As a child in the 1970s, I loved when my Italian grandmother babysat me. Lunch was always a grilled cheese she made using a small, silver countertop appliance—possibly a pizzelle maker or a waffle iron—that pressed down on the sandwich, turning both sides of the bread toasty brown with crispy, frico-like bits of melted cheese coming out at the edges. She was the only person who made grilled cheeses this way, and they were delicious.
Looking back, I realize now that Nana’s sandwich maker was actually her own version of the panini press, which didn’t really become commercially available to home cooks until the 1990s. Since then, they’ve only increased in popularity, with brands like Cuisinart, Breville, and, of course, George Foreman producing machines that promise to make perfect panini in minutes.
Our top pick
- Best panini press overall: Cuisinart Griddler Five
Panini presses—sometimes called panini grills—come in a variety of sizes and styles, from single-function presses that only make sandwiches to multipurpose models that double as griddles and open-face grills. The best panini presses, however, all have a few things in common: They give bread a crunchy, evenly toasted exterior with signature grill marks; warm and meld fillings such as cheese, meat, and veggies without overcooking them; and squish the sandwich just enough so that it isn’t too flat.
We tested some of the most popular models on the market to find the absolute best panini press, and there was one clear winner.
The best panini press overall: Cuisinart Griddler Five
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Heats and browns evenly
- Easy to use
- Reversible, nonstick grill plate that detach for easy cleaning
- Adjustable temperature
- Compact, sleek design
- Operates as a panini press, contact grill, full grill, full griddle, and half grill/half griddle
Cons:
- Machine doesn’t shut off when programmed cooking time is completed
Specs
Size: 13.25" x 12.5" x 8" with 11" x 9" plates
Removable plates: Yes
Floating hinge: Yes
Weight: 9 lb., 6 oz.
Colors: Stainless steel
Warranty: Limited 3-year warranty
After testing a number of panini makers, we can confidently say that you’d be hard-pressed to find a better one than the Griddler Five. The space-saving panini press never let us down, consistently turning out gorgeously golden, evenly toasted sandwiches. It’s easy to operate, a cinch to clean, and reasonably priced, considering its high quality and versatility. Naming it the best of the best was a no-brainer.
What we love: Cuisinart’s panini press makes it effortless to create grilled sandwiches that look like they came straight from Italy. We appreciated the compact machine’s simple interface, which consists of an on/off button, an LCD screen, and a knob for selecting the cooking mode (grill or griddle), time, and temperature. The unit took only a few minutes to heat up, then beeped to signal that it was ready for action.
From there, it was love at first panini. We were thrilled that our grilled cheese sandwich stayed put and didn’t slide down the nonstick surface when we placed it in the Griddler Five—a common issue with other models. While some melted cheese spilled out onto the plate—another issue with other models—it lifted off easily when we removed the sandwich from the press with a spatula. Spillage aside, our grilled cheeses had a crisp golden exterior, melted center, and weren’t too flat. Our layered panini, made with prosciutto, basil, tomato, and fresh mozzarella, were also fantastic. The toasted sourdough bread had terrific grill marks and an excellent crunch, with the warm, stretchy mozzarella securing the fillings between the slices.
Cleaning the Griddler Five’s grills was literally a snap. Just press the release buttons of the top plate and the bottom plate to detach them, then hand-wash or place them in the dishwasher. A scraping tool is included for tougher jobs, but our plates had no stuck-on bits and only needed a few swipes with a soapy sponge and warm water to get them looking good-as-new again.
What we’d leave: There’s really nothing we didn’t love about the Griddler Five, but the timer function could be improved. A beep signals when the cooking time is up, but the machine doesn’t power off. Instead, it keeps cooking and starts counting up, so you know how long food has been sitting in the press since the timer went off.
How we tested panini presses
We made a lot of sandwiches, using the machines according to the manufacturers' instructions. Because all of the cooking plates were nonstick, we didn’t grease them. We did, however, slather mayo or butter on the outside of our bread with the goal of achieving a golden, crisp exterior.
For the first test, we made this simple grilled cheese recipe using white bread and American cheese. We looked at how evenly the machine toasted the bread, how well the sandwiches browned, and whether all of the cheese melted inside. We also considered just how squished and flat each grilled cheese turned out.
Next, we made layered paninis, using this prosciutto, tomato, basil, and fresh mozzarella recipe and thick slices of sourdough. For this test, we wanted to see if the bread toasted evenly and had a nice crunch, whether something thicker than American cheese would completely melt, and how much the press flattened the more layered sandwich.
Lastly, we judged each machine on how easy it was to clean. Making panini can be messy, so it was important to test that the cooking surfaces were truly nonstick and required only a wipe-down with a damp cloth or, if detachable, a quick wash in the sink or dishwasher.
What to look for in a panini press
We judged each panini press by the following criteria.
Excellent heating performance
The best panini presses have evenly heated cooking surfaces and produce golden-brown sandwiches with perfect grill marks. Many models come with pre-set temperatures, but a press that has temperature controls is a much better option. “This allows you to choose how toasted and browned you want your panini,” says Emmy Clinton, founder of healthy recipe site Entirely Emmy. “I recommend a panini press that can reach a temperature of 400°-450°F for the best texture and browning.” The Forked Spoon’s Jessica Randhawa agrees that temperature control is the way to go. “It’s absolutely worth any cost difference, as you don't want to spend all that time making a beautiful panini only to have the crust burn while the cheese doesn't melt because the preset temperature is too high for your gourmet bread. An adjustable temperature allows the panini to cook at lower temperatures for longer, giving you more control to experiment with different breads and thicknesses.”
Size and storage
Panini presses come in different sizes, so choose one that best suits your needs and your kitchen space. “If you have a larger family, look for a press that can make more than one sandwich at a time,” says Clinton.
Grooved plates
A panini press can have cooking plates that are either smooth or grooved, or double-sided to give you both options. Grooved plates are preferred over smooth ones for making sandwiches. “They help drain grease and create grill marks on your panini,” says Clinton.
A floating hinge
Not all panini presses are created equal. Some are constructed with a floating hinge, which lets you adjust the top of the press to the height of the sandwich and prevent it from flattening. “A floating hinge is a must,” says Randhawa, “as it allows for thicker sandwiches and breads that would otherwise get squished.”
Easy cleanup
It’s not uncommon for ingredients like melted cheese to spill out of the sandwich and into the plate’s grooves, or worse, onto your countertop. “Easy cleanup matters,” says Adam Gallagher, co-founder and recipe developer at Inspired Taste. “Look for a press with removable plates and a drip tray.” Both can be washed by hand and most are also dishwasher safe. Regardless of whether the plates are fixed or detachable, The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook author Kathy Strahs recommends investing in a panini brush to clean between grooves. “It helps to loosen up any grilled-on cheese or juices while the press is still hot,” she says.
Other panini presses we liked
The Cuisinart panini press easily claimed the top spot, but a number of machines from different brands were also strong contenders. Despite cheese spillage, sandwich sliding, inconsistent browning, and the fact that most grilled cheeses were rather squished, these presses all made decent panini.
Breville Sear and Press Grill
The Breville Sear and Press Grill was the best of the rest. It performed just as well as the Cuisinart press, making wonderfully golden grilled cheeses and panini. Like the Cuisinart, the Breville panini press also has temperature controls; a floating hinge; detachable, double-sided, easy-to-clean nonstick plates; and functions as a sandwich press, grill, and griddle. The major difference? Breville’s Sear and Press Grill is larger, heavier, and costs $100 more. If you want to splurge, you won’t be disappointed with this model, but considering that it’s so similar to the Cuisinart, we say save your cheddar.
Hamilton Beach Panini Press
Hamilton Beach’s compact panini press is light-as-a-feather, and it does a pretty good job of making sandwiches. However, it has no temperature controls and the bread on our quite-flat grilled cheeses toasted slightly darker than other models we tested. Melted cheese spilled onto the nonstick plate, but thankfully, the included spatula made it easy to scrape out of the ridges. Making layered panini was trickier, since the press has no floating hinge. The thick sandwiches kept sliding down to the edge of the plate when the lid was closed, even after we tried to re-center them. Though the fillings were evenly cooked, the bread toasted too lightly. The panini press does not have removable plates, but it was surprisingly easy to clean with the spatula and a wet cloth.
Chefman 5-in-1 Digital Panini Press
The Chefman 5-in-1 Digital Panini Press produced grilled cheeses that were less squished and had less spillage than other models we tested, but the bread toasted unevenly with very dark grill marks. The opposite was true of the sourdough for the layered panini, which had a light golden color that we wish was deeper. It has a temperature dial so you can experiment with different settings, a floating hinge, and nonstick reversible plates that are ridiculously easy to clean because they’re detachable. Once they cooled, it took just seconds to rinse away any oils and crumbs with warm, soapy water.
Chefman 3-in-1 Panini Press and Grill
It may not have the same bells and whistles as the 5-in-1—there are no temperature controls and the grooved nonstick plates are affixed to the machine—but the Chefman 3-in-1 did an impressive job in our tests. As with other models, we experienced sandwich sliding and cheese spillage, but our grilled cheeses and panini cooked evenly and were golden brown with slightly darker grill marks. Cleaning the plates with a damp cloth was a slight challenge because some crumbs lingered near the raised corners and had to be flicked out. Removable plates would have made the job faster and easier.
Panini presses we don't recommend
Let’s start with the positives: The George Foreman Electric Grill and Panini Press has removable grill plates with a reliable nonstick coating. Beyond that, this machine didn’t knock us out. The George Foreman had a short power cord, no temperature controls, and a wobbly plastic lid that felt as if it might come off at any moment. Because the press slopes downward, sandwiches immediately slid to the front edge of the plate plate, and melted cheese oozed out of the machine. The bread on our grilled cheeses toasted unevenly, with large, dark patches, but the panini were more evenly browned. It may be popular, but the George Foreman just didn’t pack a punch.