4 ms·

I actually had one of these for a good long while. I was too terrified of it to pull it apart and understand the mechanism, but it was a great example of UX. R

by shakna 7y ago

I actually had one of these for a good long while. I was too terrified of it to pull it apart and understand the mechanism, but it was a great example of UX. Removing just the step of pushing down and fast return actually did make me appreciate it more. But he is absolutely right when he pointed to the paper insulated wire as a truly hideous and terrifying thing. My toaster did eventually burst into flames, and that's about where I think the fire started. Hard to tell when looking at twisted metal. I think this is a great example of the kind of things that planned obsolescence has killed. The design could probably have been improved, and the safety brought up to modern standards, through research and iteration. However, why invest in making a better toaster when you can sell a $2 worth of toaster for $5 that will expire in less than two years?

bch 7y ago
> [...] why invest in making a better [...] This is the question of our Industrial Age. I think a nice example is VW (in a former life) w their beetle program. Well documented in Small Wonder[0] under Heinz Nordhoff[1]. Easy 50 years of incremental improvements and what seem like truly human- (Volks) oriented design decisions. [0] https://www.amazon.com/Small-Wonder-Amazing-Volkswagen-Beetle/dp/0837601479 https://www.amazon.com/Small-Wonder-Amazing-Volkswagen-Beetl... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Nordhoff https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Nordhoff
userbinator 7y ago
That's not regular paper. It's probably some sort of mica-asbestos composite and definitely not flammable. Fire is likely to be caused by bread crumbs, since otherwise there is nothing combustible in the toaster (unlike the plastic-ful modern ones.)