The Optimist Toaster
27th February 2013
One of my favourite projects is a series of toasters by London group The Agency of Design.
‘Design Out Waste’ from 2010 examines how we could improve the lifespan of our household electricals. Rather than tackle the problem from simply a material approach, the team created three strategies based on our product care habits. These were then applied to the humble toaster.
The result is three distinct looking toasters driven by sustainable goals – the ‘Realist’, the ‘Pragmatist’ and the ‘Optimist’.
The most striking is the ‘Optimist’ – a cast aluminium toaster that aims to last for generations. It looks and feels like a solid centrepiece appliance for the kitchen. Not only is it physically enduring but it has design details that embrace the toaster’s age and history. A mechanical counter can display how many slices of toast its made and the date of manufacture is permanently moulded into the body.
It is hoped that you would pass the toaster down the family so it can be enjoyed for many breakfasts to come.
They have been inactive for a couple of years but you can see more at The Agency of Design
