A cool-touch toaster is a toaster designed with sufficient insulation between the interior toasting mechanism and the outer casing to ensure that the outside remains cool to the touch. This prevents users of the toaster, especially children, who touch the outside of the toaster during use from burning themselves on a hot exterior. A cool-touch toaster is typically designed like any other toaster, providing similar functions and features. These features can include the number and size of slots for toasting as well as timers and heat adjusters.
The main feature that sets a cool-touch toaster apart from other toasters is the way in which the case and inner mechanism of the toaster is designed. Some toasters, especially older ones, are designed with a metal outer casing and can lack insulation between this casing and the internal mechanism. When bread or a similar object is placed in the toaster, and the mechanism for toasting is engaged, the interior of the toaster becomes quite hot. Some toasters with metal exteriors can become very hot during this process, as the heat from the internal mechanism transfers to the outside.
A cool-touch toaster, however, is designed with insulation between this inner mechanism and the outside of the case. This allows the outside of the toaster to remain cool to the touch, hence the name “cool-touch toaster.” Such toasters are often safer to use in a household with children, as this can help prevent burns or similar injuries that may arise from someone touching a hot toaster while in use. The exterior of a cool-touch toaster may be designed in a number of different ways, and can consist of metal, plastic, or other materials.
Additional features found on a cool-touch toaster are often similar to those found on other toasters. This type of toaster can include numerous slots for bread, usually either two or four, as well as slots wide enough to fit a larger food such as a bagel. A cool-touch toaster can also include timers that can be set to toast food for a certain amount of time, and controls that can be used to adjust how toasted a piece of bread within the toaster becomes. There are also cool-touch ovens designed like toaster ovens, but prevent the top or other surfaces on the oven from becoming too hot.