Breville Unveils Cutting-Edge $300 Toaster After a Decade of Innovation

In a bold move to redefine breakfast staples, Breville has launched the Eye Q Auto Toaster, a $300 appliance that promises to transform the way we toast bread. After ten years of meticulous design and development, this toaster is now available in stores across the U.S.

Unlike conventional toasters that rely on time to achieve the perfect crispness, the Eye Q Auto Toaster employs advanced optical sensors and algorithms to monitor the toasting process. According to Tom Groundes-Peace, Breville’s senior global category manager, this innovative approach addresses the variability in toasting different types of bread by measuring color change rather than just cooking duration.

Revolutionizing the Toasting Process

Groundes-Peace emphasizes the challenges faced during the development of this toaster, highlighting the fact that traditional toasters have long measured toasting time as a proxy for quality. “Every toaster in the world up until this point has just used time as its proxy for toasting,” he explains. The Eye Q Auto Toaster, with its built-in sensors, represents a significant leap forward, capable of adjusting based on the specific type of bread being toasted.

A Decade of Development

The journey to the Eye Q Auto Toaster was fraught with obstacles, particularly in sourcing the right optical sensors capable of detecting subtle color changes in bread. After extensive collaboration with manufacturers, Breville succeeded in developing a sensor that could withstand the heat of a toaster while delivering accurate readings. However, initial prototypes were larger and less efficient than desired, prompting a redesign to streamline and reduce costs. “We were about to press the go button on making 10,000 of these. And then we just said, look, guys, it’s not there,” Groundes-Peace recalls.

Now, the Eye Q Auto Toaster stands as a testament to Breville’s commitment to innovation in kitchen appliances. With seven built-in darkness settings, the toaster aims to ensure every slice of bread reaches its ideal level of toastiness, marking a potential shift in the kitchen appliance landscape.

Source: www.fastcompany.com