Top 5 compared
The best sandwich makers
A hot sandwich, crisp outside and melted in the middle, made in a few minutes with no skillet to wash.
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The top 5 at a glance
A sandwich maker is a small hinged grill with shaped plates that heat from above and below at once: close the lid on a sandwich and ridges press the bread’s edges together into sealed pockets. It’s quicker than a skillet for a grilled cheese, and the same plates can make omelets and French toast. Panini presses, with flat or grill plates that don’t seal, are a different machine.
Most here have fixed plates that wipe clean with a damp cloth once they’ve cooled; BLACK+DECKER’s snap out for the dishwasher and swap for waffle and grill plates. Tasty’s mini is the small one, made for a single sandwich at a time.
What matters
- A ready light, so the bread goes onto hot plates.
- A latch that adjusts for thick fillings.
- Nonstick made without PFAS, if that matters to you.
- A cool-touch handle and a lid that locks shut.
#1OVENTE Electric Sandwich Maker (GPS401B)
$10–$20
Nonstick plates press the bread into a sealed, golden pocket with the filling closed inside, and two lights show when it’s on and when it’s hot. It stands on end in a cabinet, and anti-skid feet keep it from sliding while the lid is pressed down.
What owners say: Grilled cheese and tuna melts are what owners make most, and they like how little space it takes. Heating can be uneven, not everyone finds the plates simple to wipe down, and the hinges have broken on some.
A closer look: Once the preheat light comes on, brush a thin layer of butter on the plates, as OVENTE suggests, and keep the filling an inch from the edges so the seal holds. When it’s cool, a sponge dampened in warm, soapy water lifts off any melted cheese.
- Power and preheat lights
- Anti-skid feet
- Cool-touch locking handle
- Stands upright to store
Best for: A hot lunch in minutes
- Power
- 750W
- Removable plates
- No
- Other plates
- None
- Size (W × D × H)
- 9 × 9 × 3.5 in
#2Hamilton Beach Sealed Sandwich Maker (25430)
$20–$30
A two-position latch is what sets it apart: the lid locks lower for ordinary bread and higher for thicker sandwiches such as a Reuben or stuffed French toast, sealing four hot pockets in five minutes or less.
What owners say: Owners say it’s simple enough for a 10-year-old to use and turns out a grilled cheese fast. Some find it small for full-size bread slices, and a few had it come apart early on.
A closer look: Beyond sandwiches, the pockets take pizza sauce and mozzarella for a pizza pocket, or pie filling between buttered slices for a quick dessert. Once the plates have cooled, wipe them with a damp, soapy cloth, then go over them again with a clean damp one.
- Two-position lid latch
- Seals 4 pocket sandwiches
- PFAS-free nonstick plates
- Stores flat or upright
- Ready light
Best for: Reubens and thick fillings
- Power
- 820W
- Removable plates
- No
- Other plates
- None
- Size (W × D × H)
- 9 × 9 × 3.1 in
#3Tasty Mini Sandwich Maker
$10–$20
A sandwich maker for one: its 4.75 by 4.5 in plates heat up fast and seal a small sandwich, a quesadilla or a pizza pocket in minutes. Small enough for a dorm room, an office or an RV.
What owners say: Owners say it heats up quickly, makes a grilled cheese in hardly any time and is simple enough for kids. Some find it too small for their bread, and opinions on value vary.
A closer look: Pick bread that fits the small plate, or trim the crusts, so the edges meet and seal properly. It turns out one sandwich, waffle or slice of French toast at a time, which suits one person, and at 8 by 5 in it tucks into a drawer between uses.
- Seals and crisps sandwiches
- Also waffles and French toast
- PFAS-free nonstick plates
- Tucks into a drawer
Best for: One person, dorms and RVs
- Power
- 600W
- Removable plates
- No
- Other plates
- None
- Size (W × D × H)
- 5 × 8 × 3 in
#4Cuisinart Sandwich Grill (WM-SW2N1)
$20–$30
Raised ridges in the plates seal the edges of the bread and split each sandwich in two, so a grilled cheese or a ham and Swiss comes out as sealed pockets with the filling kept inside. It cooks two at a time, and does omelets and French toast just as well.
A closer look: It also makes omelets: beat two eggs with some chopped ham or peppers, pour half into each side and close the lid. Latch the lid and wrap the cord to put it away, and at 3.6 in tall it slips into a narrow gap in a cabinet.
- Makes 2 sandwiches at once
- Ridges seal and divide sandwiches
- Ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat lights
- Lock-down lid
- 3-year limited warranty
Best for: Sealed sandwiches and omelets
- Power
- 650W
- Removable plates
- No
- Other plates
- None
- Size (W × D × H)
- 8.9 × 9.1 × 3.6 in
#5BLACK+DECKER 3-in-1 Sandwich, Waffle and Grill Maker (WM2000SD)
$30–$50
Three sets of plates in one machine: sealed sandwiches, waffles and a grill plate for paninis, each snapping in and out and going in the dishwasher. One appliance in the cabinet instead of three.
What owners say: Owners like how easily the plates come out and that they go in the dishwasher. Opinions on the rest vary, from waffles that aren’t crisp enough for some to a few reports of parts melting.
A closer look: Snap both plates in while it’s cool, close the lid, then plug it in and wait for the green light, as BLACK+DECKER advises. Skip aerosol cooking sprays, which are hard on the nonstick, and keep the spare plates together in a drawer so none go missing.
- Green ready light
- Grease channels in the plates
- Heat-resistant handle
- Skip aerosol cooking sprays
Best for: Waffle mornings and panini lunches
- Power
- 700W
- Removable plates
- Dishwasher-safe
- Other plates
- Waffle and grill, included
- Size (W × D × H)
- 9 × 9 × 4 in
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1OVENTE GPS401B | #2Hamilton Beach 25430 | #3Tasty Mini | #4Cuisinart WM-SW2N1 | #5BLACK+DECKER 3-in-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best mini | Best 3-in-1 | |||
| Picked Rating | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 8.4 |
| Price | $10–$20 | $20–$30 | $10–$20 | $20–$30 | $30–$50 |
| Power | 750W | 820W | 600W | 650W | 700W |
| Removable plates | No | No | No | No | Dishwasher-safe |
| Other plates | None | None | None | None | Waffle and grill, included |
| Size (W × D × H) | 9 × 9 × 3.5 in | 9 × 9 × 3.1 in | 5 × 8 × 3 in | 8.9 × 9.1 × 3.6 in | 9 × 9 × 4 in |
| Best for | A hot lunch in minutes | Reubens and thick fillings | One person, dorms and RVs | Sealed sandwiches and omelets | Waffle mornings and panini lunches |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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