Some motels / cabins provide toasters - the "retro" 2-slice toaster that projects the hot toast into the air when its done (and, perhaps sounds a bell, too, if it still works!) The toaster is clean (meaning, no crumbs.)
Could someone use it? My assumption was it's OK b/c the electrical wires in the toaster are red hot and burn off any possibly traif food and there were are no crumbs or any other food particles in the toaster.
Per the OU website discussing "Kosher Food in a Non-Kosher Office" one should not use a bread toaster and should assume it is not Kosher.
Q. The lunch area in our office has a can opener, peeler, bread-toaster (not a toaster oven), flatware, coffee mugs, glass dishes and glass cups available for anyone to use. Can I use them? A. The can opener and peeler can be used after they are cleaned or rinsed off. The toaster and coffee mugs should be assumed to be non-kosher and should not be used. Similarly, flatware, glass dishes and glass cups should be assumed to be non-kosher and should not be used for hot products (or for spicy foods); Rema records the custom of not using such utensils for cold products on an ongoing basis; he states that if once in a while one has a need to use such utensils for cold products, he may do so after cleaning them carefully.
Rabbi Tzvi Goldberg - Dean of Star-K's Virtual Kosher University says it is not really possible to Kosherize a toaster.
It is not kosher. In order to use such a toaster, you would have to do a "Libun" because the metallic element had absorbed "taref" food.
Even if it was totally cleaned and hasn't been used for 24 hours, you would still be unable to use it. Being that you put the bread into the toaster bare you would need to immerse the metallic components of the toaster in the mikvah prior to it being used to prepare food. This is usually done by opening the toaster and removing the grate, then recompiling the toaster's components after the metal parts have dried. In this case, chances are you aren't staying at the hotel long enough for this process to take place and it is inadvisable to use the toaster for your bread.
It is important to mention that some believe you can take apart the toaster and put it back together, thus eliminating the need to immerse it in the mikva.
