1. Home
  2. Hacks & How-to's

It’s time for you to break up with your toaster

By

Bread is the crown jewel of any meal. Whether it’s a piece of thick-cut sourdough bread and homemade jam for breakfast or cheesy Texas Toast paired with pasta, you probably get a lot of use out of your toaster. Especially if you use it every day, you may be surprised to hear us tell you it’s time to ditch this long-dominating countertop appliance.

Don’t despair quite yet — breaking up with your toaster doesn’t mean giving up perfectly crispy bread. Instead, try this stovetop hack for the buttery, toasted slices of your dreams.

5 second studio/Shutterstock

Why you should ditch your toaster

  • It takes up prized counter space. Particularly if your cozy kitchen lacks ample surface area, your countertop is a treasured spot. Keep it as open and clutter-free as possible by removing bulky appliances, like toasters, to give you more prep space.
  • It’s difficult to clean. After just a few uses, the inside of your toaster gets pretty caked with charred food pieces and ashes of burnt bread. While you can unplug it to deep clean the inside, it’s certainly not easy.
  • It’s not versatile. If you have a multi-function tool that serves as an air fryer, convection oven, and toaster, it should definitely stay in your kitchen. However, classic two or four-slice toasters have just one function, so they certainly aren’t worth all the space they take up.
Recommended Videos

Why you should pan fry bread instead

Frying your bread gives you more control over the level of doneness, and, after use, you can simply wipe the pan clean. Believe us, you’ll never look back after trying this indulgent toast method.

It results in better tasting toast

When you toast your bread in the toaster, you add your butter or other oil afterward. Here, it often sits on top of the bread, making it a little soggy after a few minutes. Instead, melt a small pad of butter on a pan, then set your bread on top. This method allows the bread to soak up the oil, while the fat produces an unbeatable crispness. Especially for thicker cut bread, this method will give you a satisfying crunch on the outside that leads to a soft and chewy center.

You can get creative with your toast

Pan-fried toast is extremely versatile. You can change up the type of fat you use based on what kind of toast you’re in the mood for. If you’re going for a savory flavor profile, use butter or olive oil with a few herbs and spices that pair well with a runny egg. Otherwise, satisfy your sweet tooth and use some coconut oil and a touch of cinnamon. As the oil heats in the pan, the bread absorbs it to really lock in the flavor.

It requires only kitchenware that you already have

You don’t need to go out and buy any new kitchen gadgets or utensils to make the perfect piece of toast. You simply need a skillet and a spatula. With a nonstick skillet, cleaning is as simple as wiping down the surface and leaving it out to dry. There’s no need to unplug or disassemble to keep everything sanitary.

Oksana Mizina/Shutterstock

How to pan-fry bread

What you’ll need

  • Standard stovetop frying pan with cover
  • Spatula
  • Bread of your choice
  • Fat of your choice (ie. butter or oil)
  • Herbs and spices

Cooking directions

  1. Preheat your skillet to the low setting for thick, dense bread or medium for fluffy, light bread.
  2. Add butter or oil to the skillet along with herbs or spices like basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, and cinnamon.
  3. Place the bread in the skillet and let it soak up some of the fat.
  4. Cover the pan and let the first side of the bread fry for 2 – 3 minutes.
  5. Uncover the pan and flip the bread, making sure there is sufficient fat left for the second side.
  6. Re-cover the pan and let the second side fry for 2 – 3 more minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and add toppings of your choice.

While your tried-and-true toaster has given you perfectly acceptable toast for years, it lacks the versatility needed for up-leveled cooking, and it simply takes up too much precious space in the kitchen. Once you experience the delicacy and ease of pan-fried bread, we bet you’ll want to toss your toaster and never look back.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Veronica Sparks
Contributor
Veronica Sparks is a writer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who loves writing about gardening, home décor, and DIY life. She’s…
Sick of cloudy glasses? This is the cleaning hack you need
Say goodbye to cloudy glasses with this simple item you probably have in your kitchen

Dishwashers are a godsend for busy families, saving you from the elbow grease needed to clean a sink full of dishes with a scrubbing brush or sponge. But the downfall of these machines is pulling your supposedly clean drinking glasses out of the dishwasher only to find them cloudy and dull. It's a common frustration that many households face, but fear not, there's a simple solution to cloudy glasses that's been making waves on social media.

Enter the cloudy glasses Instagram hack -- a viral cleaning trick that promises to banish cloudy residue and leave your glasses sparkling clear. Let's dive into what causes cloudy glasses, the Instagram that's taken the internet by storm, and other methods to keep your drinking glasses gleaming.
What does it mean when glasses are cloudy?

Read more
6 home pieces you should always buy at thrift stores (and 6 you shouldn’t)
Thrift store shopping tips

Somewhere along the turbulent line of the last decade or so, thrift store shopping became cool again, and we are all for it. More and more people are rebelling against generic, cookie-cutter styles and want their homes to look more personalized, more unique, and more one-of-a-kind. At long last, your living room looking exactly like the Pottery Barn catalog doesn't necessarily make yours the epitome of style. Individualism is the more sought-after decor style now, and we couldn't love it more.
When shopping secondhand, be it at a thrift store, online auction, or garage sale, there are some general guidelines to keep in mind, and that's where we come in. By remembering these helpful tips, you can take advantage of the perks and avoid the pitfalls of secondhand shopping.

Do: Wooden furniture

Read more
This is how much it really costs to replace the windows in your home
From window type to material, the scope of your project will affect your window replacement costs

Replacing a window is a bigger project than many homeowners realize. With so many options to choose from, windows come in a variety of materials and styles, each affecting their overall cost. Today, we’re discussing the window replacement cost, so you can get an idea of what to expect for your next renovation.

How much does it cost to replace a single window on average?
The cost to replace a window can range from anywhere between $450 and $1500, with the average price of a window replacement costing $730, according to MarketWatch. Depending on the type of window, the material, and the location you live, window replacement prices can change based on the scope of your project.

Read more