Tom Mullin, an engineer who worked at Sunbeam’s Chicago factory for 20 years, said the toasters were superior for several reasons.
Wilson also found a friend in Columbus, Ohio, who could do the chrome plating, akin to chrome bumpers on older automobiles. He’s ensuring safety while “trying to keep the toaster as original as possible.” Wilson found a wiring supplier, where he could get near-original cloth cords properly grounded. Some early model Sunbeams were 70 years old and used asbestos power cords that were dangerous. The machine is considered superior to modern versions. James Ryser, a recording artist and former guitarist for rocker John Cougar Mellencamp, got his Sunbeam toaster restored by Wilson. To date, he’s restored and repaired about 250 toasters. As he dived further into the restoration process, Wilson reached out to different businesses to help make his restorations more efficient. Much of his business comes from old toasters people had in the family that were broken and didn’t work properly. “You don’t realize how many people have crummy toasters. “At the bottom of the article, they referenced Tim’s Toasters and included a link … That’s when my emails started exploding,” he said. The Verge story described how 1949 toasters were smarter than ones made today. That’s all it was.” Wilson said his first toaster sold for $860, while the average price for a restored toaster on eBay is between $450 and $500.Īnd just as more people started contacting Wilson about restoring Sunbeam toasters, an article in The Verge in November 2021 kicked up his restoration business to another level. “I just wanted to see people who like good toast, using these very reliable toasters. By June 2020, they asked if he could restore their Sunbeam T-series toasters to the same condition.īy the end of August 2020, Wilson was getting several emails a day as he found and restored more Sunbeam units. Soon, Wilson said people started emailing him about the restored units he was selling online. “I then put one on eBay, and, to my surprise, it sold quickly.
#Sunbeam radiant control toaster professional#
While he keeps his restoration process private, he said it takes about eight hours to clean and polish every part of the machine, then test it and polish the chrome using a professional buffing machine. For the average person, this product is simply out of reach and they’re forced to use the mediocre wares that line grocery stores today.Ĭonsidering that it’s around the time of the 75th anniversary of this Toaster being introduced, it would make a lot of sense for Sunbeam or its parent company Newell to revive this product for a new century and a new generation of die-hard fans.Wilson said it took him about an hour to take the first toaster apart. If someone wants to enjoy this marvelous product today, they’re forced to contend with exorbitantly high eBay auction prices for models that only the most dedicated of hobbyists can refurbish and use safely. This marvelous product was ingenious in both construction and operation, even inspiring the design for the titular character in The Brave Little Toaster.
The Sunbeam Radiant Control toaster was a countertop appliance manufactured for over 50 years, until it was discontinued in the 90s with no heir apparent.įor decades, this toaster was the pinnacle of middle-class luxury at an affordable price. That somethings were better in the old days. Sometimes, it’s hard to admit that the past did it better.
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