* Best Panini Maker Reviews -inc. Giada Goumet, Breville, and Cuisinart Panini Press

When choosing the best panini maker for your needs there are three main features to look for:

* Non-stick plates - this is absolutely vital, so all the panini sandwich makers featured on this page have plates with a non-stick coating. The coating makes it easier to lift your sandwiches off the plates when they are cooked, and simple to wipe clean afteruse. Take care of the non-stick coating by only cleaning it gently with a soft wet paper towel. If you need to use any sort of tool on it, to help remove a sticky sandwich, or chip of some dried cheese, use a silicone spatula as this will not cause scratches.

* Removable plates - there are some panini sandwich makers with removable plates available, but they are not great quality, so they have not been included in this review. Problems with getting the plates to stay in place during operation can lead to sandwich-making disasters.

* Floating hinge - to be a true panini press, the machine must have a floating hinge. This enables the top plate to be lowered evenly across the panini, so one end is not squashed. Ideally the hinge should be height-adjustable so you can alter it according to the thickness of your sandwich.

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A simple, value panini maker. Makes two panini sandwiches at a time. Heats up fast and has a temperature control dial so you can make your sandwiches just as you like them. Doesn't have a quality feel, but that is because it doesn't have a quality price tag.

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This panini maker looks fantastic, and will cook more than just sandwiches - use it to grill steak, burgers, chicken and fish. Not durable enough for the price though.

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Feels heavy and substantial and is built to last. The floating hinge allows for four different thicknesses, so you can adjust according to how thick you like the bread, or how much filling you cram into your panini. This doesn't have removable plates but the plates are completely flat, making them easy to wipe clean.

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The brushed stainless steel finish is unusual to find in a panini maker, so this is a good buy if your other kitchen accessories also have a brushed finish. It heats up fast, and has a floating lid. Great value, good quality all rounder.

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The Cuisinart GR-1 is a good panini maker. But if you wanted to be more adventurous and try griddling some meat, the GR-3 and GR-4 models make great alternatives to more expensive indoor grills.

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Do you need stripes on your panini? Thatwill be the deciding factor when buying this sandwich maker. The plates are grooved which gives tasty, stripey, professional looking sandwiches. But the plates are not removable, and the groves make them harder to clean that flat plates.

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These are more panini makers available to buy online. Also check out the recipe books below to give you inspiration for your panini creations.