Easy-Bake to nix light bulb heating

PAWTUCKET, R.I., Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Rhode Island toymaker Hasbro said a redesigned Easy-Bake oven will hit the market when 100-watt light bulbs cease to be manufactured.

A 2007 federal law requiring light bulbs to be energy efficient will cause production of 100-watt bulbs to cease in early 2012 and Hasbro, which took over manufacturing of Easy-Bake ovens when it absorbed Kenner in 1991, said a new system is being developed to replace the bulbs currently used to cook snacks in the toy ovens

"We are aware that the 100-watt incandescent light bulb will no longer be available beginning in 2012," Hasbro said in a statement. "In Fall 2011, Hasbro will launch the Easy Bake Ultimate Oven, introducing a new way to bake for the next generation of chefs. This new oven features a heating element that does not use a light bulb and offers an extensive assortment of mixes reflective of the hottest baking trends for today."