I have inherited a US$4 / 3.6€ toaster from a previous housemate. I told myself I'll replace it when it dies, but it's been nearly 12 years. That Sunbeam is much prettier than my plastic sweatshop junk and I'm a little jealous of it.
I think I'm so used to planned obsolescence in tech that I greatly underestimated how hard it is to fuck up building a toaster. Mine doesn't toast evenly, sure. But how perfectly even do I really need my toast to be?
I make toast in a skillet because I don't have a toaster but it works ok because then I can use the good butter so my jam and toast is much tastier and probably way less healthy, weirdly enough I think it's more even on a skillet and a bit more crisp one side soft on the other like I like.
I'm too much of a fan of timed power cut-off devices to go that route, and my doctors would probably also not be a fan. I can totally believe it makes for excellent and delicious toast though. Especially with the good butter.