Don't loaf around the kitchen. (Breville TR39 Sandwich Press)

Member Name: rune_tune

Product:	Breville TR39 Sandwich Press
Date:	16/06/08 (616 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Not just a toasted sandwich maker

Disadvantages: Can take a little while to cool down

~ A Sandwich Press ~

There I was, making a toasted cheese sandwich in my 10-year-old toasted sandwich maker, when I went to take it out.
Unfortunately it was stuck everywhere! It was a right mess, and even careful attempts to get it out without it all collapsing on me were a disaster.
So I had to finally concede that it was time for this trusty machine to be binned.
But what to get as a replacement? We love our toasted sandwiches, and after some looking around it was decided to go for the Breville TR39 Sandwich press.

~ The Difference between a sandwich press and toaster ~

Well basically it all comes down to the hinges. A sandwich toaster has fixed hinges and allows you to use regular bread, which it then turns into a toasted sandwich using either one or two compartments. It also means your not as restricted in the slice of bread in overall size (often our old machine wouldn't take more than a small loaf slice).
These Sandwich presses are more versatile since they have floating hinges that allow for thicker bread like ciabata, panini and focaccia. Great if like us you enjoy a variation on the toasted sandwich dream.

~ The Toasted Sandwich ~

The first noticeable difference between this and the toasted sandwich maker is there are no compartments that the bread fits into. This also means you don't get the edges sealed in the same way, nor do you have the sandwich "sealed" in half.

I admit I was a little concerned that the sandwich might end up spilling its contents all over the place, but we found this hasn't been an issue in the way that the hinged top works. In fact, there is very little spillage at all and we don't think there has been anymore than we used to get from the old sandwich toaster.

The bottom plate does have a slightly upturned edge, so even if there is some spillage it's often neatly contained anyway and so you don't get an oozy mess everywhere else. This could also be a problem with the old toaster, especially around the hinges area and it could be a nightmare to clean down. Not so with this machine.

You have two main lights, one to indicate it is turned on, and the other to let you know it is up to temperature. Both are easily visible and it seems to heat up in a similar time to the old toaster, which means its pretty quick and you don't waste time hanging around waiting for it.

The old toaster required that you buttered the side of bread being placed down on the plates before. With this device, buttering is optional (great for those who have to watch the diet) and there is little difference between sandwiches made with or without buttered sides.
You can even do basic toast slices if you want to in this.

The top hinge can be "fixed" into position allowing you to also use this to have toasted open sandwiches. This is a great option for Cheese on toast or for something slightly different.

It also sits on four good sized non-slip feet, so it is nicely secure on the counter top when using it.


~ Other points ~

Some of you are already aware that I suffer with arthritis. This sandwich press has also come with one unexpected bonus for me as an arthritis sufferer. Before I would rely on my partner to put the front clip on the old toaster down into place - with this machine you don't have a front clip, which means I can do a sandwich from start to finish, and if for some reason my partner isn't around I don't have to wait for them to come back before being able to use it.

The cleaning down of the machine is simplicity itself. A simple wipe of a damp cloth is always enough, and again because of the hinge design it allows much better access than the old sandwich toaster did to clean.

The non-stick coating on the top and bottom plates seems to be good quality and so far nothing has stuck, and it's all wiped down well afterwards once it has cooled down slightly.

The design has a nice chrome finish to it, and it wouldn't look out of place in a café somewhere. You also have locking storage clip slides that lock plates closed for upright storage, and you can also wind the cable up, so if you are pressed for counter top space, this really does fit away in a cupboard neatly until you need to use it.

Are there any flaws? Well not really. The worse thing I can say about it is the plates do take a little while to cool down, and while we don't have children this might be something those with "little people and sticky mitts" might have to take into consideration after using it.

~ Sandwich Ideas ~

The versatility of the press allows you to think about a wide variety of sandwiches, and so far our favourites are:

Goat's Cheese and Roasted Peppers.
Char Grilled Chicken with Oyster Sauce and Spring Onions (on Panini).
The standard Melted Cheese! (Hey its basic but still unbeatable at times).
Mozzarella, Fresh Tomatoes and Fresh Basil (also great with ciabata, panini or focaccia breads).

If you (like my partner) have a sweet tooth, then you can also try some different ideas.
Toasted Chocolate and banana Panini (Use a chocolate spread).
Great for chocolate croissants or chocolate filled Brioche.


~ In summary ~

Easy clean, no-stick plates

Rapid heat-up and high temperature

Vertical storage and cord wrap to save on space

Power on and ready to cook indicators

Non-slip feet for safety

Price is on average £29-99 from various outlets including Tesco and Argos.

We love the sandwich press, and would say to anyone who loves toasted sandwiches of any kind to ditch your old Sandwich maker in favour of this sandwich press.

A full five out five stars.

Summary: Toasted Sandwiches will not be the same again.