I felt, before I started writing this review I should emphasize that this is my take on the toaster, since it is a Christmas gift, and has yet to be played with by the children.
I think it's absolutely gorgeous. It's every bit as lovely as pictured, perhaps even more so. As with all Plan Toys we own, the wood grain is visible beneath all the vegetable-based stains, which is a quality I like.
I was hesitant to buy this toaster for a myriad of reasons; there are a lot of lukewarm reviews of it, and people seemed to have a number of issues with their kids not being able to operate it, the size being too small, the toast not going all the way into the toaster when the button is depressed. Another reviewer noted that the toast doesn't 'pop up' which really had me confused. What does that mean exactly?
So here are the basics from my perspective:
1. The toaster's a great size. It, and the two slices of bread it comes with are compatible with most European wooden toys on the market, including Erzi, Estia and the more reasonably sized Haba foods. It's also the approximately the same size as the bread slices that came with our Hape kitchen, and even a little thicker. If the toaster were any larger, it wouldn't be the kid-sized variation I've come to expect, and it would look awkward up next to our kitchen and other play foods.
2. The toaster is well made. It feels really solid, the wood is silky smooth, and it is, from all appearances, well-constructed. It has some weight to it as I would have expected and hoped it would. It operates very smoothly, and while the round lever must be pulled more forward than down to insert the toast, and this may be a skill you'd have to clue your child in to, I believe that it is one that both my children at 2 and 4 years old will be able to master quickly. There is a little tension on the lever as you pull down, but not nearly so much as I was led to believe there would be by other reviewers. Perhaps a very young toddler (15-18 months?) would find this difficult if they were just getting up to speed on their motor skills? I found it to be quite reasonable to operate and wouldn't have given it a second thought if not for negative reviews I've read.
3. The toast, once pushed down still sticks out a bit at the top. I thought this might bother me, but it doesn't. Technically you would not have to pop the toast up to remove it, but if you wish to pop the toast up, that's what the little red button on the front is for. The reviewer who mentioned that the toast does not 'pop up' must have meant that it does not do so as if on a timer, of its own volition, and that's true. You must press the red button to make the toast pop up. When it does pop up, the wooden components make a noisy clattering as the mechanism releases it. This sound, while not unlike that of a regular toaster, is more pronounced in this toy toaster. I actually think the kids will enjoy this sound, and appreciate it as part of the realistic like-mom-and-dad's kitchen effects. The yellow dial on the front isn't just for looks, but can be turned to 3 or 4 different positions, making a nice little mechanical clicking sound at each stop.
4. This is a safe toy. Assuming the pieces are well attached and that a parent checks them regularly (especially the ball on the lever), I don't see why this couldn't be a toy that a younger child could play with some too. The bread slices by themselves are definitely not a choking hazard. And Plan Toys has the benefit of having many of their toys tested by XRF by the Ecology Center, with shining clean results. While 1 in 3 toys on the shelves this Christmas season will contain dangerous levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, or mercury, you can feel pretty confident that Plan Toys will not be included in that 33%.
All told, this toy met and perhaps exceeded my expectations, which were admittedly a little lower than usual, after reading so many negative reviews.
I'd add that a great companion to this set is the
PlanToys Bread Playset. We bought this alongside the toaster and will be wrapping them together (they both conveniently and snugly fit into the toaster box once the excess packaging is removed). There are 4 more pieces of bread that will fit into the toaster in this set. The french bread slices will go all the way down while toasting - which is a little more traditional, I suppose. It's kind of fun to have the extra accessories - especially if you can find them at a good price as we did.
I'd recommend this toaster to anyone wanting a safer, greener, wooden option for a kids play kitchen. I think it's absolutely fantastic!