I, like many other people, like sandwiches of all kinds, and there's only one thing that is better than a sandwich and that is a toasted sandwich, nice and hot to fill me up for a few hours.
Sadly, making that perfect toasted sandwich can be a bit of an art, but that art can be made a little easier with the right sandwich maker by your side, well on your worktop anyway.

In my time, as a sandwich toastie lover I have used several machines to make my favourite dish, which happens to be cheese, onion, a little chopped up ham and a few thinly slices mushrooms, topped with a little brown sauce to give it that little bit of spice... but my favourite taste is irrelevant really isn't it.
Anyway, as I mentioned, I have used several machines before and found most of them to be quite good at making a nice toastie.
Sadly though, like my luck with kettles and toasters, I tend to go through sandwich toasters like a man with loose bowels goes through toilet rolls, so I tend to have to buy a new sandwich toaster every so often.
And since my last one, which was a breville duo, toasted it's last sandwich with a puff of smoke, a crackle of electric and a rather strange smell coming from the back, I had to go out and get another one.

So when I was out shopping, yet again, I stumbled across another sandwich toaster with the famous Breville name, one which I seemed to trust as the previous ones I had used had served me well indeed.

The particular model I had come across was called the Breville TR52, (yet again not much thought put into the actual name), but what jumped out to me was the rather different shape of it.

** Firstly, the specs...

* Toasts 4 slices at once, (2 per side)
* Quick heat system
* Dish-washable, non stick removable plates for easy cleaning
* Cut and seal system
* Cord wrap for easier storage
* Non slip feet
* Power on/off light indicator
* Compact size, being 330 x 288 x 145mm
* Silver colour with brushed stainless steel effect


** MY OPINION...

As I mentioned earlier I love toasted sandwiches and could eat them until they came out of my ears, so to speak. I have experimented with several types if ingredients, some good, some bad and some that should never be mixed together ever again.
So finding this remarkable sandwich toaster, after my old faithful died on me, was a stroke of luck as I have been using it more or less on a daily basis for months now and it has never faltered one little bit.

It's not like any other sandwich toaster you've ever seen with its triangular looking lid and almost spaceship design and it's brushed stainless steal finish really does look the part.
The clip on the front holds the lid down during use is solid and, unlike other sandwich toasters I've used, and it is quite easy to lock and unlock, once you've shut it initially.
The legs are a little stubby looking but the rubber bases stop the unit from sliding along the work surface.
The plates are actually slightly deeper than the Duo model I had used previously so that means I can put more of my favourite filling into it.

Using it is as easy as breaking wind as there are no on off buttons, it is just a matter of plugging it in and letting it heat up, then, when the green light comes on you just place in your ready to cook sandwich and close the lid, the excellent heat will do the rest in minutes.
But, as with all machines of this kind, closing the lid can take a bit of force, not excessive of course, but it does need pushing down a bit to get the catch to lock into place when you've added all you favourite ingredients.
As anyone who has ever made a toasted sandwich before you know that to even though the plates may be none stick it is best to spread a little margarine, or butter for those people with money to spare, on the outside of each piece of bread, this will also help give the finished product that lovely brown colouring.

Cleaning... (which is the downside to any cooking tool)
First of all you will have to let this cool down, other wise you'll get your fingers burnt. Then it is a simple matter of unclipping the plates, which then pop out of position, and giving them a good soaking in a bowl full of hot soapy water and a scrub with a none metal brush.
Then, once dry, replace the plates back into the unit and you're ready for your next batch of tasted sandwiches

In all, this sandwich toaster is a very useful piece of kitchen equipment and will no doubt be constantly on the go in most kitchens, especially mine. It heats up fast for that quicker toastie fix and when you've finished with it its size allows it to fit into most kitchen units for easy storage

This Breville toasted sandwich maker is a cracking buy from places such as amazon for around £20.00 to £25.00, which is a bargain for the amount of toasted sandwiches that will end up warming your life up.

NOTE:
If people have some nice ideas for fillings then let me know as I'm willing to try almost anything...