Best toastie maker?
 

[Closed] Best toastie maker?

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Online  nbt
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Our 20 year old toastie maker is kaput, we need a new one. I was just going to run to the shop and pick up what they have in stock, but Mrs NBT reminded me that, being the font of all knowledge, someone here would be able to recommend a specific model for some reason that i had not considered

So, what do i need to consider and what should i get, folks?

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 8:45 am
Offline  dickyhepburn
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We use the George Foreman grill thing only to make toasties. It gives more flexibility, especially in allowing cheese to be applied to the outside of the bread (obvs in addition to the layers inside)

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 8:51 am
Offline  plus-one
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My wife is in the running she makes a mean toastie 🙂

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 8:59 am
Offline  jam-bo
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Ours broke, now I just make them in the frying pan. Works pretty well.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 9:01 am
Offline  binners
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We’ve got One of these.

It also does panini’s and waffles. Not that we ever have. But the main thing is that you can remove the plates to clean them properly so it doesn’t end up encased in charred and solidified cheddar

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 9:02 am

Offline  slowol
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We just use a frying pan (non stick but don't know whether this matters) and then use a pan lid on top to keep the heat in and press down a bit. Works fine but you do need to turn them over half way. Also works on camping stoves and will at least get you through today's need for a toastie before you get to Argos.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 9:03 am
Offline  joshvegas
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We have a breville with removable plates. So we got the waffle plates too. It makes a good toastie but I reckon my old Morphy and Richards one was better, seemed to get hotter. But the addition of waffle making ups it to ace level kitchen gadget.

George foreman make rubbish toasties, it can't produce the pockets of lava required for perfection.

A frying pan isn't the worst second option but again, no pockets and tends to leave the bread a bit too uncompressed, you can get great flavour though if it's not been washed since you cooked bacon for breakfast.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 9:03 am
Offline  binners
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I’m with @joshvegas on this one. If the pocket of molten cheese isn’t hotter than the surface of the sun, it’s not a proper toastie

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 9:12 am
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Toastie maker manufacturers need to go 650b on their machines, up the size of the plates to fit Warburton super toastie white bread, and also ease off on compression to allow the thicker bread, and more cheese, natch.

We need a bariatric breville.

Until those days, it's the frying comrades.

Edit - anyone ever tried one of these? Be handy as f for firing up once a ride is over on a day away.

All Ride 8711252172347 Toaster, 120 W, Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08PPQ545N/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_V61JVZT1PCSZMSM0FAMM?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 9:22 am
Offline  jeffl
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Cast iron griddle pan and griddle iron/press

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 9:31 am

Offline  dantsw13
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When ours died, I bought a large panini press. Very happy with it. Being flat it’s wipe clean too.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 9:55 am
Offline  chestrockwell
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Mum got us a Cuisinart one for Christmas. No idea if they are meant to be decent or budget but the plates are removable, it's deep fill and makes a mean toastie according to the kids.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 11:28 am
Offline  chaos
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We’ve got One of these.

+1 for the Salter one.

the non-stick is a little delicate but as long as you only use wood/plastic to clear off excess cheese (i.e. the yummy caramelised bits that escape) they are great.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 11:53 am
Offline  grum
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Traditional cast iron pie iron FTW. A mate has one and it makes superb toasties and can be used in a stove/on a fire etc also.

I just use a frying pan with a steak/bacon weight though. Toasty makers are nice but do you really want to devote worktop space to one and clean it etc.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 11:57 am
Offline  chaos
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But as for this one - why?!

Handbag style toastie maker

Handbag toastie maker

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 11:58 am

Offline  stevious
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We use our George Formby grill and our toasties always turn out nice.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 12:00 pm
Offline  thisisnotaspoon
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George Foreman +1

What it lacks in the 1970's superheated cheese and compressed bread stakes, makes up for in the ability to deal with thick bread, odd-shaped bread, homemade bread, and anything else.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 12:24 pm
Offline  tonyf1
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Mum got us a Cuisinart one for Christmas. No idea if they are meant to be decent or budget but the plates are removable, it’s deep fill and makes a mean toastie according to the kids.

Have this one and came with a set of waffle plates. Really good bit of kit with consistent heat across the plates.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 12:29 pm
Offline  BillMC
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Doesn't the George Formby one produce a black pool of cheese?

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 12:37 pm
Offline  fazzini
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https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/p48917?productId=48917&countryCode=G B" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Silvercrest Panini Grill

Lidl coming soon

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 12:47 pm

Offline  thestabiliser
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Does one not simply use one's aga?

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 12:50 pm
Offline  maccruiskeen
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Toastie maker manufacturers need to go 650b on their machines, up the size of the plates to fit Warburton super toastie white bread

go big or go home. Smuggle a Corby Trouser Press out of a hotel.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 12:51 pm
Offline  p7eaven
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What it lacks in the 1970’s superheated cheese and compressed bread stakes, makes up for in the ability to deal with thick bread, odd-shaped bread, homemade bread, and anything else.

Skillet + steak-weight/spatula-work.

All of the fun, more of the perfection/compression/flavour yet none of the cleaning.

If you want molten flesh-searing ‘pockets’ then (non)stick with a Breville Sandwich Toaster, not forgetting Findus Crispy Pancakes for ‘variety days’ 😉

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 1:25 pm
Offline  Cougar
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I have a Breville similar to that Salter. It's ace. Waffle plates available as an optional extra but well worth it.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 2:32 pm
Offline  onecheshirecat
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Thanks chaps, thanks to your inspiration, I've managed to polish off more of the festive cheese this afternoon with a ridged pan/ steak press combo. Never thought of doing that before.
Produced the perfect toasted sandwich and didn't chop the edges off my large slices of bread. No overly compressed bread either. 8/10, need to experiment with cheese on the outside too.
Will add more of these to my weekend post ride snack inventory.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 6:36 pm

Offline  Bunnyhop
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Oh my! nbt and I, we can't decide.
The panini grill sounds great, as does the George Formby (for that's the name it shall be known as in this household) and the toastie maker Binner's and others recommends (Salter), all sound just the ticket.

Now bring on the cheese.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 7:46 pm
Offline  binners
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As a stop gap, so that you’re not deprived of toastie based loveliness, I’d highly recommend Toastie Bags

They shouldn’t work but they really really do!

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 8:02 pm
Offline  p7eaven
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No overly compressed bread either. 8/10, need to experiment with cheese on the outside too.

Lollopy-tongued semi-cockernee James bloke will sort you out:

I’ve tried it a few times. Never fails to impress.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 8:27 pm
Offline  thenorthwind
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We use our George Formby grill and our toasties always turn out nice.

@stevious 👏

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 9:07 pm
Offline  RustySpanner
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stevious
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We use our George Formby grill and our toasties always turn out nice.

Again.

Bravo.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 10:18 pm

Offline  binners
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Great work there! 😂

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 10:25 pm
Offline  fasthaggis
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From this thread last year -->> In praise of the toasted sandwich

Today’s my birthday,and without any prompting or mention of this thread,a brand new grill/toastie machine (Tefal) landed this morning.

My family must be telepathic.

I am so excited . 🙂

It's an excellent toastie machine and a really good grill.

 
Posted : 03/01/2022 10:36 pm
Offline  paulneenan76
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Don’t bother with anything other than a cast iron plate/pan and a press.

You need butter.

Watch the film Chef.

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 12:51 am
Offline  grum
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Lollopy-tongued semi-cockernee James bloke will sort you out:

But don't follow Gordon Ramsay's effort 😳

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 5:46 am
Offline  chakaping
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I would have told you I had a Breville with swappy plates, but it turns out it's a Salter.

Anyway, it's great and the kids love the waffles as well.

I have a question for the frying pan enthusiasts - do you have to hold the sandwich like a normal one to eat it, assuming that it doesn't seal the edges?

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 9:05 am

Offline  sharkbait
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Don’t bother with anything other than a cast iron plate/pan and a press.

Out of interest, why a cast iron plate rather than just a pan?

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 9:39 am
Offline  nedrapier
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I have a question for the frying pan enthusiasts – do you have to hold the sandwich like a normal one to eat it, assuming that it doesn’t seal the edges?

Yeah, just eat it like a normal sandwich. The crusts are more rigid than the rest of the bread, so a little weight on top means the crusts do the job of sealing.

Cast iron griddle pan here with another cast iron pan on top - 2 rounds at a time. minimal oozing - not like a traditional toastie maker, where the steam has nowhere to go and forces half the cheese out the sides onto the worktop.

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 9:47 am
Offline  thenorthwind
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Out of interest, why a cast iron plate rather than just a pan?

Because things taste better with lines burnt onto them. I thought everyone knew that?

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 9:52 am
Online  nbt
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Wondering if I need a deep-fill toastie make as we don't actually tend to put a lot of fillings in (something about not getting fat). WOuld like removeable plates though

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 5:36 pm
Offline  kayak23
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Are these things worth having should you want a toasted sandwich on say a camp fire?

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 5:59 pm

Offline  Cougar
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Wondering if I need a deep-fill toastie make as we don’t actually tend to put a lot of fillings in

Marketing.

"Deep-fill" = normal.
"Regular" = homeopathic amount of filling.

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 7:02 pm
Offline  sparksmcguff
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I use a cast iron burger press. It’s round. It’s cast iron. The top section is the perfect weight even for fancy breads (your focaccias, your sour doughs anything a bit denser). It’s big enough for a standard load slice. It keeps the heat and spreads it nice and evenly.

 
Posted : 04/01/2022 7:06 pm
Offline  Bunnyhop
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Excited. The Salter toastie maker is on its way.
Our Dualit toaster came with 'sandwich cages', but any toastie made vertically is not ideal imo, also they don't squidge the bread enough.
I tried the cages on the grill, that wasn't ideal either but better than in the toaster.
First world problems. :O)

 
Posted : 06/01/2022 8:08 am
Offline  myti
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We have a ridge monkey in the motorhome. Works well and good for large /thick bread and other uses. I do have a sandwich maker at home but it rarely comes out of the cubboard as for standard cheese/ham toasties a cast iron pan is better. I don't particularly like the rock hard edges the toastie machine makes but it can be good for more unusual/runny fillings like baked beans or egg.

 
Posted : 06/01/2022 8:23 am
Offline  derek_starship
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Not this one:

Broken

It arrived yesterday and the lid catch snapped on FIRST use last night!

Hope the Salter is better.

 
Posted : 06/01/2022 8:27 am

Offline  binners
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The Salter is an altogether more sturdy affair than that flimsy looking thing

This is what happens when you ignore the wisdom of the forum. Let that be a lesson to you 😉

@bunnyhop - we will all be expecting reviews of toastie trials, obviously 😃

 
Posted : 06/01/2022 9:50 am
Offline  derek_starship
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We had this one in the family home.

[img] [/img]

I swear the metallic parts were hewn from a solid billet of 316 stainless steel.

It lasted long after I'd fledged the nest.

 
Posted : 06/01/2022 10:11 am
Offline  Sui
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plus-one
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My wife is in the running she makes a mean toastie 🙂

@plus-one - what the going rate for your missus?

 
Posted : 06/01/2022 10:18 am
Offline  joshvegas
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We had this one in the family home.

I swear the metallic parts were hewn from a solid billet of 316 stainless steel.

It lasted long after I’d fledged the nest.

I've only just twigged that the lack of browning on my current one might be more to do with the lack of brown in the bread 😂

 
Posted : 06/01/2022 11:09 am
Offline  plus-one
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@Sui

what the going rate for your missus?

If you have to ask etc etc 😉

 
Posted : 06/01/2022 12:49 pm

Offline  Bunnyhop
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binners - Will do. On first attempt it will be a little bit of everything in the fridge that's savoury with a few beans.
Then I'm going to make me first waffles.
Drooling in anticipation.

 
Posted : 06/01/2022 2:12 pm
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