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Tesco Value Sandwich Toaster
by northernlovely
**What is it, and why buy one?**
A toastie maker is a way of making hot, sealed sandwiches which are very 80s and very delicious. For me, I had to have one when I developed a craving for cheese and bean toasted sandwiches.. nothing else would do!
As toasted sandwiches are a great way of using up leftovers and having ... a cheap and filling snack, they're ideal for everyone, but especially popular with those on a budget and students.
**Price and Availability**
Obviously the Tesco Value Sandwich Toaster is available only in larger Tesco stores and via Tesco Direct (you can click and collect in store for free or pay a small delivery fee). It costs an amazing £4.97 and that includes a fused plug, brilliant :)
**What's in the Box**
You get the Tesco Value Sandwich Toaster, and a small instructional manual. The box itself is fairly plain with the Tesco Value logo on it.
**The Toaster**
It's white and plastic and looks pretty good for the money. It has a green and a red light on it and a locking hinge to close. Inside there is room for 1 toasted sandwich which is divided into two triangles diagonally.
**In Use**
It's very easy, all you do is butter 2 pieces of bread with butter or marge, and then make a sandwich on the unbuttered sides (if you are making one with a filling you can quickly spoon this in when the first slice is on the toastie maker so there's no mess). Put the sandwich, butter side out, onto the preheated toastie maker and gently close shut and lock. It takes about 3 minutes to cook the sandwich. Once it's cooked, the bread will be crispy and golden and the insides hot (and cheese melted).
It works brilliantly, and there's very little clean-up, too, a quick wipe around with a paper towel once it's cooled a little is sufficient though you can clean it more thoroughly when it's cold.
The sandwiches which come out of the Tesco Value Sandwich Toaster are a good size, well proportioned and never burn (as long as you keep an eye on them and don't overfill them). I was so pleased with this for a fiver, it works as well as an expensive sandwich toaster!
**Some Recipe Ideas**
- Cheese and bean
- Cheese and tomato
- Onion, tuna mayo and cheese
- Leftover bolognaise / chilli
- Strawberry jam and banana (yes!! Lovely!!)
- Leftover sausage and tomato
- Chicken, chorizo and mozarella
**Another Tip**
If you spray on some fry-light you can cook an egg in one of the triangular compartments. Handy to know if you are in a caravan (or if you've moved house and lost your frying pan!!)
**Overall**
Overall I can't recommend the Tesco Value Sandwich Toaster enough - it was well used when I was pregnant and often comes out when there aren't enough leftovers for a full meal or we just fancy something simple like a toastie and chips or salad (tuna toasties and salad are lovely!)
Ok so you shouldn't eat these every day but as a snack occasionally these are great and the Tesco Value Sandwich Toaster is cheap enough to buy and small enough to store to make it more than cost effective. I highly recommend it and am happy to award it 5 out of 5 stars!
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Breville VST026 Sandwich Press
by jeffjen
Sandwich toasters have been around for many years now, yet I can still recall the first one in our household when I was a small child and it was something new and different. Sandwich toasters seemed to quickly captured our imaginations and fast forward to today and sandwich toasters are still as popular. I have owned two or three ... Breville sandwich toasters, with the latest still going strong. However, as my love for toasted sandwiches other than 'toasties' has grown, such as Paninis for instance, I began thinking about buying a sandwich press.
My daughter bought me this particular sandwich press by Breville last year. There are a couple of different ones, the main difference being size. This is the larger 4 slice sandwich press and so obviously is not the cheapest sandwich press you can buy, but is currently available from Amazon priced at £29.99 instead of the usual price of £39.99.
When I took the sandwich press out of the box for the first time I was surprised at how large it was in comparison to my sandwich toaster. At approximately 30 cm x 27 cm x 4.5 cm, it takes up more space on the worktop than a sandwich toaster, but once I have finished using it I store it away in one of the kitchen cupboards, so the amount of space it takes up on my worktop is not an issue for me personally.
Indeed the sandwich press has a locking mechanism which you slide along on the side of the handle which locks it together and it can be stored upright in a cupboard.
The sandwich press consists of two large, flat, non-stick trays. The bottom tray has a curved lip to catch any contents from the sandwiches which may leak out of the press.
The sandwich press weighs 3.6kg and the product details are as follows:
Special Family Size - room for 4 Sandwiches
Hinged Lid for Toasting Different Sandwich Thicknesses
Non-Stick Flat Plates for Easy Cleaning
Suitable for Focaccia or Ciabatta Breads
Locking Mechanism for Upright Compact Stoarage
Apart from what is listed above, this VST026 model is also fitted with a cool-touch handle, non-slip feet and cord storage and the hinged lid mentioned above, is easily adjustable to accommodate breads of different thicknesses.
The sandwich press is made from stainless steel with a silver finish and I think it looks sleek and stylish and is overall a quality product.
I couldn't wait to make my first Paninis and was more than pleased with the results.
After plugging in, the sandwich press has a light which changes colour indicating when it is at the correct temperature to use. The top plate lifts up via the handle bar which stays cool and lifts up the top plate easily and safely, you then place your sandwiches on the bottom plate and lower the top plate again.
There is no temperature control on the sandwich press and toasting the contents is down to you guessing when you think they will be ready. At first I was checking numerous times during the toasting process, but after you have used the press a few times you then get an idea of the cooking times, but of course this can still vary depending on the breads and the contents of the sandwiches you are making.
I have never had any problems making Paninis and find that the breads and their contents toast evenly.
I can easily fit four Paninis onto the plates and if any of the contents leak, then it is easily wiped away after you have finished using the press.
Speaking of cleaning, I find the sandwich press is much easier to clean than my sandwich toaster. Because the plates are flat and smooth, they are easily wiped over and any food deposits are easier to remove than when you are having to clean in between the grooves on a sandwich toaster's plates.
It is because of this, that I have never really used my sandwich toaster anymore since I got this sandwich press, as I can still make toastie style sandwiches using this machine too. The only difference being it doesn't seal the edges of the bread together as a sandwich toaster does.
The accompanying manual recommends waiting until the plates are cool before closing the machine and putting it away. This can take quite some time, so I clean the plates while they are cooling, as this also makes any food deposits easier to remove whilst the plates are still warm. Indeed a damp cloth is all I need to clean the plates on my sandwich press.
The stainless steel shell can also become a little warm, so I would recommend you do not touch it whilst in use. By not moving the sandwich press whilst in use and only touching the handle bar and no other parts of the press, you will have no problems.
I have made a variety of sandwiches, buns and paninis, using my sandwich press and have enjoyed experimenting with various fillings. I have not encountered any problems whilst using my machine and everything has been toasted evenly. The generous size of this model is ideal for families as you can easily make four paninis in one go.
I am happy to recommend this sandwich press, it is so easy to use and to clean as well as delivering perfect sandwiches. I cannot find any fault with it and for ease of use, it really is just a case of plug in and go
It gets five stars from me.
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