Best Panini Maker

What is a panini, exactly? I mean, why is it not just a "sandwich?"?

Public Comments

1. A panini is a grilled sandwich. To be a panini, it must be grilled between two hot plates to both squish and grill the sandwich.
2. Panini is a grilled sandwich that has been pressed together. In Italy they have panini presses. (Just think George Foreman grill without the lines) Also, a panini isn't like a sub sandwich, you don't pile on the toppings. Rachel Ray on the food network does a lot of panini's if you wanted to check it out.
3. A Panini means sandwich in Italian,but here in the US it is named so because of the type of pan in which it's made. A free floating hinged press with ridges on both sides, it cooks the bread toasty, but not soggy. They press makes the most wonderful sandwich, but if you cant find one, then you can use a cast iron or non stick pan and a cookie sheet weighted with a can of veggies. Good things to panini are anyfoods that are good melted. I love to get Cuban sandwiches pressed on the panini press. Bon Appetite!
4. Just grilled. It does however mean that you can charge a dollar more for it.
5. I think that the foccacia bread and the fact that it is grilled define a "panini".