A few years ago, Maeve and Bradd at Cruising Solutions gave me a GSI Stainless Toaster to use and write a review. Disclosure: yes, I got it for free and yes, they do advertise on TBG. That said, I’m still giving my honest opinion: I love it and use it every day!
2016 update: I originally wrote this in 2014 and I’ve continued to use this toaster almost every day and continue to recommend it.
Okay, we’ll start with the obvious: it makes great toast very easily. Turn the burner up to high, place the toaster on the burner and put a piece of bread on it. Let it go 15 to 30 seconds, depending on the bread and how hot your burner is, flip and toast the other side. You do have to watch it; you can’t just start it and walk away as with a typical electric toaster. The only down side is that it makes only one piece of toast at a time, but it toasts relatively quickly so I didn’t find it a problem to make 4 slices of toast for the 2 of us.
You can use it with any type of burner except induction (I’ve read that it will work with an induction burner if you use an induction plate but I’m a bit skeptical that it will develop the radiant heat needed for good toast). I’ve tried it with a propane burner, a white gas burner and an electric burner and all give great results.
It’s small. It folds up quite ingeniously — but easily, no spending hours figuring it out — to 6-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ and just over 1/2″ thick. Here it is with The Boat Galley Cookbook for comparison (and everybody knows how big that is, right?):
It comes with a nice little travel bag, but I really can’t imagine putting it there after every use. It’s easy to clean — I just tap it a couple of times to get crumbs off. You can wash the screen if you really need to and you can remove it if necessary.
It’s well constructed, being made of 18/8 stainless (read more about stainless grades). I’m guessing that you may have to replace the stainless screen on the bottom after a few years. For other applications, I’ve been able to get stainless screen (absolutely don’t get plastic or fiberglass; plain steel will quickly rust) variously at hardware stores, home improvement stores, machine shops and places that make custom screens. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to who does or doesn’t have it on hand — but when we’ve found it, we’ve usually gotten a small piece very cheaply out of a scrap pile. If you Google “stainless screen mesh” you can also find lots available online, some fairly cheaply, some not.
Once you have the screen mesh, cut it to size, making it about 3/4″ to 1″ wider than the toaster. There are no clamps holding the screen on; it is simply wrapped around the bar and the metal screen bent so that it stays in place. Pliers can help to make it bend if your fingers aren’t strong enough. Note: I haven’t done the repair on this toaster, but I’ve worked with stainless screen in other applications. Getting it to start bending just where you want it can be tricky but once it’s started, the rest is easy.
The GSI Camping Toaster is sold by Cruising Solutions, a great company owned and operated by experienced cruisers and on Amazon:
- See and buy the toaster from Cruising Solutions.
- It’s also available from Amazon for slightly less (and free shipping with Prime).
A number of outdoor stores sell it both online and in their stores.
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
liz says
I have this toaster and it is fantastic. My husband uses it daily and yes we put it in the black bag everyday! We also just got an Omnia oven thank to your reviews Carolyn. Have made bread twice, have only had it 2 days, lol. Amazing as well. Thanks for all the terrific info on The BOAT GALLEY!
Cheryl Hollinghead says
Nice!!
Michael Sanderson says
We have two of these on board, but we find it hard to get the toast done through … Also, it’s good to have an ov glove aboard to turn the toast. They do leave a lot of crumbs on the stove top. If we did it again, we’d just bring an electric toaster, since they really don’t use that much energy in the long haul.
The Boat Galley says
If you like your toast crunchy on the outside and soft inside (like I do), use high heat. If you like it drier in the center, use med-high or even medium. I don’t find it too hot to use my hand, but you can also flip the bread with a fork very easily. With mine, any crumbs just fall onto the screen not the stove top.
Lindsey Paris says
I have been looking for a year for something like this! Just ordered one thank you!
Barbara Turney says
Got one of these at the Annapolis Sailboat Show from Cruising Solutions – perfect!
Sharon Whitefoot says
We love ours, first one lasted four years! A friend gave me hers and we just began using it. I will look for a piece of new stainless steel screen & keep the original as a spare.
Leslie Ann says
This toaster rocks!
Sally Adirondack says
We just got a regular 2 slice toaster – that’s what the invertor is for!
Carolyn Shearlock says
If you’ve got room to store it and sufficient power, that’s great. But I just don’t have that much space to give to something that does one thing.
Lyn Baily Hewson says
Bought one at Ann Sail Boat Show last year. It’s great .
Gill says
I use it as a loaf size cooling rack too!
Carolyn Shearlock says
Great idea! I hadn’t thought of that, but now I’ll use it for that, too.
Sebago Seymour says
If our oven didn’t work so good on our Allied Mistress, I’d consider but I’m lucky to be able to pop the toast in the oven for 7 minutes max (this little work horse fires up fast and HOT) and gives us good toast. I may try this after all, probably save a bit on propane.
Ruth Golden says
I love this toaster; we used a different one for camping trips. Glad I found this great alternative!
Jen says
₤12.58 with free delivery from the states on amazon uk, for the gsi. Not expensive any more!
Good review, thank you. 🙂
Carolyn Shearlock says
woo-hoo!
Patti Holma says
Mine got all rusty though
Patti Holma says
The Boat Galley thanks,
The Boat Galley says
If it’s just the screen on the bottom that’s rusting (it will with use and age due to being right over a flame), you can get a replacement screen from GSI.
Alison Turpin says
Just bought this off of amazon because I was missing good toast! It works great and folds down flat! Also, up to 4 pieces at a time.
The Boat Galley says
Glad that one is working for you! I had a similar one for a while but had problems with the heat being really uneven — the bottom of a couple of pieces of toast was burning before anything else even had color.
Alison Turpin says
i do have to flip whatever I am toasting to get the top even to the bottom.
Julie Thorndycraft says
We have this, works great.
Ginny says
I’ve been cruising fiull time for the past 2.5 years making toast daily in an old pan, I just bought this toaster 2 months ago and I love it!