 Best Countertop Appliance I've EVER Purchased!!!!!!!!! |
| Review Date: January 29, 2004 |
| Reviewer: , |
| I love, love, love, love, love this Panini Grill!!! We just bought it two weeks ago and used it nearly every day last week and probably every other day this week and look forward to using it much, much more. We paid the full price for it through Crate and Barrel (that was a mistake - I know better to check Amazon.com first) and it was well worth the full price, but the price it's offered for here is a great bargain. I agree with another reviewer in that I think this is a much better quality grill than the George Foreman (which I don't own, but have used at my in-laws). It's sturdy, very easy to clean with the included tool, has a grease catch that can be thrown in the dishwasher, and to top it all off it's great looking and has a latch that allows it to be stored standing on end - I keep mine on my counter top for easy access. Again, can't say enough good things about this great grill. Doesn't matter if you're a serious cook, a weekend griller or a microwaver; this appliance is easy to use and with a little imagination you can make the greatest appetizers and meals. This is one small appliance that won't be collecting dust in our home and I bet it won't in yours either. P.S. Two great cookbooks I'd recommend to use with this grill:
**Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book: The Best Sandwiches Ever...**
**Panini, Bruschetta, Crostini: Sandwiches Italian Style**
They are both available through Amazon at a competitive price. |
Want an awesome kitchen gadget??
|
| Review Date: April 8, 2004 |
| Reviewer: , |
| I pondered buying a Foreman grill until my eye caught sight of this baby. I compared the two grills and by far the Villaware is a better quality grill. I have other Villaware gadgets and this unit is built the with the same high quality standards. I looked no further and bought it on the spot. What an amazing little grill! Yes, it makes great (make that fantastic) panini, but it does so much more. I grilled marinated chicken breast and it cooked them so fast (to my amazement) that I overcooked them. Now that I am aware of the cooking speed, chicken breast comes out juicy. It seers in the juices, so unless you don't pay attention (as I did), it is hard to screw up. Don't underestimate the power of this grill! Cleaning is a snap - yes, it has that handy dandy comb which does a great job cleaning. What I find very helpful is to pour some hot tap water over the grill once you're done cooking and have unplugged the unit. It loosens the residue and makes the final cleaning extremely easy. This grill shares top billing with my Kitchen Aid and Magic Mill. The unit is sharp looking and slick. It has a lock on the cover which allows the unit to be stored on end. It takes up very little counter space (yes, I like to look at it all the time..). The fact that it doesn't have a power switch is not an issue for me. In fact I consider it a safety feature (hence the 5 stars). It is also quite heavy and sturdy. My favorite panini (so far that is....) is from Lidia's Italian-American show. Take a can of tuna packed in olive oil, a can of chick peas drained and lightly smashed, ½ chopped onion, salt, pepper and some additional olive oil. Mix it all together, spread between thick slices of Italian bread and grill in the mighty Villaware. Delizioso...... Buon appetito! |
NICE!!
|
| Review Date: March 19, 2004 |
| Reviewer: B. M. Hinz, Michigan, USA |
This has got to be the best grill out! I just about bought a Foreman grill, until I happened across this grill in a store. I quickly rushed home to see how it was reviewed on Amazon, and to check Amazon's price.
I used to work at a store that had a deli that made Paninis, and ate them all the time. Love em, love em, love em!
I've had it for 2 months, and still use it 3-4 times a week.
Once you buy this, you will never eat another "regular" sandwhich again!
It's easy! All you do is make your favorite sandwhich while the maker is heating up, spray with a little bit of olive oil (or whatever oil you like), and put your sandwhich in the grill, pushing down on the sandwhich every once in a while to create that melding of the flavors I love so..... mmmmm...
Oh, and what sandwhich isn't made better by bacon!?! It literally takes less than a minute for bacon to cook (just make sure you've got your drip tray in place), and it comes out perfectly flat and ready to put on your sandwhich.
Plus! Look how much cheaper it is to eat sandwhiches made at home, rather than those you buy at McRonald's or BurgerStink. Now, not only is it cheaper, but it tastes soooo much better!!!
Words of advise:
*Make sure temperature selector is at highest setting for the best paninis.
*Wait until after you've grilled your sandwhich before adding stuff like tomatoes, lettuce, or other stuff you don't want to get soggy- they will be heated, too (although, I happen to like the way the lettuce tastes after it's been cooked with the sandwhich).
*Oh-my-gosh, these sandwhiches taste sooo much better with thinly sliced RED onions, red wine vinegar, deli style mustard, and the new fancy smancy mayonases (such as the chipolte or sun dried tomato).
*Use a good bread. I like to get a nice loaf of Italian and slice it on a bias, so as to get a longer sandwhich. The bread will smush down, so I like to cut the slices a little thicker, also. Plus, if you use a crusty bread, it just adds that "little extra" to it.Well, what are you waiting for!?! You'd be a fool not to get a panini maker! LOL! I almost slapped down a wad of cash (20-30 more than this one, bought at Amazon) on one of the Foremans, but this does all they can do, plus makes THE BEST sandwhiches! We used to eat at the fast food places all the time, but we haven't been to one since we bought this! Even scrubway!! 6 grams of fat?? I can do better than that with tons more flavor!
I haven't seen a better price than on Amazon, either. |
Best bang for the buck
|
| Review Date: March 31, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Stratixman, Minneapolis |
Last fall I was wandering around Sam's Club and happened on a stack of these marked for closeout at $29. Yeah only $29. Not really in need of another kitchen appliance it nonetheless only took me about 2 seconds of thought before I grabbed one. For the $29 I paid it has to be the best bang in an electric grill/sandwich maker.
The unit has an ample plate size for grilling more than single serving sizes of veggies, meats, or sandwiches. Perfect size for two empty nesters. The adjustable thermostat is very useful. There is no on/off switch, as others have said, but how hard can it be to plug/unplug the power cord? There are lights on the thermostat that provide ample visual clue the unit is still on. This unit it heats up pretty fast and produces a hot cooking surface for searing and browning. It doesn't have removable plates, which admittedly does make cleanup more of a challenge than other units that do. Suggestion: Use Q-tips to clean between griddle ridges. The unit stands upright/vertically for more compact storage. The cord stores out of sight under the bottom plate. You can get all the missing features on other manufacturer's units but no where close to the price that I paid for this unit.
So how does it cook? It makes terrific sandwiches; worth what I paid if only just to make grilled Reubens. It grills meats and seafood very quickly; be sure to keep an eye on them because you can easily over cook them. You might need to experiment a bit at different temperature stettings to find the right timing. It's also one of the best bacon cookers I've ever used, and best of all there is no grease splatter. All in all, very I am very satisfied with the unit.
So here's the best part. After giving me some trouble for dragging home another kitchen gadget, the wife quickly changed her mind after eating the first pannini to off it. She really, really liked it - liked it so much she sent me scurrying back to Sam's to see if they had any left as she wanted to give one to her sister. Good luck. They had two left. Great luck. They were now marked down to only$20! So, I grabbed 'em both. Best $20 gift we ever gave, and now I've got a cheap backup for the first one should it ever break. |
Amazing
|
| Review Date: March 17, 2004 |
| Reviewer: , Kansas City, MO United States |
| Bought it for panini's, suprised with meats. Made juicy tender perfect chicken breasts in less than 10 minutes. Used a polder thermometer to monitor the progress. Perfect grill marks on juicy tender chicken. Pros:
-Powerful heating elements
-Truly nonstick
-Floating top plate allows large capacity for thick sandwiches, meats with even browning
-Includes indispensible cleaning tool
-Drip spout and tray
-Variable temp control
-Stay cool handle
-Cord wrap in base
-Solid construction Cons:
-none Lack of on/off switch not missed...one less step to perfect paninis. We use is 2-4 times a week. |
|
No video reviews found for this product.
