DeLonghi CGH800-U Retro Panini Grill




->Buy DeLonghi CGH800-U Retro Panini Grill

I bought this panini press for my boyfriend for Christmas after weeks upon weeks of reading god knows how many reviews. This one received the best reviews of all that I read so I took a chance. I'm so glad I did because we both love it! I joke about stealing it for myself all the time. It heats up quickly, it cleans really easily with paper towel and water, and it makes a delicious sandwich. We personally love to make tuna panini with mozzarella and hots on italian rolls. The lack of an on/off switch isn't a huge deal, and none of the other presses I looked at had any either. These reviews are so helpful so I felt the need to write one myself! If you're on the fence about this, don't be. It's a great product and if I can think of anyone else that would put good use to it, I'd buy it again. It makes a great gift!


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This Panini Grill has been great and has done everything we expected. We are pleased


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I love this DeLonghi Panini. I use it just to make sandwich not meats. Also I grill vegetables like red peppers, yellow peppers, green peppers, orange peppers, zuchinnis, mushroms, and eggplant, and use all of that ingredients to make a grilled vegetable sandwich! You will love it!


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My whole family likes to use this grill. Looks nice, good weight. Would recomend this product. Makes great sandwiches. Easy to store...even heating..


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This grill is so much better than any other that I've used, the size and hinged top makes every thing turn out perfect. The two I just bought
for ;my daughter and a friend after they used mine they just had to have one.


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The grill works really well. I like the fact that it cleans easily. The bread cooks evenly.

I would buy one again.


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I bought this to replace a medium sized Foreman grill. I figured it would do pretty much what the grill did and more. I was right! I use it to cook bacon, sausage, burgers, and chicken, as well as panini. It actually works better than some of the one styled as just "grills" since it has a temperature gauge that goes from low to high heat. The bottom of the grill is level to the counter top so food does slide off it (like it did with my Foreman Grill). It is also well designed and attractive. Easy to clean too.


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The DeLonghi CGH-800 is an affordable panini grill. This product can grill a wide variety of meats, poultry, and vegetables. Let your imagination make you become a fantastic grill cook.


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I use it almost everyday! Easy clean up. heavy duty handle and weight. Built well. Worth the price!


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Big enough, adjustable temperature, and solidly built. We just use it for grilling sandwiches, but it takes everything from sliced bread to bagles and french bread without problem. You can turn the temperature down on the thicker sandwiches so the inside cooks before the outside burns.

We haven't owned it long enough to comment on its durability, but it feels very solid. The clasp to keep the grill closed for carrying is a nice touch. It's not commercial quality, but it's also not commercial price. A very good buy.


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Love my new DeLonghi Panini Grill. It makes loads of great tasting sandwiches in a jiffy...my husband loves them (and so do I). I've tried several different fillings and all have turned out just perfect. Last night I grilled salmon filets and they were delicious. I'm sure chicken breats would be great, too. This is a sleek looking appliances that stores in a limited amount of space. It heats up fast and works like a dream. Clean-up is easy...wipe it down with a damp paper towel and it's ready for using it the next time. I tend to be a bit picky, but I can't find even one fault with this appliance. If it pleases me, I'm sure the most selective purchaser will be happy with it.


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So far, I've only used it three times (all for sandwiches), but I absolutely love it. I've made a couple of paninis and a reuben. I haven't tried making any other food on it, but I don't see any reason that it won't work for it. I can't wait to try fish on it. My old contact grill had a top which was way too heavy and would just pulverize fish. And it even comes with a nice little recipe book for making paninis. I don't remember seeing it in the description, so that was a pleasant surprise. Oh yeah, cleanup is a breeze.

I enthusiastically recommend this to anyone looking for a good multi-purpose grill (since this is designed to be useful for other grilling needs) at a decent price.


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Wonderful in so far as it heats up in seconds and is easy to clean. Only downfall is the piece that holds the Panini maker together. Terribly made. I would be careful while carrying it from place to place. Hold it from the bottom. I am sure there are other Panini makers out there that are just as good as this one, but with a better stay closed device while carrying.


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I got this for my parents. They are old-fashioned and didn't want it. The weren't going to use it so I got it back and started using it. It works great and makes great sandwiches.


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This is a great panini maker. We use it for paninis, quesadillas, grilling asparagus etc. In the last few months, this has become one of the most used gadgets on the counter


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A little history:

For years I've made Panini's the old fashion way- with one pan sandwhiched above another, manually squishing the bread as small as possible. Other times I've used a heated metal block to get those nice grill stripes. For our wedding, however, we received a Panini Grill and I thought "Am I out of a job now?"

This is a very good grill. The temperature control is excellent (Don't turn it more than 3/4 to max- you'll start burning teflon and you can smell that!) and the surface is covered in a very thick coating of teflon that slides everything off the way it should.

Two problems come to mind with this grill- the biggest being 'leverage'. In commercial presses the grill is typically either anchored or of sufficient weight that the operator can press down on the handle- but with THIS grill, the handle extends far enough over the front that the back end rises up. You do NOT want a hot grill sliding around on your countertop- especially if you have an instinct to reach out and stop it from tipping over- it WILL burn you (heals after a few days, trust me.) This could be fixed by simply using a hotpad to assist the pressure in the center of the top of the pan- makes for better and evenly grilled Paninis that way.

The second problem I see is that this grill can not process more than one panini at a time. If you place two large paninis across the surface such that the drain channels from one run into the other, the second panini (closest to the drip pan) will not drain properly and will be too moist- to the point the bread will crumble and fall apart. This simply slows the operation down while making Paninis for the family- an annoyance that can be dealt with only by orienting the paninis perpendicular to their standard 'stripe' pattern- yet this simply makes the side closest the drip pan soggy and the side furthest overly crisp.

Don't mis-understand me- this is an EXCELLENT panini maker. If I had the choice, I'd have one of the commercial jobs in the home, but let's face it- who's got room. It cleans up well, easily, and for the price is probably the best one on the market.


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great product if you like Panini's; the best product compared to its competitors


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I bought this a few months ago, and by and large it works very well, definitely better than most of the other ones, which I agree are too lightweight to press properly. My only complaint is that I don't think it really gets hot enough to sear the bread, so sometimes, the filling is hot and oozing onto the grill before the bread has really toasted at all. The best way I've found to get around this is to use day-old bread. Very fresh bread tends to get very soggy. Except for that, it works very well, and I use it several times a week. Easy to clean with paper towels. Haven't used it for grilling meats or veggies, again, because I don't think it gets hot enough to properly sear things. Will stick to stovetop for those.


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We love this for sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers.. Easy to clean and cooks fast. Hearty bread works best for sandwiches.


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This grill is great, I have to admit, I have only used it for making sandwiches and it works great....really melts the cheese and toasts the bread.


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Excellent quality and look, especially for price. I was going to buy a similar item from Williams Sonoma but found this one for less and thought I'd give it a shot. - It works awesome, no need to pay more somewhere else!


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Would have given it a 5, but the handle jiggles a bit. Otherwise, it's a superior product and makes fabulous sandwiches.


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We never have plain "sandwiches" any more, we have "Paninis!" Slice some sourdough bread or ciabatta or whatever you have, add lunch meat, cheese, spinach leaves, a few slices of red onion and/or roasted red peppers, a few basil leaves if you have them ... whatever ... add the top piece of bread, brush it with olive oil, and close the lid. The lid flexes to accept a relatively fat sandwich, but up to 1-1/2" thick works great. Grill till it is oozy and golden brown and voila! a gourmet sandwich in your own kitchen!

Also we make toasted bread to go with dinner ... any leftover bread will do ... just brush with olive oil or spread some butter and toast it crispy ... good with soup or any dinner. This is the greatest invention since sliced bread! :)

After trying ours, we bought two more for Christmas gifts this year.

Cindy and Bill, Kerrville TX


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Super looking grill performs nicely with quick heat up and heavy solid construction. I just bought second one as a gift. They seem to be a hot seller too as they are constantly running out of stock. I saw the cuisinart at costco on display but it seemed cheesy and the lid was broken off. The lid on this grill is heavy as the job it is designed to do requires it. the only negatives are no power switch and the temp dial seems to be a little on the cheesy side. You can still vary the temp with it so it serves a good function. I do recommend this item heartily even with the minor negs.


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We have had it for about 6 months, and still use it 3-4 times per week. Easy to clean. Heats up quickly.

Tortilla maker, food dehydrator, sandwich makers all have come, been used sparingly, and then eventually donated. This one is a keeper for life.


->Shipping DeLonghi CGH800-U Retro Panini Grill

I used to be a restaurant owner and chef, serving great toasted sandwiches from several commercial sandwich presses with flat plates and I really missed them after I left the business. After much consideration and reading reviews, I hesitatingly bought this unit due to mostly 5 star reviews. The Delonghi has a nice feature in the temperature control and overall build quality, however after making one sandwich I realized its serious shortcomings which I suspect is common to all grooved griddles.

I do not understand the consumer fascination or hype for grill marks on sandwiches just so that you can get that Italian "Panini" look. Grill marks may look cute but they are a functional waste for a toasted sandwich. The problem is that the deep impression made in the bread causes an uneven heating of the bread surface and ingredients underneath. I made a classic Rueben with rye, big eye swiss, corned beef, kraut and thousand island dressing. The ridges pushed deeply enough into the bread to cause the cheese to melt through the bread where the untoasted surface was between the grooves. So the grooves were toasting but not the between where the cheese soaked through. ALso consider that rye is more dense than typical sandwich bread and it still did not withstand this process. The sandwich ended up a soggy mess within about 3-4 minutes and would not come out of the press very easily due to the deep grooves where the softer bread "gave up" and simply started falling apart from being soaked. So I returned the unit, unsatisfied with the results.

I then promptly replaced Delonghi with my second choice for which I should have trusted my initial instincts. I got the Breville unit because it is about the only one on the market that has flat griddle plates top and bottom for a truly even toasting over the entire surface of the sandwich. The heat level is perfect and the surface area is larger than the Delonghi and it will actually accommodate 4 sandwiches at one time. The bottom plate features a raised lip around the perimeter to contain ingredients that may run out or for cooking meat. You can leave the sandwich in longer than the Delonghi to allow a more crusty surface if desired or more heat to the interior ingredients without burning anything. It is very forgiving on cook time so it would be hard to ruin anything cooked in it. I have also found it wonderful for cooking hamburger patties. And it does it very quickly. A third to half pound pattie will cook in 3-5 minutes, cooking both sides at one time. Not to mention that my Rueben now comes out perfect. I have also cooked Tyson marinated chicken breasts in it, with great results. And will next try sirloin steak cuts, which I am sure will yield excellent results.

The Breville also has a stair step slider lid support on the side handle to allow you to set variable thicknesses for ingredients to avoid smashing your panini or toasted sandwiches to cardboard thin slices of bread. Also allows for great pizza reheating to crisp the crust on the bottom plate and setting the lid to the open "radiant heat" melt position, hovering to warm the topside ingredients while the crust does its thing. All in all, a much superior choice unless you like "tire rut" sandwiches. I am very impressed with this unit which performs as well as the $600 commercial units we used in my restaurant.


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We just got our DeLonghi Panini Grill about a month ago when we saw this sale. The unit itself is great--very nice looking, not too heavy and can fit sideways in smaller spaces. Although the griddles don't detach, we've had easy clean ups every time. It doesn't take long to heat up and maintains well. The press-bar is wide and easy to use. Our 14 year old loves it to make his own grillers with this. I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a sturdy, reliable grill at a bargain price.


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Works as advertised. Overall design is good, though an on/off switch would be nice.


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I bought this after reading reviews on tons of the panini grills and contact grills on Amazon. I wanted something that could work well for both purposes, and the adjustable thermostat, large cooking surface and reasonable price won out in the end.

Overall, I am pleased with the item: it looks nice, heats quickly, nice nonstick, as everyone has said here.

I'm adding my opinion because it seems no reviewers have used the grill for cooking meats/veg. I've used it for bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, portobello mushrooms, chicken breasts, bacon, and pork chops (bone-in) and had great results with all of them. Since the grill ridges are a bit wide, I turn my items about 45 degrees half-way through cooking to get more browned surface.

HOWEVER, the description says the cookplates are slanted (presumably to aid the fat run-off), but they are not. I have accepted this shortcoming because the grill ridges are quite deep, and after the bacon it appeared to me that much of the fat still drains from the meat. However, it doesn't all end up in the little cup, which means a bit more cleaning of the plates (no difficulty there with the nonstick).

All in all, I am pleased enough to not return it over the non-slanted plates. But if I bought it at a local store, and knew immediately of a similar alternative with all the same features AND slanted plates, I might go for an exhange. As it stands, I'll keep it, and I do recommend it.


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I am thrilled with my DeLonghi Grill. It functions beautifully and looks nice in the kitchen (not big and obtrusive). So glad I found your ad for it!
Margo Ramsey


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This is my first panini grill and I love it! Just 4 minutes on medium and I get a perfect evenly grilled panini every time. I think because it automatically adjusts to any thinkness when you put the top of the grill down. Heats up in just a few minutes and clean-up is easy; cheese just wipes off the grill. In a crunch for time, I often buy ungrilled panini sandwiches at the deli and pop them in. I usually cook two at a time but there is room for more.


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Love this Paninni Grill

variable temp control and adjustable hinge make this grill a winner. I and my family use it all the time now. Only caution is that outside can get hot. I highly recommend this unit


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Absolutely wonderful! Looks great in ANY kitchen! Works so well, so easy to use to clean just GREAT!


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This panini grill is great..I've used others and love this! It heats up quickly and cleans up easily. It also makes delicious sandwiches. Bella cooking with DeLonghi!


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We recently moved, and this was one of our first purchases once in the new house. This gadget saved my sanity because the difference between a typical sandwich and a panini is like night and day. A great purchase for the money!


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This is the first question my husband asked me when I pulled out the grill when it arrived. My kids absolutely love them, the hubbie is coming round to them. One thing I love about this is that is feels sturdy, is easy to clean, and makes great bread for bruschetta (excuse spelling). I use a bread I find locally which is a Rosemary Olive Oil bread and it is terrific on the grill. Be cautious on the amount of cheese you use, it will ooze, but is easy to clean up afterwards.


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not a problem ,,so far, 1 mo. ,,, i don't grill meats on it,just panini and it works great....


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We fell in love with Italian cooking during a trip last fall. We've enjoyed experimenting with new recipes. Thus far we've liked each of the sandwiches we have put together. The recipe book furnnished is complete. The machine is well made but definitely not an "on the counter" piece.


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I bought this as a father's day gift for my father and for my father in law. It was a hit. Perfect gadget for non cooks. They cook in spite of themselves, so it's a multi purpose present.


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This is a terrific product. My wife and I have enjoyed several panini dinners. My son and grandson also liked it, the seven year old remarked that it sure beat dad's old toaster oven. There is little mess, easy cleanup and the panini turn out hot and crisp. I read all the reviews and worried about the absence of an on/off switch. I think this complaint is ill founded. It's very easy to pull the plug and it is cool. Because there are heating elements on top and bottom it could be difficult to place a switch on the machine that would not get hot or cause fingers to come in contact with the hot chassis. Besides, pulling to plug is full proof. People have stated that the grill ridges are too far apart, but when you consider the ease of cleaning, I think the design is justified. Certainly the panini is nicely marked after 4-5 minutes of grilling. The cord wraps underneath, but the plug doesn't exactly fit into the restraint. If you skip one corner when winding the cord it works much better. I have found that cooking on the highest setting works very well. The hinged top is sufficiently heavy to press the panini properly. The only problem I had with excessive oozing of cheese was when I pressed the top down by hand. Placing a layer of meat (or any non-cheese layer) just below the top piece of bread allows you to open the panini when it is done and add lettuce, tomatoes, etc.


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This grill work OK. However, a major drawback is the grill plates are not removable for cleaning. I wish I had purchased the T-Fal grill.


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Hard to grill bologna without drying it out, it comes off grill soooo tender ,worth evr penny a real bargin. mfg. by a good company. This item is so versitable'''''


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I love this grill. Great looking, easy to clean, and turns an everyday cold sandwich into a mouthwatering crispy delight!


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Such a great product and so versatile that after useing mine I have purchased 3 as gifts.


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Had the Krups model FDE312-75 for about 3 years before it decided not to turn on one day -- so to replace it, thought I'd try something different. Went with the DeLonghi this time, about $20 cheaper. I loved my Krups, and initially thought I'd like the DeLonghi a bit better. Here's my experience:

*Krups always "sparked" at the outlet when I unplugged it. Not so with the DeLonghi.

*DeLonghi has adjustable heat, so, although I only used the Krups for Panini, I'm kind of excited about the options I now have with the DeLonghi. Might try a burger or chicken! It also has a channel where the grease can run off -- and a little cup to catch the grease. If you'd ever use the Krups for anything other than a sandwich -- the grease would have no where to go.

*DeLonghi has wider channels on the grill plate -- which make it a lot easier to clean up. But the panini does NOT get as crispy as it does with the Krups...for specifically that reason.

*The Krups latch, meant to hold the top & bottom together so you can store it on its side, was flimsy and broke after a week. It latched when I didn't want it to -- and wouldn't when I did. (A minor thing, but it got to be annoying.) There seems to be no threat of that happening with the big latch on the DeLonghi.

*The DeLonghi is kind of "chunky" -- it takes up more space when stored on its side than the Krups. The Krups also has a slightly bigger grill surface.

There's my 2 cents. Happy sandwich-making!


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I'm glad I had previously read a customer review explaining it has no on/off switch. Because an insurance adjuster had explained to me a long time ago that repeatedly pulling an electrical cord out of an outlet while the appliance is on ultimately causes house fires to start at that outlet, I went to Radio Shack and purchased a plug-in, dual on/off switch with outlets (about $7.00). The Radio Shack device's on/off switch lights up when the appliance is on, so you know whether you've turned it off. Otherwise, I love the appliance; my husband uses it frequently to make hot sandwiches, and it's easy to clean with a damp paper towel. Melted cheese turns crisp and comes right off the grill with no problems. It's a great product with multiple heat settings, a "ready" light to let you know when it's reached the desired heat, and my only complaint is that the engineer needs to be shot for not putting an on/off switch on the device.


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I have had my panini maker for a year now, and have used it sparsely, up until now. Since I've been using it more, I now wish it had closer 'ribs', as I think this would cook the sandwiches more evenly and quicker (as in the Krups).

The directions that came with it were not very clear, and the positions of the lid was 'reversed'; I had quite a time getting that clear from the manufacturer. And it was supposed to come with a 'comprehensive' cookbook; the one that I eventually had to send away for was just a small one, not what I had expected. Being a first-time user, I needed all the tips and recipes I could get!

A plus is that it does have variable heat settings.

I wish it had an on-off switch! You have to pull out the cord to cut it off! For something this expensive, I expect better quality!

Also, the locking mechanism that keeps the two parts together keeps locking together when you don't want it to - very annoying!


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Okay for the money but the heating plates don't come out but I got the "Cuisinart Griddler" $ 129.00
it is much easier to clean


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This is my first Panini Grill and I wish I had bought it sooner. I looked through many of the Panini Grills that Amazon has to offer and, in my opinion, this was the best. I have now had it for about 2 months, and am probably using it 3-4 times a week.

WHY I LIKE IT:

Using French loafs or Hoagie bread, my sandwiches take about three minutes to make. I turn on the grill while I am preparing the sandwich, and there is an indicator (near the middle of the handle) that lights up when the press has reached your desired temperature (which is controlled by a dial near the handle). Cheese very frequently oozes out, but that's a never a problem with the nonstick surface. A quick wipe afterwards with a damp towel and it is clean.

The ridges on the press are just the right size. Deep enough to make those beautiful grill marks, but not too deep to make cleaning a hassle. The distance between them was just about right too.

The whole press feels very sturdy. I have had no problems with the handle as some other people have. The top part is heavy enough and presses the sandwich firmly. A lot of the other grills (like the famed Foreman) are too light and I worry about their ability to firmly press my food. I haven't used them though so I may be wrong.

It has a "drain" on one corner and comes with a separate cup for catching runoff. I assume this is for grilling meats and catching the oil runoff, but I have not used it for meats. I don't think it is a good idea to use the same surface for raw meat and sandwiches. If you also use it for meat/chicken, make sure you wash it afterwards rather than just wipe it.

It looks great and matches the rest of my stainless steal equipment.

WHAT I WISH IT HAD:

An on-off switch would be so convenient. You have to use the plug. This is the only reason I cannot say this is a perfect machine. I wish I could give 4.5 stars, but four will do.

A smaller price tag


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But not necessarily this one. I bought this grill from Amazon in March. I use it alot, and even considered giving it 5 stars, but I have a couple of issues with it.

Compared to the other panini grills I have seen (Villaware, Krups, Wolfgang Puck), the DeLonghi has fewer, more widely spaced ribs. This design makes it easy to clean with a cloth, and no cleaning "comb" is provided. However, a drawback to the wide spacing is it can allow your panini to squish down into the valleys where all the oily stuff goes. You would be surprised how much oily goo a peperoni and mozzerella panini can make, especially if you brush the outside with olive oil, butter, or mayo before grilling like I do.

A minor annoyance: when it is stored upright on its back, it teeter totters on the lid's power cord. IMO, a high end appliance shouldn't have such a glaring design flaw.

Even though I like the DeLonghi alot, if I were buying another one, I would try the Villaware.

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This grill is fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have used it for both panini sanwiches and grilling meat and have had great results.

No on/off switch though, kind of a hassle, but compared to old wolfie's grill, this is top of the line.

clean-up is easy, temp control is a plus and very fast cooking time. 1" chops in 8 min WOW!!!

->Shipping DeLonghi CGH800-U Retro Panini Grill

I have hoped by now that I would see a review on the DeLonghi Retro Panini Grill CGH800 and have been looking since October 2003. I have read other reviews on competitor's models, but to date no one has written in on this wonderful unit so I feel I should.

I had a bad experience with another Panini Grill, also comparable in price but with handle breakage problems. In the reviews for the one I had purchased prior there was another with the same problem. I was hesitant about getting another, but I loved the concept and was willing to try another brand with high quality standards. In November I purchased this product.

The unit is very heavy and well made, and the handle is strong. I have made many Panini sandwiches and everyone is excellent. The grilling of the sandwich takes about 4-5 minutes and produces wonderful grill marks and the contents inside are very hot. I have used homemade bread, French bread, rye bread, pitas (which I feel are too thin) hoagie rolls and even store bought rolls all proving wonderful.

The combinations of sandwich fillings for Panini's are endless. I serve a large Panini with a bowl of soup for an easy weeknight dinner and a change of pace from the many recipes I make on other nights. We really look forward to each and every one and I am not disappointed in this product.

I want to comment on the non-stick - it is absolutely wonderful! Cheese or anything that may ooze out just comes up with a piece of toweling, nothing ever sticks. I have not grilled meats on it as I have three sizes of another well-known grill, but have grilled zucchini along side the sandwich. With the excellent coating I would not hesitate to cook meats and I like the fact that it has a trough for the grease to drip into the cup that is provided.

I also have not used anything but the highest temperature on the control as I only use this grill for Panini sandwiches, but I am sure that it would be perfect with something that needed a lower temperature. Also an additional plus, --it certainly would be ideal if my husband was not finished with something I served first and the thought that I could keep sandwiches warm and not burn the bread by turning the temperature to a low (keep warm) setting for sure is a wonderful addition to this product.

The product is pricey, but if you want quality and long life --this product is worth the investment. I am very happy with my purchase.