Ask HN: Should I try to manufacture toasters?
An aspiring founder is considering building a high‑quality, “Made in USA” toaster, prompting a broader examination of whether such a product can be viable in a market dominated by cheap, imported appliances. Commenters highlight the romantic appeal of durable, locally made goods and possible niches at the luxury or enthusiast end, but stress harsh realities: safety certifications, liability, tooling costs, regulatory hurdles, and consumers’ tendency to say they want quality while buying on price. Many suggest starting with prototypes or accessories, validating demand via channels like Kickstarter, or treating it as a learning project rather than a straightforward path to a profitable hardware business.
Market demand & positioning
- Many see a niche for a high‑quality, long‑lasting toaster, possibly “made in USA,” but doubt a mass‑market opportunity.
- “Made locally” appeals to some, yet several argue most buyers ultimately pick cheap imports when facing real prices.
- Others point out existing premium brands (Dualit, Breville/Sage, Balmuda, Wolf, SMEG) prove there is a luxury segment, but it’s small and already competitive.
- Consensus: origin alone is not enough; product must be clearly better or part of a strong luxury/status story.
Product design & user needs
- Common complaints about current toasters: uneven browning, inconsistent settings, chemical smells, hard‑to‑clean crumbs, unsafe retrieval of small items, wasteful heating of unused slots.
- Strong interest in:
- Simple, robust mechanics and over‑engineered durability (“Speed Queen of toasters”).
- Repairability and spare parts.
- Better sensing of “doneness” (e.g., color sensing, thermal control) inspired by antique Sunbeam radiant-control toasters.
- Possibly steam‑assisted or oven‑style designs; skepticism about existing “window” and “smart” gimmicks.
- Many explicitly do not want Wi‑Fi or cloud‑dependent features; a few geeks like the idea of local APIs or hackability.
Manufacturing, cost & competition
- Multiple commenters with hardware experience warn that US manufacturing will be expensive; cheap Chinese OEMs already dominate and can clone designs.
- Realistically, a product would be “assembled in USA from global parts”; sourcing every component domestically is seen as near impossible.
- Tooling, test jigs, and scaling beyond “craft” volumes require substantial capital; expected end‑user price likely well above mainstream toasters.
Regulation, safety & liability
- Major hurdles: UL and similar safety certifications, FCC/EMC testing, and product liability insurance, especially for a fire‑risk appliance.
- Patents and potential lawsuits are recurring concerns; some say proper clearance and legal defense are beyond a bootstrap budget.
Hardware entrepreneurship advice
- Many urge starting with prototypes, learning in maker spaces, or building accessories/repair services first.
- Strong warnings that hardware “burns money,” timelines and costs are routinely underestimated, and marketing/brand‑building will be at least half the battle.
- A minority encourages proceeding anyway—as a learning adventure or niche/luxury play—but with eyes open about difficulty and risk.