The Quick Sandwich Maker: Back to Basics TEM500

Making a hearty breakfast is too time-consuming to be practical most days of the week.  This is probably why we have begun calling ready-to-eat-out-of-the-box Pop-Tarts breakfast.  For those who want more options than a quick sugar high in the morning, the Back to Basics TEM500 Egg-and-Muffin 2-Slice Toaster and Egg Poacher is for you.

Overview: It may look like your typical black toaster with silver accents, but unlike other toasters, it remains cool to the touch even when in use. Other great features allow you to cook your eggs (poached or steam-scrambled) and heat up any pre-cooked meat like ham or sausage while you toast up to 2 slices of bread all at the same time.  The unit can even boil up to 4 eggs.  The controls are basic and easy to use– simply choose what you like and you’ll have a tasty breakfast in minutes.  Set the timer and the appliance will shut itself down when it’s time.  The appliance also paces itself, so you will get everything cooked and ready at about the same time.

What You’ll Love: Multi-functional is this appliance’s second name.  Oh wait, let me rephrase that.  “Multi-functional appliance that actually works” is what I’d call it.  It’s not one of those “As Seen on TV” kitchen wonder gadgets that looked so great on that late night infomercial, yet proves to be anything but useful and easy to use when you finally get to try it.

The wide slots on the toaster let you toast not only sliced bread but also the more rotund muffins, bagels or croissants; you can also choose light toast or dark toast.  Thus, if toast is all you want in the morning, the Back to Basics TEM500 will give you enough variety to keep breakfast interesting.  If you want more than just toast, however, simply scramble or poach some eggs on the poaching tray and you can have eggs on toast for breakfast or toasted bagels/muffins/croissants with eggs on the side.  You can also make a real sandwich with it.  Toast a muffin, warm pre-cooked sausage and poach an egg – and voila!  You now have an egg and sausage muffin sandwich.  For greater variety, substitute pre-cooked bacon or ham for the pre-cooked sausage, use hardboiled eggs in lieu of poached or scrambled eggs and pile them high on toasted sliced bread, muffins or bagel.  You can even choose how hard or soft you want your boiled eggs by using the water measuring cup that comes with the unit.  No more sitting in the drive thru line each morning!

The best thing about this appliance is that it will take you only around 4 minutes to make a good-sized, tasty and healthy (steam is used for cooking eggs and warming the breakfast meat) breakfast sandwich.

Full Disclosure: The plastic trays are prone to scratching and peeling.  After a while, your neat little gadget will not look as fine as when you bought it – but rest assured it will remain functional nonetheless.  One down size is you can only prepare one at a time.  Maybe they should start making this in plus size for families of five.  They can also perhaps come up with something that cooks rather than merely warms breakfast meats so you can really prepare everything at once.