Today I’m taking a look at two interesting countertop appliances, both by viewer request: the West Bend QuikServe Toaster and the Nostalgia Tortilla Bowl Baker. One of these could be a daily driver, and the other might only come out once in a while, but both offer something a little different than your average kitchen gadget. Let’s dive in!
Where to Purchase
Below are links where you can purchase the items featured in this article, plus info about a couple of other past products that appeared in this review.
- West Bend QuikServe Toaster
- Nostalgia Tortilla Bowl Baker
- Evertoast: Video Review | Written Review | Amazon
- Breville Toaster: Video Review | Written Review | Amazon
West Bend Quick Serve Toaster
I picked up the West Bend QuikServe Toaster on Amazon for $38.99. It currently has a 4.1-star rating based on around 7200 reviews. What makes this toaster unique is that it doesn’t pop the toast out of the top. Instead, it slides it out the bottom like an escape hatch.
Some of the main claims:
- Wide slot for bread, bagels, and waffles
- Perfect toast in 90 seconds or less
- Seven shade settings plus Bagel, Gluten-Free, and Cancel buttons
People on Amazon who liked it said it worked great and took up little counter space. Some, however, mentioned inconsistent browning, the unit being tall, and a few said the toast sometimes slid onto the floor. (That didn’t happen to me.)
During my testing, I ran slices through all seven shade settings, cooling the toaster down between each round to get a fair comparison. Here’s what I found:
- Levels 1 and 2 barely made a difference. They were very lightly toasted.
- From level 3 onward, there was noticeable browning, but it was not the most even I’ve ever seen.
- Level 7 wasn’t nearly as dark as level 7 on most toasters. It was more of a deep golden brown than a burnt crisp.
- The “slide out” feature is very satisfying and avoids the usual fishing around with tongs or fingers.
- The crumb management isn’t ideal. Folding up the serving tray drops crumbs onto the counter, and there’s no crumb tray. This means you have to clean it off after each use – and there are no instructions how to remove the tray.
Overall, if you want perfectly even toast or very dark toast, this might not be the toaster for you. But if you like the idea of toast sliding out the bottom without the risk of burning your fingers, it carves out a nice little niche for itself.
Nostalgia Tortilla Bowl Baker
Next up, I tried the Nostalgia Tortilla Bowl Baker, which I bought for $20. It has a strong 4.2-star rating with over 10,000 reviews. This device lets you create crispy tortilla bowls using 8″ or 10″ tortillas (supposedly).
Highlights include:
- Non-stick surfaces
- Locking latch (although it’s extremely hot and tricky to handle)
- Quick 1-3 minute cook time
Following the instructions, I tested several 8″ tortillas and even tried a 9.5″ tortilla just for fun (spoiler: it didn’t really work). Here’s what I found:
- The 8″ shells work best. Larger shells hang out the sides and can’t be latched properly.
- Centering the tortilla is surprisingly tricky. Even after multiple tries, it still sometimes came out lopsided. The solution was to press the tortilla into the bottom and center it that way.
- The bowl crisps up nicely after cooling for a few minutes, although it wasn’t quite as crispy as I would ideally like. Going longer risks burning the bottom.
- Forming the tortilla by pressing it gently into the bottom before closing helps create a more even shape.
Once done, I filled my best-looking bowl with refried beans, jalapeños, and used the edges like tortilla chips. It made for a fun presentation and a tasty snack.
Final Thoughts
Neither of these gadgets is perfect, but they each offer something a little unique. The West Bend toaster’s sliding feature is oddly satisfying and solves a real problem (no more stuck toast!), even if the browning is a little uneven. The Nostalgia Tortilla Bowl Baker is a fun, easy way to create edible bowls, but be prepared for a bit of a learning curve with centering and crispiness.
If you’ve tried either of these, I’d love to hear your experience! Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time.
Video Review
Below you can watch my full review of these products.