3.4M views · Apr 19, 2019 · 18:28 · 12 HN recommenders · 20 mentions · discussed 2019–2025
Technology Connections takes apart a 1940s Sunbeam Radiant Control toaster. It senses the toast's own browning and lowers and raises it automatically using purely mechanical parts and no electronics.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN returns to it again and again as a favorite example of elegant, chip-free mechanical engineering that beats modern toasters.
“In case you haven't seen this video of a toaster from the 60s before, you're in for a treat”HN comment, 2025
“Technology Connections produced a fantastic teardown video of it a while back.”
Teardown of the Sunbeam analog toaster
The Sunbeam Radiant Control Toaster predates both and seems worth mentioning here for it’s superior user experience and unique analog technology. Technology Connections produced a fantastic teardown video of it a while back. this video
“In case you haven't seen this video of a toaster from the 60s before, you're in for a treat”
A 1960s toaster as a treat of elegant old technology.
A related thought, just leaving this here. There's something great about old technology (though obviously one must be aware of survivorship bias when citing such technology), despite the fact that, logically speaking, new technology should have obviously been better. Perhaps it's some variant of Jevons' paradox. The better / more efficient things get, the more of an impetus there is to use them in truly crappy ways. And this is how I'm starting to feel about programming with vs without an AI: you can either program manually to create truly creative, functional, elegant stuff, or use AI to produce garbage more efficiently. There just doesn't seem to be an in-between category, at least in terms of demand. In case you haven't seen this video of a toaster from the 60s before, you're in for a treat: this video I'm also reminded of Edsger Dijkstra's quote on elegance: link
“This is a pretty cool toaster”
Look at a clever antique toaster
But then how could you make toast when you're not home, like at a conference, or driving in your car? /s This is a pretty cool toaster: this video
“20 minute long episode on the mechanical design of this toaster.”
Mechanical design of the Sunbeam toaster
I’d technology connections did a 20 minute long episode on the mechanical design of this toaster. I’d recommend it if you haven’t see it. this video
“I remember this video [0] nicely explaining some nice engineering of an interesting toaster.”
Nice engineering explanation of an interesting toaster
Since toast is discussed on HN: I remember this video [0] nicely explaining some nice engineering of an interesting toaster. [0]: this video
“I learned this from a video about old Sunbeam toasters that was unexpectedly fascinating”
Fascinating look at old Sunbeam toasters
The reason is that old toaster designs had unpolarized plugs and therefore a good chance of uninsulated live wires inside, even when off. Modern toasters don't anymore, but folk wisdom lasts forever. Although you make a good point that if your outlet polarity is reversed, you might still have a problem. I don't know if modern designs are robust to that... I learned this from a video about old Sunbeam toasters that was unexpectedly fascinating: this video
“Fully automatic brownness selection, and hands-free insertion and pop-up -- all without any electronic chips at all.”
Antique toaster with automatic browning and pop-up, no electronic chips.
YouTuber Technology Connections was featured in the recent discussion on diswashing machines and detergents. He's done a video on a lovely ancient toaster, too: this video Fully automatic brownness selection, and hands-free insertion and pop-up -- all without any electronic chips at all.
“a interesting video on a similar subject, a antique mechanical toaster that works better than many modern ones”
Antique mechanical toaster that works better than many modern ones.
this video a interesting video on a similar subject, a antique mechanical toaster that works better than many modern ones
“Here's a nice video about them.”
Overview of the clever Sunbeam Automatic toaster.
They used to make damned clever toasters, like the Sunbeam Automatic toaster... it was freaking amazing. My dad had one with sales display board, etc... he was super proud of it. Here's a nice video about them.[1] [1] this video
“What sold it for me, was the Sunbeam toaster.”
Sunbeam toaster explainer that hooked the commenter.
What sold it for me, was the Sunbeam toaster. I always wondered why in the cartoons people would get shocked sticking a fork in a toaster. And into the rabbit hole I went... this video
“if you are interested in fancy toasters, you might like to have a look at”
Look at fancy old toasters.
People might _say_ they want something made locally, but when it comes to _spending_ money, they mostly care about price and quality, less about patriotism. Compare the paper 'Prejudice is Free, but Discrimination has Costs' link In any case, if you are interested in fancy toasters, you might like to have a look at this video
“I found the 19min video worth the time”
Another marvel of elegant mechanical design without microcontrollers.
> You might think such a system would involve a thermostat, a microcontroller, and an actuator, but this design [...] has bimetallic arms with steel on the outer surface and copper on the inner surface. As the filament heats up, the arms warm up, causing the copper to expand faster than the steel. This expansion pushes the arms open, releasing the lighter. The coil spring then causes the handle to pop out, signaling that the lighter is ready. Maybe I am in a picky mood, but for me the intro made it sound like all three items (thermostat, microcontroller, actuator) would not be necessary, though of course only the microprocessor is missing from the design (thermostat -> bimetallic arms, actuator -> spring). Mandatory link to another marvel in the same problem space (I found the 19min video worth the time): "An Antique Toaster That's Better Than Today’s [video]" this video link [2019, 386 points|5 years ago|232 comments]
“Perhaps the inspiration came from the Sunbeam Radiant Control toaster”
Sunbeam toaster gently lowers and raises toast
> since when does actual real-life toast smoothly rise and fall again? Perhaps the inspiration came from the Sunbeam Radiant Control toaster: this video Unlike modern toasters which rudely attempt to catapult your toast into orbit, the Sunbeam gracefully and almost silently presents your toast with the love and care it deserves.
“It's basically the same physics involved in this toaster”
Thermal deformation switching mechanism
It's basically the same physics involved in this toaster this video same channel. Thing heats and deforms (change properties), when it reaches temperature n, thing deforms just a bit too much, cuts electrical contact.
“Look up Sunbeam Radiant Toaster[0].”
Sunbeam toaster as a UX masterpiece
I dont know what toaster you use, but for me, toasters are exactly a piece of technology that evolved from masterpiece to horrible UX. Look up Sunbeam Radiant Toaster[0]. Now compare it to any other toaster you can buy today. I wish I could buy one Sunbeam Radiant Toaster, but its kinda pricy importing one from random ebay seller to EU.. [0]: this video
“The one without the microchip is the better one”
About that toaster.. The one without the microchip is the better one, if only for not needing a god.damn microchip. this video
“people looking for old fashioned toasters like showcased in this link”
Showcases old fashioned toasters people may be searching for.
A lot of great comments already but I'll add my opinion on search volume for 'toasters made in usa'. My feel is that a bulk of it is people looking for old fashioned toasters like showcased in this link; this video
“the difference between that diy contraption and this fancy old toaster is like a difference between a skateboard and a car”
Fancy old toaster contrasted with a DIY toaster.
> the toaster started melting itself about 5 seconds in. Thwaites considers it a partial success. and the difference between that diy contraption and this fancy old toaster is like a difference between a skateboard and a car this video
“Here's a very consistent toaster from the 60s where the dial sets how dark you want the toast, instead of how long to toast”
1960s toaster whose dial sets darkness rather than time.
Here's a very consistent toaster from the 60s where the dial sets how dark you want the toast, instead of how long to toast: this video
“maybe do it when the toast is nicely done”
this video If you're going to automate toaster shutoff as you suggest, maybe do it when the toast is nicely done instead of waiting until it's almost on fire? Just a thought.
