As you may have read on the Toas-Tite 60th Anniversary history post, Toas-Tites were produced during the 1940s and ’50s. So where can you find them now?
The best place to find vintage Toas-Tites for sale is eBay. Check here for the latest Toas-Tites listed. At any given time, there are probably 5-10 Toas-Tites available for Buy Now purchase or for auction.
Here are a few things to remember about bidding for Toas-Tites on eBay:
- Don’t pay too much. While they aren’t being produced anymore, there are still quite a few Toas-Tites out there to be had. A good Toas-Tite deal on eBay is $25. An average Toas-Tite deal is $30-$40 (based on what we’ve seen over the last few years and the 20+ Toas-Tite purchases of our own from eBay, antique shops, and flea markets). That includes Toas-Tites even in almost mint condition and sometimes with original instruction booklets. After that, unless it’s a deluxe version or a special edition Boy Scout Toas-Tite, we’d recommend just waiting for the next one and just plain skip anything that’s asking for over $100 as a starting bid.
- Don’t pay for a photocopy of the Toas-Tite instruction booklet or the recipe booklet (even if it’s only a dollar or two).While it’s very cool to have and we highly recommend checking it out, we have the Toas-Tite instruction booklet posted here for all the world to see! It’s all about sharing the Toas-Tite love (for free).
- There will always be another Toas-Tite listed! While you may be antsy for one, there’s no reason to overpay (especially when the prices start climbing toward $100).
- There are Toas-Tites and there are sandwich grills/pie irons.Toas-Tites are wonderful but of course, there were other companies who made similar irons. Nutbrown produced a similarly shaped sandwich iron to the Toas-Tite in the UK. They tend to be sold on eBay for less than $10. C. Palmer Manufacturing Inc. made square pie irons with longer handles (we got one for about $15). There are also jaffle irons from Australia, grills from France, and we’ve even seen Taiwanese knock-offs of them all!
Given that Toas-Tites are antiques, you can always check antique shops and estate sales. It’s less of a “sure thing” but it’s still fun to look if you have some time and you can get some great deals if you haggle a little.
If you want something brand new or made of cast iron, there are a number of contemporary options.
Here’s the list of what we’ve found so far in the pie iron world (in alphabetical order):
- Bene Casa Sandwich Press
- This design is a little bit more like the antique Nutbrown from the UK to make round sealed sandwiches.
- Buffalo Tools pie irons (available at Amazon.com, also available in the Sportsman line)
- Buffalo Tools offers a few different options for cast iron square pie irons (including a double one).
- C. Palmer Manufacturing pie irons
- C. Palmer Mfg offers a TON of different options. Round, square, double, long handles, short handles…even non-stick versions, all made in the US.
- Camp Chef aluminum pie iron (available at Amazon.com)
- This one is a round toaster made from cast aluminum.
- Coghlen’s Cast Iron Camp Cooker (available at Amazon.com)
- Made from cast iron, this is a another square grill with extra long handles.
- Coleman Camp Cooker (available at Amazon.com)
- The Coleman cooker is a square pie iron made from cast aluminum.
- Diablo sandwich maker (available at Amazon.com)
- This is a round sandwich maker with nonstick coating.
- LL Bean Campfire Pie Iron
- LL Bean retails a cast iron square pie iron.
- Old Mountain pie irons (available at Amazon.com)
- They’ve got cast iron preseasoned square grills, round grills, double square grills…they even have waffle makers and hot dog cookers!
- Plow & Hearth Fireside cast iron pie irons
- The P&H irons are square and they come in a single sandwich maker or a double. They also have extra long handles so they’re easier to use in a fireplace or over an open flame.
- Rome Sandwich Cooker from PieIron.com
- Rome Industries currently produces a number of cast iron and cast aluminum sandwich cookers, including waffle irons, double pie irons, waffle irons, etc.
- Texsport cast iron pie irons
- Texsport offers a round iron and a square iron.
- Toas-Tite Replicas from Replica Products
- Check out our detailed comparison of the replica to the vintage Toas-Tite.
There are also a few electric versions for sealed sandwich makers:
- Maxi-Matic Elite Cuisine Sandwich Maker (available at Amazon.com)
- Similar to the Proctor Silex sandwich maker, this one is a non-stick electric grill which makes four triangular sandwiches.
- Proctor Silex Sandwich Toaster (available at Amazon.com)
- This one doesn’t have stellar reviews on Amazon but it’s an electric grill which makes four triangular sealed sandwiches.
Or if you’re not interested in toasting…
- KrusterBuster Sandwich Maker (not for toasting)
- For anyone who’s not interested in toasting, the KrusterBuster lets you seal your sandwiches into a neat little pocket (kind of like a Smuckers Uncrustable)
Savory Toas-Tite Recipes
2/10/2010 –
I have just been handed down my grandma’s very vintage/retro “Pat. Pending” Toas-Tite! I am just thrilled. My father (the youngest of three) was born in 1950 and remembers his mom making him sandwiches with it. I too remember grandma making me tuna, tomato, & cheese nummmer nummers! Now I am passing on the tradition to my son (15) who has decided he NOW likes cooking. Yesterday he made a chicken cacciatore sandwich with leftover chicken, pasta sauce, and parmesan reggiano cheese!!! It was awesome! It’s the simple things in life that bring the greatest joy.
Thanks for the site and fun info.
Wendy
That’s so great! Thanks so much for your comment.
How cool it’s come down through generations. Your son’s Toas-Tite sounds absolutely delicious. We’re definitely going to have to try it out.
I have just got my toas-tit. patent number 2465489. Don’t know much about it. I would like information about it. It’s Black handled and in mint condition. Never been used. Thank You, Cathe
Hi Cathe! What information are you interested in? I’d recommend checking out our Toas-Tite history page for some basic information about the inventor.
Where can I buy a Toastite locally.
Thanks
CAROLYN
San Jose CA
Hi Carolyn! Unfortunately because Toas-Tites haven’t been manufactured since the 1950s, there isn’t anywhere you can buy them locally guaranteed. Boy and I have looked at lots of antique shops but we have yet to find one “in the wild”. Boy’s father has found a few but that’s just by luck and by chance. Ebay is the most reliable place to find Toas-Tites but you can also buy modern versions like Pie Irons from Amazon.com or sometimes from army surplus stores. Good luck!
I found a Toas-Tite today in Atlanta, Ga in a thrift store. I bought it for $1.50. I had no idea what it was and neither did the sales folks. But it was interesting looking and made in the USA. Lokks like I got a pretty good deal.
Wow! 1.50 that’s incredible! Hopefully you’ll have it for years to come, and congratulations on your new cooking tool. It goes to show that hidden gems are out there waiting to be found.
My mother usd to make these wonderful spaghetti sauce pies with white bread when I was growning up in the 50′s.with a Toas-tite. Somehow it got lost when my mother moved into a nursing home a couple of years ago. I decided to do an internet search to see if I could find something like it as I never knew what it was called. Weeeeeellllllll, I found Toas-tite.come and they are sending me one shortly. so I think, contrary to what one blogger said, they are still being made by the original company. They’re a little pricey at $37.90 with s&H but well worth it. I feel like I’ve gotten a peice of my childhood back!!!
Lynda
Atlanta
Congratulations on rekindling your relationship with the Toas-Tite! Spaghetti sauce in a Toas-Tite is suck a fun idea, we’ll have to try it. I’m thinking that you might have bought a replica from Toastite.biz. They are making replicas from the original patent, so they’re the same overall structure, but they’re not affiliated with the original company Bar-B-Buns. Hope that helps clear it up!
I have had the original toast tite from the early 60′s. Have been making what we call cockaboodles: bread, pasta sauce and mozzerella cheese… the best pizza sandwich!. I Have been asked to allow borrowing my toast-tite and my response has always been “no”. All I need is a toddler to get a hold of it and drop it, and it’s gone forever. I have a round one and a few years later, found a square one.