Origins
The original Australian and South African jaffle iron was the same size as a slice of bread from a square loaf, and designed to be used in a fire, on a stove or gas ring. This was especially useful for outdoor cooking, which was popular in both countries. The iron was made in two parts, identical except for the edge where they hooked together. Long handles enabled the two parts to be clamped firmly together, and to be inserted in a fire or stove easily. The jaffle has always been a popular snack in Australia and South Africa, originally developed as an easy means to reheat leftover food, or to add to a worker's lunch bag.
In the United States, the Tostwich is possibly the earliest toasted sandwich maker, dating back to before 1920. However, it was not patented until March 3, 1925 (applied for on May 26, 1924). It was invented by Charles Champion, whose other inventions include a corn-popping machine for mass-producing popcorn.
In 1974, the Australian company Breville released the "Snack 'n' Sandwich toaster", which sold 400,000 units within a year of release. This toaster used what was referred to by Breville as a "Cut-n-Seal" mechanism, which came to define the appearance of the toasted sandwich. Another product, the "Breville scissor action snack 'n' sandwich toaster", was released to the British public in the early 1970s. Nowadays, the same design is used by many manufacturers.
In Japan toasted sandwich makers sometimes have removable plates, that allow the user to make both onigiri and toasted sandwiches.
Read more about this topic: Sandwich Toaster
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