Why don't sandwich toasters have an on/off switch?

Question

The absolute majority of electrical appliances have an On/Off switch. However, the absolute majority of sandwich toasters do not - you just plug them into the socket and unplug them when you're done. At least, that's the case for all household sandwich toasters I've ever seen. I'm referring to this device, not the vertical toaster (where the lever doubles as a switch):

It looks like some models do have a switch, but apparently these are just the larger/industrial types, not the common variety.

Why is that?

Answer 1

When designing one of the first thing you learn is safety first. On a device generating heat, having a power button which could easily be forgotten, is a bad idea. In this particular case, the consequences can be severe if a user forgets to power off. That is why the power button has been deliberately omitted. Cognitively speaking, it is easier to remember to pull the cord from the jack than switching off a button. You use more muscles and are often forced to use both hands. Using more of your body in an action helps you to remember. The case is the same with an iron.

^{Iron without power button}

This is the reason for not having a power button on non-exclusive heat generating devices. But, there are differences. Exclusive hardware having electronics for safety do have a power button, since it saves the user from error. As in the Sandwich Toaster by taerv:

This sandwich toaster is designed for people who seek high quality and durable home appliances. Thanks to power button there is no need for pluging cable to the socket every time we want to use this device, and built-in a timer makes it much easier to use. While using you do not have to check the state of the thing we toast – you only have to set amount time you want (shown by shining diodes), after which the sandwich toaster turns itself off and signals that with a sound.

Straight handle and special hinge facilitates compressing thicker sandwiches and steel latch will never break. Heating plates are interchangeable so the device is much more functional and it’s easier to keep it clean.

Answer 2

First of all, as you mentioned, today many of these do have a on\off button.

If I had to guess, I would say that a reason to not having a button is that the electricity cable is the most explicit and obvious state indicator - If it's in the wall, it's on, otherwise it's off.

Since these toasters should not be left on, being both dangerous and costly, the makers may have decided to make the decision simple and be explicit about it. If you go in the kitchen and see it plugged in, it's on...

Just my intuition.

Answer 3

I totally agree that it is a safety precaution. It is a very clear indicator that something is on without an On / Off button if you see the plug in the wall.

Let's also not forget that if the cord and plug is essentially the means of turning it on / off it will get a lot of use. The Breville Panini Press I have at home has a clever plug with a finger hole that 1) Makes it very easy to remove from the wall 2) Eliminates the desire to just tug on the cord to remove the plug (never do this!) and weakening the attachment of the wire to the plug

Answer 4

I think the primary reason is convenience. The lifting of the lid serves as a visual indicator of how much the sandwich is done and also also deactivates the heating coil. If a person wants to grill it anymore he has to just close it again and open it when he think its grilled sufficiently. Having a switch makes a two step process i.e 1. Switch off to turn off the heating coil 2. Open the lid

Hence then turning it back on again becomes a two step process i.e. closing it and then turning it on (and there is a good reason people might forget about turning it on and come back after a few minutes and find the sandwich is still cold)

The other reason I think is safety. If someone opens the sandwich maker without shutting it down and touches the heating appliance, it might not be a pleasant situation but the additional action of the heating coil switching off when opened prevents the possibility of that happen (I know there are chances of burns due to hot coils and so on but thats something I have no answer for).

Answer 5

Cost. If the manufacturer can save $.25 by not putting a switch on it, that's extra profit. I believe they can justify it by assuming that these aren't devices people would typically leave on their counter. They take them out, plug them in, use it, then clean and store it again.

Answer 6

I think this could be a safety precaution. Making a sandwich creates a lot of mess -- the butter and cheese normally get stuck to the grill plates after use. If there was an off switch, people may be tempted to leave the device plugged in before placing their dripping-wet dish cloth onto the grill plates. In general, these types of devices are not watertight and if a little bit of water gets into the 'inner workings', the user could be in for a nasty shock.

No sensible person would consider cleaning while the grill plates were still hot. This forces them to unplug the device from the mains, thus reducing the risk of electrocution. (I recently electrocuted myself refilling a mains connected iron.)

Answer 7

Besides of the security reasons, there is no need to keep a sandwich inside when it is off. When it's empty, for the security reasons, it's better to plug it off than switch it off using a switch, and no switch mostly forces users to do so.

Answer 8

Cost could be the only factor. What is the safety gains from having an electric item that cooks food not switch itself off? You put the sandwich in the sandwich toaster, then go off to your bedroom and play computer games and completely forget about the sandwich you are toasting. What happens? Surely the dangers of that outweigh the ability to remind someone to switch the toaster off at the powerpoint.

When I was young actual toasters did not switch automatically either. Whew. The dangers in that. Fortunately, they invented automatic ones in about 1970 or so. When are they going to do the same for sandwich toasters? It is ridiculous that they don't.

Answer 9

Cost could be a factor, but that could mean that a competitor could put in a switch to make his product attractive. I think one main reason could be sound.Heating devices,like irons etc can be hazardous if left on, and we wouldn't know they are on. Ever wonder why a hair dryer or a fan has a button? Sound! :)