The 10 Best Sandwich Makers
Special Honors
Avantco Panini Grill If you're stocking a restaurant and trying hard to stay under budget, this single panini press from the popular commercial manufacturer Avantco is worth a look. It isn't the fanciest industrial model out there, but it works perfectly well, requires only a standard 120-volt outlet, and should last for years with proper upkeep. avantcoequipment.com
Waring WPG300 This Italian-style double panini grill is no stranger to back-of-house operations. Its all-day duty cycle means you can turn it on when service starts and you won't have to shut it off until the day is over, at which point it should be relatively easy to clean. Its commercial construction means it should easily last for quite a long time. waringcommercialproducts.com
Editor's Notes
May 15, 2020:
One great way to make a good sandwich is using a traditional panini press, which essentially consists on two electric griddles connected by a hinge, often of the floating variety. Of these, the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe and Breville BGR820XL Smart Grill are two of the most advanced, as they both offer per-side heating control and open up to form expansive flat-top grills, which means they're highly effective for far more than just sandwiches. The Hamilton Beach Gourmet is similar, and though it lacks the high end features of the first two, it's almost as versatile. The Cuisinart Griddler Five presents a good balance of build quality, performance, and price, while the Breville Panini Duo is definitely a premium appliance, however, it does not lay flat.
Moving away from the classic panini press, there are some specialized sandwich making tools that are definitely worth considering. The Proctor Silex 25408Y and Cuisinart SW2N are built to accept standard-size slices of bread, and while that does somewhat limit your choices, their simplicity is hard to beat. They even section the sandwiches diagonally while cooking to ensure that the fillings are distributed evenly. The Hamilton Beach 25490A is a particularly interesting option because it has a tray dedicated to keeping an egg separate from the rest of the ingredients. The main drawback to this one is that you're limited to using english muffins or similarly sized buns. Then there's the Yoshikawa Atsu-Atsu, which, unlike most others, is meant for use directly on a stove. It works best on gas stoves, but with care it should work on most electric ones as well, excepting induction stoves.