Almost everyone loves sandwiches, burgers and a lot more. You can save your time which you might be spending on cooking sandwiches on gas stoves. Not only this, a sandwich maker makes sure that you do not go empty stomach to the office, school or even college. Well, there are n number of benefits of a sandwich maker but let us discuss the things which you should surely consider in it:
1. Types
There are certainly two types of sandwich makers:
- Panini Press- A Panini press sandwich maker comes with two grills- one on the top and second on the bottom. The bread is kept on the bottom grill which is pressed by the top floating hinged grill. Usually, you can find a Panini press sandwich in burger shops and it can make anything starting from bread to meat and vegetables. However, it is quite expensive than the four triangle sandwich maker.
- Four triangle- You can easily guess it by name as it is the most common type of sandwich maker which has been used by various people for many years. This maker cuts the sandwich in four triangular shapes and toasts your sandwiches (remember, it doesn’t grill them). The reason behind this is the heating plates are divided into the triangle or square-cut triangles. Also, you can also call this one a homely sandwich maker as it is found in most of the homes and are quite affordable.
2. Capacity
There are usually two types of sandwich makers where you can get two sandwiches at a time and other, four at a time. So, if you a family of two or bachelors then a 2 sandwich maker could suffice as you would get 4 triangular shaped sandwiches. Also, if you are going for a picnic or a family of 4 and more, a 4 sandwich maker could be just fine.
3. Size
If your sandwich maker is compact and lightweight then you can easily keep it anywhere in the kitchen and carry it anywhere . Usually, 41 X 38 X 15cm is an ideal size for choosing a large-size sandwich maker. Also, for a family of two, a small-sized sandwich maker of 26 X 24 X 11cm can suffice.
4. Surface type
There are various types of surfaces that have been used to make a sandwich- like iron and Teflon. The iron surface would be very cheap as compared to Teflon. The surface will become sticky after you scratch it with a scrubber. Well, a Teflon based surface is the best choice as the sandwich doesn’t stick. You can also look for the sandwich makers which come with a non-stick surface and heats up faster.
5. Power
The power decides upon how quickly your sandwich can be cooked. Usually, a small-sized sandwich maker which comes with a power of 750-1200 watts can help you make sandwiches smoothly and 2000-3000 watts of power can fit into the case of a larger one.
6. Coating
Choose a non-stick coating of your sandwich maker as this can reduce the usage of oil on it. Only because of the non-stick coating, the sandwich wouldn’t stick on it and you can easily wash it as well.
7. Durability
Any product requires to be very durable as this will only decide the longevity of the product. So, a stainless steel, high-quality plastic materials offer maximum durability to your products at a very minimal time. Also, look for the one which is scratch resistant as it can help you wash the maker nicely. A non-stick maker is the another feature which we want you to focus on as it gives more reliability.
8. Temperature control
While the Panini press makers come with various temperature control options that allow you to cook anything at your own pace. Look into the one which holds the capacity of distributing heat to every area evenly for better toasting or grilling experience Mostly, the four triangle sandwich makers don’t come with a temperature control option and you are required to do everything manually(switch off the maker when you get the delicious smell).
9. Plates
There are some sandwich makers which come with fixed plates whereas some come with removable plates(it allows you to cook several things like chicken). Also, the removable plates have grilled ones where the edges are slightly raised.
10. Type of handle
The sandwich maker comes with a handle so that you can carry it easily at the time of heating or non-heating. Well, when you are toasting the sandwich, you would want a handle which doesn’t feel hot and that is why go for the one which is a good resistant of heat. You can either choose a plastic or steel handles. Well, both of them have their own pros and cons. A plastic handle is heat resistant but has the chance of breaking easily which will make it harder for you to carry your sandwich maker. And on the other hand, a steel made handle will be hot but last long.
11. Cord length
So having a long cord has its own advantages and disadvantages as you will not have to hold your maker or be near to the maker while the sandwich is being prepared. But, it is kind of unsafe as well because you might fall down if you don’t look into the longer cord below. Hence, the choice is yours. Going for a cord length of 1.5 to 2 m can actually help you in strain-free operations.
12. Hinges
These are very important if you use a Panini press sandwich maker because if there is a floating hinge then it can easily cook different shapes and sizes of bread(depending on the thickness). While going for selecting a sandwich maker based on the hinges then a floating one could be an ideal choice as it can be used in any type of maker irrespective of their sizes, shapes or weights.
13. Other features
When we cook, many things like oil or crumps fall off which makes our kitchen messy and that is why going for a sandwich maker with a dip tray is a smart choice. Also, like the light indication technique has been used in irons, sandwich makers also come with the light indicators which enable us to know as and when we need to switch the maker off.
14. Auto-shutoff
If you want to perform other household chores while toasting a sandwich then you should definitely go for this option. Auto-shutoff option will ensure that your sandwich isn’t burnt and meanwhile, you can easily complete your incompleted tasks.
15. Warranty
On average, you can find a warranty for 1-3 years on these sandwich makers. Well, as we always say that warranty helps us to decide on the quality and sturdiness of the material and that is why, always go for a product which gives enough warranty. Also, after-sales-service is one of the most concerning factors as most of the customers aren’t happy with many products’ after-sales-service. Well, there are many other products that provide amazing services like that of an online.
16. Price
There are various types of sandwich makers that come at a budget-friendly price and serve the maximum purpose such as toasting a delicious sandwich. Also, some sandwich makers comprise various specifications (removable plates, used for burgers and all) and that is price higher than usual ones. Choose the one which fits into your budget and fulfills all the requirements. You can find a good quality small sized sandwich maker at 1000-2000 INR and a large-sized at 2000-4000 INR on average. We would suggest to not worry about the price as investing in a sandwich maker will reduce the cost of sandwiches for the long run.
17. Ease of cleaning
If you have lumps of crusty cheese on the surface then cleaning could be really tough. Also, in the case of a sticky surface, you might find the bread materials which can be annoying at times. Well, that is why looking for a non-stick feature is of utmost importance and ease of cleaning depends upon the usage as well. If you do not have a removable plates sandwich maker then too, the cleaning might be a little difficult.
18. Brand
Well, there are a variety of sandwich makers present in the market and you might want to buy a branded one. What stands out in these brands is the quality and sturdiness as they never fail to offer any of those. We have made a listicle of certain top brands which have ruled the market of sandwich makers:
- Havells
- Philips
- Prestige
- Nova
- Morphy
How to Cook Sandwiches Using a Sandwich Maker?
You can cook a sandwich at the same time you spend for cooking maggie. Just you ought to follow certain steps:
- Do some dusting and cleaning of the sandwich maker to avoid any kind of dirt
- Apply butter or oil on the surface. You can use any oil except coconut or mustard as it makes your sandwich smell bad
- Switch the plug on and let the maker be preheated
- Keep the stuffed sandwich on the bottom surface and close the top surface.
- Now wait for your sandwich to become deliciously tasty
A lot of people question about the time a sandwich maker takes to toast and grill a sandwich. Well, it depends on makers to makers, some might cook as quickly as 4 minutes or some might take 6 minutes to turn the sandwich brown.
Benefits of using a Sandwich Maker
There are various benefits of using a sandwich maker and we have listed a few below:
- Saves time- You will not have to spend hours in preparing food as it can be prepared in few minutes.
- Extremely easy to use- Anyone in the family can use it as it comes with minimal instructions.
- New recipes- People can easily experiment various recipes and prepare amazing sandwiches, burgers and what not!
- Occupy very less space- You can keep the sandwich maker anywhere as they come in very less space.
- Cooks at right temperature- You will not have to worry about the temperature as you can experience exact heat when cooked.
- Extra toppings: The panini press will allow you to add any amount of stuffing you want. The bread gets toasted properly and cooks all ingredients well.
Difference between Panini and Four Triangle Sandwich Makers
| PANINI PRESS | FOUR TRIANGLE |
|---|---|
| You can cook burgers, patties or even kebabs in it. | You can make sandwiches or may be waffles in some of these. |
| You can’t slice sandwiches with it. | You can easily slice sandwiches. |
| It doesn’t have removable plates. | It has removable plates. |
| It is quite expensive. | This is very budget-friendly. |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Never clean a sandwich maker in a dishwasher or with direct soap water. A sandwich maker is an electric device hence the cleaning of this should be done carefully. First of all, unplug the device and remove and separate the cooking plates of the sandwich maker from the device. Dust and remove any crumbs that are present beneath the plates or the gaps under the plates. Prepare a soap solution or vinegar-lemon water. Now neatly scrub and clean the plates. Be careful as not to scrub the plates hard if the plates are made out of brittle or delicate items. Also, make sure that you are drying out the plates completely before inserting them back into the sandwich maker. Alternatively, you can also use tissues or wet wipes to wipe the device clean.
Please be very careful when you use the device for the first time. Please brush the surface lightly using cooling oil. Don’t use any kind of spreads as it may burn the nonstick surface. Allow the device to heat up for five minutes by opening the lid. After heating, please allow the device to cool down, and make sure you remove the excess oil with absorbent paper.
Once you turn on the device with power supply a red light will power up. This is an indication that the device has turned on. After some time, once the device reaches certain optimal cooking temperature, the LED light will turn into blue colour. This is an indication that the device is ready for the usage of making sandwiches.
It is quite normal for a sandwich maker to emit smoke when you use it for the first time. Also, sometimes, when the food or the sandwich that you place inside the maker is smaller, the device plates get in contact with each other and this may result in the rise of smoke. But one always has to be cautious. Check with the wiring if the smoke is coming from the internal circuitry of the device. If there is too much smoke coming out of the device, turn it off, unplug it from the socket and call up an electrician or the customer care. Refrain from using the device until a professional technician takes a look at it.
Yes, one can use a sandwich maker to toast and grill food such as chicken, potatoes. But the extent and the quality of grilling may differ. In fact there are a lot of sanwich makers that come with inbuilt grill plates or grilling tables that one can use to grill seperate food items.
Absolutely Yes. You can toast bread or even buns on a sandwich maker.But if you directly place the bread in the sandwich maker, it may get black and burnt. Always remember to use butter or some kind of fry spread to make the bread crispy and eatable.
This is totally dependent on the size of the sandwich maker and the size of the bread loaf. A standard sized loaf in a 4 plate sandwich maker can make you 4 half sliced sandwiches at a time. But a large loaf whole sandwich maker may give you only 2 sandwiches in a single go. The concept of batch cooking in a sandwich maker is entirely dependent on your serving sizes.
Non-stick, as the name suggests, prevents any of the food material that you place in the device from sticking to the sides of the sandwich maker. Cooking any dough based substance in a normal vessel will result in the food getting stuck to the walls of the said vessel and it will make the cleaning process entirely difficult. Given the ingredients of a sandwich, it is better to use nonstick coated maker since it is easy to clean and also it prevents the food from sticking to the surface.
First clean and slice cut the potatoes (grill paneer or any vegetable of choice) to the desired shape that you want. Take two slices of bread, apply butter on one side of each bread. Now place the potatoes on one of the bread. If you are making a grill paneer sandwich, first roast some cubes of paneer (you can do that on the sandwich maker as well). You can even add slices of tomatoes over the potatoes. Place some lettuce/spinach on top of it. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and a pinch of chilli powder on top of the lettuce/spinach. Now close the bread with the other slice, cut it into triangular pieces and place them on the sandwich maker. Turn on the device and the device automatically turns off when the sandwiches are ready.
No. the cooking temperature required for a sausage is higher than the temperature offered by a sandwich maker. Hence it is not exactly possible to cook sausage in a sandwich maker.
You can easily toast bread in a panini press or a grilling sandwich maker press but you cannot grill in a toast maker. A grilling sandwich maker is an additional advantage over a simple toasting sandwich maker. While the toasting sandwich maker can only toast the bread and the ingredients present beneath the bread, a grilling sandwich maker can even grill the food placed inside apart from casual toasting.
A toaster has a simple and a single function. To brown burn *(or) toast the bread that is placed inside it. A sandwich maker on the other hand heats and grills not just the bread placed inside it but also the food ingredients placed inside it. Also, a toaster usually has a verticle body type whereas a sandwich maker has a suitcase or a closed box type model.
