Toaster Pizza: A Retrospective

[Photograph: Marks & Spencer via Metro

Earlier this week there was a new product release from the British department store Marks & Spencer: Toaster Pizza! When I first saw the announcement, it seemed worthy of a mention; finally a product that would solve pizza's lack of toaster compatibility. The heat resistant sleeve protects the pizza and the heating elements. Just how many lubricated minds have attempted to revitalize cold pizza in a toaster without this? The sideways toaster method seems like a reasonable solution.

[Photographs: Flickr Patosohn]

In looking for photographic proof of all the toasters that must have fallen victim to this reheat scheme, I turned up a number of food stuffs over the decades that have attempted to marry the two. Having been raised in the era of the microwave, I missed out on these toaster treats. It seems that almost every major food manufacturer had a version. Here's Nabisco's...

[Photograph: grickily]

I like that this one is so bold with the cheese exposure. How did that not cause a total meltdown? There is no indication that toaster sleeve technology was employed here. Other brands like Kellogg's went the Hot Pocket route. This seems like a safer bet for keeping the coils and wires cheese free, but if my extensive middle school research taught me anything, it was the high probability that frozen pastry pockets would inevitably leak. These look more like pizza Pop Tarts, but I think the sauce and cheese would cause them to preform more like a Hot Pocket when heated, producing some innard ooze. I have seen modern day versions of these from Amy's. But having missed out on the versions from the 60s and 70s, I can't say if the are a huge improvement.

Threads on pizzamaking.com and chowhound generated a lot of enthusiasm for Buitoni Tosterinos.

[Photograph: John666Steele on Flickr]

This one seems particularly ambitious. Not only are they going for the toaster angle, but Buitoni really pushed the envelope with the pizza burger angle. It doesn't work now and I'm sure it didn't work then, but clearly a multi-decade American dream.

For those whose reheating tools, supplies, detail, appointments, doesn't include a stove and a cast-iron skillet (for the best re-heat method ever), or a toaster oven (I just can't believe anyone is without both) then maybe the Marks & Spencer method holds some appeal. In which case you can just slip your favorite leftover slice into a reusable Toastabag. Just don't be like this dude:

About the author: Meredith Smith is the Slice editor. You can follow her on Twitter: @mertsmith.