COMFORT food should be done right, so choosing the best sandwich toaster is a must if you want a snack that’s going to hit the spot. b
If it’s quick, filling and delicious you’re after, then you need one of these in your life. But what should you look for when buying one?
First, it pays to know how many sandwiches you’re likely to make in one go.
If you live on your own, a two-portion model might be is perfect, but that won’t cut it for a large family with hungry kids – not unless you want to make batch after batch.
A toastie is only the food of champions if it’s packed with filling, so look for designs that are deep-fill; no one likes a disappointing toasted sandwich.
This will also help keep the filling where it’s supposed to be – inside the bread and not oozing out and getting burnt by the heated plates as it cooks.
Speaking of oozing, you need to think about cleaning – boring, yes, but necessary.
Can the metal plates inside be removed and cleaned, either by hand or in a dishwasher, or are you going to have to get a toothbrush into all the nooks and crannies?
If it’s the latter, give it a miss. Trust us, trying to scrape away crusty bits of cheese is a thankless task.
Finally, consider where you’re going to store it. Do you have enough cupboard space for it?
Can it be stored upright to save a few precious inches? Or, if you plan on using it a lot and are happy to keep it on your worktop, is it small and discreet enough not to encroach on your kitchen?
Now you know exactly what you’re looking for, take a look to see if our six favourite designs fit the bill.
We tested: Breville VST091 Deep Fill 2 Portion Sandwich Toaster
- Breville VST091 Deep Fill 2 Portion Sandwich Toaster – White, £29.99 from Argos – buy here
Straightforward and easy-to-use, the Breville VST091 Deep Fill 2 Portion Sandwich Toaster is less than £30 and toasts two sandwiches at the same time.
The clue's in the name: the plates are deep enough for you to enjoy an extra jam-packed sarnie.
This one immediately took us back to our student days of living on toasties, able to heat up and give you an easy-breezy cheese toasted sandwich within a matter of minutes.
It's really simple to set up, you just take it out of the packaging then wait for it to heat up by watching the temperature sign turn red.
We found that extra thick sandwiches made it hard to fasten the clip in place but you can still make good toasties without doing that.
The cheese was also entirely melted with all the edges fastened, cutting off the crusts (you might be better off buying toastie-sized slices). But overall, it's a great buy for less than £30.
Breville Ultimate Deep Fill Toastie Maker
- Breville Ultimate Deep Fill Toastie Maker, £29.99 from Amazon – buy here
The Breville 2 slice ultimate deep fill sandwich toaster invites the user to turn on their creativity.
We gave the Breville a go and found getting started is easy and a simple green to amber light system indicates when the slick, black device is ready to toast.
Suggested recipes go beyond the classic toastie to pizza pockets, omelettes and cake bites, but despite the aforementioned invitation we started simple with cheese and ham between two slices of white bread.
A few minutes later we were enjoying two crispy delicious toasted sandwiches… although a puddle of cheddar on the worktop suggests Breville’s idea of ‘deep fill’ is somewhat less ambitious than our own.
Thankfully though cleaning up is simple thanks to the removable dishwasher-safe plates that with an easy push of a button allow for easy cleaning.
Salter EK2143 Deep Fill
- Salter EK2143 Deep Fill 3-in-1 Snack Maker, £33.94 from Amazon – buy here
Why limit yourself to just making toasted sandwiches?
This design has generous-sized interchangeable, non-stick plates to make large paninis and waffles as well as toasties.
It has a ready-to-cook indicator light so you know exactly when it’s at the perfect temperature, and also comes with a recipe booklet – hash-brown waffles, anyone?
Breville VST025
- Breville VST025 3 Portion Cafe-Style Sandwich Press, £31.99 from Curries – buy here
If there’s one minor quibble (and we do mean minor) we have with a toasted sandwich, it’s that when the bread is sealed, it can keep all that molten cheese way too hot to eat.
With this in mind, why not consider a press-style maker that doesn’t seal the edges?
This one has a floating hinged lid to allow for plenty of room for fillings, non-stick plates for easy cleaning, enough space for up to three panini, ciabatta or focaccia sandwiches and can be stored upright.
Russell Hobbs 2-Portion Sandwich Toaster – Stainless Steel
- Russell Hobbs 2-Portion Sandwich Toaster – Stainless Steel, £15.95 from Amazon – buy here
Need to make two tasty sandwiches in one go? Then this bargain two portion sandwich maker is for you.
It cuts and seals the sandwiches, has a ready-to-use indicator light and non-stick plates that are easy to wipe clean.
Store it upright in a cupboard or, should you choose to leave it on display, the sleek black and stainless-steel finish means it’ll blend neatly into the decor of most kitchens.
Morphy Richards 511647
- Morphy Richards 511647 MICO Microwave Cookware Toastie Maker, £22.29 from Amazon – buy here
We know what you’re thinking: not another kitchen gadget – but what if we told you there’s a nifty device out there that can make crispy toasties in the microwave?
This brilliant invention turns microwaves into conventional heat that warms up metal non-stick toasting plates hidden in the silicone walls.
In just five minutes you’ll have a crispy, melting toastie without the need for a bulky additional gadget.
Oh, and the metal plates are removable and dishwasher-safe, too.
Sage The Perfect Press Sandwich Toaster
- Sage The Perfect Press Sandwich Toaster, £99.99 from Lakeland – buy here
We’ve saved the best – although, admittedly, most expensive – until last.
This Heston Blumenthal-designed sandwich maker has a crush-control hinge, meaning it requires much less pressure than other models to cook your snack without squashing it.
This makes escaping fillings a thing of the past, which is handy as the plates can’t be removed from this heavy-duty design.
It can be stored vertically and comes with a two-year guarantee.
We’ve designed Sun Selects to help you find everything you need when you’re shopping around the web. Click the link to find more of our top picks.
Enjoyed our roundup of the best sandwich toasters? If you want a new piece of furniture, take a look at our dedicated home section.
Source: Read Full Article