A trebuchet is a medieval machine used to fling objects, such as globs of burning pitch, over the ramparts and into the strongholds of the enemy. The modern version will fling toasted bread. The Trebuchet Toaster has an adjustable angle and adjustable power settings, so you can calculate the highest, furthest, or most annoying barrage of toast. Although it doesn’t exactly work on the same principle as a medieval trebuchet, the outcome is similar. Toast is flung. Can breakfast be any more fun?
This concept gadget is part of a set, The Brunch collection from Dutch designer Ivo Vos. Another featured concept is the vise that holds and measures your bread while you cut. And there’s a place mat that tells you exactly where to put the plate and cutlery. None of the other can hold a candle to the Trebuchet Toaster.
Coolest Gadgets posits the idea of using the Trebuchet Toaster as an alarm clock. Just add a timing mechanism, and aim the toast at your sleeping head from across the room.
GearCrave sees people aiming this to get the toast to the plate without touching it.
I can envision a home with two of these. The kids set them up in the living room and pop toast at each other until their parents send them to bed. Then the parents take the toasters back to the kitchen and proceed to do the same! If this goes into mass production, it will be bigger than the Salad Shooter. Both are handy for food fights, but if you have to eat your ammo, toast will always trump salad.
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Why would you mod you Wii like that??
posted by Admiral Byrd on 1-27-2009 at 11:06 am
When I moved from my mother’s home she gave me a bunch of her old household items including the toaster we referred to as the trebuchet. It’s popping mechanism was broken so rather than snapping the toast up it flung it across the kitchen. I got very good at fielding flying toast. I was so glad to get rid of that old toaster. I cannot believe people would pay money for a toaster that does this on purpose.
posted by Cynthia on 1-27-2009 at 12:23 pm
Would this more appropriately be considered a catapult? I always thought the trebuchet used a swinging counterweight and gravity to “fling” things. Maybe the word “trebuchet” is too fun not to use here …
posted by Paul on 1-27-2009 at 12:27 pm
Never underestimate the power of alliteration, Paul. Nor, Cynthia, the allure of crazy stuff like this for a certain stripe of person. Me and my husband, for instance. (And at least this toaster promises to be more trajectory-adjustable than yours.)
posted by VM on 1-27-2009 at 1:51 pm
I would think it would be more of a toast crossbow.
posted by Brian on 1-27-2009 at 1:51 pm
I think people will be so fascinated by this gadget that they will toast whole loaves of bread, only to realize they are not hungry. Food will go to waste, nations will starve, civilizations will die, all because of a toaster.
posted by Killer on 1-27-2009 at 3:10 pm
This could revolutionize midnight showings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 1-27-2009 at 7:37 pm