▁between ▁food ▁and ▁the ▁he ating ▁element . ▁ ▁Con vey or ▁to aster s ▁ ▁Con vey or ▁to aster s ▁are ▁designed ▁to ▁make ▁many ▁s lices ▁of ▁to ast ▁and ▁are ▁generally ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁c ater ing ▁industry , ▁restaur ants , ▁c af eter ias , ▁institution al ▁cook ing ▁facilities , ▁and ▁other ▁commercial ▁food ▁service ▁situations ▁where ▁constant ▁or ▁high - volume ▁to ast ing ▁is ▁required . ▁B read ▁is ▁to asted ▁at ▁a ▁rate ▁of ▁ 3 0 0 – 1 6 0 0 ▁s lices ▁an ▁hour ; ▁the ▁don eness ▁control ▁on ▁such ▁a ▁to aster ▁adjust s ▁the ▁convey or ▁speed , ▁thus ▁alter ing ▁the ▁time ▁during ▁which ▁the ▁bread ▁is ▁near ▁the ▁heat ▁elements . ▁Con vey or ▁to aster s ▁have ▁been ▁produced ▁for ▁home ▁use ; ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁for ▁example , ▁the ▁Toast - O - L ator ▁went ▁into ▁limited ▁production . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁electric ▁to aster , ▁s lic ed ▁bread ▁was ▁to asted ▁by ▁placing ▁it ▁in ▁a ▁metal ▁frame ▁or ▁on ▁a ▁long - hand led ▁to ast ing - f ork ▁and ▁holding ▁it ▁near ▁a ▁fire ▁or ▁over ▁a ▁kitchen ▁gr ill . ▁Ut ens ils ▁for ▁to ast ing ▁bread ▁over ▁open ▁fl ames ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁including ▁decor ative ▁implements ▁made ▁from ▁wr ought ▁iron . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁electric ▁bread