4 stars

We got this for a wedding gift and love it! We use it all the time. It heats up quickly and makes great grilled cheeses! The only negative is that the plates can't be taken out to be cleaned.

4 stars

I'm divorced. Not a great cook. I eat a lot of sandwiches and only rarely do I fix a full fledged meal. So, I wanted a panini press that doubles as an indoor grill for those rainy days and a sandwich maker for variety. OK the HB doesn't lie flat but that's not an issue for me. The HB Panini Press is ideal to me. I bought mine for [...] on clearance because the green 'ready' light didn't function. After the unit is on for 6 minutes it's supposed to turn on to indicate that the grill has reached operating temp. But I can live without it. (Besides, the [money] I saved bought a lot of sandwich fixin's!) I do, however, hear a single loud click after it's heated for about 6 minutes. I suspect it's the thermostat tripping a switch that normally turns the ready light on. The red power light stays on until the unit is unplugged for safety reasons. I was wary at first to buy it but I'm glad I did. So far the unit has grilled to perfection. I checked the operating temperature of the grill the first time I used it and it was 276 degrees F. I'm not sure how hot it should be but that's more than hot enough to grill several thick burgers in 5 minutes (150-160 degrees F internal) and 2 full sized chicken breasts (170 degrees F internal) in about 7 minutes flat. Same goes for the 3" thick Italian sub sandwiches that got pressed down to 1.5" of crispy/juicy goodness. I plan to debone a whole chicken and grill it in one piece, something that is time consuming since chicken likes to be cooked slowly with bone-in, so even without the bones it's very difficult to do precisely even with a BBQ grill. The white meat and dark meat have different cooking times. The white meat may be overcooked and dry while the dark meat is undercooked and bloody. My large George Foreman grill bothched it by overcooking and undercooking at the same time because of those uneven grill plates. I also plan to make a 'crunch wrap supreme' like the ones I get at Taco Bell. Previously, when I try to make it at home, I need to heat two large cast iron skillets nearly to red hot and sear the wrap between them, achieving only moderate (soggy vs crunchy) success.
The HB Panini Press is solidly built and the handles are sturdy unlike some panini presses I tested in the same price range. I like how the cord can be wrapped underneath and the unit stored upright to save counter or shelf space.
The black and stainless design also matches my other kitchen appliances.
Cons: No on/off switch. Hard to clean the gummy crust between the grooves (a typical problem with most so-called non-stick surfaces). To get around this problem I moisten a few paper towels and place them between the plates while the grill is still hot. The steamy moisture loosens the gunk so that it wipes off easily after the unit cools. I seasoned my grill plates by brushing on cooking oil and bringing the unit up to operating temp plus 5 minutes. Removable plates would make clean-up easier after a lot of heavy grill use and loads of burnt-on cheese and bbq sauce takes its toll. That's when it could use a sudsy bath. But I'd never use a dishwasher, the quickest way to ruin non-stick cookwear since the harsh soap removes the important 'seasoned' layer. It could use a slide out drip pan like a similar Wolfgang Puck model. A low/med/high temperature setting would be nice. But such features would increase the cost too.
I'm happy with my purchase even without the green ready light, but I'll update this review if I deem it necessary. So far, I highly recommend it. I would even buy it again at the full [...] price tag.

2 stars

I found this model very cheap, but I guess you get what you pay for. The model made a spark when I plugged it into my outlet and since there is no on/off switch you need to unplug it to turn it off. That is not such an issue to me if I didn't see the spark when plugging it in. the model did make good sandwiches but the clean up was not as easy. The plates were not removable and it was hard to get all of the plates cleaned easily exspecially in between the grooves. Also the handles to do not seem as sturdy as other units I looked at before buying this one but becasue the cost was so much better I thought I'd try it. I would not recommend this unit to others, I suggest instead to pay an extra $10 or so to get something better.

3 stars

I bought this Panini maker on sale yesterday. Right out of the box the lights never worked. My red light will not turn green. The first Panini I made however was fantastic! It makes great sandwiches. Seems like they need to work on the quality a bit more though.

5 stars

I have had this panini maker for over six months now, and I absolutely love it! I have had no problems with it burning out, and it has made my husband and I many yummy dinners :)

5 stars

We have made several meals with our Panini Press and have even used it for entertaining. The panini sandwiches have been excellent. Another plus is that it is easy to clean: just wipe the grill surfaces after they have cooled. This appliance is much better than a Foreman Grill for preparing panini because the two grilling surfaces can be made parallel to each other, thus evenly grilling the sandwich.

1 stars

I have had to return this item 2 times. 1st one burned out after a few weeks. 2nd one stoped working after a month.

4 stars

I purchased this panini maker because of the reasonable price initially but have been so pleased with it, I'd buy it again tomorrow at twice the price! My 3 teenage boys use it CONSTANTLY and in the money I've saved from paninis at Panera, this machine has more than paid for itself! It makes great paninis for lunch, dinner and even better ones after late night football games! Clean up takes a minute but with the tool included and a damp paper towel, even my boys can do it!

2 stars

I really liked the item. It made great sandwiches, but after 7 months, it stopped working.... can't return it to Target either. My wonderful son bought it for me for Christmas,... now, it's a paper-weight.

I would NOT RECOMMEND BUYING THIS ITEM! My next panini maker will be from a more reputable manufacturer.