Breville

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Breville

For several French towns of similar name, see Bréville.

Breville is a maker of small kitchen appliances, founded in Melbourne, Australia, in 1932. They created the original sandwich toaster, a small household appliance that makes toasted sandwiches. The name is often synonymous with such devices.

A brief history

In 1932, Bill O'Brien and Harry Norville mixed their last names together and the Breville brand was created. They started off making radios, then mine detectors for the war. After World War II and the arrival of the television, they turned their attentions to small appliances and sold the radio business. After Bill O'Brien had set up the Breville Research and Development centre in the 1960s the ideas just kept coming. In 1974, they invented the toastie maker. In 1977, they invented Australia's first food processor, the Breville Kitchen Wizz. Breville's Centre of Design Excellence is in Botany in Sydney.

Dual ownership of the brand

Ownership of the brand is now split. In Europe, it is owned by Pulse Home Products. Outside of Europe, the Breville brand is now a division of the Australian Housewares International, which also has bases in the U.S., Canada and New Zealand.

The company makes contact grills, kettles, toasters, irons, microwave ovens, pressure cookers, coffeemakers, breadmakers, juicers, deep fryers, and food processors. The UK company has collaborated with Antony Worrall Thompson.

Trivia

Ross Noble referred to the Breville in a stand-up sketch, in which he described a monkey with a Breville attached to his leg, so when he fancied a cheese toasted sandwich, he would clap his hands and shout "Breville Monkey!".
In Shaun of the Dead, when Shaun is desperately trying to think up an impressively swank restaurant where he can take his girlfriend to, his slacker friend Ed suggests their regular pub because "They have a Breville out back!".
In 2007, Oprah listed Breville's Panini Press in her list: "Oprah's Favorite Things 2007."