a soft boiled or poached egg & more water for a hard boiled or poached egg. The trouble is that the markings on the measure cup are not easy to read when filling from the tap so you need to check carefully before pouring it into the water bowl on the toaster.

Once you have added the water you then place the plastic base in place & add a fine spray of oil to the small pan, crack an egg & pour it into the small pan & insert that into the base with the egg.

Next add the grill & if desired any pre cooked items & add the lid, press one of the buttons on the side of the toaster & lower the bread into the machine. All three lights on the toaster light up & the cooking process begins.
Whilst all this is cooking away it leaves you time to do your own thing, approximately five minutes later the toast will pop up & your eggs are also ready.

To date, all my eggs have been cooked to perfection & added to the hot toast makes for a delicious meal. However I do find it difficult to cook a soft poached egg as they have the same consistency as the hard poached egg.
There is no water left in the bowl when you have finished so all it needs is a wipe down with a clean damp cloth. The plastic holder, pan & grill are not dish washer safe.

So far so good, although you are limited to one egg per one of two slices of toast, if your planning to feed a battalion of troops at once this could be a problem!

BOILED EGGS

The same as before, place bread in toaster but don't switch on yet, place the correct amount of water in the bowl & locate the base. This time you need to add you egg(s) to the base but before you do you need to pierce each egg. The measuring cup they provide has a small sharp spike on its inverted base for doing this. You need to pierce the big end of the egg & place it into the holder with the big end at the top.

If you don't pierce the egg there is danger that I will burst while cooking. Fit the cover & switch on as before. Eggs can be boiled with or without the bread toasting. The eggs are ready when there is no water left in the bowl.
Results? Well I have to say no matter what I tried I always ended up with a soft to hard boiled egg suitable for a sandwich or salad but no use for dipping soldiers into. It may have been me or I got the water level wrong but I am confident it will work as you can cancel the boiling process at any time.

GRIPES?

Not a lot, the main one is if you toast bread on its own it is a little slow as it is set for the time it takes to poach an egg & it can't be altered.
Bread made in a bread maker needs to have the setting control set on high or you end up with warm bread.
The receptacle for the water corrodes rather quickly if you don't clean it regularly.
Other than that this toaster, officially called toast 'n egg is a rather desirable machine & highly recommended.

Summary: A great toaster that poaches & boils eggs

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