Kmart shoppers rave about 'game-changing' $22 kitchen item: 'You can’t go wrong'

The humble toastie press is a must-have kitchen staple, and Kmart sells a 2 Slice Sandwich Press for just $22. Their version has non-stick flat cooking plates and a locking latch to close the appliance securely.

But did you know you’re not limited to toasties when using the appliance? You can create many other snacks and dishes, from cooking a full English brekkie to thinking way out of the box and using it to cook items like frozen fish fingers or dumplings.

A fan of the budget retailer took to a popular Facebook Kmart group to ask if anybody currently had the toastie maker, and if so, just how useful is the appliance, really? In this cost of living crisis, nobody wants to splurge on something that will just gather dust in the back of your cupboard.

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“I would like to hear your reviews for the Kmart Sandwich Press,” she wrote. “It’s heaps cheaper than the Breville I am looking at. If it’s good, I’d love to buy this.”

One fan commented and said she uses it to cook the most delicious breakfast. “Love mine – you can cook eggs to perfection and they never overcook even if left in there (gotta keep it open and hovering just above the yolk), bacon perfectly crispy but not hard, toasties, wraps and the usual too,” she explained. “Essentially I use it as a second stove and it cooks quicker too!”

“I’ve had mine nearly four years just about and cook dumplings on them [as well]. You just fry them in there,” another added.

“We’ve had ours for years – sandwiches [are done] perfectly. We also use it for sausages, thin steaks, eggs and bacon, [it’s] a great multi-use cooker,” a third chimed in.

“I’m a manager and I have so far purchased four of these. One for me and three for the locations I’ve worked in for the lunch room. It works perfectly fine, despite the fact it’s not cared for very well in the workplace. For the price, you can’t go wrong. I’ve even had some team members cook the most random things on there, like frozen fish fingers and gyoza etc,” another said.

Shoppers compare the Breville toastie maker to the cheaper Kmart version

When comparing the Breville Toast & Melt 2 Slice Sandwich Press – which retails for $119 at shops like David Jones – to the cheaper Kmart option, opinion was firmly divided.

On the one hand, some believed it’s worth splashing out on the pricier Breville model, with one saying: “Can’t vouch for the Kmart one, but I bought my Breville one about 20 years ago and it’s still going strong. My marriage didn’t even last that long.”

“We have both Breville and Sunbeam sandwich presses we use in our busy business. They heat up quickly and don’t skip a beat. We did buy two Kmart ones prior to having these and found [they were] slow to heat up and also didn’t retain the heat. I would buy a Breville over Kmart. I think it’s worth paying extra. We use our toastie makers daily,” another said.

“It’s good, BUT I wish it was height adjustable. I’d buy the Breville as I know it has this feature,” a third remarked.

“Get the Breville. This one oozes out all the cheese and it takes forever to cook compared to the Breville,” another added.

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However, many said you couldn’t go past Kmart’s price point and quality.

“Comparing this one to the Breville and you can’t really tell them apart! I’ve had my Kmart one for a few months now and it’s perfect,” a Kmart shopper said.

“I frequently use both this one at home and a Breville at my work. Literally no difference between them,” another claimed.

“I got the two sambo one and it’s perfect. Replaced my Breville [with it] about two years ago and it’s great,” a third commented.

“We had a Breville 4 Sandwich Press and I wanted a smaller one. We got the Kmart 2 Sandwich Press about six months ago and it’s been perfect (ours is used daily),” another added.

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