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(More customer reviews)I originally wrote this review for the press alone. At the time I bought the press, Amazon wasn't offering the press/pan as a set. Now it does and since anyone interested in this product is probably going to be looking at reviews of the set rather than the individual components, I'll repeat my review, with enhancements:
While shopping a retail cooking store, I fell in love with the Krups FDE312 panini press. A bit of Amazon research, however, turned up a disturbing pattern of sudden failures in this product. Research into other presses from Cuisinart, DeLonghi, Breville, Villaware, and others failed to produce a clear front runner. It seemed that each product had one or more issues - non-removable grill plates, difficult cleaning, lack of grill ribs, flimsy handles, tendency to dry food, non-adjustable temperature, etc. Enter the Le Creuset 10 ¼" grill pan and panini press. You can submerge them to clean. They're coated with enamel, not Teflon, which means with proper care they should last two lifetimes (although they're only guaranteed for the lifetime of the original owner)(and note, this is a satin enamel coating, not the Le Creuset smooth coating, the longevity of which I can confirm from personal experience). There's no electrical element to burn out, no cord to store, no moving parts to break. Use is simple. Heat the grill on one burner (we have gas, but they're supposed to work with other technologies) and the press on the other. Wait until a spatter of water vaporizes almost instantly. Brush grill pan with some oil. Place sandwiches on grill pan. Pick up the press, brush on some oil, place on sandwiches and press for a few moments. Sizzle, sizzle. Wait until the cheese melts. Serve. The panini were just like what I'd eaten in Italy. I haven't owned an electric press, but I can't imagine they'd be better. Cleanup of the enamel surface requires a bit of care but, unlike every Teflon-coated product I've ever owned, that surface will probably still be there 20 years from now. And since the grill pan actually has sides (unlike every electric panini press I looked at), there was no side-spattering and thus no cleanup to do around the cooking area. The only disadvantages - the grill/press combination costs $140, almost twice the cost of the average electric panini grill. But since many of the grill reviews I read spoke of this being their second (or third) electric grill, I suspect you'd make the money back over the next 20 years. Also, running multiple batches is a bit more of a problem than with a self-heating grill, since you need to place the now oily press back on the flame to reheat it, which can potentially lead to flaring of the residual oil, and will also get the burner oily. I intend to see, however, if you can reheat the press in the pan rather than putting it directly on a burner.
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Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron Panini Press and Skillet Grill SetsDelivering even heat on the top and bottom, this 10-1/4-inch square skillet grill with a 9-inch ribbed press makes it simple to prepare delicious, cafe-style hot sandwiches, paninis, and melts--complete with authentic grill marks on both sides. The grill pan features raised ridges that not only impart tasty grill marks, but they also help drain away excess fat and grease for healthier results. Because it's made of cast iron, the two-piece set requires only a low to medium heat setting, making stovetop coking more economical. Another thoughtful detail include its dual spouts for nondrip pouring--one on each side to accommodate both right- and left-handed users.
Like other pieces in Le Creuset's line of enameled cast iron, the cookware's exterior features a colorful, long-lasting enamel that resists chipping and cracking, while its interior provides a satin black enamel--no need to season the cookware in the oven before use. As cast iron is unexcelled for even heat distribution and superior heat retention, and enamel is impervious to acids and odors, the grill cooks food uniformly and gently without hot spots and can be used for cooking on the stovetop or finishing in the oven. The cookware also provides a strong iron handle with an opposite helper handle for a steady grip, and it can be safely used at any oven temperature, under the broiler, and on any stovetop, including induction (the panini press with its phenolic handle is oven-safe up to 350 degrees F). Beautiful enough for the table yet durable enough to outlive its lifetime limited warranty, the cookware brings joie de vivre to any kitchen it graces and should be hand washed for best results.
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