Most sandwich makers on the market have a “non-stick coating”. In many cases, the non-stick coating is just another name for PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) coating, commonly known as Teflon. Below you will find what to look for if you want a Teflon-free sandwich maker and my top picks.
Teflon-Free Plates
If you want to find a sandwich maker without Teflon, look for plates with ceramic coating. This is the only Teflon-free coating used for sandwich makers that we found.
Even though the ceramic coating is often referred to as a non-toxic alternative, it is not that simple. Ceramic cookware might contain toxic substances such as lead or cadmium, which can transfer to food. Fortunately, the European Union has maximum limits for the transfer of lead and cadmium. In the U.S., the regulation is not that simple. However, some brands explicitly state that their products are lead and cadmium-free. If you live in the U.S., such sandwich makers seem to be the safest bet. Another solution is finding a company that publishes test results for lead and cadmium (e.g., FDA or California Prop 65 certified), like Xtrema. However, we have not found such test results for ceramic sandwich makers.
There are not many sandwich makers with ceramic coated plates, but still, you can find some great ones. Since the offer of Teflon-free sandwich makers differs across countries, below are my top picks for U.S. readers readers and non-U.S..
Best Sandwich Maker Without Teflon – U.S. Market
In the U.S., there is a small number of sandwich makers without Teflon. We found only two sandwich makers with Ceramic plates on Amazon: the GreenLife Sandwich Pro (Amazon link) and the Gotham Steel Sandwich Maker (Amazon link).
Choosing between the GreenLife and Gotham Sandwich maker came very easy. We have found no specific information regarding the quality of the ceramic coating of the Gotham plates. Whereas GreenLife explicitly states that the non-stick ceramic surface is “free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium”. If you are looking for a non-toxic alternative in the U.S., GreenLife Sandwich Pro seems to be the best Teflon-free sandwich maker on Amazon. And as a bonus, you also get a set of ceramic waffle plates.
Since the offer of Teflon-free sandwich makers on the U.S. market is somewhat limited, a reasonable alternative can be a panini press. They are versatile since you can also use them for grilling, saving space in your kitchen.
You can find some great options with plate coatings that are PFAS-free (i.e., PFOA and PTFE-free). One of our top picks is the Blue Diamond Sizzle Griddle (Amazon link). It comes with griddle, grill, and waffle ceramic plates, which are lead and cadmium free.
For more information, including the complete list of the best panini presses without Teflon, visit our article: The Best Panini Press without Teflon.
Best Non-Toxic Sandwich Makers – Outside U.S.
We found only three ceramic sandwich makers to choose from. Below you can find a table with a detailed comparison.
Each sandwich maker has its advantages, so the best pick depends on your preferences and needs. We have prepared three top picks based on these three categories:
Best Value For Money Sandwich Maker Without Teflon
If you are looking for the best value-for-money ceramic sandwich maker, we recommend the Tower T27020RG 3 in 1 Deep Fill Sandwich Maker (Amazon link). For the price of one, you get ceramic sandwich plates, ceramic waffle plates, and ceramic grill plates.
Best 4-Slice Sandwich Maker Without Teflon
If you have a big family or many friends come over, the best sandwich maker without Teflon for you is the Tower T27021 4-Slice Deep Fill Sandwich Maker (Amazon link). You can make 4-slices in no time with this 1600 Watt toaster.
The Best Sandwich Maker Without Teflon
If you want something extra, we recommend the Breville VST070 2 Slice Deep Fill DuraCeramic Sandwich Toaster (Amazon link). It is a bit more expensive, but for the price, you get great performance, high built quality, durability, and lovely design. We use this exact toaster with the interchangeable waffle plates in our home, and we love it.
- DuraCeramic Plates – faster cooking, scratch-resistant, durable
- Removable plates – faster and easier cleaning
- Interchangeable Waffle plates – you can buy Breville DuraCeramic Waffle plates or the usual Breville non-stick Waffle plates.
- Large plates and high hinges – you can easily make deep filled sandwiches (plate size 10.4×4.9 inches | 26,5×12,5 cm)
- Two temperature settings
As of now, the VST070 model is not available on Amazon. However, there is an alternative, the Breville VST074 (Amazon link). The main difference is that this model has no switch for changing the temperature. In our opinion, this is not an issue. We have been using the VST070 for over 2 years and don’t remember the last time we changed the temperature to the lower setting.
Similar Breville Sandwich Makers
If you look for Breville Sandwich Toaster, be aware that Breville offers similar models to the VST070 mentioned above. At first, they might look similar, but there are substantial differences. Here is a quick rundown of other Breville sandwich makers and the main differences:
- Breville VST041 – Amazon link
- No Ceramic coating
- No temperature settings
- Breville VST082 – Amazon link
- No Ceramic coating
- No temperature settings
Breville also sells a waffle maker called VST072 with removable DuraCeramic waffle plates (Amazon link). It is basically the VST070 without the two temperature settings sold with the waffle plates.
Comparison
Breville VST070
DuraCeramic
Sandwich Toaster
Interchangeable Plates
Yes – sandwich plates
sold separately
Size
10.9×9.3×4.1 inches
27,6×23,5×10,4 cm
Number of slices
2
High Hinge
Yes
Power Light
Yes
Ready Light
Yes
Cool Touch
Handle
Non-slip Feet
Yes
Upright Storage
Yes
Cord Storage
Yes
Power Consumption
850 Watts
Extended Warranty
No*
Tower T27020RG
3 in 1 Deep Fill
Sandwich Maker
Interchangeable Plates
Yes – sandwich plates
and grill plates included
Size
10.2×10.2×4.7 inches |
26x26x12 cm
Number of slices
2
High Hinge
No
Power Light
Yes
Ready Light
Yes
Cool Touch
Housing
Non-slip Feet
Yes
Upright Storage
Yes
Cord Storage
Yes
Power Consumption
900 Watts
Extended Warranty
+2 years – subject to registration
Tower T27013
Deep Fill
Sandwich Maker
Interchangeable Plates
No
–
Size
11.4×9.6×4 inches |
29×24,5×10,2 cm
Number of slices
2
High Hinge
No
Power Light
Yes
Ready Light
Yes
Cool Touch
Handle
Non-slip Feet
–
Upright Storage
Yes
Cord Storage
Yes
Power Consumption
900 Watts
Extended Warranty
+2 years – subject to registration
Tower T27021
4-Slice Deep Fill
Sandwich Maker
Interchangeable Plates
No
–
Size
11.1×14.6×4 inches |
28,2x37x10,2 cm
Number of slices
4
High Hinge
No
Power Light
Yes
Ready Light
Yes
Cool Touch
Handle
Non-slip Feet
–
Upright Storage
Yes
Cord Storage
Yes
Power Consumption
1600 Watts
Extended Warranty
+2 years – subject to registration
Breville VST070
DuraCeramic
Sandwich
Toaster
Interchangeable Plates
Yes – sandwich
plates sold
separately
Size
10.9×9.3×4.1 in
27,6×23,5×10,4 cm
Number of slices
2
High Hinge
Yes
Power Light
Yes
Ready Light
Yes
Cool Touch
Handle
Non-slip Feet
Yes
Upright Storage
Yes
Cord Storage
Yes
Power Consumption
850 Watts
Extended Warranty
No*
–
Tower
T27020RG
3 in 1 Deep Fill
Sandwich Maker
Interchangeable Plates
Yes – sandwich
plates and grill
plates included
Size
10.2×10.2×4.7 in
26x26x12 cm
Number of slices
2
High Hinge
No
Power Light
Yes
Ready Light
Yes
Cool Touch
Housing
Non-slip Feet
Yes
Upright Storage
Yes
Cord Storage
Yes
Power Consumption
900 Watts
Extended Warranty
+2 years – subject to registration
Tower
T27013
Deep Fill
Sandwich Maker
Interchangeable Plates
No
–
–
Size
11.4×9.6×4 in
29×24,5×10,2 cm
Number of slices
2
High Hinge
No
Power Light
Yes
Ready Light
Yes
Cool Touch
Handle
Non-slip Feet
–
Upright Storage
Yes
Cord Storage
Yes
Power Consumption
900 Watts
Extended Warranty
+2 years – subject to registration
Tower T27021
4-Slice Deep Fill
Sandwich Maker
Interchangeable Plates
No
–
Size
11.1×14.6×4 inches |
28,2x37x10,2 cm
Number of slices
4
High Hinge
No
Power Light
Yes
Ready Light
Yes
Cool Touch
Handle
Non-slip Feet
–
Upright Storage
Yes
Cord Storage
Yes
Power Consumption
1600 Watts
Extended Warranty
+2 years – subject to registration
Why Choose Ceramic over Teflon Coating in Sandwich Makers
Both coatings have excellent non-stick properties. Teflon tends to last longer; however, it has severe environmental drawbacks. Furthermore, when heated to high temperatures, it releases toxic fumes, which pose a danger to your health and can be lethal to bird pets. Ceramic coating is generally less durable, but if you opt for a higher quality model labeled lead and cadmium free, then you don’t have to worry about the toxins linked to Teflon.
More on Teflon
Although the use of PFOA in Teflon (produced by DuPont, now Chemours) was discontinued in 2015, other harmful chemicals (e.g., GenX) are still used in production, posing a risk to the environment and our health.
When heated, Teflon poses a danger to human health by releasing polymer fumes. The Teflon manufacturer discloses this temperature as 660°F (348°C) and states that the coating may deteriorate. However, Teflon is also not recommended for temperatures above 500°F (260°C). Some sandwich makers can get close to 500°F (260℃); however, the maximum temperature will vary depending on the model.
Polymer fumes are especially dangerous to bird pets, which can get poisoned to death. If you decide to use Teflon appliances, you should take safety precautions to protect your pet. To learn how check out our other post on Teflon.
0 Comments