Toast leverPushing it down lowers the bread into the slots. It also turns the heating elements on. Lifting it lets you check the toast.
Browning controlSets how long the toasting cycle runs, from light to dark. Also called the toast color control.
Crumb traySlides out at the bottom so the crumbs can be emptied.
Bread slotsThe bread slots: the openings the bread drops into.
Heating elementsZigzag wires, often nichrome, down both sides of each slot. They glow red hot and toast the bread.
From the side: 5 2
Defrost buttonThe defrost button, for toasting frozen bread; it lengthens the cycle.
CordThe cord, a short power cable, to plug into the wall.
How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-27. (1) Wikipedia, Toaster, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toaster : one or more slots; heating elements, often of nichrome wire; a lever on the side lowers the bread and switches on the elements; the toasting time is adjustable by a lever, knob or buttons, and when a timer or thermal sensor ends the cycle the toaster switches off and the toast pops up. (2) Toastmaster B604A use and care guide, https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7261656 : bread slots, toast lever, toast color control, crumb tray in the bottom, short cord. (3) Oster 6058 toaster manual, https://archive.org/details/manualsbase-id-652467 : heating elements, lever, crumb tray, defrost button. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-27. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work
How it works
These are the parts of a toaster on a two-slice pop-up toaster: first from the side, then looking down into the slots. Start with the 5 main parts.
Read the full guide
Making toast
Drop bread into the bread slots and push the toast lever down. That lowers the bread and switches on the heating elements, zigzag wires along both sides of each slot that glow red hot.
Controls and cleaning
The browning control sets how long the toast cooks, from light to dark; when time is up the toast pops up. The defrost button adds time for frozen bread. Slide out the crumb tray at the bottom to empty it.
Unplug the toaster and let it cool before cleaning, then slide out the crumb tray and brush the crumbs away.
Questions and answers
What heats the bread in a toaster?
The heating elements: wires, often made of nichrome, down both sides of each slot. Electricity makes them glow red hot, and their heat toasts the bread.
How does a toaster know when the toast is done?
A timer, set by the browning control, or a heat sensor ends the cycle. The toaster then switches off and up pops the toast.
What is the tray at the bottom of a toaster?
The crumb tray. It catches crumbs that fall from the bread and slides out so they can be emptied.