> cost you north of 250 bucks

Shop around? eBay had at least five automatic ones for sale for less than $250 CAD:

https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=sunbeam+automatic+toaste...

Kijiji had one for $35 CAD:

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-toasters-toaster-oven/winnipeg/sunbe...

Shopping for vintage automatic Sunbeams lists dozens more, well below $250 USD:

https://www.google.com/search?num=10&q=sunbeam+automatic+toa...

I bought my Sunbeam in 2022 for $44, brand new. The secret is to buy them in Japan off the flea market sites. Apparently in my case the owner bought it have around as a piece of Americana. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

please help me with good Japanese flea-market sites so I can get one of my own.