Best Sandwich Toaster – Buyer’s Guide

The deepest toastie maker which Breville has made so far, which should have a lot of people sold alone. If you like to pack the bread full of fillings, it will be able to cope with layers upon layers.

A cut and seal system ensures you have no extra tasks to undertake when the sandwich is done. Lowering the lid will slice the bread rounds in half, and the edges will be sealed to reduce mess when you go to remove and eat it.

Each section is pretty roomy, so whether you like small slices of bread or big toastie loaves, they should fit with ease. Power-on and ready to use indicators keep you in control and ensure you don’t waste any precious time, and you also get a cool touch handle so that it is safe to open at all times.

Plates are removable, and dishwasher safe too in case you like the easy life. They are non-stick, so even if you love to pile your sandwich high with cheese, any which oozes out should be simple to remove once cooled. It can be stored upright, which will take up less room in your cupboard, too. For a small appliance which is on the larger side, this is very welcome indeed.

While this is the most expensive on the list, Sage is well-known for it’s quality products and genius innovation, and this has all gone into this product.

It can make up to two portions at once, thanks to having a flat plate design. We loved the floating hinge design too, which opens wider than standard toastie machine rivals to accommodate thicker paninis or sandwiches yet still toast them to perfection.

Crush Control, which is unique to this model, applies the perfect pressure to your creation to prevent the whole thing being crushed flat or the filling being pushed out. You can adjust the height and toast thin crispy sandwiches, packed croissants and anything in between.

The latter is a good job, as the plates aren’t removable. But as they are flat, they are much easier to clean than dedicated portion plates which have lots of creases. So, you won’t have burnt cheese stuck there forever.

If you’re short on space, vertical storage is possible, so it should fit in that gap you have next to your saucepans in the cupboard.

With a comfortable amount of room to accommodate up to four portion sandwiches, this is the perfect model for small families who love a toastie for lunch.

A hinged lid will cope with thicker butties and bread styles, whether it be making a panini, bagel or focaccia, or the kids have said they want a bit of every single ingredient in the fridge in their creation.

As the plates are flat, you could even prepare tortillas and wraps, ham and cheese croissants, pitta bread or toasted muffins. They aren’t removable, but the flat design makes them easy to wipe once cooled, and they are non-stick.

Power on and ready to go light indicators keep things safe, and also ensure your lunch won’t be lacklustre. Cord storage will keep everything neat, and it can be left upright. The locking mechanism clasps both sides together so it won’t ping open and damage your other appliances.

More than just a toastie maker, this 3-in-1 can also make a whole host of tasty snacks. Extra cooking plates include a grill and waffle maker, so it is ideal if you’re stuck on space but love having all possible appliances to hand.

Quick release catches keep the chosen plates safe and secure, but they are also very easy to swap over without having to struggle to dislodge them.

The thermos handle is easy to grip and stays cool when in use so you can always check on the progress without having to wait for it all to get colder. Removable plates let you pop them in the dishwasher after use to reduce the amount of cleaning you have to do, and the surface is non-stick so there shouldn’t be too much mess to clear up anyway.

You can store it vertically, and it also happens to be one of the most compact two portion toastie makers we reviewed. The handle doesn’t stick out, making it all quite slimline, and it is relatively straight without any bulging feet or stands.

With plenty of depth on each plate, you aren’t going to be tucking into your toastie and wishing you were able to pack more filling into it. Whether you layer on the cheese to melt or like nice thick bread slices, the Waring Pro won’t struggle to cope.

Variable temperature options mean you can get the exact toasting level you wish. Whether you like the bread to have a light brown tint or you like full-on crispy bread with melted cheese slices, just choose from low, medium and high.

As it is such a deep fill, it can also be used to make omelettes, fruit turnovers and calzone. Despite many others claiming to also be deep fill, this one is by far the winner in this category.

It can be kept clean by removing and dishwashing the plates, and as it is so deep fill, there is little chance any filling is going to escape into the creases. Using thicker bread is best we found, as thinner tends to almost disappear with the heat.

Love the idea of packing your kitchen out with toastie, waffle, doughnut and bagel makers but only have room for one? Gone for the toaster as it seems the most practical?

This Tefal Snack Collection is exactly as the name suggests. It comes with the toastie and waffle plates, but there are actually 14 additional sets of plates you can collect too. The opportunities are pretty limitless.

In terms of storage, it sits upright so can be tucked away. You can even keep the cable free of tangling and damage by securing it around the base. Any additional plates can be stored in a box for when you need them.

A light will let you know when it is warm enough to use, and you can secure the lid with the latch to ensure everything stays in its place. If you’re stuck for inspiration, then a recipe book should give you some ideas.

Want a toastie maker which can cope with just a single sandwich to reduce the amount of mess or storage space needed?
They aren’t easy to find, so this Judge model will likely be a good pick for you. It still has all of the starry features which make larger toasters stand out, such as cutting the sandwich in half and non-stick plates, but just on a more personal scale.

Just plug it in, and the light will come on. When this turns off, you’re ready to load it up. When you’re done, unplug it and leave to cool before popping away.

The plates are fixed so can’t be taken out to clean but are still wipeable when cooled. It is a good price for a single portion when compared to two slice models, around half of the cheapest featured on this list which is about right. There are some cheaper double models out there though, and this Judge takes a while to heat and cook, but overall it is handy if you just want a quick lunchtime solution.

This 24520 from Russell Hobbs wins top marks in the style category, with a sleek black outer. It is a compact size, and power and ready-to-use lights help you get the best results.

The size makes it ideal if you’re going to have to try and squeeze it onto a small space to store. It toasts well, giving the bread a nice brown level and it gets hot enough to melt any cheese fillings. It is basic to use, so great for any kids off to university or if you don’t want to faff about with settings and adaptable heat levels.

The plates are on the small side so there is a good chance you’ll have to cut the crusts off your slices of bread. If they’re left too big, the edges don’t seal so fillings can fall out. The end results were also the flattest of all of those we tested, which suggests the lid is a little too heavy for the design of the maker.

We also found that piling the filling in a bit too much resulted in a fair bit of mess as it was pushed out due to this.

Moving away from the majority stainless steel look when it comes to your kitchen gadgets? Available in red and black with just a touch of silver, this Breville is perfect for something that looks a bit different.

The Cut and Seal system keeps all of the contents firmly within the bread slices and slices them, so they are ready to serve up without having to reach for the knife. The DuraCeramic coating doesn’t just prevent any food from sticking to the plates, but also speeds up heating time and is scratch resistant. In all, Breville claims it is around 4x more durable than ordinary non-stick coatings.

It will stand upright, and cord wrap-around will limit the space it takes up. It is relatively slim, and the handle is also integrated, which makes it easier to fit into small spaces.

We found that it was quite difficult to clean if any cheese escaped before the bread was sealed, as small gaps around the plates seemed to attract it. The plates aren’t removable, so you have to wait until it all cools then carefully prise it out.