8 best sandwich presses 2023 | Top-reviewed grills and presses
From the budget model with rave reviews to the premium all-in-one grill, we share the sandwich presses that will elevate your boring lunch to gourmet status.
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Ah, the humble sandwich.
Having filled a great many of our bellies for the duration of many years of schooling, there may be hesitation to pass over hot fast food for two slices of bread come lunchtime.
Enter: Jessica Ngyuyen, home cook, recipe creator and food influencer extraordinaire. Jessica spoke to news.com.au about why the simple addition of a sandwich press can elevate simply eating to fuel your body to a discovery of new flavours and textures.
“A sandwich press is the perfect way to step up your lunch game and there are endless possibilities and variations to make a delicious gourmet sandwich, toastie or even heat up some bread,” she says.
“Keep it simple with a grilled cheese toastie, but always smear some butter or olive oil on the exterior of your bread so the bread can fry and get super crispy.”
BEST SANDWICH PRESSES AND MAKERS
Whether you’re looking to simply apply heat quickly to your lunch, or want a sandwich press and grill with temperature sensors and advanced controls to help you cook meat and veggies to perfection (i.e. the Tefal OptiGrill), we’ve rounded up our top products for keeping your belly happy including the Russell Hobbs Sandwich Press for only $49.
- Best overall sandwich press and grill
- Best sandwich press – Editor’s choice
- Best premium sandwich press
- Best cheap sandwich press
- Best easy to use sandwich press
- Best multi-use sandwich press
Related: How To Cook With A Sandwich Press: Tips And Easy Recipes
BEST OVERALL GRILL AND FLAT SANDWICH PRESS
Sunbeam Compact Cafe Sandwich Press 4 Slice Silver SPM4000SS, $99.99 at The Good Guys
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
From making simple toasties to grilling chunky steaks, this Sunbeam sandwich press is great for a variety of dishes. It stands out with its AnyHeightControl Lever, which allows you to secure the top-plate lock for different sizes of foods (rather than just flop the lid over whatever you’re cooking). The appliance also features a non-stick coating and curved corners on the cooking plates to make wiping oil and crumbs easy.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY:
“Such an amazing sandwich press! I love the adjustable heights. It grills the sandwich so quickly and it is very easy to clean. Amazing purchase,” a reviewer wrote.
“It’s not flat like some of the others. All the crumbs and oil can easily be cleaned without any spillage or mess. You can store it on its side and it does not take up space. I love my sandwich press,” another shopper posted.
BEST PREMIUM SANDWICH PRESS
De’Longhi MultiGrill CGH1012D, $299, Harvey Norman
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
The beauty of this three-in-one De’Longhi sandwich press and grill is its removable aluminium die cast plates – a dream for an easy clean – both flat and grill. Not only are the plates dishwasher safe, but each are operated by separate thermostats, allowing you to set different temperatures for upper and lower plates. Adjustable settings allow you to use this one appliance for three different cooking options – contact, open and oven grill.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY:
“As a single mum, this machine saves me week after week because I can throw some cuts of meat and veg like mushrooms or tomatoes in, shut the lid, put on the timer, turn once and then serve with some fresh greens and dinner is ready,” a reviewer wrote.
“Great appliance. Easy to use. Love the separate top and bottom heat plates being independently heat variable,” another commented.
BEST CHEAP SANDWICH MAKER
Russell Hobbs Sandwich Press RHSP801RED, $49 (down from $59.95) at Amazon
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
This four slice sandwich is the ideal choice for families on a budget. Features include warm up and ready lights, so you can avoid burning your fingers, as well as a vertical storage design so you can save kitchen bench space. The red design is also perfect if you’re wanting to add a pop of colour to your kitchen.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY:
“Cooks hot and fast and you can do four at the same time,” one person wrote.
“Takes sandwiches with lots of filling, warms it well – no cold parts and doesn’t burn the cheese that’s oozed out. In comparison with my previous press, this one is very easy to clean
as well,” another reviewer posted.
George Foreman Small Fit Grill Black GFF2020, $49.95 at Myer
George Foreman Small Fit Grill Black
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Featuring easy-to-clean non-stick plates and a sloped design that allows up to 42 per cent of fat and oil to fall into the drip tray, this is a sandwich press that is the perfect for the eternally busy. With a simple wipe, you’re good to go. No more scrubbing. It also has a streamlined design and is able to be stored vertically to keep your kitchen clutter free.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY
This press currently has an average of 4.5 stars on Myer. Reviewers appreciate the “compact” size and how “easy” to use it is. “This appliance is smaller than the one I intended buying, a surprise bonus. So compact, it suits our unit’s kitchen. It is simple in design and a breeze to use and clean. It grills meats, heats food, cooks toasties. The drip tray is cute and practical. What a winner all round!” wrote one five-star review.
BEST EASY TO USE SANDWICH MAKERS
Breville The Big One Sandwich Press BTS100SIL, $49 (down from $65.94) at Amazon
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
Prefer something cheap and simple, without the bells and whistles? Despite being named The Big One is perfect for jaffles and fits just two slices. It also has a vertical storage design that allows you to easily store the appliance upright for an easy fit. It also includes warm up and ready indicator lights to let you know when your jaffle is ready.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY:
“Seals around the edge only so you can pack it full of fillings … I don’t know how I would eat my leftovers any other way. Curries, Mexican mince, you name it”, an impressed shopper wrote.
“Works perfectly easy to clean”, another added.
Lumme Sandwich Maker, $89.65 at Amazon
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
This sandwich press can fit two sandwiches at once so there is no pesky waiting around for someone else to finish toasting. Featuring a compact design, this sandwich press won’t take up much space on your kitchen bench.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY
“This is a pretty basic machine, no temperature setting, just plug it in and it gets going. The machine is really easy to use and clean up is a breeze which makes it perfect for the kids to use. I like that it is compact so storage is no an issue,” an Amazon reviewer wrote, giving it five stars.
Breville The Toast & Melt 4 Slice Sandwich Press BSG540BSS, $65 (down from $76.94) at Amazon
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
Avoid a squished toastie with the height adjustable Crush Control feature on this Breville sandwich press. You can alternatively leave the lid up, allowing you to melt cheesy toppings without it transferring to the top.
This Breville appliance also comes with a powerful 2,200 watt heating element, plus handy warm and ready indicator lights.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY:
“We use this daily and love the size (can make up to 4 sandwiches in one time). [It] also doubles up as a toaster for odd size bread slices,” one reviewer wrote on The Good Guys website.
“The Breville sandwich press is an essential item in our kitchen. Used constantly. The previous press kept on performing for many, many years. Highly recommend the product,” another posted.
BEST MULTI-USE SANDWICH PRESS
Tefal OptiGrill Griller GC712, $249 at The Good Guys
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:
Boasting six auto-cooking programs, this Tefal sandwich press and grill ups the ante with the ability to immediately optimise temperature and cooking time based on the thickness and quantity of food placed on the grill. Other features include removable and dishwasher-safe plates, and an extra large juice tray.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAY:
“Coming from a small, simple on/off grill this thing is a huge upgrade. Easy to clean, the grill plates are so easy to remove [and] dishwasher safe,” a customer reviewed.
“The top has great control, can be set at certain heights and doesn’t push the top half of the sandwich forward. The top also NEVER GETS HOT! It’s amazing, you can actually press the top part down without burning yourself.”
WHAT IS A SANDWICH MAKER?
Like a panini or sandwich press, a sandwich maker is held together by a hinge, which enables the user to first load the appliance with ingredients; then to cook by bringing together top and bottom plates. The difference is in the distribution of heat and shape of plates: a sandwich maker will seal the contents of the sandwich around the edges, rather than even heat across the surface; and as such, plates are concave to accommodate for fillings.
WHAT IS A SANDWICH OR PANINI PRESS?
Applying weight to a sandwich placed between two hot diecast plates, the sandwich or panini press is a perfect option for toasting bread of all sizes. Our advice? Elevate your humble sandwich to gourmet status by experimenting with different ingredients.
More Coverage
“Bring a hit of spice or sourness to complement all the rest of the fillings like chilli oil, pickles, gherkins or cornichons,” Jess recommends. “And if you normally have plain white bread, try sourdough, ciabatta, focaccia, baguette, wraps, pita instead.”
Want to know more about updating your kitchen essentials? Read our reviews of the latest in kitchen appliances, including the much raved about Instant Pot and ultra-luxe Philips Premium Air Fryer XXL.
Lastly, take a look at news.com.au Coupons, for deals from the most trusted brands, including Harvey Norman, Woolworths and Dell.
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