The Bottom Line
Pros
- Comes in three décor-friendly colors
- Enamel cast-iron pan requires no seasoning
- Can be used as a grill pan or to make panini, grilled cheese and quesadillas
Cons
- Lacks instructions specific to this pan
Description
- Made of cast iron coated in porcelain enamel (satin finish on the interior)
- Comes with a cast-iron press for compressing panini
- Square pan measures 11 inches
- Bottom is ridged for grill marks
- Colors available: Chive (green), Custard (yellow) and Cabernet (dark red)
- Oven safe to 500˚F
- Dishwasher safe (Although company recommends hand washing)
- Includes recipe cards for Breakfast Panini, Chicken Artichoke Panini and Chicken Quesadilla
- Covered by a lifetime warranty
Guide Review - Caphalon Panini Grill Pan With Press
I've always been curious about grill pans that come with a heavy panini press—could they make a better sandwich than using my countertop grill or just a regular pan? So I was excited to try Calphalon's Enamel Cast Iron Panini Grill pan to see just how good a panini sandwich could be.
The pan itself is beautiful—the exterior is coated in a glossy enamel in your choice of three appealing colors. The interior looks like bare cast iron, but is actually also a matte enamel coating that requires no seasoning. Made of cast iron, the pan has a satisfying heft, and the second handle can help with the heavy lifting.
The generous, 11-inch size is compact enough to heat evenly over a burner, but large enough to fit two sandwiches, chicken breasts or burgers inside.
The pan doesn't come with instructions specific to its use, although a brochure offers general tips on cast-iron usage and care. I was a little confused at first about whether to heat the press itself, and if so, whether I should do this nested in the pan, or on another burner. Even the three delicious recipes don't have specific instructions on how to use the press, although they do instruct the user to flip the sandwiches. But even using the press unheated can help compress a thick, crusty sandwich and trap heat to help melt cheese and heat the ingredients faster.
Used without the press, the pan is ideal for indoor grilling. It heats evenly and the ridges give food an authentic grilled appearance.
The company says the pan is dishwasher safe, but recommends against it. The cooking surface is not nonstick, but it scrubs somewhat easily with a scouring pan, and the enamel finish washes off more easily.
The Calphalon Enamel Cast iron Panini Grill Pan is $99.95 and is available from Cooking.com and other retailers.
