Abstract: A toasting machine comprising heating elements, an on/off switch for initiating a toasting cycle, a toast colour selection knob for setting a selected time period for a toasting cycle, a timing circuit arranged to measure the elapsed time since a previous toasting cycle and including time booster means, a control circuit responsive to the toast colour selection setting and the timing circuit, a connection line and plug for connecting the toasting machine to an electrical power supply so as to supply power to the heating elements on initiation of a toast cycle by the on/off switch and under control of the control circuit, a temperature measuring device arranged to measure the temperature of the toasting machine and supply a temperature representing signal to the control circuit, the control circuit being arranged to control the timing of a current toasting cycle in dependence both on the setting of the toast colour selection switch and on the timing circuit, so that the toasting cycle time period during which