$230 Japanese Toaster Can Make Bread Taste Like Heaven

Meet the Balmuda Toaster, launched in June 2015 by Gen Terao, founder and president of the Tokyo-based appliance maker Balmuda.

According to Bloomberg, Balmuda started working on the toaster in 2014. At the time, Terao, after barbecuing bread with employees on a rainy day, figured that humidity could keep toasted bread moist.

The toaster works like magic, but the science behind it is meticulously-calibrated heat. It utilizes thermostats that ensure precise warming cycles. Loaves that come out of it are simply never the same.

The 14-by-13-by-8-inch toaster, which sells for 24,000 yen ($230), has a container on top where users pour five cubic centimeters of water. The water moisturizes the bread through slow heating.

As the cycle ends, the temperature shoots up to give the bread the perfect crust you deserve.

Terao is a high school dropout who spent his college funds for travel, visiting the Mediterranean, Morocco and Spain. After, he led a rock group called the Beach Fighters, which unfortunately disbanded after nine years.

What started from five laptop stands he created from aluminum became Balmuda, which later sold home products such as electric fans, humidifiers and the brilliant toaster.

If this gets you hungry, Balmuda has curated recipes using the toaster (they’re in Japanese, though). Check them out!