Best Panini Press
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Cuisinart · Hamilton Beach · Breville
If you want to choose the best panini press then this article has some advice to help you find the machine that is right for you. These kitchen appliances are not all that expensive which is a good thing. But the fact that there are so many different models to consider is both a blessing and a curse. The large range of sandwich makers is good in that there is bound to be one that is just right for you. But the hard part is finding it. Some of the more popular models include the Cuisinart GR-1, the Breville BSG520XL, the Hamilton Beach 25450 and the Delonghi CGH800-U. These are just a few of the many different brands and models that there are on the market today.
It also depends upon how you define best. Does this mean cheap, bestselling, feature rich or is there something else that you require? Hopefully you will be able to gather the information you require from this article. This will then guide you towards the machines that fit your criteria of the best panini press.
Panini presses that are sold today are not the same as simple sandwich makers. They are a bit more sophisticated and because of their floating hinge, are able to be put to a number of uses. It does not matter if you are trying to make a really thick sandwich or one that is much thinner, the top plate will always close on to the top of the sandwich whether it be high or low.
In actual fact, you do get the option to set the height of the top section. This is useful if you want to avoid the hot plate from touching the top of your sandwich. The reason you might want to use it this way is if you are creating a melt. What you would then want is to have the top plate radiating heat downwards.
The design of these units includes non-stick hot plates. This means that they can make really healthy sandwiches. Well, that depends upon the fillings you decide to use! But the point is that you do not have to add any oil to the machine or butter up the outer sides of your sandwiches. This is what we used to have to do with older sandwich maker machines.
The layout of this page will be to present a brief review of some of the top models that at least fit some of the points that I mentioned above. You can then use this information to narrow down your search and focus on the sorts of models that appeal to you.
Bestselling Panini Press
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The Cuisinart GR-1 is one of the top selling panini makers. This machine is similar in design to the Hamilton Beach model featured below. Both of the hot plates have ridges so the top and bottom sections of your sandwich will end up with grill marks on them. This panini press is also designed to be used to cook other foods as well. It can be used to cook various kinds of meat, e.g. bacon, pork chops and hamburgers. There is a drip spout that helps to drain away grease.
On a personal level, I do not think that cooking anything non-sandwich is a good idea. To me, this pollutes the machine and is of course a bit harder to clean. If the only thing you ever make are sandwiches then it is really easy to simply wipe the machine down with a damp cloth. Even if some of your sandwich filling spills out, this is not hard to wipe off. But once you start cooking fatty meats directly on the hot plates, you get a whole different level of mess. That said, just because the Cuisinart GR-1 Griddler has this capability does not mean that you have to use it.
Low Cost Panini Press
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If you want a top quality machine at a low cost then you should take a look at the Hamilton Beach 25450 Gorumet Panini Press. This unit is very similar to the Cuisinart model discussed above. But it is not designed to be used to cook anything other than panini sandwiches. Therefore the price is a bit lower. This could well be the machine to go for if you want a dedicated toasted sandwich maker at the lowest price.
Best Panini Press
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When I was choosing my own panini maker I spent a long time researching the various machines on the market. I finally decided to purchase a Breville Panini Duo. This is a bit more expensive than the two machines above but for me, it was worth it. The Breville BSG520XL is very similar to the two other panini presses featured on this page. It has the same floating hinge design. The overall size and look is very similar. The big difference is in the hot plates. Rather than two hot plated with grill ribs, the lower hot plate is completely flat. I wanted to guarantee that the fillings of my panini would be properly heated. The flat bottom plate provides better heat transfer right into the center of the sandwiches. To be honest though, I am not sure if this would be a problem with either the Cuisinart or the Hamilton Beach models. However I did not want to take the risk. With one ribbed hot plate I knew that my sandwiches would look attractive too.
I hope that you have found this information useful. You can read a larger range of panini press reviews right here on this site if you want to research a greater number of models before you make your final decision.
