Out of all those, I vote for the Flipwich. It does not take up extra counter space, has no cord to worry about, easiest to clean and can be used outside on the firepit or the bbq if you are careful about the handle. Thanks for the review.
Chalmers: I thought we were having steamed clams. Principal Skinner: D'oh, no. I said steamed hams. That's what I call hamburgers. Chalmers: You call hamburgers steamed hams? Principal Skinner: Yes. It's a regional dialect.
I feel like the panini press is the best. 1. I personally find the smashing of the sandwiches a pro 2. It was fast 3. Easy to clean 4. Can be used for many more things then just sandwiches. I really like items that can multitask
Actually, I'm surprised he didn't use the "old-fashioned" pan as one of the contestants. Why go with a specialized machine when you have a frying pan or grill?
These are literally my favorite videos on RU-vid. They're just so fun and interesting. They always help a lot when I am having a bit of a rough go. Thank you! Keep it up.
"A latch keeps it closed" ... but really doesn't understands why. In Europe that's a way to do them, all crushed into a thin, crunchy, cheesy delicatesse. Some handles used to break because of the excessive weight people put on it, like your hole freaking body.
I cut somewhere between vertical and diagonal, making trapezoids. It combines the stability of rectangles with the dippability of triangles. Also it's more interesting from a food styling perspective, if I'm feeling fancy. Exactly halfway from vertical towards diagonal (so 22.5 degrees from vertical) is just about perfect.
Here's the secret to a great grilled cheese. Butter (or mayo) the outside of the bread and put it in a COLD pan. Cover and cook on medium for about 3 minutes or until golden. Flip and brown the other side without covering. Perfectly melted inside and light crispy bread on the outside!
The diagonal grill marks with the Flipwich are very nice, better than the Hamilton’s vertical ones. I think for the cost, ease of cleaning, appearance of the sandwich and speed (little over 4min) the Flipwich wins.
Actually just a god, with both still on there at the same time? That’s just the visual though, what gets me about panini presses is how they completely mush down softer breads. Look how flat the sandwiches are. Not my preference at all.
@@adamarens3520 And that's what I like about them... I've never been a fan of the grilled cheese sandwiches you make in a pan. I want them well squished together. Different strokes I guess... I've got one thats about 20 years old and looks a bit like the GothamSteel one, but without the dividing ridge. Only problem I have with it is that it's rather small, and if you get largish bread slices they just won't fit. And yea, force that sucker shut so you seal all that gooey goodness in there.
The ultimate grilled-cheese sandwich maker has to be my mother. She made grilled-cheese sandwiches for a room full of grandchildren yesterday. Five sandwiches, one 50-year-old skillet, all done perfectly in less than 10 minutes.
The video was super helpful. I already have the Flipwich, which surprising my husband actually uses. He uses it for grilled cheese, but also for grilling about 4 or 5 hot dogs all at once.
You can make me a grilled cheese sandwich anytime. Your cheese placement is on point! I like how concise this video was and the “doodle doodle doodle” of the piece hanging out was hilarious, as well as your confessional in the parking lot. Great review! 👍🏼👍🏼
I had a version of the Gotham steel way back when. Loved it. Do wish they made it a little bigger so the bread doesn’t squeeze out the sides. I see that hasn’t changed.
American "cheese" is actually processed cheese food. I'll eat it melted on a sandwich if I have no other choice. Also, if you melt your cheese food in a car it tastes like margarine, especially on a bologna sammich.
Thanks for the reviews. Have a flat pan that I have always used that goes on the stove. When seeing results of these grillers, worth while for me to use my old method. And yes, you need to butter both sides. I actually add some more butter while cooking as an extra “treat” for me, don’t eat much sweets or carbs, so enjoy these very much!!
And your power points in your kitchens don't have on/off switches on them? Wooow, I'd be plugging and unplugging things all day. Just buy a sandwich press, a flat base one without grill scores. Do four sandwiches at once. Ours is now 30 years old and still going strong. Closest I could find in that area is a Panini Press.
@@saddle1940 Anything that needs to be turned off should have a switch on it. Nothing wrong with keeping most appliances plugged in all the time as long as they're switched off (the appliances, not the outlets).
@@onometre seems like electric kettles are getting more popular in America though, probably the most used appliance i own in my kitchen to be honest. If you use a ferench press, love tea, or eat a lot of ramen its a must have.
nothing beats my awesome good ole vintage oster electric toasty grill chees maker! I have 2 of them! One can make 2 sandwiches at once, the other one is good for like roadtrips and camping and makes one sandwich at a time. It even makes it easy to split your sandwich when its ready with a diagonal line through the sandwich. Honestly probably one of my favorite kitchen appliances ever. Dont know what I'd do without it.
The flipwich is my choice of them, between price, space used, cleaning, and not needing an outlet. However I’m gonna stick with my non-stick griddle pan, works like a charm and still easy to clean, and used on a stovetop like the flipwich.
My parents had something really similar to the Gotham steel when I was a kid and I LOVED it. I liked the texture that came with making it more of a pocket sandwich, it had really crispy edges and you just can't get that unique texture in a stove. My favorite was to add some sliced ham into it, too ^_^ But thats just what I like, if you're going for a more classic grilled cheese feel I totally get why it wouldn't be for everyone
Same here, we've had these since I was a child and they make such tasty crispy sandwiches. I also love putting ham with cheese and also some pickle spread and cracked pepper, they are excellent that way👌The one we had was a Breville brand and so we would call the sandwiches "Breville's"😄
Funny I just commented saying I grew up on this machine. It’s a different taste as well. Which I like. The trust taste so different then a traditional one. I wish it had better grill marks in the middle but I’m not complaining. After all it’s made just to make grill cheese, a panini can make other sandwiches as well. I always had hot pocket sandwiches with ham & cheddar, very good, but I never put ham in my homemade grilled cheese. Ima try it tho since I like the hot pockets ham & cheddar
@@LinZbeee I wonder if you could make a Quizno’s style toasted sub sandwich. Man, I miss Quiznos! They were sooo good! I’d always get a cheese/veggie sandwich where the cheese gets melted and the tomato gets roasted with Italian dressing seeped into it and the lettuce, all on a cushion of toasted bread. Yum! 🤤 Maybe only toaster oven can make one though.
As far as ease to use for those of us who can't always remember to keep close watch on cooking food, the nostalgia seems like the best choice. I saw the difference in cooking and thought of how my wife likes extra crispy and I don't and I was like 'make two, cut em in half down the scorch line. Perfect'
I love grilled cheese, grew up eating a lot, but in my day's they didn't have those machines just the frying pan and the spatula. But it was goooodddd mmmm
Note about the panini press smashing the bread.... the locking knob on the side can be used to lock the lid at your desired level of pressing. Gently lower the lid just until it is touching the bread and lock.
Cast Iron would fail miserably because 1) too long to heat up 2) uneven browning 3) heft. The only thing that people who romanticize cast iron compare cast iron to is disposable crap.
@@madthumbs1564 Well that's what I grew up on. Dad made the best grilled cheese on planet using a seasoned cast iron skillet thay he still uses today. So of course that's what I use. So yeah works perfectly.
The best method I found to make grilled cheese sandwiches which are not as dense as with the presses, is by placing them on baking paper in a hot air oven. Takes about 20 minutes at 200C, but the upside is I can make 9 at once. Cleaning is as easy as tossing out the used paper, and there's no need to buy a separate device if you already have an oven.
The "Gotham Steel" version looks more like a jaffle maker (AKA "pie iron", squish the bread into the depressions and then add filling) than just for flat grilled cheese.
I think James is the ultimate Grilled Cheese Maker. "Swiss like" as there are no holes and it wasn't made with Emmental bacteria. ALSO ... thank you, for not taking us to bed this time.
I feel like the Gotham Steel toastie maker is trying to sell the toastie as a grilled cheese sandwich. I suppose it is technically, but the way it shapes the bread is quite different, as you found out. It's very popular in the UK. Not sure we have the Gotham Steel brand over there, but Breville comes to mind. I usually leave mine in there for quite some time so the bread gets extra crispy, but sometimes that means the cheese leaks all over. We tend to use cheddar cheese too rather than American cheese.
If you ever go to street vendors in India where they serve toasted sandwiches (closest to a grilled cheese you might get there would be grilled cheese with chopped green chilis, garlic, and a cilantro-mint-lime chutney), they basically use a pan that is almost identical to that Flipwich (other than being cast iron)... Amazon also sells those types of pans, but it seems that the Flipwich is actually cheaper than most of them by a few bucks; also, the flat exterior shape of the Flipwich means it's usable on an electric stove. Most of the street-vendor ones have kind of a dome shape so that the flame from tiny portable stoves wraps around the dome and heats the whole pan -- Useful for small stoves, but not so much if you've got an electric stove, and superfluous if you've got a good gas stove that doesn't just produce a flame in the middle.
@@madthumbs1564 I know. It's called grilled cheese. But then there's no grill in a frying pan. Anyway, that's what we and most people we knew called it in the 1950s. and 60s. The only places that called them "grilled cheese" were diners. We also made french toast in a frying pan too. 😄
To me, it's hard to beat the flipwhich. You can buy 2 for the price of 1 of the other devices, it's got room for bigger sandwiches, and is probably easier to clean than the other devices.
I had a sandwich maker similar to the Gotham years ago. After the novelty wore off I consigned it to a junk box. 1, It didn’t accommodate different bread sizes. 2. The grilling was not consistent. 3. As you experienced cutting diagonally was awkward. 4. It didn’t save time. The George Foreman grille works very well, but also takes a while to heat up. The fastest, most consistent, and easiest to clean for me us a Nu Wave induction burner and stainless pan. I’m still waiting for you to assess an induction burner such as the Nu Wave. It does require investment in induction cookware but to me it’s worth it. It heats faster, uses less energy, is safer, and the temperature settings are definitive and consistent. The cookware can be used on a resistive burner as well if you are so inclined. The induction pressure cooker is awesome. My next range will have a combination of induction and resistive burners and a convection oven.
MrFmiller My sister has an induction range. It’s a pain to find cookware, but we found that cast iron works - you just have to be careful about scratches.
@@AstoundingAmelia I made that comment 2 years ago, and I stand by it. My sister now lives in a new house with a brand new induction range and she still has to be careful what pans she buys so that they work with her range. Not all pans do.
I've used the flip switch for years. Works great, can hang up with my pans taking no cabinet or counter space and cleanup is a breeze. Besides, I believe I paid 10 bucks for it at dollar general some years ago. I didn't know how much it would get used when I bought it but it gets used frequently by my middle aged son who likes sandwiches for lunch. He often takes dinner leftovers and makes sandwiches with it.
My George Foreman grill does a fine job, and it has a flexible hinge that can expand for thicker stuff. Plus I can do lots of other foods on it, it is a multi tasker. I dont remember how much it cost but I have had it for years. It's easy to clean and has a drip tray accessory.
Yep, you'll have to go sparingly on the cheese and make sure it's not near the edges. I started buying a pound of Brick, slice it, and freeze it separated by plastic wrap. Then thaw individual slices to make sandwiches. It gets super soft but not messy. But that is in a pan.
I just do it in a pan, takes no time at all. Cut diagonally. Everybody loves my grilled cheese with mayo, onions! As a matter of fact..... making some now. Lol
Yep, butter in the pan (not on the bread,) American AND Swiss cheese , cast iron skillet is the way to rock a grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup on the side :-)
That Flipwich was almost as good as the panini press, and much cheaper/easier to store! Tempting. But looking at prices here in Canada, it’s almost as expensive as the panini press! ($50 vs $70), so I don’t think I’ll be doing sandwiches one at a time!
How about a pan? Am I the first to think of this? :) why over complicate the simplest thing to make and less control over how it cooks.... makes no sense to me
That sandwich maker was great when I was pregnant and wanted pizza to an insane degree: bread, cheese, ketchup and pepperoni. Fast and easy and cheap. Plus, it’s like a hot pocket where I control the ingredients.
Grill cheese - no gadgets: 1) Warm a small non-stick skillet on the stove with medium heat. 2} Butter a slice of bread and place butter side down in skillet. Top with your favorite cheese. 3) Butter another slice of bread and place on sandwich with the buttered side facing UP. 4) Brown sandwich for 2-3 mins (will vary depending on your stove), checking it by lifting up a corner with your spatula. 5) Flip sandwich with your spatula and repeat step 4. 6) Enjoy!
@@madthumbs1564 Ok, so you like replacing your ''pans'' every year or two? Also, uneven browning? In a cast-iron pan? Are you stoned or just an amateur?
the Gotham steel is what we kiwi's is called a toastie maker, usually you would use thin sliced bread and had more then just cheese as a filling. usually minced meat, corn, cheese and a bit of ketchup is a good filling
I'm disappointed you didn't give the George Foreman Grill with removable plates a chance! Its a killer panini maker and you can cook chicken, burgers, steaks, veggies and more on it! Plus it's cheaper than Hamilton Beach at 24.99 and often gets sold as cheap as $19 when it goes on sale. Probably because it doesn't have "Grilled Cheese" in the description but I always use it when I'm making grilled cheeses and it only takes a few minutes and they turn out perfect every time.
I have the deluxe George Foreman with removable plates as well and you are right about its versatility. You can grill meat, make waffles or pancakes and, yes, make toasted sandwiches. It's also been around longer than anything else he tested. I do find that the Teflon on the older George Foreman is much more likely to wear off. The one I have contains two kinds of teflon chemicals one of which is now banned due to it emitting a toxic gas if the Teflon gets too hot. The biggest danger was to birds who are highly sensitive and were keeling over in large enough numbers to draw attention to it possibly not being great for humans either. Newer pans and devices, I believe, only have one of the chemicals but that is being phased out too, just not sure of the year it will be banned. Pretty sure most manufacturers of non-stick items are likely already eliminating the second chemical. Also a lot of older self cleaning ovens contained Teflon to make it easier to wipe up stuff between cleanings but the self cleaning feature used such high temps that it caused the Teflon to overheat and emit the same toxic chemicals. I think most range manufacturers have stopped using both chemicals now but not all. It is also used in some electric heaters. If you have a bird in your home you have to be really careful about which appliances you buy. Nobody wants to lose their pet to Teflon fumes.
The Deluxe George Foreman does take up a lot of counter/storage space because it's huge and has the extra plates to store too. Still love the versatility though. 🙂
itsthatoneguy5 I make croquet madam at home all the time, ham cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce and a egg then cooked on low under a broiler. They are amazing. Friends always ask me too cook them for breakfast when I stay over
Awesome review!! Now I know which one I am going to get. I didn't really like the toaster one. I liked the Hamilton Beach one and the flip one. Thank you for the review James. Can't wait to see more!! I recommend when making a grilled cheese sandwich use mozzarella cheese it's good.
If the nostalgic one can be used also as a toaster I might be tempted to buy it and replace my toaster with it given the added bonus of being a grilled cheese maker. I would think it would be good with thicker bread for making toast and keeping it from burning on the edges.
Oyster made a grilled cheese maker just like the Gotham steel and my mom still has and uses it 20YEARS later. It's what I'm nostalgic for, it's what I had growing up. That being said I now I'm married and we have out own house. I use out Panini press, but that flipwitch looks like it made the best one.
I used to have a snackster that made the pocket sandwiches and while it’s not like a traditional grilled cheese, they are really good for making your own hot pockets and with out the diarrhea either, it’s the only kitchen gadget I’ve thrown away that I wish I still had.
Aww bummer that you let it go! I hope you at least donated it to Goodwill/Salvation Army for another owner to enjoy, instead of it taking up room in a landfill before it’s lived out it’s lifespan. :)
Something similar to the nostalgia is the toastabag which is a sleeve that goes in the regular toaster and makes grilled cheese as well as reheating other irregular shaped foods
Ok so, another pro of the flipwich is that it's good for camping and is a little useful outside if grilled cheese. It's size and clam type closure is 10/10 for cooking a small variety of things in a fire
