The best panini presses we tested
Best electric panini press: Cuisinart Electric Griddler Five GR-5BP1
Best manual panini press: Lodge Rectangular Cast Iron Grill Press LGP3
Heat transforms an ordinary sandwich into something sublime. You could try using a toaster oven or a sandwich maker to achieve this level of deliciousness. Or you could use the correct appliance: a panini press. A panini press is a countertop appliance that uses weight and hot temperature to crisp up bread and melt cheese, and it’s the best way for home cooks to make hot sandwiches.
Our favorite creations are a melt-in-your-mouth grilled cheese or a deliciously warm tomato and mozzarella sandwich. With this in mind, we tested seven different panini presses to see which was the best at creating these delights and other delicious grilled concoctions. We made dozens of sandwiches, testing the effectiveness and capacity of nonstick electric and cast-iron manual presses. After an exhaustive and delectable round of testing, we found that an electric panini press from Cuisinart and a manual one from Lodge performed the best.
The Cuisinart Electric Griddler Five GR-5BP1 has a pair of reversible, removable plates so we could grill (courtesy of the flat-top side) or griddle (getting those ridges that added the tell-tale heat marks to our wrap). During testing, this steady performer could lay completely flat or press down on two sandwiches without dominating our kitchen counter.
In our testing, the Lodge Rectangular Cast-Iron Grill Press LGP3 was a solid piece of cast iron that could easily smash burgers and create perfectly grilled cheese sandwiches. It needed babysitting to sit atop our sandwiches to keep some ingredients from squishing out the sides, but its solid weight offered a nice heft plus the unit easily fit in our 10-inch fry pan. Another nice touch was that it came already seasoned (with 100% vegetable oil).
Best electric panini press: Cuisinart Electric Griddler Five GR-5BP1
Double duty is the name of the game with the Cuisinart Electric Griddler Five GR-5BP1 as this streamlined, stainless steel appliance cranked out crispy paninis during testing plus it doubled as an indoor grill when we used it to make more than just paninis.
We found its controls intuitive, with an on-off switch and a dial for picking the temperature (between 175 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit) and setting a timer. Its LED screen was bright and clear as we toggled between cooking functions (that is, grill and griddle) before pushing in the dial to start the unit.
The Cuisinart Electric Griddler Five GR-5BP1?had heft without being cumbersome, weighing approximately 12 pounds. Its floating hinge allows the top plate to be adjusted to keep a sandwich in place and remain parallel with the bottom plate; this serves as an effective sandwich smasher. This panini press made crispy ciabatta, gooey mozzarella and a golden brown grilled cheese sandwich.
Its cooking plates are removable, reversible and dishwasher safe. One side of the plates is ridged, which was nice as we crisped up bacon or toasted a hoagie bun. The other plate is flat which was best for when we fried an egg or added some color to thick slices of breakfast ham. There’s a removable drip tray with a deep well that catches grease and cheese well.
In addition to pressing sandwiches, the press can lay flat like an open book, with both sides used as a griddle or grill. A button on the side releases the hinge. It is priced on the higher side of the models we tested, but it’s good to note that the Cuisinart Electric Griddler Five GR-5BP1 also has a three-year limited warranty.
Best manual panini press: Lodge Rectangular Cast-Iron Grill Press LGP3
Lodge is a name that is well known for its cast-iron cookware — the Lodge Chef Collection 12-Inch Skillet has consistently topped our cast-iron skillet testing — and, in this test, the sturdy, inexpensive cast-iron Lodge Rectangular Cast Iron Grill Press LGP3 also performed well.
The small, dense rectangle (at 6.75 inches x 4.5 inches) acts like the top plate of an electric panini press, resting on top of sandwiches to ensure even toasting and nice browning. This sandwich-sized press required us to screw on the handle before use, but that took less than a minute and was secure once tightened.
As a manual press, we needed to do a bit more work to get the panini we wanted. Its weight did try to push out our sandwich ingredients but once the bread began to crisp, the tomatoes stayed in place. After a few minutes, we also had to flip our sandwich to ensure it got color on both slices of bread.
The grilled cheese was evenly browned and melty, while the ciabatta got properly crispy. The press fit easily in a drawer when not in use, and it only required a quick rinse and wipe to clean off a bit of stuck cheese.
How we tested
To create our testing pool of panini presses, we first researched the leading brands and highlighted the many models available. Next, we narrowed our list down to five electric models ranging in price from $33 to $200 and two manual models ranging in price from $19 to $30. We selected our seven models based on price, material, size and weight. Our grill press test group included sizes large and small and of varying weight. Finally, we used each panini press to make dozens of sandwiches over several weeks to test the performance of each model. Here’s a breakdown of how we tested.
Unboxing and assembly
- Plate attachment: We took each panini press out of its box and, in the case of each electric model, attached its grill plates if they weren’t already built in.
- Seasoning: We gauged whether or not we needed to season the grill plates. The electric models — like the Chefman Electric Panini Press & Grill RJ02-180 — did not come pre-seasoned. They required the application of a light coat of vegetable oil before use. This seasoning helps keep food from sticking during use, can prevent rusting over time and extends the life of the panini press. Our manual models, like our pick, the Lodge Rectangular Cast-Iron Grill Press, came already seasoned with 100% vegetable oil. Its manual competitor, the Victoria Rectangular Cast-Iron Panini Press GAD-025, came pre-seasoned with flaxseed oil.
Performance
- Grilled cheese test: We created two types of sandwiches with each press: a grilled cheese sandwich and a tomato and mozzarella panini. The grilled cheese consisted of cheddar on store-bought sandwich bread. Our grilled cheese was a sandwich that had less height and more cheese. We used it to assess how evenly the panini press could brown and press the bread (did it get more squished on one side, for example?) and if it effectively melted the cheese. We were looking for a good cheese pull and oozy cheese after every bite.
- Panini on ciabatta test: Our ciabatta test featured a panini made up of tomato and mozzarella on fresh ciabatta bread. We made an overstuffed sandwich with red slicer tomatoes, which is a variety of large, juicy and flavorful tomatoes. Also stuffed into this panini were fat hunks of mozzarella and a towering, crusty loaf. We wanted to see what would happen if the panini press couldn’t shut completely. Could it still crisp up the bread, melt the cheese and keep the sandwich ingredients in place?
Usability
- Indicator lights: With the electric presses, we evaluated the indicators for readiness or temperature on the display. We noted whether or not there were different settings depending on what we wanted to make.
- Handles: We paid particular attention to the handle of each panini press to gauge how effectively we could press a sandwich.
- Grill plates: We looked at whether the grill plates on the electric models were fixed or removable. If the plates were removable, we assessed how hard it was to remove them and if the clasps effectively held them in place.
- Sturdiness: With the manual presses, we considered the materials and size in relation to making a sandwich. We also weighed how sturdy they felt in our hand and the utility of the handle.
- Cleaning: With the electric models, we assessed how easy it was to wipe crumbs and other stuck-on food bits off their plates with a damp microfiber cloth. With the manual models, we cleaned them with soap and water and a scrub sponge and assessed how easy that process was.
How to choose a panini press
When picking a panini press, first decide what you need. Are you looking for something that only makes sandwiches or do you want an indoor grill that also makes paninis? Do you want a manual panini press or an electric model? Consider additional things like footprint, storage space, temperature control, hinges and grill plates.
A manual press — a rectangular or round press often made of cast iron with a handle — will be less expensive but also requires a separate heat source and pan to cook your panini. But you might appreciate one the next time you make burgers or quesadillas.
Electric presses, which can double as indoor grills, are available with small footprints that take up minimal counter space (less than a foot in either direction) if you’re making a single sandwich. Bigger lunch crowds might have you eyeing a panini press with hinges that flip 180 degrees and turn the top plate into a second cooking surface that lays flat on the counter.
Next is storage space. Manual presses are the easiest to tuck away. However, some electric models, like the Hamilton Beach Panini Press 25410, can be stored upright thanks to a latch that holds the sides in place.
Then there’s temperature control. Some electric panini presses let you adjust the temperature, while others only indicate that they are preheated. Those with temperature dials are helpful if you will be grilling, while the fixed temperature models may need more trial and error to find out how long your lunch will take.
Look at whether or not an electric panini press has a “floating hinge,” which lets you adjust or tilt the top plate to make it level with the bottom plate; this promotes even cooking. It comes in handy when you’ve got a tall Dagwood-sized panini and you’re trying to keep the sandwich ingredients inside thick slices of bread. With a fixed top plate, you’ll likely have to fuss with your sandwich more — rotating it halfway through — to keep one side from getting squashed.
And finally, nonstick grill plates can also be a differentiator. The plates on higher-priced electric models tend to be removable (which can be more convenient for cleaning) and reversible (flat vs. griddle). That’s a good option if you want a flat top for crisping up a few spears of asparagus or slices of eggplant.
Other panini presses we tested
The Breville Sear & Press Grill BGR700BSS made a solid tomato and mozzarella panini — nearly keeping pace with our top pick, the Cuisinart Electric Griddler Five GR-5BP1t — but the Breville’s higher price tag was a differentiator and that’s why it didn’t earn our top spot.
The Breville Sear & Press Grill BGR700BSS is a solidly built indoor grill with removable ceramic plates and a host of features that go beyond the standard panini press. At 15 pounds (we’re approaching stand mixer territory here) and nearly 9 inches tall, this press is a two-hander that takes some effort to hoist on and off the counter. But once we cleared enough space, it performed well.
The Breville Sear & Press Grill BGR700BSS is novel in that we could adjust the height of the handle; dropping it lower helped us keep sandwich ingredients in place. The ciabatta and white bread crisped up nicely and the cheese was evenly melted. The press made a solid tomato and mozzarella panini — nearly as good as the one made by our top pick, the Cuisinart Electric Griddler Five GR-5BP1t.
This panini press has some more unique features worth mentioning. There is a trio of presets for paninis, burgers and searing. We could also independently set the temperature (450 degrees Fahrenheit is the max) of the top and bottom plates, so we were able to cook two separate foods when both sides were lying flat. There’s also a large drip tray, which thoroughly collected bacon grease while we made a BLT from scratch.
The nonstick ceramic plates on the Breville Sear & Press Grill BGR700BSS are reversible (griddle and flat-top). Breville offers removable waffle plates (you have to purchase them separately) that work with the panini press as well. The plates are dishwasher safe but we recommend hand washing them with soap. This press comes with a one-year warranty.
The Chefman Electric Panini Press & Grill RJ02-180 heated up quickly, taking only two minutes to warm up. It also consistently produced an outstanding grilled cheese sandwich. But this 2-slice model struggled with the oversized ciabatta, in part because of the nonstick surface.
The Chefman Electric Panini Press & Grill RJ02-180 has two lights: red for power and green to indicate it’s preheated (a note here: the green light will go on and off while cooking as the press adjusts the temperature). The handle rotates 180 degrees, so both sides can lay flat which is nice if you also look at this as a grill. The drip tray is removable and dishwasher-safe.
The smaller-sized press struggled with the oversized ciabatta in our testing, partly due to its nonstick surface. When we pushed down on the handle, the tomato and mozzarella smushed out the nonstick sides instead of compressing. While the crust crisped up a bit, the thicker slices of mozzarella weren’t completely melted, even after 12 minutes. But the Chefman Electric Panini Press & Grill RJ02-180 shined when it came to making grilled cheese sandwiches. The edges were sealed, the bread had great color and the cheese was Instagram-gooey.
This inexpensive, compact press (10 inches by 12 inches) is also available in a 4-slice model (12 inches by 13.5 inches).
At three pounds, the Hamilton Beach Panini Press 25460A is lightweight and fast. But the maximum heat it produced wasn’t enough to brown the crust of the thicker ciabatta or melt our thick slices of mozzarella.
The Hamilton Beach Panini Press 25460A is best seen as a personal sandwich maker. At three pounds, it is lightweight and didn’t take up a lot of space on our counter.
This is a panini press of convenience, which is handy when you’re in a hurry. The Hamilton Beach Panini Press 25460A was ready in under four minutes. Next to the red power light is a green indicator light that turns on to let you know it’s ready.
However, while heating up quickly is usually a good thing, it meant we needed to keep a close eye on it during testing. Our grilled cheese bread darkened quickly and the cheese wanted to be pushed out the front, even after we adjusted the top plate. Its top plate, incidentally, has a hinge that lets it float (that is, move independently of the handle) at different heights to accommodate taller bread.
While tweaking the top plate helped us keep the sandwich in place, the maximum heat of the panini press wasn’t enough to brown the crust of the thicker ciabatta or melt thick slices of mozzarella.
The 8-inch by 10-inch ceramic plates are nonstick and built-in. Cleaning was simple: molten cheddar came off quickly and the surface was easy to wipe down once it had cooled.
Lastly, if you’re short on storage space, the panini press conveniently stores upright (vertically); a latch keeps the two sides together. The model we reviewed was chrome but it’s also available in a shiny red model.
At close to six pounds, the Hamilton Beach Panini Press 25410 is the heavier, larger electric model of the two Hamilton Beach panini presses we tested. Its slightly bigger cooking surface let us make two sandwiches at a time more easily. However, its temperature can't be adjusted.
The Hamilton Beach Panini Press 25410 is a bit heavier at approximately six pounds than the 3-pound Hamilton Beach model we also tested. The 25410 keeps the 25460A’s most convenient features — upright storage and a floating, hinged lid — and adds a slightly bigger cooking surface (95 square inches compared to the 25460A’s surface of 80 square inches).
During testing, the Hamilton Beach Panini Press 25410’s green light indicator lit up, telling us it was preheated in under five minutes. It’s worth noting, however, that the temperature can’t be adjusted. Keep this in mind if you’re worried your bread is toasting too quickly before your cheese has melted or vice versa.
The included scraper tool was effective in getting cheese off the built-in plates, but a wet cloth also worked fine. With a similar performance and more real estate to work with, this larger Hamilton Beach panini press offers more value for the money if you want to make two sandwiches at a time.
The Victoria Rectangular Cast-Iron Panini Press GAD-025 was the least expensive model we tested but this manual press still had a good heft. It produced solid grilled cheese sandwiches but created slightly less crispy bread than other models we tested.
The Victoria Rectangular Cast-Iron Panini Press GAD-025 has a solid wooden handle that is easy to grasp and stays cool while cooking. As a bonus, it was the least expensive model we tested but still had a nice heft. At 8.3 inches by 4.4 inches, it can also cover a large cooking area.
The press didn’t want to balance initially atop our tomato mozzarella panini but adding a bit of pressure — that is, actively smashing the ciabatta — helped it find its center. With this manual press, it was worth flipping the sandwich after a few minutes to let both sides get evenly toasted.
The bread ended up slightly less crispy than it did with the manual Lodge Rectangular Cast-Iron Grill Press LGP3 and all the best electric presses, but the mozzarella had a nice pull and the tomatoes were warmed through. The Victoria Rectangular Cast-Iron Panini Press GAD-025 produced a terrific grilled cheese sandwich as the shape and weight distribution are more suited to a flatter sandwich. It also worked well with quesadillas and bacon.
The Victoria Rectangular Cast-Iron Panini Press GAD-025 comes seasoned with flaxseed oil so we could use it immediately. The bits of cheese and crumbs that stuck to the pebbled surface after using came off with a light scrub of dish soap, and it was simple to then add a light coat of oil for the next use.
