A Guide to Commercial Sandwich Presses & Contact Grill Stations for Commercial Kitchens

Commercial Sandwich Presses are popular in many restaurants for cooking a variety of foods including sandwiches, burgers, steaks and seafood.

Commercial Contact Grill Stations, also known as a “Sandwich Press” or just “Contact Grill”, consist of one or two heated metal surfaces (grill plates) with one acting as a lid that is lowered down onto the food.

Unlike a chargrill, the food is cooked by direct contact with the heated surfaces. This has the added advantage of greater temperature control, making it perfect for grilling and heating sandwiches, burgers steaks, and skewers.

Commercial Sandwich Presses use powerful elements that evenly disperse heat across the plates to pressure cook food quickly. These highly-versatile appliances are perfect for use in restaurants, cafes, food trucks and a variety of food service businesses.

Types of Commercial Sandwich Press Plates

Ribbed Plate Contact Grill

The ribbed design offers two advantages for cooking. One is the spaces between the grooves that draw grease and fat away from the food for healthier, less greasy dishes. It also creates characteristic grill marks that add to the food’s visual appeal when served, making it popular for cooking meats and seafood.

Mixed Plate Contact Grill

This combination of ribbed and flat surfaces is typically configured with the flat plate on the bottom and the ribbed plate on the top.

Slanted and Flat Plates

After choosing the type of plate you want for your kitchen, consider buying a slanted grill plate that slopes towards the front of the appliance. This allows excess grease and fat to easily drain from the bottom plate surface.

Removable Plates

Another important consideration is choosing a contact grill with removable plates. Along with allowing you to choose different surfaces for different foods,  removable plates are much easier to clean with some easily placed in a dishwasher for added convenience.

Floating Plates

Floating plates have specially designed hinges that allow the plate to sit “naturally” on the food, without additional pressure. This offers the advantage of more consistent cooking and avoids squashing uneven food or causing parts of the food to be overcooked.

Plate Material

Plates are constructed from a variety of different materials ranging from cast iron to ceramic to aluminium. Each style of plate brings its own benefits.

Here are the three most common types:

1. Cast Iron Plates

Cast iron is the most common type used thanks to its ability to retain heat for longer periods of time. This makes them perfect for constant use in busy commercial kitchens that are constantly cooking. Keep in mind that cast iron plates take longer to heat up and require occasional “seasoning” for optimal stick resistance.

2. Aluminium Plates

Aluminium plates heat up very quickly making them perfect if you’re not using your contact grill all the time. They have the added advantage of rapidly transferring heat to the food and are generally less expensive.

3. Ceramic Plates

Ceramic plates use infrared elements for lightning-fast heat-up times. The ceramic surface also makes these plates super easy to clean. These added conveniences come at a price, with ceramic plate contact grills tending to be more expensive than their counterparts.

Pro Tip

If you don’t have a large enough dishwasher to clean your grill plates, a great way to get your commercial sandwich press sparkling clean is to use a simple solution made with two tables of baking soda and a half cup of warm water.

After the plate has been wiped down and covered with the solution, let it sit for five to ten minutes. Afterwards, wipe down each individual groove on the grill with a wet cloth until they are all clean.

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Which are the best Commercial Sandwich Presses for your kitchen?

Hopefully, this guide to Commercial Sandwich Presses and Grill Stations will help you choose the right fit for your restaurant or business.

If you have questions about Contact Grills in general or specific models and features, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Caterlink’s commercial kitchen experts who are ready to assist you.