Electric toaster or gas grill?

[spaces]

Prompted by a sooner-than-usual call to the propane supplier, I set pondering on how much gas the cooker grill (normal domestic size) uses. Outside winter, when the log burner isn't on, I use it on just above the lowest setting since the longer wait for toasting effect is more than offset by the lack of gas use - it really eats it when on higher settings. But, it still uses a fair amount and I was wondering if an decent (with repairability built in) toaster would cost less to run. To save all the calcs, I thought I would ask if anyone has considered this before...?

 

[camillitech]

Despite being 'off grid' we always use the electric toaster, as sticking something under a hot flame when heat rises has always struck me as daft. If I could I'd put fish in the toaster 

As for price comparison I've not got a clue, sorry 

Cheers, Paul

[smegal]

Despite being 'off grid' we always use the electric toaster, as sticking something under a hot flame when heat rises has always struck me as daft. If I could I'd put fish in the toaster 

As for price comparison I've not got a clue, sorry 

Cheers, Paul

Surely like grills, toasters heat with radiation and not convection?

[MR GUS]

I stick another slice on top of the toaster to "get it going" ..& monitor it rather than trusting a dial that alleges tinted-toast, you do feel it crisping up somewhat.

[camillitech]

Despite being 'off grid' we always use the electric toaster, as sticking something under a hot flame when heat rises has always struck me as daft. If I could I'd put fish in the toaster 

As for price comparison I've not got a clue, sorry 

Cheers, Paul

Surely like grills, toasters heat with radiation and not convection?

This may well be true Smegal but it strikes me that an electric element a few ,mm from the item in question is far more efficient than a flame several inches above, especially when most of the heat seems to go up the way. When camping I always stick the kettle on top of the grill whilst using it and it gets fair hot. Of course I've never actually tried putting a kettle on top of the toaster so could be talking a load of 'dingo's kidneys'.

Cheers, Paul

[biff]

like paul,
       we are also off grid.when the wind is good ,like today we have toasted sandwiches.we have a gas grill which we hate to use unless we have visitors and then we bung it up to max.our toaster is a lydl best and seems  to work perfect.in the old days toasters were notorious trouble makers and always breaking down,the more expensive they were the worst the behaved.nowaday you can pay 7 euros for a toaster and get years good service.
                                                                                  biff

[biff]

one of the greatest wonderous little articles we came across lately was the toaster pouches my better half brought home.you just bung your buttie into the pouch and bung the lot into the toaster,it dont matter if it dont go in the full way because the ,,,yes,,yes,,the heat travells up,,however these little pouches trap the heat like and like diodes do with lecky they will not let the heat get out,,except upwards which is open.
     the cheese and syrup and godknows what ever does not stick to the pouch and they can be washed and used over and oiver again. we love to use them when we have visitors and are usually greeted wit "Wot ta ell is dat".yes they are tres clever,,the pouches that is,,"!!
                                                                                                            biff

[camillitech]

The only problem I've found with cheap toasters is they don't fit your average size slice of bread inside them, obviously they have smaller loaves in China 

Cheers, Paul

[biff]

the chines are way ahead of the pack as regards toasters,,,,
                yee see,!!they studies the reports and discovers that a lot of scottish islanders were getting a shocking time trying to fish their toast out of their big bottomless toasters,,so they made them slightly shallow leaving good room to grab the end of the toast and now the chinese nation are responsible for saving many scottish islanders lives. and then they provided the pouches,,
         awwww lord we give thee thanks for most thing chinese,,,and
                                                                           biff

[biff]

on second thoughts,
               my better half who happened to glance over my shoulder has just said that i am not the slightest bit funnyy,so i apologise paul for the glibe remarks.sometimes i even outdo myself. there has of course ,never ever been bottomless toasters on raasay just the normal toasters like ours.
                                                                biff 

[camillitech]

I always wondered what the white bit at the top of the toast was for Biff, obviously it's a handle, pure genius 

[billi]

electric toaster here as well and off grid.....  on every morning   1-2  minutes i guess  for 4 toasts at say 1300 watt

so if its on for an hour it would be  1.3 kwh a day , but max on for 5 min a day here

Billi

[camillitech]

the chines are way ahead of the pack as regards toasters,,,,
                yee see,!!they studies the reports and discovers that a lot of scottish islanders were getting a shocking time trying to fish their toast out of their big bottomless toasters,,so they made them slightly shallow leaving good room to grab the end of the toast and now the chinese nation are responsible for saving many scottish islanders lives. and then they provided the pouches,,
         awwww lord we give thee thanks for most thing chinese,,,and
                                                                           biff

No 'fence to the dear wife Biff but I am afraid the fairer sex are wired up differently, I thought it was hilarious 

Cheers, Paul burnt fingers

[biff]

she is great cook paul,
                     and worth listening too.i would not want my dinner to be toast,
                                                            biff

[Ivan]

General rules that might apply to many people here:

In summer use the electric toaster when a)you have plenty of free solar PV electricity (actually, costing you 3.1p/kWh because you won't be exporting whatever you're using for cooking toast) and b)when you don't want any extra heat in the house

In winter, use the gas grill ie when there's a lack of PV power, AND any increase in background heating reduces the amount of heat demanded from the central heating system - so effectively, you've probably toasted your bread for free.