Hamilton Beach Panini Press Sandwich Maker
Score: 73/100
Gotham Steel Panini Press
Score: 68/100Rankings
Hamilton Beach's Panini Press delivers a spacious 95 sq in cooking area, floating hinged lid, and ribbed nonstick plates for fast, restaurant-style sandwiches. The six-minute preheat and lack of temperature adjustment can be a drawback for quick snacks. It's well-suited for small families wanting reliable, no-fuss grilling.
Gotham Steel's Nonstick Panini Press provides an ultra-compact form factor with TI-ceramic nonstick plates, indicator lights, and automatic shut-off for rapid two-sandwich cooking. The tiny 12 sq in surface and plasticky construction limit its usefulness for larger meals. Best suited for students or travelers who need quick, small-batch meals.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
516.13 cm²best | — | |
612.9 cm²best | 77.42 cm² | |
| ↓ lower better | 2.6 kg | 1 kgbest |
| ↓ lower better | 360 secondsbest | — |
1,500 Wbest | 1,400 W | |
— | 2 servingsbest | |
1 yearsbest | 1 yearsbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Cooking Surface(1) | ||
Cooking Surface Area (cm²) | 612.90 cm² | 77.42 cm² |
Build & Design(2) | ||
Weight (kg) | 2.60 kg | 1.0 kg |
Dimensions (HxWxD) | 12.6 x 12.3 x 4.5 in | 9.3 x 4.5 x 9.4 in |
Power & Temperature(1) | ||
Wattage (W) | 1500 W | 1400 W |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers and editors emphasize the grill's ability to deliver restaurant-style paninis quickly, noting the floating lid and non-flip dual plates as key conveniences, while pointing out the absence of temperature control and the shipping restrictions as drawbacks.
Everyday users consistently praise the speed, crispness, and ease of cleaning, especially appreciating the ability to make two to three sandwiches at once and the upright storage feature; the most common complaint is the six-minute preheat period and occasional build-quality inconsistencies.
“very convenient”
“I'm a grown ass woman, give me a real sandwich”
Professional testers highlight the panini press's TI-ceramic nonstick coating as a standout feature that prevents sticking and simplifies cleanup, while praising the dual plates for cooking two items at once and the compact, upright storage for portability. However, they note the limited cooking surface restricts it to small-portion meals and criticize the plasticky build quality.
Everyday users consistently praise the ease of use, rapid cooking time, and effortless wipe-clean nonstick surface, especially for quick kids' meals. Common complaints focus on the tiny sandwich size, inability to handle thick or large fillings, and a cheap-looking plastic construction.
