Aussies have rated Breville as the hottest pick in Canstar Blue’s latest grill and sandwich press ratings, with five-star reviews for performance, design, features & functionality and overall satisfaction.
Our review compares grills and sandwich presses on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which grill or sandwich press they think is best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 725 Australians for their feedback on the grill(s) or sandwich press(es) they’ve purchased and used in the last three years.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their grill or sandwich press brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
Not sure which sandwich press or grill to buy? Check out our buying guide below.
Breville was the hottest pick this year receiving five star ratings for overall satisfaction, performance, design and features & functionality, with four stars for value for money and ease of use.
Breville offers a slightly larger range of grills and sandwich presses than most brands, coming packed with a variety of features that separate them from standard sandwich makers. This includes an integrated probe that supposedly detects the temperature of the meat inside the sandwich and alerts you when it’s ready. Some products also provide an LCD display with five settings, including beef, lamb, pork, poultry, and fish, allowing you to get plenty out of a simple toastie.
George Foreman rated five stars in design and ease of use, with four stars for overall satisfaction, value for money, performance and features & functionality.
Born of the same name as the world-famous grill, George Foreman grills and sandwich presses are a popular option for panini lovers. You can expect to fork out up to $100 for a grill and can choose from small, medium, and family sizes. The range features multiple non-stick grilling plates, open griddling, and integrated drip trays to pool run-off fat and grease in both grill and griddle positions.
Sunbeam achieved four star ratings for overall satisfaction, performance, design and features & functionality as well as three stars for value for money and ease of use.
Sunbeam has a variety of grills and sandwich makers to suit different needs and budgets. If you like to stuff more goodies in your sandwiches without having to fork out extra bucks, Sunbeam’s Big Fill Toastie models contain deeper and larger plates that supposedly fit 25% more filling than most other models from the brand, helping out when you’ve really got a hankering.
Russell Hobbs had varying results across the board with five star ratings in performance and design, four star ratings in features & functionality, ease of use and overall satisfaction, with three stars for value for money.
Standing out as the stylish brand of the bunch, Russell Hobbs offers its sandwich presses in a chic array of stainless steel, black, and cherry red. Its sandwich press range features non-stick plates, a lid lock for compact storage, temperature indicator lights to avoid scorched snacks, and a floating hinge – allowing you to make sandwiches of varying thickness.
Kmart is the cheap and cheerful option for grills and sandwich presses receiving five stars for value for money, four stars for overall satisfaction and three stars for performance, design, features & functionality and ease of use.
Kmart has a small range of sandwich makers − all priced under $40. There are two slice or four slice models to choose from to suit your toastie making and grilling needs, both at an affordable price. They feature a non-stick surface and flat hot plates with warm up and ready lights to indicate when your food is ready, giving you the essentials for when you need a snack.
50% of Aussies say that a toasted sandwich is their go to lazy meal. That goes to show why a grill or sandwich press could be a great addition to the kitchen and why a toastie isn’t something to be overlooked.
If you’re not sure which brand will lead you to toastie heaven, Canstar Blue has put together a buying guide that breaks down sizes, purchase factors, features and price so you can find the right appliance.
42% of respondents said that price was the main factor in their purchase decision, but with a wide range of products available there are a number of price points to choose from. Another factor to consider is how often you will be using the appliance. A third of respondents (35%) said that they use their appliance a few times a week, meaning that spending more on something that you’ll use regularly could be well worth it.
Grills and sandwich presses cost from $35 to upwards of $800 with consumers spending an average of $51 on their sandwich press or grill. Entry level brands like Kmart offer cheap alternatives, but with 13% of respondents saying they wish they had bought a better appliance it could be worth splashing some extra cash towards a sandwich press.
Cleaning a sandwich press is as simple and convenient as the appliance itself, and it shows given that over half of respondents (62%) say they clean their appliance after every use. There are a couple of ways you can clean your grill, but the simplest way is to use a wet cloth and some soap. Because grills and sandwich presses use a hot plate foods like cheese and sauces can bake onto the surface so it’s important to use something firm enough that it can scrub it off, but nothing too abrasive that it will scratch the non-stick surface.
By wetting a piece of paper towel or a cloth and using a spatula to scrub off any baked on food you can keep your appliance clean and it will only take you a minute or so to clean it.
You can purchase sandwich presses and grills directly from the brand or you can find them at retailers like Harvey Norman, The Good Guys and Appliances Online. If you’re still uncertain about buying a sandwich press or grill, take a look at our sandwich press buying guide.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Producer Kate King. Kate holds a Bachelor of Creative Industries from QUT majoring in Journalism and Media and Communications, and has written for a number of publications over the past five years.
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
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