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Which sandwich maker should you buy on Black Friday, and how do you know the discount is real? I’d settle the type first, because a breakfast sandwich maker, a sealed sandwich maker and a panini press do 3 different jobs. After that, the list price tells you whether a home sandwich maker Black Friday deal is worth taking.
I’ve gone through a few sandwich makers over the years, from a basic sealed toastie maker to a multi-function panini grill. The lesson for me is that the best one is the one that’s easy enough to clean that you keep using it.
So I’ve listed 9 models below with their list prices, plate types and cleanup. Amazon’s Black Friday Week runs from November 19 to November 30 this year, and no maker has put a Black Friday price on these models yet.
Sandwich Makers at a Glance
These are the 9 models I’d watch, with the list price on each maker’s own store:
| Sandwich maker | Type | List price | Plates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Beach Dual Breakfast Sandwich Maker with Timer | Breakfast | $49.99 | Removable, dishwasher safe |
| Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker | Breakfast | $29.99 | Removable ring, dishwasher safe |
| Hamilton Beach Sandwich Maker | Sealed | $27.99 | Fixed |
| Proctor Silex Deluxe Hot Sandwich Maker | Hot sandwich press | $44.99 | Fixed |
| Hamilton Beach Panini Press & Gourmet Sandwich Maker | Panini press | $49.99 | Fixed |
| George Foreman 4-Serving Removable Plate & Panini Grill | Grill and panini press | Not published | Removable, dishwasher safe |
| Chefman 5-in-1 Digital Panini Press Grill | Grill and panini press | $119.99 | Removable, dishwasher safe |
| Dash MultiMaker Flex Press Grill System | Grill with swappable plates | $49.99 | Removable, dishwasher safe |
| Breville Sear & Press Grill | Grill and panini press | $249.95 | Removable, dishwasher safe |
George Foreman doesn’t show prices on its own site, so I’d compare that grill across 2 or 3 retailers before calling anything a deal.
When the Deals Start
Black Friday 2026 falls on November 27 and Cyber Monday on November 30. The big retailers start earlier:
- Amazon: Black Friday Week starts at 12:01 a.m. PST on November 19 and runs through November 30, with Cyber Monday included.
- Walmart: its 3 events are reported for November 12 to 15, November 23 to 29 and November 30 to December 2.
- Maker stores: Hamilton Beach, Proctor Silex, Breville, Chefman, Dash and George Foreman show no Black Friday prices on these models yet.
No retailer has named a home sandwich maker Black Friday deal so far. I’d keep the list prices from the table at hand and compare them with the sale prices on November 19.
Black Friday isn’t always the lowest price of the year. DealNews listed the Cuisinart Griddler 5-in-1 at $85 in February and called that $5 below its mention from last November. The list price was $130.
Which Type to Buy
The 3 types cook different sandwiches, so I’d choose the type before comparing prices.
| Type | What it makes | Plates and cleanup | List prices here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast sandwich maker | Stacked egg, cheese and muffin sandwiches | Removable rings that go in the dishwasher | $29.99 to $49.99 |
| Sealed or hot sandwich maker | Sealed pockets or thick pressed sandwiches from sliced bread | Fixed plates that you wipe clean | $19.99 to $44.99 |
| Panini press or grill | Pressed sandwiches, burgers, vegetables and, on some, waffles | Fixed on the cheapest presses, removable on the grills | $49.99 to $249.95 |
A sealed sandwich maker does a single job well. A grill with removable plates handles paninis, burgers and vegetables from the same spot on the counter, so I’d pick a grill if space is tight.
Breakfast Sandwich Makers
Hamilton Beach makes both of my picks here. I keep a separate page on Hamilton Beach breakfast sandwich makers for the rest of its range.
Hamilton Beach Dual Breakfast Sandwich Maker with Timer
The Dual builds 2 egg-and-muffin sandwiches at once, and its countdown timer beeps when they’re done. For most kitchens, it’s the easiest pick on this page.
- List price: $49.99
- Model: 25490MN, sold on Amazon as 25490A
- Makes: 1 or 2 sandwiches in about 5 minutes
- Plates: removable parts that are dishwasher safe, with a PFAS-free nonstick coating
- Size: 6 x 10.5 x 8 inches
Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker
This is the single version of the same idea. It makes 1 sandwich in about 5 minutes and lists for $20 less than the Dual, so I’d pick it if you cook for 1.
- List price: $29.99
- Model: 25475MN
- Timer: none
- Plates: removable ring that is dishwasher safe, with a PFAS-free nonstick coating
- Size: 5.6 x 6.3 x 7.3 inches
- Colors: also sold in mint and coral at the same list price
Hamilton Beach also sells the Sandwich Stacker at $49.99. It has a digital timer, removable parts that are dishwasher safe and a 1-year warranty.
Sealed and Hot Sandwich Makers
These press sliced bread around a filling. The test kitchens I cite further down don’t cover this type, so I’d go by plates, storage and warranty.
Hamilton Beach Sandwich Maker
This is the classic sealed sandwich maker. It presses the edges of the bread shut around the filling, and the handle locks the lid closed.
- List price: $27.99
- Model: 25430G
- Plates: fixed nonstick grids that you wipe clean
- Power: 820 watts
Fixed plates are the trade-off at this price. They clean up fastest with a damp cloth while they’re still warm.
Proctor Silex Deluxe Hot Sandwich Maker
The Deluxe is a hot sandwich press with a floating lid, so it closes on thick sandwiches that a sealed maker can’t handle. It fits 2 thick sandwiches or 1 long one.
- List price: $44.99
- Model: 25415MN
- Power: 700 watts
- Plates: fixed, with a PFAS-free ceramic nonstick coating
- Storage: flat or upright
- Size: 3.95 x 12.2 x 9 inches
- Warranty: 3 years
There are also 2 cheaper sealed makers:
- Proctor Silex Sandwich Maker: $19.99 on the Proctor Silex store, with a 3-year warranty. It makes 2 sandwiches and stores upright.
- Dash Pocket Sandwich Maker: $24.99 on the Dash store. It makes 1 sandwich and carries a 365-day warranty.
Panini Presses and Grills
This is the type that independent test kitchens compare side by side, so I lean on their results here:
- America’s Test Kitchen: the Breville Sear & Press Grill wins its panini press test.
- Good Housekeeping: its test of 12 presses puts the Breville first overall, the Cuisinart Griddler Five as best value and the Dash MultiMaker Flex Press as best small press.
- Serious Eats: its test of 12 presses picks the Cuisinart Griddler Elite as best overall, the Chefman 5-in-1 Digital as the budget pick and the Breville as the splurge.
Hamilton Beach Panini Press & Gourmet Sandwich Maker
This is a low-cost press with a floating top plate, which lets it close evenly on thick bread. It has fixed plates and no temperature control, and it isn’t a top pick in any of the 3 tests.
- List price: $49.99
- Models: 25460MN in silver and 25462MN in red
- Plates: fixed 10 x 8 inch plates with a PFAS-free ceramic coating
- Heat control: none
- Tests: America’s Test Kitchen recommends it with reservations about grease drainage and the missing heat control. Serious Eats measured it running near 500 degrees F and left it out of its picks.
I’d buy it for plain pressed sandwiches at a real discount. For burgers or anything greasy, I’d spend more on removable plates.
George Foreman 4-Serving Removable Plate & Panini Grill
This grill has removable plates that go in the dishwasher and a floating hinge for thicker food. George Foreman says it preheats 35% faster than its older 4-serving grill.
- List price: George Foreman doesn’t publish one
- Models: GRP1060 in platinum and GRP1065 in black
- Serves: 4
- Plates: removable and dishwasher safe
- Heat control: none
- Warranty: 3 years
Chefman 5-in-1 Digital Panini Press Grill
Serious Eats named this its budget pick among 12 presses. It has removable, reversible plates and a temperature control, which the cheaper presses here lack.
- List price: $119.99
- Model: RJ02-180-4RP
- Plates: removable, reversible and dishwasher safe
- Heat control: 175 to 450 degrees F
- Opens: flat, to 180 degrees
- Power: 1,500 watts
Dash MultiMaker Flex Press Grill System
Good Housekeeping picked this as its best small press. The plates come off for the dishwasher, and Dash sells extra waffle and griddle plates at $14.99 a set.
- List price: $49.99
- Models: DIG024 with grill and griddle plates, DIG014 with grill and waffle plates
- Plates: removable and dishwasher safe
- Heat control: 1 setting
- Power: 1,000 watts
- Warranty: 365 days
Breville Sear & Press Grill
This is the press that wins the tests. America’s Test Kitchen and Good Housekeeping both rank it first, and Serious Eats makes it the splurge pick.
- List price: $249.95
- Model: BGR700BSS
- Plates: removable, reversible ceramic plates that are dishwasher safe
- Heat control: separate for the top and bottom plates
- Opens: flat, to 240 square inches of cooking surface
- Size: 13.8 x 14.8 x 8.5 inches
- Extras: waffle plates cost $64.95
At 5 times the list price of the Dash, I’d buy it only if you’ll press or grill several times a week. It’s also the model where a Black Friday discount saves the most dollars.
Cuisinart’s Griddlers test well too, and Cuisinart now sells them under new model numbers. I track the brand on my page of Cuisinart kitchen deals. These are the current models:
- Cuisinart Griddler Elite (GR-300NAS): the best overall press at Serious Eats, with separate heat for the top and bottom plates.
- Cuisinart Griddler (GR-4NNAS): the compact budget pick at Serious Eats, with removable, reversible plates that are dishwasher safe.
- Cuisinart Sandwich Maker (WM-SW2N1NAS): a sealed maker for 2 sandwiches with a lock-down lid. It replaced the older WM-SW2N.
What to Check Before Buying
These are the things I’d compare on any sandwich maker, in this order:
- Plates: removable plates go in the dishwasher. Fixed plates have to be wiped by hand, and that decides how often the machine comes out of the cabinet.
- Heat control: basic makers and presses have 1 heat setting. A temperature control matters for burgers, vegetables and thick bread.
- Power: sealed makers run at about 700 to 900 watts. Presses and grills run at 1,000 to 1,800 watts and preheat faster.
- Size and storage: a maker that stores upright takes less cabinet space, which helps with a double sandwich maker.
- Lights, locks and timer: power and ready lights, a locking lid and cool-touch handles are worth having. A timer, as on the Hamilton Beach Dual, stops breakfast from overcooking.
- Warranty: 3 years on Proctor Silex and George Foreman, and 365 days on Dash.
- Recalls: the US Consumer Product Safety Commission lists no recall on a sandwich maker, panini press or contact grill since January 2025.
Tips for Better Sandwiches
A good sandwich maker is only half of it. These habits come from plenty of breakfasts:
- A full preheat: bread on a cold plate toasts pale and sticks, so the ready light should come on before the bread goes in.
- Butter on the bread: a thin layer on the outside of the bread browns evenly. Butter on the plates builds up as residue.
- Less filling: filling that reaches the edge leaks, burns onto the plates and stops a sealed maker from closing.
- A wipe while warm: a damp cloth lifts residue before it hardens. Metal utensils and abrasive scourers ruin the nonstick coating.
- More than sandwiches: hash browns, quesadillas, omelets and grilled vegetables all work on a press or grill.
FAQs on Home Sandwich Maker Black Friday Deals
When do home sandwich maker Black Friday deals start?
Amazon’s Black Friday Week starts on November 19, 2026 and runs through November 30. Black Friday itself falls on November 27. No retailer has named a sandwich maker deal yet.
Are sandwich makers cheaper on Black Friday?
They can be. DealNews put the Cuisinart Griddler 5-in-1 at about $90 last November, against a $130 list price. Nobody has announced prices on these 9 models yet, so I’d compare any sale price with the maker’s list price.
What is the difference between a sandwich maker and a panini press?
A sealed sandwich maker has shaped plates that seal sliced bread into pockets. A panini press has flat or ridged plates and a floating lid, so it presses thick bread and also grills burgers and vegetables.
Do sandwich makers have removable, dishwasher-safe plates?
Some do. The Hamilton Beach breakfast makers have removable rings, and the George Foreman, Chefman 5-in-1, Dash and Breville grills have removable plates. The Hamilton Beach panini press and the Proctor Silex makers have fixed plates.
Which sandwich maker is best for 1 person?
I’d pick the Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker. It makes 1 sandwich in about 5 minutes and lists at $29.99.
Can you cook more than sandwiches in a sandwich maker?
Yes, on a press or grill. Quesadillas, hash browns, omelets and grilled vegetables all work. A sealed sandwich maker is limited to sliced bread and fillings.
What I’d Buy
For egg-and-muffin breakfasts, I’d buy the Hamilton Beach Dual Breakfast Sandwich Maker, or the single version if you cook for 1. For pressed sandwiches on a small budget, I’d take the Dash MultiMaker Flex Press over the fixed-plate presses, because its plates come off for cleaning.
If you want a single grill for paninis, burgers and vegetables, I’d pay for the Chefman 5-in-1 and move up to the Breville only at a real discount. My page on kitchen appliance Black Friday deals tracks the other small appliances.
