WHALL 4-in-1 Electric Contact Grill vs Hamilton Beach Panini Press

Buy the Hamilton Beach Panini Press if paninis, grilled cheese and thick sandwiches are your main use. Its floating hinged lid presses uneven sandwiches evenly, the ceramic nonstick plates wipe clean, and the slide-out drip tray goes in the dishwasher. The WHALL is the better pick if you want one appliance that also opens flat as a griddle and comes with a crisper basket, grill rack and cooking pot. Owners rate the WHALL well across hundreds of reviews; the Hamilton Beach has far fewer ratings but a higher average, and its simpler build has less to go wrong.

• Choose the WHALL 4-in-1 if you want a press that opens flat into a double griddle and comes with extra cooking accessories.
• Choose the Hamilton Beach Panini Press if you mostly make paninis and thick sandwiches and want easy cleanup and upright storage.