Most of us won’t leave the house in the morning until we have had something to eat.
Perhaps a cup of coffee will do. And with it comes the need for a piece of bread or doughnut.
A toaster is one home appliance that is supposed to ease your day.
Your first round of bread will probably come from a cold toaster. Understanding what each part of the toaster does promises better outcomes.
Today, we shall be using the bagel setting and how you can use it.
Everything You Need to Know About the Bagel Setting
A question most of us may not have thought of is, “What does the “bagel” setting do.” We use the toaster but never think much of what happens inside.
A bagel setting is among the most common features you will find in modern toasters. It’s a setting designed to work for a specific task, mostly involving hitting one side of the bread.
Different toasters and brands come with different features – their processes may therefore vary.
Generally, however, the “bagel” setting increases the cooking time.
It also changes the heating setup on different coils, making the toaster more focused on one area.
Working Mechanisms – Simply Explained
The toaster coils will change in their heating temperature, causing variations in how the bagel heats. This also makes the bread heat differently compared to if the setting is off.
As you may have guessed, this button is used to heat food items like bagels.
As you may already know, bagels and English muffins are much thicker than standard toast. Hence, it requires more time to heat.
Selecting the setting adjusts or changes the toasting time, ensuring the item is well covered. Again, the exact setup and time depend on the specific model.
Why do you need such an extended time to get your bagel ready?
Well, it’s all about staying patient for the best outcome. That is why this setting is a bit different from others.
The bagel setting on some toasters may seem quite different.
For instance, one brand makes its toaster to change the temperature in the hitting coils. The inside ones become hotter while the outside ones remain off.
With such a setting, the bagel will toast inside while the outside remains untouched.
The result is that your bagel will not dry up too much. It won’t be crunchy but rather retains its bite.
Another reason for making such a setting is to keep the outside from burning.
If left on, the thick bread will heat for extended periods on the outside before the inside.
Hence, the bagel setting ensures the inside is toasted perfectly, balancing with the outside.
If you are toasting bagels, this is a setting you should not forget to turn on.
Most times, the seeds will become extremely hot while the inside remains unaffected. Such unbalance will only give you an unpleasant feeling.
Differentiating the ‘Bagel’ from Other Settings
A bread toaster is just one appliance, but it’s designed to offer various functions, depending on the setting.
The two main setups are the bagel and the toast. They both keep the coils heated at different levels.
Understanding the difference between these two is one way of getting the best from your machine.
The idea is to achieve a beautiful and tasty gold-brown color on either side of your bread.
That means checking the size and weight of the bread or bagel before inserting it into the toaster.
A great experience comes from having the whole item well-toasted. Simply warming one side of the bread does not may it any more pleasant.
In some brands, you can still use the ‘toast’ setting for bagels by extending the set time. Newer versions and models come with adjustment features where you can give your toaster an exact function.
In short, choosing the right setting on your toaster depends on the bread size. Let’s say you have English muffins, adjust the time on your toaster to extend further or apply the toaster setting.
Proper Use of the Bagel Setting
Again, the “bagel” setting is a specific setting for toasting larger pieces of bread on your toaster.
Your toaster should have the icon for this setting, clearly indicating “bagel.” Here you will get all the instructions for inserting and using the bagel.
You must know how you insert your bagel into the toaster. While it seems easy, a slight mistake may affect the results. Your bagel may burn or come out wrongly.
Here are a few things to remember:
- The way you insert your bagel into the toaster matters a lot. This is because the coils hit different temperatures. You need to toast the side you want.
- Some toasters may not have the icon for the bagel settings. It is vital to check the owner’s manual before trying anything that might have worked with a different brand.
- If you have something like a letter D on your toaster, it means bagel. That is what they look like, and hence the sign.
- Choosing the right toaster is very crucial. One of the features to look for is the ‘bagel’ setting with properly outlined user instructions.
- If the instructions don’t mention the specific function of this setting, it’s possible that you can only get an extended time.
Always read the manual when using a toaster with specific settings. If you are unsure, call the manufacturer and ask your questions.
Bagel Setting on the Toaster Not Working – Causes and Solutions
The bagel setting is one of the best features of a bread toaster.
It allows you to work well with larger slices of bread like Texas Toast or English muffins. It should work perfectly.
However, this. When the toaster setting is not working, your bread may either toast on the wrong side or not a toast at all. It could even burn it.
Here are some causes and solutions:
Manufacturing Fault – the Inner Elements Don’t Glow Brightly
The bagel setting may not be working because of a manufacturing fault. You can tell that the toaster is still new, yet it cannot toast properly.
Contact your dealers or manufacturer for a replacement if it’s warranted.
User Fault
It could be that you are using the bagel setting wrongly.
A good scenario is where you have too big a bagel that it does not fit in the toaster. Forcing it in will only cause failure.
Always read the manual on how to properly use the bagel setting.
The Specific Function
We mentioned earlier that some toasters don’t have the bagel setting.
Users can toast these items by adjusting the regular settings to extend the hitting.
So, if it does not work properly, it would be best to get another toaster.
Poor Connection
If the electrical contact close to the toasting lever is faulty, your bagel setting may not work properly. Try cleaning it off, and you may resolve the problem.
Final Thought
The ‘bagel’ setting on the toaster does several things.
On some brands, it will increase the toasting time, giving your bread more time to cook.
On other brands, the setting changes the temperature on the inside coils, allowing the bagel to cook on one side.
If you didn’t know what it does or how it works, now you do. Enjoy your well-toasted bagels.
