Should I choose grooved or smooth panini plates?

Grooved plates give the striped grill marks customers expect on a panini and let fat drain away from meats. Smooth plates give an even, all-over toast and suit wraps, quesadillas, flatbreads and eggs. A mixed grill, grooved on top and smooth on the bottom, is a common compromise when one unit has to do both.

How do you clean a panini grill?

Scrape the plates while they are still warm with the brush or scraper the manufacturer recommends, empty the grease tray, and wipe the outside once the grill has cooled. Cast iron plates are usually kept seasoned with a light coat of oil, while coated plates need non-abrasive tools. Never immerse the unit in water.

How much do commercial panini grills cost?

List prices on Norpex range from $120 to $18,354.99 CAD, with a median of $890.40 across 117 priced models; prices are list prices before tax and shipping.

Which brands of commercial panini grills do you carry?

Norpex lists 117 commercial panini grills. The brands with the most models listed are Eurodib with 60, Omcan with 31, Nemco with 9, Trento with 7 and Waring Commercial with 5.

Do you ship commercial panini grills across Canada?

Norpex ships to delivery addresses across Canada. Equipment ships from distributor warehouses, so dispatch timing depends on the supplier and the destination. For items that can be bought online, shipping is calculated at checkout from live carrier rates for the delivery address and confirmed before payment. There is no automatic free-shipping or flat-rate offer.

Commercial Panini Grills in Canada

Panini grills, also called contact grills or sandwich presses, cook food between two heated plates, toasting and marking both sides at once. Cafes, delis, coffee shops, bars and sandwich counters use them for panini, grilled sandwiches, wraps and quesadillas, and some kitchens use them for chicken breasts and vegetables. They are mostly electric countertop units, in single and double sizes with grooved, smooth or mixed plates.

About commercial panini grills

Before you buy

Check that the top plate floats or self-levels on its hinge, so it presses evenly on both thin and thick sandwiches.
Compare plate materials, since cast iron holds heat through busy periods, aluminum heats up quickly, and coated plates clean easily but need non-scratch tools.
Count how many sandwiches you press at once at peak, then compare cooking areas and consider a double unit with separate controls for each side.
Look for a timer and an adjustable thermostat if different staff run the grill, so each sandwich comes out the same no matter who presses it.

Common questions

Should I choose grooved or smooth panini plates?: Grooved plates give the striped grill marks customers expect on a panini and let fat drain away from meats. Smooth plates give an even, all-over toast and suit wraps, quesadillas, flatbreads and eggs. A mixed grill, grooved on top and smooth on the bottom, is a common compromise when one unit has to do both.
How do you clean a panini grill?: Scrape the plates while they are still warm with the brush or scraper the manufacturer recommends, empty the grease tray, and wipe the outside once the grill has cooled. Cast iron plates are usually kept seasoned with a light coat of oil, while coated plates need non-abrasive tools. Never immerse the unit in water.
How much do commercial panini grills cost?: List prices on Norpex range from $120 to $18,354.99 CAD, with a median of $890.40 across 117 priced models; prices are list prices before tax and shipping.
Which brands of commercial panini grills do you carry?: Norpex lists 117 commercial panini grills. The brands with the most models listed are Eurodib with 60, Omcan with 31, Nemco with 9, Trento with 7 and Waring Commercial with 5.
Do you ship commercial panini grills across Canada?: Norpex ships to delivery addresses across Canada. Equipment ships from distributor warehouses, so dispatch timing depends on the supplier and the destination. For items that can be bought online, shipping is calculated at checkout from live carrier rates for the delivery address and confirmed before payment. There is no automatic free-shipping or flat-rate offer.

Guides

Comparison

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Waring – Large Italian-Style Panini Grill – WDG250T

Double Panini Grill with Smooth Plates and Timer – 10″ x 18″ Cooking Surface – 220V, 3200W

Single Panini Grill with Smooth Plates – 12″ x 15″ Cooking Surface – 120V, 1800W

Nemco – PaniniPro High Speed Sandwich Press 208V w/ Flat Top & Bottom – 6900A-208-FF

Eurodib – Flat Grill Commercial Panini 14.8″ x 10.9″ 240 V 2400 W – SFE02340-240

Waring Commercial WDG300 22″ Double Italian-Style Commercial Sandwich Press with Ribbed and Flat Grill – 240V/3200W

Eurodib SFE02375 18″ x 11″ Cooking Surface Double Panini Grill with Left Side Flat and Right Side Ribbed Plates – 240V

Waring – Large Italian-Style Panini Grill – WPG250B

Trento 10″ x 19″ Ribbed Sandwich Grill 230V – 11378

Waring – Large Italian-Style Panini Grill – WPG250TB

Nemco – PaniniPro High Speed Sandwich Press 208V w/ Grooved Top & Flat Bottom – 6900A-208-GF

Eurodib SFE02365 18″ x 11″ Cooking Surface Double Panini Grill with Ribbed Plates – 240V

Eurodib – PD Double Electric Panini Grill 220V w/ Ribbed Top & Flat Bottom – SMSPDL3000220

Nemco – 208V PaniniPro Single High-Speed Panini Press with Grooved Top and Bottom Plates – 6900A-208-GG (ETA 4-6 Weeks)

Omcan 31461 Panini Grill

Eurodib – 18″ x 11″ Panini Grill w/ Ribbed Top & Bottom – SFE02365-240

Nemco – 208V PaniniPro Single High-Speed Panini Press with Grooved and Flat Plates – 6900A-208-GF (ETA 4-6 Weeks)

Eurodib – CORT-R Electric Panini Grill 220V w/ Ribbed Top & Bottom – SMSCORTR220

Eurodib – PD Double Electric Panini Grill 220V w/ Ribbed Top & Bottom – SMSPDR3000220

Single Panini Grill with Grooved Plates and Timer – 10″ x 11″ Cooking Surface – 120V, 1800W

Eurodib – CORT-F Electric Panini Grill 110V w/ Flat Top & Bottom – SMSCORTF110

Trento 10″ x 9″ Single Panini Grill with Grooved Top and Smooth Bottom Grill Surface

Eurodib SAP010R 13″ Single Contact Panini Grill With Grooved Top & Smooth Glass Bottom

Trento 10″ x 9″ Single Panini Grill with Top and Bottom Grooved Grill Surface