Suzanne Dale was just trying to make lunch, but she got a visit from the local fire department instead.
Trying out a popular grilled cheese hack, she placed her toaster on its side and inserted a slice of cheese-topped bread (yeah, I’m already cringing). The melting cheese, so close to the heating element of the toaster, caught fire, and the rest is history (as is said toaster).
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Personally, I would never think to put anything other than bread products into my toaster, but this is sadly not the first time someone has caused a fire trying out this hack — one fire department even issued an official warning about it.
So where are people getting the idea that they need to hack something as simple as grilled cheese? It looks like we can all thank Jamie Oliver, who shared the toaster hack in an article, in which he claims to use a frying pan to make toast, and the toaster to make grilled cheese. Um, the stars — they’re just like us?
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Honestly, I can’t think of a reason to try to hack your grilled cheese unless you literally don’t have a stovetop. The toaster idea is obviously dangerous. (The lady from the story above? She had to grab her flaming toaster and run it into the garden to prevent the fire from spreading. Although, also don’t try that idea at home.) And other hacks, like wrapping a cheese sandwich in foil and ironing it (who doesn’t love getting melted cheese on their iron and then their clothes?) or cooking it on the heating element of a coffeemaker (yum, slightly warm, definitely not grilled cheese) are just ineffective.
Basically make your grilled cheese in a pan, the oven or not at all. Don’t have a stovetop? You can get a grilled cheese at restaurants for, like, $4 — and when it comes to fulfilling your cheese cravings, there’s no need to be stingy with yourself.
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