The West Bend Panini Press is a compact flat-griddle contact grilling machine that makes delicious toasted sandwiches in a hurry. This unit has an oversize cool-touch handle, which lifts the top grill plate up and away from the base for easy access. The 10x13.25-inch bottom plate accommodates three to six sandwiches, depending on the size of bread used, and also has a convenient lip around the entire perimeter to keep the bread from sliding off the edge when lifting with a spatula.

The nonstick grill plates are flat and so won't make the traditional grill marks on the bread, but will turn out beautifully toasted sandwiches cooked evenly on the top and bottom. Although oils and butter are not necessary (due to the excellent release of the nonstick plates), we found that brushing a little oil on the bread produced a flavorful and nicely browned crust. The unit heats quickly and has two indicator lights to let you know when the unit is preheating and when the correct temperature has been reached. Preheating takes about 5 minutes and your sandwiches are hot and ready in approximately 5-8 minutes, depending on the type of bread and fillings used. The floating hinge design lets you make sandwiches of varied thickness.

Warranty
1 year, limited