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There's a contradioction between your statement:
This is important. If you hear any clicks at all when the load is switched off, it's not arcing. It also doesn't sound like arcing.
The toaster has been changed, therefore it is not very likely that a GFCI is unsuccessfully trying to trip due to a fault in the toaster.
If the clicking starts soon after switching the toaster on and continues for a short while after it is switched off, I would think it's a run of cable that is pulled tight over or through some woodwork and as the cable heats up with the current flow, it expands and the resulting movement causes clicking. The tension returns it to its original position when the load is switched off. The toaster only runs for a short time so you never get to hear the clicking stop once the cable has reached a steady temperature and stopped expanding.
You could test it with a low load, of say 100 watts or less. The temperature rise would be so much lower that I would not expect to hear any noises. Any other load similar to the toaster should cause it to make the same noises. If the load is left switched on for a longer period, the clicking might stop once the cable temperature is stable, and perhaps restart due to cooling when the load is switched off. This would be fairly conclusive proof of my suggestion above.
The sound might even be made by a joint in the woodwork itself, very slightly warmed by the cable pressed against it. That might indicate excessive heating due to a bad connection or bunched up surplus cable.
and
This is important. If you hear any clicks at all when the load is switched off, it's not arcing. It also doesn't sound like arcing.
The toaster has been changed, therefore it is not very likely that a GFCI is unsuccessfully trying to trip due to a fault in the toaster.
If the clicking starts soon after switching the toaster on and continues for a short while after it is switched off, I would think it's a run of cable that is pulled tight over or through some woodwork and as the cable heats up with the current flow, it expands and the resulting movement causes clicking. The tension returns it to its original position when the load is switched off. The toaster only runs for a short time so you never get to hear the clicking stop once the cable has reached a steady temperature and stopped expanding.
You could test it with a low load, of say 100 watts or less. The temperature rise would be so much lower that I would not expect to hear any noises. Any other load similar to the toaster should cause it to make the same noises. If the load is left switched on for a longer period, the clicking might stop once the cable temperature is stable, and perhaps restart due to cooling when the load is switched off. This would be fairly conclusive proof of my suggestion above.
The sound might even be made by a joint in the woodwork itself, very slightly warmed by the cable pressed against it. That might indicate excessive heating due to a bad connection or bunched up surplus cable.
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