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Product Description
In keeping with its heritage of creating the world's first domestic version of a professional sandwich press, Breville introduces the Panini Duo . With a 1500-watt heating element that heats up quickly, the Panini Duo's top plate delivers beautiful grill marks on any kind of bread, while its bottom plate delivers even and quicker heat on the flat to make the perfect Panini or your own toasted sandwich creation. Grill surfaces are made with a non-stick, scratch-proof Quantanium surface for easy cleaning. With its sturdy construction and stainless steel construction, the Panini Duo delivers on Breville's promise of performance and elegance.
Available Extended Warranties for This Appliance
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
260 of 276 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful solidly designed and built press that really would have been better with removable plates.
December 17, 2009
Amazon Vine™ Review
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The immediate comparison I made when I received this Panini press was to the Cuisinart GR-3 Griddler Jr, Brushed Stainless Steel, and the key difference between the two products (and the reason I'm giving the better constructed, perhaps even better performing press three stars rather than five) is you can remove the plates in the Cuisinart, and you cannot in the Breville. Convenience and ease of use are central considerations when it comes to just how much you're going to want to use these 'extra' kitchen devices, and if it's a headache to clean something like burnt/stuck preserves, then you're going to be less likely to want to pull it out and use it again.
I want to back up a little bit, because I think Breville generally designs and manufactures outstanding high-quality but still affordable products. This press is no exception. Having used both this Breville and the aforementioned Cuisinart, I would give the Breville the edge on almost every single front. It feels more solidly constructed of higher quality materials, it seems to heat more evenly, although the Cuisinart does allow a range of temperature settings as opposed to Breville's one-temp-fits-all approach. I actually like having one flat and one grilled plate in the Breville, compared to the two grilled plates in the Cuisinart -- the flat surface providing a much more even and consistent heat that really radiates into the middle of the sandwich better than the more limited surface contact provided by just grill plates (but you still have the all-important texture and grill marks from the top plate). Both adapt to larger sandwiches. Both sport non-stick surfaces (although the Breville's is much smoother as the Cuisinart employs a grittier non-stick treatment). Both are perfectly sized for a couple good-sized sandwiches, without all the wasted space that comes with and from the larger models in each line.
I like this press enough that even as I wrap this review up I wonder if I should be giving it 4 stars rather than 3. Standing on its own, it deserves every bit of 4 stars. It's when it's held in contrast to a like-priced alternative like the Cuisinart that the Breville loses some of its luster, and then really only due to a question of pure convenience (in the form of removable plates).
If those removable plates aren't of particular importance to you, I actually recommend this press over the Cuisinart. For me, the convenience of cleaning the removable plates provide is what makes it an easy decision between the two when I want to grill a sandwich.
I want to back up a little bit, because I think Breville generally designs and manufactures outstanding high-quality but still affordable products. This press is no exception. Having used both this Breville and the aforementioned Cuisinart, I would give the Breville the edge on almost every single front. It feels more solidly constructed of higher quality materials, it seems to heat more evenly, although the Cuisinart does allow a range of temperature settings as opposed to Breville's one-temp-fits-all approach. I actually like having one flat and one grilled plate in the Breville, compared to the two grilled plates in the Cuisinart -- the flat surface providing a much more even and consistent heat that really radiates into the middle of the sandwich better than the more limited surface contact provided by just grill plates (but you still have the all-important texture and grill marks from the top plate). Both adapt to larger sandwiches. Both sport non-stick surfaces (although the Breville's is much smoother as the Cuisinart employs a grittier non-stick treatment). Both are perfectly sized for a couple good-sized sandwiches, without all the wasted space that comes with and from the larger models in each line.
I like this press enough that even as I wrap this review up I wonder if I should be giving it 4 stars rather than 3. Standing on its own, it deserves every bit of 4 stars. It's when it's held in contrast to a like-priced alternative like the Cuisinart that the Breville loses some of its luster, and then really only due to a question of pure convenience (in the form of removable plates).
If those removable plates aren't of particular importance to you, I actually recommend this press over the Cuisinart. For me, the convenience of cleaning the removable plates provide is what makes it an easy decision between the two when I want to grill a sandwich.
103 of 108 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Vine™ Review
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1. PERFORMANCE
First, I'd like to discuss the performance of the unit. It's brilliant! I honestly didn't have high expectations for a hot sandwich press, but I've been very happy with it over the past month. Here are some of the items that I've made the most and my remarks:
- Sandwich Wraps: Absolutely fantastic results. I can tailor the cooking time for how firm I want the tortillas to be, and the internal ingredients are nice and hot. Having a flat bottom plate and ridged upper plate gives them a perfect combination of toasting and grill marks. The ability to set a minimum height between the top and bottom plates works wonders for veggie wraps because otherwise (at least with mine) the ingredients don't support the weight of the top plate and the wraps get smashed. The tortillas slide right off the non-stick coating, and any ingredients that spill out during cooking have cleaned up very easily.
- "Grilled" burritos: Again, fantastic. Just like a sandwich wrap but with other ingredients. I've started to grill these with the fold facing upwards to help prevent ingredients (such as salsa or guacamole) from leaking out during cooking.
- French Toast: Works pretty well. I have made it three times so far, each time with the lid down but locked in the second highest position (I haven't tried just cooking one side of the toast by leaving the lid up, yet). If the bread isn't too wet, then it works very well. If the bread is very moist, though, it doesn't cook through to the center very well. With the egg, this items does make it a bit more difficult to clean the non-detachable ribbed top plate.
- Pancakes: Works pretty well. The two drawbacks are that the top plate is still being heated even though I'm not using it, and (more important for cooking performance) the temperature of the griddle portion isn't adjustable. Pancakes do come out pretty well, but not as good as on my other griddle that I use on the stove. Also, for some reason the first batch of pancakes sticks to the griddle a bit. I haven't run into that on any other food so far.
- Ham: Cooked great, but I'll never do it again because of the mess. Because of the splatter from the juices, I closed the top lid. The bottom flat plate was pretty easy to clean off, but the ribbed top plate took a while because the nooks and crannies of the ribs make it more difficult.
2. WHAT I REALLY LIKE
- The floating hinge. That is fantastic and makes cooking thick sandwiches and wraps easy.
- The locking height adjustments. This works wonders for less solid foods like toast and veggie wraps.
- The front handle. Might seem silly to mention, but the handle stays cool and opens the press easily.
3. WHAT I WOULD CHANGE
- Add a power button. I would prefer to not have to unplug it to turn it off. When the unit is heating, there is a decent spark that gets generated at the outlet when I unplug it (same thing happens with my George Forman grill)
- Make the heating plates removable, at least the top ribbed plate. These clean up pretty easily, so this is minor, but it can be a bit tedious trying to clean the top plate.
- Add a temperature adjustment. This is pretty minor to me because it typically works great, but for pancakes (which are shown on the box as a breakfast item), an adjustment would be nice.
4. FIT AND FINISH
This is my third Breville appliance, and I was expecting the same level of fit, finish, and attention to detail on this press as I had with the other two (Breville BJE200XL Juice Fountain and Breville BKC700XL Coffeemaker). Upon opening the box, the packaging (at least of my unit) was a bit sloppy with the protective plastic bag around the press not fully covering it. After taking the unit out of the box, I noticed that the fit and finish aren't as nice as my juicer and coffee maker. For example:
- Some of the bolt holes and rounded corners on the lever arms are sharp as if they weren't properly deburred.
- The bottom plate has some rough patches on it
- The power cord and cord-wrap on the bottom plate aren't very well design, IMO (but that's just personal preference)
I mention all of that for one reason - if you are looking at this press because it is a Breville and you have a certain expectation of quality like I did, then those comments might be important to you. I did not remove any stars for this because the unit is nice - it's just not as nice as I had expected from this brand (which I think actually speaks highly of the brand).
First, I'd like to discuss the performance of the unit. It's brilliant! I honestly didn't have high expectations for a hot sandwich press, but I've been very happy with it over the past month. Here are some of the items that I've made the most and my remarks:
- Sandwich Wraps: Absolutely fantastic results. I can tailor the cooking time for how firm I want the tortillas to be, and the internal ingredients are nice and hot. Having a flat bottom plate and ridged upper plate gives them a perfect combination of toasting and grill marks. The ability to set a minimum height between the top and bottom plates works wonders for veggie wraps because otherwise (at least with mine) the ingredients don't support the weight of the top plate and the wraps get smashed. The tortillas slide right off the non-stick coating, and any ingredients that spill out during cooking have cleaned up very easily.
- "Grilled" burritos: Again, fantastic. Just like a sandwich wrap but with other ingredients. I've started to grill these with the fold facing upwards to help prevent ingredients (such as salsa or guacamole) from leaking out during cooking.
- French Toast: Works pretty well. I have made it three times so far, each time with the lid down but locked in the second highest position (I haven't tried just cooking one side of the toast by leaving the lid up, yet). If the bread isn't too wet, then it works very well. If the bread is very moist, though, it doesn't cook through to the center very well. With the egg, this items does make it a bit more difficult to clean the non-detachable ribbed top plate.
- Pancakes: Works pretty well. The two drawbacks are that the top plate is still being heated even though I'm not using it, and (more important for cooking performance) the temperature of the griddle portion isn't adjustable. Pancakes do come out pretty well, but not as good as on my other griddle that I use on the stove. Also, for some reason the first batch of pancakes sticks to the griddle a bit. I haven't run into that on any other food so far.
- Ham: Cooked great, but I'll never do it again because of the mess. Because of the splatter from the juices, I closed the top lid. The bottom flat plate was pretty easy to clean off, but the ribbed top plate took a while because the nooks and crannies of the ribs make it more difficult.
2. WHAT I REALLY LIKE
- The floating hinge. That is fantastic and makes cooking thick sandwiches and wraps easy.
- The locking height adjustments. This works wonders for less solid foods like toast and veggie wraps.
- The front handle. Might seem silly to mention, but the handle stays cool and opens the press easily.
3. WHAT I WOULD CHANGE
- Add a power button. I would prefer to not have to unplug it to turn it off. When the unit is heating, there is a decent spark that gets generated at the outlet when I unplug it (same thing happens with my George Forman grill)
- Make the heating plates removable, at least the top ribbed plate. These clean up pretty easily, so this is minor, but it can be a bit tedious trying to clean the top plate.
- Add a temperature adjustment. This is pretty minor to me because it typically works great, but for pancakes (which are shown on the box as a breakfast item), an adjustment would be nice.
4. FIT AND FINISH
This is my third Breville appliance, and I was expecting the same level of fit, finish, and attention to detail on this press as I had with the other two (Breville BJE200XL Juice Fountain and Breville BKC700XL Coffeemaker). Upon opening the box, the packaging (at least of my unit) was a bit sloppy with the protective plastic bag around the press not fully covering it. After taking the unit out of the box, I noticed that the fit and finish aren't as nice as my juicer and coffee maker. For example:
- Some of the bolt holes and rounded corners on the lever arms are sharp as if they weren't properly deburred.
- The bottom plate has some rough patches on it
- The power cord and cord-wrap on the bottom plate aren't very well design, IMO (but that's just personal preference)
I mention all of that for one reason - if you are looking at this press because it is a Breville and you have a certain expectation of quality like I did, then those comments might be important to you. I did not remove any stars for this because the unit is nice - it's just not as nice as I had expected from this brand (which I think actually speaks highly of the brand).
118 of 126 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm im-Pressed: A Breville BSG520XL Panini Duo Nonstick Panini Press Review
December 30, 2009
Amazon Vine™ Review
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Since 2006 I have owned and regularly use a Breville 800GRXL Die-Cast Indoor Barbeque and Grill for making panini, grilling, and more. Previously I owned and was greatly disappointed by the Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler with removable plates. The removable plates are a nice concept, but not an important feature for me. Knowing the quality of the Breville 800GRXL, I eagerly wanted to try the Breville BSG520XL Panini Duo. Even so, I didn't think I would want to use both over time.
The Panini Duo is a no fuss non-stick panini press. The top floating hinged ribbed plate and flat bottom plate are coated with non-stick Quantanium(tm) allowing for oil free cooking while resistant to scratching even when using metal utensils. The top plate features adjustable height settings for making open faced sandwiches or desserts.
At first I compared the Panini Duo to my 800GRXL and thought I would miss features such as the drip tray, plate tilt feature, or the ability to lay out flat. However the lack of features and versatility of the Panini Duo, by comparison, are by design. The purposes of these two appliances are not the same.
The simplicity of the Panini Duo is this appliances strongest feature. I can quickly make two paninis by plugging in the outlet, assemble the sandwiches while waiting for the green light, and placing the paninis into the press. Since oil is not required, I made panini without buttering the bread. I prefer the butter flavor; however the bread still came out a toasty brown and crisp. I have toasted buns for burgers by leaving the top open. Additionally I reheated pizza by using the adjustable height feature to heat from above and below. These are all tasks I could accomplish with the larger feature rich Breville 800GRXL, but not with the same ease and efficiency.
While I will use the larger more versatile Breville 800GRXL for cooking breakfast, grilling, and preparing larger meals, the Panini Duo has become my favorite appliance to prepare a quick hot sandwich. The compact size is perfect for making lunch for me and my other half while taking little counter or storage space. If you are looking for a simple panini press for two, the Breville Panini Duo is the perfect choice.
PROS:
Quantanium non-stick surface
Simple to use and care for
Adjustable height feature for melt and open face sandwiches
Oil/butter not needed for healthier cooking
Perfect for a family of two
CONS:
Lacks features found in many panini presses
The Panini Duo is a no fuss non-stick panini press. The top floating hinged ribbed plate and flat bottom plate are coated with non-stick Quantanium(tm) allowing for oil free cooking while resistant to scratching even when using metal utensils. The top plate features adjustable height settings for making open faced sandwiches or desserts.
At first I compared the Panini Duo to my 800GRXL and thought I would miss features such as the drip tray, plate tilt feature, or the ability to lay out flat. However the lack of features and versatility of the Panini Duo, by comparison, are by design. The purposes of these two appliances are not the same.
The simplicity of the Panini Duo is this appliances strongest feature. I can quickly make two paninis by plugging in the outlet, assemble the sandwiches while waiting for the green light, and placing the paninis into the press. Since oil is not required, I made panini without buttering the bread. I prefer the butter flavor; however the bread still came out a toasty brown and crisp. I have toasted buns for burgers by leaving the top open. Additionally I reheated pizza by using the adjustable height feature to heat from above and below. These are all tasks I could accomplish with the larger feature rich Breville 800GRXL, but not with the same ease and efficiency.
While I will use the larger more versatile Breville 800GRXL for cooking breakfast, grilling, and preparing larger meals, the Panini Duo has become my favorite appliance to prepare a quick hot sandwich. The compact size is perfect for making lunch for me and my other half while taking little counter or storage space. If you are looking for a simple panini press for two, the Breville Panini Duo is the perfect choice.
PROS:
Quantanium non-stick surface
Simple to use and care for
Adjustable height feature for melt and open face sandwiches
Oil/butter not needed for healthier cooking
Perfect for a family of two
CONS:
Lacks features found in many panini presses
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
panini, grilled cheese, quesadillas. ...any kind of hot breads with...
Great product! This is my first press and I love the versatility of what I can use this for! It's simple to use with minimal buttons and bells and whistles. Read more
Published 10 days ago by dot
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best
I have tried a few panini presses from more than one maker. This press wins hands down. Extremely well made.
Published 25 days ago by Everglades Bear
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great little kitchen appliance!
I needed a panini press but did't want to spend $100. I found this on Amazon and decided to give it a try. Read more
Published 1 month ago by mistressofstinge
3.0 out of 5 stars
Breville great! Their Panini press, so so.
I've purchased the Breville Tea maker, and Blender, both were great; so I felt safe paying the extra for the Breville Panini Duo Press.
Works well, but.... Read more
Works well, but.... Read more
Published 1 month ago by GDoC63
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing!
Bought this panini after much research to replace our cuisinart grill that kaputt. I was somewhat concerned about clean up as the plates Do Not remove from the grill itself. Read more
Published 1 month ago by S. Nelson
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not what i expected
Product was not what i expected for the money x x x x x x x x x x x
Published 1 month ago by Pedro e. Blanco
5.0 out of 5 stars
WONDERFUL GIFT
HIS WAS A cHRISTMAS GIF FOR MY SON'S FAMILY AND HE AND MY GRANDAUGHTER LOVE IT AND USE IT ALL THE TIME, DOES NOT TAKE UP MUCH SPACE ON THEIR LIMITED COUNTER SPACE. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jim
4.0 out of 5 stars
Breville BSG520XL Panini Duo 1500-Watt Nonstick Panini Press
The unit works very well. Was pleasantly surprised at how hot the plates were. The only draw back that I found is that when making a sandwich using artisan bread or specialty... Read more
Published 1 month ago by William E. Garcia
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five cheers for the Breville panino maker!
A very solid, well-made machine that does exactly what it promises to do, and quickly. I was afraid that clean-up would be difficult, but it isn't--the surfaces can easily be... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Erik in DC
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid Performer
After reading a lot of reviews of various panini makers, I chose the Breville and I'm glad I did. I've had it for 2 months. Read more
Published 2 months ago by T. Ziegler
