Reimagining the Toaster
First Year Project • 10 Weeks • Individual Project
Redesigning the toaster to be interacted with in a new and innovative way while considering the sustainability in materials and production methods in the overall design.
Task Analysis
Analysing the typical stages of making toast considering the physical action, knowledge or skills required and the choices the user has to make. This helped identify issues and opportunities that the redesign could address.
Existing Product Analysis
Looking at the features and details of a toaster and how it benefits or impedes the user interaction, reflecting on what I might integrate into my own design.
Toaster Disassembly
Fully taking apart a toaster to break down the exact components required for a functioning toaster. Analysing the materials used and how each part would be manufactured, informing my own design to ensure its feasibility for manufacture. I proceeded to create each part as its own CAD file to include in my concepts and ensure their size would reasonably fit the essential components.
Looking at the details of how parts are fitted together and designed for assembly, such as the injection moulded screw holes, lip and groove fit for a seamless appearance, to inspire the design detailing in my design development.
Initial Concepts
Generating ideas to build upon and develop to create a functional and aesthetic product. These ideas are loose and imaginative, thinking of alternatives to toasting bread and streamlining the function back to the basic task. I selected three preferred concepts to further pursue.
Research indicated that the use stage of a toaster's lifecycle was its largest carbon emitter, followed by its materials. I used this as a basis for early conceptualisation on how toasting bread could be made more energy efficient.
Interaction Testing
Creating cardboard models of each concept to visualise the step-by-step interaction and making adjustments to work out any mechanisms required.
* It was at this stage that the COVID pandemic had just hit, limiting further user testing.
More refined versions of these concepts were created on CAD to finalise and evaluate their form and mechanism, as well as insert bread files and components to create the correct size and shape.
Development
After evaluating these concepts, I began developing a finalised product, taking details and mechanisms that I liked and synthesised them into my final proposition.
The Final Proposal
My final redesign includes a new interface that allows the user to better anticipate how long the toasting process will be, making it easier to maintain the 'toastiness' consistently.
The user would lift up the main toaster and fill it with bread, close the lid and turn the dial to the specific setting they want. When done, the toaster will audibly give feedback and the user can pull out the toast.
By enclosing the bread inside the toaster with a lid, it prevents heat from escaping. Saving up to 30% more energy in the use stages of a toaster's life cycle.
