Wolfgang Puck Panini Maker & Multipurpose Grill Review

Another Wolfgang Puck product you ask?  Absolutely!  The newest addition to my Wolfgang Puck collection is the Wolfgang Puck Panini Duet Panini Maker & Multipurpose Grill.  I received it as a birthday gift the beginning of this month and I love it.  It makes fantastic sandwiches and I can even grill hamburgers, steaks or chicken in it.  Making bacon is a breeze! 

In case anyone is wondering exactly what a Panini is, according to the brochure I received with this unit, the English translation of Panini means little breads, or rolls and is equated with sandwiches.  In the United States, Panini has come to denote a grilled Italian sandwich.   

The Panini Maker/Grill

According to the manufacturer, this product comes with the following features: 

• 1500 watts
• Removable drip tray
• Nylon cleaning brush
• Grill-safe scraping/cleaning tool
• Grill plates are dishwasher safe; wipe-clean base
• Grill plates measures approx. 12-1/4"L x 10-1/4"W
• Measures approx. 14"L x 15"W x 6"H overall
• Model # BCGL0035
• Comes with manufacturer's 1 year limited warranty

My Experience

My first thought when I opened up my chrome-plated Panini Maker for the first time was how attractive looking it was.  The second thought was how compact it was which meant it wouldn't take up too much counter space.  

One the first questions that came to my mind was if the unit would flatten my Italian bread when making a Panini or even regular bread when making a grilled cheese sandwich.  It seemed as though when the top half of the maker was shut that it would smush the bread but when I tried it for the first time, the Italian bread came out perfectly grilled with lines and was not at all flattened.  The sandwich took like three minutes max to cook, the cheese was perfectly melted and the sandwich tasted fantastic.  

To use the grill, it must be preheated.  While it is preheating, a red light will be on and when the process is completed, the red light will turn off and a green one will turn on letting you know that preheating is complete.  Always make sure you have the drip cup in place before cooking or you will have quite a mess on your counter. 

We have cooked hamburgers, chicken and steak on this unit and all came out cooked evenly and juicy and because the meat is cooking on both sides at once, the cooking time is cut in half.  There is no temperature control therefore it is kind of a guessing game to know when your food is done.  After the first few times though, you kind of know how long to cook each item.  Bacon is another great item to cook on this grill.  The bacon sizzles to perfection and the greasy mess is so easy to clean up. 

To clean, just remove the grill plates as instructed in the instruction manual and hand wash them in warm soapy water or they can even be placed in the dishwasher.  These grill plates are coated so be sure to use a nylon brush or other utensil safe for nonstick surfaces.

Final Thoughts

I have only had my panini maker/grill since the beginning of May but use it quite frequently.  I have read many negative reviews over at HSN.com, but I haven't experienced any problems with mine yet.  If I do, I will update my review but as of now, I love my new Wolfgang product and at this point, recommend it.  I give it a 4 star rating for being so versatile and attractive.