Toasty

Toast is an interesting brand. They’re decidedly niche, and also incredibly high quality. We’ve reviewed their products in the past, and have been impressed.

Basically, they make console and controller covers (among other things). What sets them apart from the sticker-makers out there though, is that their covers are wood. That might sound strange, but it’s true, and the results of adding one to your console are impressive. A cover from Toast truly can make your Xbox look like a million bucks.

This item though, is not a cover. It’s a mouse pad. So what separates this from the thousands of other mouse pads out there? Let’s find out.

Ease of setup

Well, this is a mouse pad, so it’s pretty easy to setup once you get it. You just kind of plop it onto your desk. Before that though, there are a number of things you can do to customize your pad.

First, there are two different sizes for what Toast is offering with their leather mousepad. The medium size is probably what most people would opt for, though the large is a tempting offer too, since it provides a nice big space to mouse across. In the end though, it’s kind of up to the size of your desktop.

You an also customize your mouse pad with up to six lines of text. This is a completely custom option and does add onto the price. Likewise, you can have a custom design etched into the pad if you like.

This can be a logo, etc. There are also set designs made by Toast, but know that all of the above add to the price tag. If you’re big into customization however, and just have to have your own symbol on your desktop, it’s pretty neat to have the option.

As for color options, there are a load. A total of ten different shades are possible. We got a the Syrah one that you see here. It’s a nice rich, deep color.

Utility

As I mentioned above, you have two sizes to pick from. I got the smaller version, since I don’t have a ton of space to work with, but it’s not limited at all. The medium size is basically a “normal” mouse pad in terms of surface room.

So if you’re using something like that now, then this is probably the way to go. The leather surface is nice and smooth, and the back is grippy, t5o hold the pad to your surface. That’s not to say that there’s a gel surface or anything, since the reverse side of the pad is simply raw in nature. But that’s been enough in my finding to keep it where you want it.

I will say this though, the pad is relatively thin. With no foam backing, there’s not a whole lot of difference in height between it and the desktop. That means that I have moused off of it once or twice, though that’s not all that big of a deal by any measure. Well, for me anyway.

Proficiency

As mouse pads go, this one’s as good as any really. The whole draw of Toast’s mouse pad is that it’s leather, and that means it’s got a nice, premium look to it. It instantly makes your desktop look all sophisticated-, which is a plus in my book.

I used it with a pair of computers for this review, my work Mac and my gaming PC. On the PC side, I have found that my Alienware mouse moves effortlessly across its leather surface. It’s a thing of beauty, and is extremely comfortable to use.

My Magic Mouse on the other hand, isn’t as great. I think that has to do with the more pronounced border of the MM’s underbelly, which tends to not glide as well as the Alienware. It’s not bad, it’s just not wonderful, and I’ve noticed that my old fabric pad does tend to feel a bit better.

Overall

More or less, whether or not the Toast leather mouse pad is for you seems to depend on the type of mouse you’re using. Fortunately, it also seems like most mice should be just fine with it.

As long as you have something that doesn’t have weird ridges on the bottom, you’re good to go. And if you do have something like that, you’re still fine really, it just won’t be optimal.

In terms of looks though, you can’t go wrong. Toast has another winner on its hands. The leather pad is excellent looking in every way. Mine has no frills, and I love it just for the color. Again too, you can outfit it almost as you please in terms of customization.

All in all, that’s a combination that’s tough to beat.

A sample was provided to BrutalGamer by Toast for review

Leather mouse pad
Release date: Available now
Maker: Toast
MSRP: Starts at $39.00 USD

The post Toast leather mousepad (Gear) Review appeared first on BrutalGamer.

Toasty

We’ve reviewed a few of Toast’s products here at BG and they have a knack for producing some high quality stuff. Their real-wood console skins are generally excellent, and have a feel of being hand crafted. For their newest line, Toast goes a bit simpler, though higher end in feel.

The company just put their newest on sale, and they’re looking pretty rad. Available in a total of 10 colors, these new leather mousepads come in a pair of sizes – 7.25 x 9.25″ and 9 x 11″. So you can get one to not only fit your preference, but also your desktop size.

As with their console-covers too, the pads are fully customizable. You can get them with a personal saying or motto, or even a logo or custom art. So you can almost do anything you want, giving you a fully customizable look.

Toast also touts that these new pads are made to be “durable and water-resistant”. And on top of that, they sport a suede backing, so they should stay in place, no matter how heated your gaming sessions get.

Designed and made in the US, Toast’s new Leather Mouse Pads start at $39.99 USD. You can get ’em here.

The post Toast debuts new leather mousepad line appeared first on BrutalGamer.

Toast-y

This is the second time that we’ve taken a look at a Toast console cover here at BG. The first was an Xbox One set, that we reviewed last year. While the Switch one isn’t too different in theory, there are some pretty big things that set it aside when you get down to the application. For that matter, the finished look too.

Before we get to that though, let’s talk about what Toast actually offers. The company makes console covers, which is nothing new. Here’s the rub though – these covers are all made of actual (very thinly cut) wood.

Toast says that, although their covers come from lumber, they take conservation seriously. These are incredibly thin, so I’d actually imagine that more than a few covers could come from just one tree. The Portland, Oregon company takes things a little further though, and plants one tree for every cover that they produce.

They also take craftsmanship just as seriously. Toast laser cuts each set of panels before finishing them by hand, and they guarantee satisfaction. That’s always a good thing to see, since they not only make “basic” panels, but also will do custom designs for their customers.

Application

Let’s get back to specifics though, and in this case that means the Nintendo Switch set we’re looking at. For starters, this isn’t just the console that you can cover with these Toasty panels. I had added them to my Xbox One, as I mentioned, but this is a lot more involved than that.

Not that it’s overly difficult, it’s not, but it’s not as quick as an Xbox (or PS4) assembly. That’s just because there are more parts to it. Not that there has to be however. Apparently you can choose between getting the works, or just the dock when it comes to the Switch. That’s something that isn’t offered for any other console. And it makes good sense.

The Switch allegedly has an issue with console sticker applications. And by that I mean it doesn’t like them at all. Apparently, when you take the label off, the Switch’s plastic gets this weird micro-pockmarking that you don’t find in any other console. It’s odd, but those are the facts.

Now, I should mention that Toast says its console panels have a stickem on them that doesn’t leave behind a residue. I don’t know if that means that the Switch won’t be affected though. I’d actually just assume that it would be just as bothered by Toast’s offerings as any other. So it’s up to you.

Toast sent me the whole shootin’ match though, so that’s what we’re discussing.

If you’re looking at just the dock, then you can disregard that part of this review. Getting back to the application, again I have to say again this isn’t rocket science.

The actually application on the dock is super-easy, with only one panel to stick on the front, two side-panels, and two thin strips for the top. The end result is a really nice look that you can’t get with anything else. And quite frankly, it looks awesome next to the TV.

The actual console is almost as easy. Two panels make up this set, and they’re both simple to apply. Not that they’re without issue. There are a lot of ports on the Switch after all, and I don’t mean old games. So it can be a little tricky to apply the panels correctly. This is minor though, and easily remedied by just taking your time.

Oh, and you don’t want to have a screen protector on your console, because it won’t work if it has any kind of depth to it. I have a tempered glass shield on the front of mine, and it’s just not having it. So be aware of that. The joy-cons though, are no problem. For them, there are a simple two panels. One each, and you just stick ’em on the fronts. Super easy. There’s also one for the plastic mount that you can slap the joy-cons onto. It finishes the look off beautifully.

The complete product is a great re-deco of the system and its dock. It feels plenty sturdy as well, and it doesn’t really look like it’l be falling off any time soon. I mainly mean the controller panels there by the way. I have had my Xbox One decked out in these for a while now, have moved it three times, and have had zero issues. So, for what it’s worth, Toast seems to be a nice sturdy product line.

And if you’re looking for something to freshen up your Switch’s look, this could be it. These panels are easily much more “adult” looking than the assortment of other labels out there, and will seriously dress your Switch for success.

Toast Nintendo Switch console cover
Release date: Available now
Price: $39.00 (without custom text)

The post Toast Nintendo Switch Console Cover (Gear) Review appeared first on BrutalGamer.

Ready to get toasted?

Console labels and coverings are nothing new. No, that kind of thing has been around for a good long while at this point. I remember actually ordering console-covering stickers for my OG Xbox and PS2 two generations ago. They were pretty cool too, from what I remember. Thing is, they were more than a little kiddish.

So what if you wanted something more mature-looking? And by that, I mean something that would look good in an office, or besides a living room TV. Well, till now if you wanted something like that you were pretty much out of luck. I mean, outside of the standard black (or whatever) that a console comes in, there was really nothing else that’d have a more mature look to it.

But now we’ve got Toast’s lineup of coverings, and man has the game changed. So what makes ’em different? Well, basically, wood.

Making a more beautiful console

Yep, you read that right, I said wood. Toast’s lineup is crafted from actual lumber, which is something that I think has to be unique in the industry. It’s also really high quality, and more or less encapsulates the entire console in question. I got a look at an Xbox One cover for this review, made to fit the base X1. But I should point out that toast also makes a cover suitable for the new Xbox One S, as well as the PS4 family. So, whichever way you go.

In total, there are four different shades of wood tone to pick from when you design your Toast cover. I picked up a walnut one, but the line runs the gamut from light bamboo to basically black. You can get a lot at the walnut in the pictures here, which I’m pretty happy with.

You’ll also notice that there’s a nice little BrutalGamer logo emblazoned across the top of that Xbox One in the shots. And yes, that means that Toast will indeed brand your cover for you. It’ll cost you a little bit extra, but man does it look cool to have a custom-made console under your television set.

Application

So it looks pretty good on there, but what about the application? I’m happy to say that while I’ve had a ton of issues with things like this before, Toast’s stuff is pretty simple to ‘install’.

While they are wooden, the labels are extremely flexible. So you’re not likely to snap anything on accident while removing them from the backing, or applying them to your console. It’s super simple too, and basically just peel and stick. Well, it’s a little more complicated than that, but not much.

The pack of labels comes complete with a pair of moistened wipes. And before you start, you’re gonna want to pop one of ’em open, and wipe down your console’s surface. Basically just clean it off a little, and make sure there’s nothing on there that could interfere with the application.

After you’ve done that, start with the aforementioned peeling and sticking. Definitely make sure you’ve looked over the instructions first, just to be sure that your sticking these things where you should… and uh, also to make sure you don’t do anything… dumb.

Toast goes out of its way to point out that you need to read the instructions first, but of course I didn’t. So basically, I pulled off some small wood flaps on one of the covers, thinking it was meant to come off. It wasn’t. I think it still looks okay honestly, but don’t do what I did. Yes, I know it’s annoying, but read the instructions. Trust me on that one.

Even if you do read the instructions though, you might find that not all of the covers fit perfectly. There was a little overlap on the Xbox’ power button for instance, that I couldn’t seem to work out. And while I’m on the subject, the front panel was a little too big as well. The sides kind of stick out, though just a tad. Is it a deal-breaker? No, not at all, and the overall look doesn’t suffer a bit.

Toast console cover: Xbox One
Release date: Available now

The post Toast console cover (Gear) Review appeared first on BrutalGamer.

Toasty

Adding custom stickers to your gaming console isn’t really a new idea. At this point, I’m pretty sure there are labels for your tablet, handheld, cell phone, and everything in between. I even remember getting console decorations way back in the Xbox/PS2 days for my consoles. But while labels aren’t new, wood paneling most definitely is. Yes, you red that right.

Toast is a company that makes exactly that, and they make it for everything listed above… and then some. You can even get wood covers for your Apple Pencil! They get pretty detailed too, listing not just custom lettering, but imagery too. Seems like, if you can burn it into wood, they can do it for you.

Pricing differs depending on what you choose to get of course, and just how ‘custom’ you want your cover to be. Even so though, adding text only tacks on $5 to the price, which isn’t bad at all. A bare-bones wood cover, by the way, will run you $49.00 USD.

Right now, it looks like you can pick from four different colors for your console. As to what’s available, you can get one for your PS4, PS4 Pro, or Xbox One. No listing for the Xbox One S exists on Toast’s site, but I imagine that could be on the way.

Click here for more, or to order one for yourself.

*UPDATE* Looks like That Xbox One S cover is in the works right now, and should be available soon. Toast tells us that it’s just being “fine tuned”.

The post Give your favorite console a custom look with Toast’s wood covers appeared first on BrutalGamer.