Dualit Limited

Dualit is a British manufacturer of kitchen and catering equipment, best known for their range of heavy-duty toaster. The Dualit toaster is regarded as a design classic, thanks in part to its retro styling. It differs from most other toasters in that it is relatively simple in construction, with an electromechanical timer and using a manual lever mechanism to lift the toast from the toasting slots. It is also easily repairable, with replacement elements and other parts available, so it typically has a longer service life than contemporary electronic toasters. Although it was primarily designed for the commercial catering market, its classic appearance has led to its becoming trendy in the domestic market, described by The Observer as a "symbol of the kitchen porn 90s"

Designed by inventor Max Gort-Barten in the early 1950s, the Dualit toaster is notable for its 'large loaf' shape, characterised with cooling slots at both ends of the unit. These are necessary for the periods of extended use, expected of the toaster in the busy environment of the commercial café or canteen. The units are available in different sizes, with various slot numbers and are manufactured in a range of colours. The simple hand-built process used in their manufacture, with each part held together with visible screws, makes the toaster robust, yet easy to disassemble and repair. Another distinguishing feature of these machines is the electromechanical timer which makes a loud whirring noise when in use.

Dualit have manufactured a diverse range of kitchenware products in recent years, including smaller domestic toasters, kettles, mechanical scales and digital radios.

The iconic status of the Dualit toaster has let to it being widely imitated and in some cases these copies have been subject to legal action from Dualit.
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