Well here's my take on toasters - I have gone through several new toasters in the last several years with not one working to my satisfaction. In sizing up the purchase, I look at the wattage first because this tells me the heat output of each unit. However, their rating system must lie, as when I get the toaster of my choice home and with great anticipation I, with mouth watering and butter ready I press the lever down, put the selector on it's darkest setting and watch the heating coils turn red. When the toaster pops, once again I am disappointed as the darn thing just barely puts a brown color on the bread, a tan would be an exaggeration. The outlet has 122 volts feeding it so the house voltage and current is healthy but still the toaster lever has to be held down so I can get a decent slice!! Geeze!! Bob