While there are so many different options for panini presses out there, a Hamilton panini press seems to be a pretty popular choice among consumers. No matter which brand of panini maker you choose, you should think about what your needs are and then decide which kind to get from there.
On this page, I’ll show you some of your Hamilton panini press choices and then go ahead and post my recommendations on the best ones.
The Hamilton Beach 25450 Gourmet Panini Press is a nice, compact machine which basically just does one thing – make panini sandwiches! (It can also grill burgers and chicken, though it’s not actually designed for that.) It has a floating hinge so you can press thicker sandwiches with no problem. The downside is that there’s no temperature control. Do you need one? Probably not for panini sandwiches. The other issue is that the plates don’t come out, so it makes clean up just a little less convenient.
The Hamilton Beach 25331 Super Sear 100-Square-Inch Nonstick Indoor Searing Grill has a digital display and does have adjustable temperature controls, unlike the Hamilton Beach 25450 Gourmet Panini Press mentioned above. This one is a little bigger and can hold 4 burgers at a time. It also has a floating hinge to allow for thicker cuts of meat or sandwiches. The reviews on this one are pretty good as most people seem to think this is a great purchase! The biggest downside is that the plates don’t come out for easy clean-up. I have a feeling that could become a theme!
The Hamilton Beach 25324 100-Square-Inch Nonstick Indoor Grill with Panini Press is very similar to the Hamilton Beach 25331 Super Sear mentioned above, except that this version does not have the super sear function. This is fine if you’re just using this grill for panini sandwiches. If you want to make steaks on it too, then you may want to opt for the Super Sear version. There are only a few reviews on this product, so it’s a little early to tell how much people will like or dislike it, but so far, the reviews are somewhere in the middle. It does not have removable plates (told you that would be a theme!), but it does have the larger cooking space. I don’t know, you might want to think twice before buying this one. For the same price (even lower in some cases?) you can have a better-reviewed machine with more features – the Hamilton Beach 25331 Super Sear!
The Hamilton Beach 25219 HealthSmart Contact Grill is a different little guy. This is similar to the smaller George Foreman grills. It’s a no-frills (but inexpensive) indoor grill. It’s small so can only fit 1-2 sandwiches or burgers at a time. It does not have removable plates or a floating hinge. However, this one has great reviews, and it’s perfect for someone who doesn’t need any fancy extras and just wants to make a nice toasty sandwich now and again.
The Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Indoor Grill has an interesting feature to it. It has a temperature probe so that you can check meat and make sure that it’s done at the perfect temperature. That’s a great feature if you’re going to use the grill for meat, but if you just want to make panini sandwiches, then this is not something that’s really necessary. There are other great features to this grill though. It has a floating hinge (for those thicker foods) and removable plates for easy clean-up! (Woot, finally!) And, so far this one seems to be loved by its customers. The biggest downside seems to be that it’s a smaller sized grill, so it’s probably best for those who will only need to use it for no more than 2 people at a time.
The Hamilton Beach 25451 Indoor Grill with 85-Inch Cooking Surface is the final grill that we’ll take a look at. This one has a larger cooking surface, so if you’re interested in making more than panini sandwiches, it can make 4-6 burgers at a time. It does have a floating hinge and removable grill plates. That’s all good stuff. It does not have a timer which is a complaint from some customers. Overall, it’s a well-reviewed product and does what it claims it can do!
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Ok, based on what I read about each of the Hamilton panini press options, there are two that I would most recommend. For strictly making hot, toasty panini sandwiches, it seems that the Hamilton Beach 25450 Gourmet Panini Press is your best bet. It makes paninis and that’s all it does, but it does it well. For a machine that is a little bigger and a little more versatile, I recommend the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Indoor Grill. It cooks meats to the perfect temperature, and it can also cook up some panini sandwiches.
Good luck, and enjoy those paninis!