Your Guide to Panini Presses & Sandwich Grills

Adding pressed and grilled sandwiches to your restaurant or catering menu can give your patrons something they truly appreciate. However, to make such grilled sandwiches, you’ll need to either invest in a panini press or sandwich grill. Although the two might seem similar, there are some notable differences, which the team from Zanduco Restaurant Equipment & Supplies goes into here.

We’ve collected all you need to know about panini presses and sandwich grills, so read on!

What the Difference Between the Two?

First, it’s important to understand what makes sandwich grills and panini presses different from each other. A sandwich/panini grill is designed to both press and simultaneously cooked the product using a heat source. It’s often used in restaurants that have a higher volume of customers to make the cooking process easier. A panini press, also known as a sandwich weight or grill press, is a piece of cooking equipment designed to press a sandwich down upon a cooking surface, like a grill or pan.

Panini Press/Sandwich Grill Applications

For grills, using one couldn’t be simpler. All you need to do is place a sandwich inside and close the lid and then it will begin cooking. Once it reaches the desired temperature, voila! you have a hot sandwich to serve to your patron. However, with presses, you can also make other things, such as meat, hashbrowns, and even quesadillas.

Common Panini/Sandwich Press Plate Materials

There are three common materials press plates are made from, each with their own benefits. Aluminum is popular because it heats up quickly and is inexpensive, however, it doesn’t maintain heat as well as other alternatives. Cast iron offers the best heat retention out of all of the plate materials, as well as provides a more even cooking/heating surface. However, it can be a bit more expensive and requires some occasional maintenance; you’ll need to season the grill surface occasionally. Lastly, non-stick cooking surfaces are great because they’re so easy to clean and heat up quickly. However, they’re less durable than other materials and might need to be replaced more frequently.

Contact us today for more about panini presses and sandwich grills in Canada!

For those interested in offering hot sandwiches right off the grill, contact Zanduco Restaurant Equipment & Supplies today by visiting us online or calling 1 (855) 926-3826.