Claire:

I just bought a KitchenAid two slot toaster and although it is supposed to be stored in my bread drawer (which is the second drawer of a stack of 36" pot and pan drawers) it is usually out. And just yesterday I noticed how hot the underside of the wall cabinet above the toaster gets when we use it several times in a row. I'm thinking we have to move it to the cooktop to use, then really, really store it after breakfast. And I don't have counters, I have clutters.

Several years ago I started keeping my toaster in a cupboard on a small baking pan that is just larger than the toaster to catch the crumbs. Even though there is a crumb tray on my toaster crumbs escape. The little tray also serves as a easy way to lift the toaster back to the counter. We have a corner cupboard with lazy susan and I keep the bread there too. I use our toaster at least once a day. I do not like to look at it. Just me not saying what you are doing in wrong at all.

Chris

I don't like clutter on the counters but I do keep the items I use daily on the counters. I keep the toaster out (also with a tray underneath to catch extra crumbs) on the counter between the fridge and the stove. I keep it next to the fridge because that is where the margarine and marmalade are. Also on the counter are the coffee maker, the toaster oven (not used daily but too big to move several times a week), a spice rack because I like how it looks, a telephone, an electric frying pan which I find easier to use at breakfast and lunch than cooking on the stove and a small very pretty ceramic jar from Italy that was a gift.

I also don't like how the toaster looks on the counter but usefulness trumps looks.

I have a large island and at one corner next to where the garbage can is I have a large cutting board. On the other end is an oval tin that I put the daily mail in. Since the island is what you mainly see when you look at the kitchen, I feel the clutter doesn't take over the kitchen.

I guess it's proportional clutter. If there is more counter space than what it is being cluttered with, I'm okay with it.

Cup, I suppose I have my share of clutters too. It's just so hard to put the toaster away, when you're going to need it the very next day! Every time I move it in and out of the cabinet, it risks getting scratched, so this seems the path of least resistance. I'm really liking my very inexpensive, copper colored toaster with the frozen and warming buttons.

Chris, I like putting things on trays, especially if there's an assortment. At least the groupings seem more contained, and it's easier to wipe down the counter.

My toaster stays in a cabinet unless it's in use (which isn't all that often). It's an attractive toaster, too, but it's clutter none-the-less if I'm not using it often.

The food processor, OTOH, stays out because I use it enough and assembling all the pieces-parts from the cabinet takes more time than I want to spend on it. I am pretty manic about keeping stuff off the countertop unless I would waste more time moving it from storage to countertop to storage again.

I used to use my toaster daily - and for me, anything that gets daily use (like my cutting boards and knives) can claim counterspace. But I stopped using the toaster last year when we did atkins for awhile, and it has remained in the cupboard ever since then.

The same thing happened to my blender - I used to make milkshakes every morning for breakfast, but that habit changed into muffins and milk, so the blender lives in the cupboard now too. I don't get rid of these things, because I do use them, it's just rarely now, so they get stored.

Things that are on my counters at the moment: Microwave, small potted plants, cutting boards, basket of vitamins/supplements, rotisserie, knife block, cookbook stand, ceramic pitcher that holds large cooking utensils, trivet and hot pad to match, boxes of tea, and a spice rack. My tea kettle and honey jar "live" on the stovetop as well, and on the long, far counter where the rotisserie sits, I have my cookbooks stacked neatly between that and an aquarium (I have two aquariums on the end counter - one for hermit crabs and one for aquatic frogs).

You'd think I have a huge kitchen - but it's actually a fairly small "galley" style shaped like an "L". :-)

I have a toaster oven on the counter - with a quilted cover. It doubles as a place to dry hand-washed kitchen gear on. We use it frequently. We don't own a toaster.

I have my toaster sitting out on the counter and always have...probably because my mother always did too! I used to eat toast every day but have recently realized that I hardly ever eat it anymore. Same for my 2 children. I would love to put it in a cupboard but pantry and storage space is at a minimum in the lovely (not) housing that the Army supplies for us here. Soooooo, on the counter it stays along with the microwave, electric kettle, coffee maker, flour/sugar/coffee/tea canisters, jug holding utensils, and antique stacking containers for cookies, etc that I fill with vitamins and medicine. Clutter is everywhere in my house even when I have it 'cleared' out. We move every 2 years and I never quite manage to figure out what to do with all our 'stuff' each time since the storage is usually nonexistent. And every two years when we move again, I swear to myself that I will get rid of all the useless stuff I keep dragging around ;-)

I have very little counter space, so the only appliances that stay on the counter are the George Foreman grill & the coffee maker. The other things that stay out are the knife block, utensil crock & paper towel holder. I'm planning on getting a spice rack soon. I also have a couple of decorative Coke items on the counter. I have two appliance garages where I keep the bread machine & waffle maker. The rotisserie is on the counter right now, but we're planning to move it into the pantry when it's finished, since the rotisserie takes up too much space.

Greta

My mother has a microwave with a built in toaster!
Kathy G in MI

My toaster is still in a box as I haven't unpacked my kitchen completely yet. But when I do I expect that it will be back on the counter. It's a fairly nice Kitchen Aid one that matches the rest of the appliances. Plus when I am in the right grove I use it a lot. I LOVE toast, and esp english muffins and stuff like that so it gets used at least 4 times a week, esp. weekends. I expect that I'll locate it on the counter top in the back that's inbetween the frig and the range.

And cupofkindness, what happens to the underside of your wall cupboard that's above your toaster? Does it get wrapped or does condensation get up there? I've always wondered about this... In my old place the wall cupboards were pretty high above the countertop... My guess - maybe 2 feet probably more. In my new place I'm not sure and I can't measure right now, but I'm pretty sure the wall cupboards are much closer to the countertop. So I'll have to keep an eye on it when I get around to using the toaster again. I hope soon cause I'm missing not eating breakfast stuff at home. I'm actually sick of eating out and takeout stuff.

What I know will go in the the lower cabinet if there's room and I suspect there is and that is the can opener.. that I don't use very often. It was also on the counter at the old place, but it gets used a few times a month. So I think it will go in the same cabinet that is to get the mixer and the blender which I've always stored in a bottom cupboard since they're not used often enough, plus that clutter avoidance reason. :)

Cheers,
--jans

My toaster stays on our counter too, as we use it so much. It is a 4 slice toaster, so it's big and not the most decorative item, but it is used too often to pack it away. In my dream kitchen, I would have an appliance garage with a roll-down door that matches my cabinets. In the garage would be a long powerstrip which all my appliances would be plugged into ready and waiting. Then I would simply roll up the door and have access, but when not in use it would be hidden behind the door. We are hoping someday to add this feature in the corner of our kitchen, but at this point we just put up with the ugliness of a toaster, kitchen-aid mixer and coffee pot all hogging the corner.

Brenda

Kathy - I saw those microwaves with built in toasters in a flyer yesterday, and am very interested in having one.
Does your mom like it? Does it toast well?
I hate my toaster being on the counter and need a new microwave. I don't like using the toaster oven for toast, it takes so long to toast, and I don't like the toast as much as from a toaster, it seems all dried out like croutons!

I figure, if it gets used often, and it's hard to put away (face it, a toaster is hard to put away), it deserves space on the countertop.

I've never quite agreed w/ the idea that you should hide all the functions of the kitchen--you know, the ugly dish drainer (horrors!--though I have eliminated mine), those hideous outlets, the disgusting toaster. A kitchen is a workroom, and while you can make it look nice, I don't figure I'll waste any energy trying to hide that fact.

We had a Black&Decker undercabinet toaster oven, and are going back to that. It'll be a pretty expensive toaster, but it will give us counterspace back. 'Cause I've got other stuff that has to go on the counterspace--not much drawer space, it turns out.

And I foolishly bought a Cuisinart food processor (I think I bought one that's too big), which it turns out I don't use that often. The smart thing would be to find it an in-cabinet home; I'm still trying to figure that out.

We used to have a B&D toaster that mounted under the cabinet, but when we remodeled the kitchen we had lighting installed, so, alas, no room to undermount anything :-(

(BUT -- I DO love the lighting!)

Our Kitchen Aid toaster is caddy-cornered under corner cabinets. We slide it out when in use, to protect the cabinet above. (We do the same with the coffee maker.)

I put my toaster in the cupboard when it is not in use. I only use it at meal time so it makes no sense for me to leave it out all the time. It is a two second job to slip it in its place. I love the "nothing on the counter" look.

I just bought a microwave with a toaster built in today. No more toaster on the counter!! :)
It looks great in my kitchen and is just a little wider than our old microwave. I'm really glad I took my time picking out a new microwave, because I didn't even know until last week when I saw them in the flyer that they even made them with toasters!

I love toast and bagels; we use ours almost twice daily; years ago, I bought a 4 slice chrome dualit that I was lusting for, and I've never regretted it, it's like an ornament for my counter, I love it......
other than a kettle, these are the only 2 utilitarian things that reside permanently on my counter.

I thought the toaster belonged on the counter! It would take up a whole shelf in the cupboard, where would I put my dishes or glassware? My house is 35 years old and before the days there were hundredss of work saving devices to put away. The microwave takes up a good length of counter space. I suppose if I got rid of bowls, bakeware, most glassware, I could clear the counters, all 60 inches of it. It's great seeing those beautiful kitchesn in the magazines but most of us live in the real world where the kitchen is still used to cook and eat in. I put most things away but large appliances I use most every day are on the counter until I get more convenient storage. I loved the food processor but it's stored in the garage because it' too tall for under the cabinets or in the ktichen cabinets unless I take it apart, so it doesn't get used too much.

How about a little shelf on the wall to accommodate a toaster? Doesn't take up much room plus it's not sitting on the counter.

My toaster oven sits on the counter next to my microwavwe & while I to hate all this stuff out that they are my mostly used appliances. I can't wait to have a new kitchen & plan for one of those garages to hide most of the small appliances. I'd use my food processor more often if I didn't have to carry it from the cabinet.

Michie