Panini Makers

16 years ago

Yes, I know this belongs in the cookware forum. I also know I will get much better, faster and probably more polite advice here so I'm not going there.

I normally do not buy things that are not multifunctional in the kitchen so that's why I've never bought a panini press before. Now I'm thinking about buying one because I've started to eat quiet a bit of sandwiches and do not like cold ones at all. Now I know that I could get the griddler which would be multifunctional, however I doubt I would use it for anything except panini's so why pay that much for it?

I need advice as to which one to buy and not to buy. If you have one please advise the brand and what you like or don't like about it.

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Comments (17)

tropicals9b
16 years ago
We love our Cuisinart! And it is multi-functional. From their site:
The CuisinartÂ® GriddlerÂ® makes "multifunctional" an understatement! With five separate cooking options, it can handle everything from pancakes to sausages to grilled cheese to steaks, hamburgers and panini. A floating cover and one set of reversible plates that snap in and out turn the GriddlerÂ® into a Contact Grill, a Panini Press, a Full Grill, a Full Griddle, or Half Grill/Half Griddle. Dual temperature controls ensure everything is perfectly cooked!
whistle_gw
16 years ago
Another vote here for the Cuisinart. We use ours two or three times a week. It makes the best grilled cheese. It's very easy to clean up.
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It worked! I used bread shaped like a half-oval, with goat cheez and roasted red peppers (not stuffed, just enough) and buttered the outsides of the sandwiches lightly. I heated the waffle iron and put the sandwich in for three minutes, then flipped it and turned it 180 degrees, and then another three minutes. I put a heavy metal casserole on top to weight it down. It came out thin and crunchy and wonderful! We both liked it a lot. I think you could make a thicker sandwich by peeling it open and inserting more fillings after it's done (i.e., the bread is compressed and crunchy and the cheez is melted). I think I'll be eating these for breakfasts for a while. Mmmmm Our waffle iron has a carousel pattern on it, so the sandwiches were amusing as well as yummy. Thanks for your suggestions.
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Cheese melted on bread is one of my favorite food groups! I like to make my own low-tech grilled panini sandwiches to have with a bowl of soup for a light supper in cool weather. One combo is sliced turkey or chicken breast, strips of roasted red pepper, and sliced Monterrey Jack cheese. I spread the sliced crusty bread with mayonnaise that has some shredded Parmesan cheese mixed in, then brush some melted butter on my low tech panini pan: ~ the pan is a small round cast iron grill pan that has raised ridges in it; I get it medium hot then brush a little oil or melted butter on the pan and lay the sandwich in it; to press the sandwich, I lay another small cast iron pan on top of the sandwich which weighs down the sandwich; just lift the top pan, turn the sandwich and replace the pressing pan on top. The results are a deliciously crunchy grilled panini filled with warm meat, veggies, and melted cheese. Another combo is sliced pork roast, sliced sharp cheddar and mayo mixed with chutney - usually my cranberry orange chutney that I make during the holidays. Caramelized onions would be good with sliced Italian deli meats and provolone. Think about classic combinations such as ham and Swiss, cheddar or gruyere, roast beef with Swiss and sauteed mushrooms, sauteed zucchini and onions with mozzarella, and one of my favorites, crisp bacon, tomato slices, and any good melting cheese. Teresa
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Love my panini. It can turn leftovers into a meal! Reubens or pastrami & swiss - very, very good. I find domestic swiss vs the imported works better. Anything in a tortilla shell as a wrap is wonderful. Even though my panini is non stick, I find brushing the outside of everything with melted butter is needed for a nice toasting. A visitor from London told me to combine brie and chicken, yum! Small amounts of leftover grilled or roasted veggies - even cantalope! added is delicious! It heats leftover buffalo chicken wings so they taste better then the 1st time! A favorite: STROMOBOLI WRAPS: adapted recipe from Mission wraps 4 large wraps (tortilla shells - use your favorite flavor) 1/3 c melted butter 6T shredded parmesan cheese 4 oz provolone thinly sliced 4 oz salami thinly sliced 4 oz capicolla or ham thinly sliced 1/2 cup roasted red peppers sliced 4 oz mozzarella cheese shredded Marinara or Pizza sauce - heated Lightly spread 1 side of ea wrap w/ butter Sprinkle w/ 1 T parmesan Arrange meats & cheeses & roasted peppers in center of ea wrap leaving boarder around edges. Sprinkle w/ mozzarella. At this point I season w/ fresh herbs or dried italian seasonings. Fold up wrap style. Brush w/ remaining butter & sprinkle w/ remaining parmesan. Grill on panini hot press press. Cut on diagonal- serve w/ heated sauce on the side. (Original recipe bake 12- 15 mins in preheated 400 oven.) I buy 1 lb of the meats & cheeses, stack on wax paper as they would on the wrap, 2 wraps per pkg , wrap in foil & freeze. It then becomes a quick & easy dinner when time is short. These are surprisingly filling. Serve w/ a small salad, or chips, or marinated mushrooms. We like "meals " for dinner - but this is a favorite - esp in the winter instead of pizza. Hope you like it. I have had so much fun with my panini
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Comments (17)
Kathy, my mother gave me her Cuisinart many years ago because she could no longer read the knob. It's old, and I'm sure they must have improved on it. I haven't used it since it was given to me since I've always done fine with a grill plate on the stove, so it hasn't seemed worth dragging it out, but it worked fine. Given that, and your most recent post, may I make a couple of suggestions? First, use sandwich worthy bread. The slices should be firm enough to hold the filling without being floppy even before toasting/grilling. Second, little things that easily fall out should stop a quarter inch away from the crust. Third, the weight of the press is important, whether you're using a grill press which you heat separately, a heated cast iron frying pan or an electric sandwich press, compacting the filling with weight keeps it from falling out so much. That's much of the magic of the ”panini” sandwich (named for the large rounded roll it's traditionally made with, but applicable to any grilled sandwichj. These are the things that keep your sandwich together. There are two other important points: Approach. Turning a sandwich with loose fillings in a frying pan is really hard! They all leak out. Even a plain grilled cheese can lose its goo if the pan is too small or the sides are too high. A griddle or grill plate, like Sleevendog showed, works much better, unless you're using a huge pan, because your turner can get under flatly, rather than arcing. The other point is the turner. It needs to be big enough to support the sandwich. It also needs to be stiff. I use a pliable turner for all kinds of things, but sandwiches are too heavy. A stiff metal fish turner is ideal, because the cutouts help keep the bread from sticking due to heat and moisture (same as for fish!), and the length can be useful for wide bread from a boule (big round loaf). Many fish turners are at least somewhat pliable, for delicacy, however, and unbendable is important for sandwiches, Even better, since you're having issues, is sandwich tongs. You can use two turners, or other utensils, if you're adept, but if the special appliance is attractive, sandwich tongs are a lot less money and easier to store, assuming you have a place for long utensils. It's basically just tongs with big turner ends instead of the usual pincers. You still have to position well to hold everything together, but once you have hold of the sandwich, the flip part is a lot easier. Good luck! Sandwiches should be fun, not an ordeal.
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annie1992
16 years ago
Elery bought me one last year, it's a Wolfgang Puck brand. I've used it maybe twice, so I can't guarantee its longevity, but it works fine and the plates remove for easy cleaning. It's not huge, so it doesn't take a lot of storage space, which did not prevent it from being relegated to my basement.

Elery digs it out and uses it, but I can put a grilled cheese in a frying pan just as quickly as I can dig out the panini press and use it.

Annie
compumom
16 years ago
Oh removable plates sound like a great idea! My parents bought us a sandwich griller more than 10 years ago and I make my version of a panini. DH loves them, but what a bear to clean! Have fun, I adore grilled sandwiches!
mikes100acdreamfarm
16 years ago
I have to agree with Annie. Mom bought a Panini pan with separate press. She asked me why I never use it to grill sandwiches as we eat a lot of them. I always grab my 7" flat cast iron skillet and if I want to press my sandwiches like cubans, Rubens, or Monte Cristo's I have a cast iron press that sits next to the stove at all times very handily. It's even decorative with a pig on it. It also come in handy for bacon or ham steaks to keep them flat. So why dig the other out of the back of the cupboard? But mom uses the Panini set and likes it very well.
Terrapots
16 years ago
I checked outthe Amazon site for reviews and there are several 1 star reviews that give cuisinart bad reviews which would be concerning. I've been thinking of getting a multifunctional grill but maybe I'll keep looking.
annie1992
16 years ago
Oh, and the Wolfgang Puck model got 4 stars on Amazon, but Elery bought it much, much more cheaply on QVC or one of those television shows, somewhere around $40.

Annie
cookingrvc
16 years ago
I have a Krups that I got at Costco for 20.00 a few years ago. Acutally bought quite a few for family and friends since the price was ridiculous. They normally go for 80.00. We use it often. It works great. The sandwiches are crispy and it melts the innerds very well and its easy to clean. We love it.

You can find them cheaper than Amazon online.

PS: we use long rolls (hero rolls here in NY) commonly found in the grocery store. The brand here is Bellacicco. I cut them lengthwise into three pieces so that 2 rolls maked 3 sandwiches. I find this keeps the final product nice and crispy. I happen to like less bread and more crunch.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Krups
arlocat
16 years ago
Yesterday I wanted to make paninis for company and had great luck with the huge George Forman grill that has been sitting in our basement since the kids got out of college. If you happen to have one you may want to give it a try. I didn't get the nice little grill marks but other that that it worked way better than my La Creuset stove-top panini pan.
BeverlyAL
Original Author
16 years ago
Wow Sue, I would love to find a deal like you got.

I've enjoyed all of your remarks. I rarely need to make more than one small panini at a time so I put it in the non-stick skillet, put a cast iron skillet on top and a heavy can in the cast iron skillet. When the cheese starts to melt the skillet starts to slide and the sandwich slides apart. The one I made tonight made a royal mess. That's why I'm looking to buy the press. I'm tired of trying to keep the skillet on top of it and the sandwich from sliding apart.
kathleen_li
16 years ago
I have the Griddler also. BJ's has it for 80.00 I think.
It has removable grills that you can put in the dishwasher.
I don't use it that often, but I have done panini, chicken breast, steak, etc.
It worked fine..
Happy New Year, Bev!
Ann Hargreaves
16 years ago
I have a Breville and use it frequently. It has grill marks on one of the plates, the other is smooth. It can be opened all the way, so both sides lay flat. It works for us.

Ann
hawk307
16 years ago
Beverly:
I use my Cuiinart Waffle Baker.
They come out great and have a design.

Give it a try !!! I put butter on the top and bottom.

A Belgium Waffle Baker might even be better

Happy New Year , Lou
sowngrow (8a) G
16 years ago
I have the Cuisinart griddler which I use for paninis. I like it over the Foreman grill because I can put the plates in the dishwasher.
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
16 years ago
I prefer a grill pan and a bacon press on top of the sandwich.
hawk307
16 years ago
Bumblebeez:
Everyone does that !!!

Try a fun thing for a change.
Lou
User
16 years ago
I use my george forman grill as a panini maker. It works just fine for me.

Panini Makers

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