Argos Value SW-82 > Reviews (2)

Introduction

When I moved into my new home a couple of months ago I had a list of things I needed to buy and kitchenware was a high priority on my list. I already had a few essentials; a toaster, kettle, microwave, cutlery and plates etc but I didn't have the budget to buy a cooker straight away and wanted something that would make quick and convenient snacks but at a low price. A toasted sandwich maker seemed like a great idea at the time, I've owned a couple in the past and knew what to expect from one and the thoughts of a tasty ham and cheese toastie appealed to me so I looked online, saw a 'value' one from Argos priced at £5.99 and decided to part with my cash.

Value by name, Value by nature?

The "Argos Value Range 2-Slice Sandwich Toaster" to give it its full name is a basic-looking kitchen appliance, it's plastic construction could never be mistaken for anything top-end but it was cheap and all I wanted it for was to make simple toasted sandwiches. Anyone who has owned a sandwich maker in the past will know that they're not terribly difficult to use and this one from Argos is no exception. This is a 2-round sandwich toaster, you simply put 2 slices of bread on the lower hot plates, add your fillings, put a second layer of bread on top and close the lid. There are 2 lights on the lid of the sandwich maker, one red and one green and these supposedly act as a temperature control so you know that the toaster is working, the red acting as a power on indicator and the green to indicate that its ready to use. There is a catch on the handle which holds the sandwich maker together and it comes attached to a corded wire which is of a decent length that it doesn't sit too close to an electrical outlet when in use. The outer wall is cool to the touch but does become warm when the toaster is working although isn't too hot that it burns and all in all it's a pretty basic looking appliance that is just about worth the £6.00 it costs to buy.

In Use

I'm easily pleased when it comes to toasties and am quite happy just to settle for ham and cheese as a filling and having used this sandwich maker often over the past couple of months I have come to the conclusion that it's a good job I don't want anything too bulky. Although described as deep-fill in reality you would struggle to get anything too thick between the slices of bread before they seep out of the machine as it just can't seem to cope with anything too challenging. A sandwich maker is supposed to seal the edges of the bread as it's cooking and this one from Argos does with 'flat' fillings but give it anything else and it simply squashes the filling to the edges and you end up with a mess. There are grooves on the plates which make pretty indentations onto the toast but these are useless at sealing in the fillings I add and I discovered the limitations of this machine after only a couple of uses. Don't get me wrong, it does work - the sandwich maker does toast the bread to a nice crispiness and the fillings do come out hot, cheese ends up being melted to perfection and I do enjoy the toasties it makes but I expected that from the machine anyway.

The cooking time is quite quick, the machine doesn't take too long to get to a hot enough temperature to turn bread to toast and to melt the fillings I place in mine and overall It's a perfectly functional piece of kitchen equipment that offers simple toasted sandwiches but it wouldn't be for anyone who likes to experiment with lots of different fillings as quite frankly, it just can't cope with anything too bulky.

The choice of which type of bread to buy has to be a consideration too as anything other than standard sized medium sliced bread is too big for the sandwich maker and even a supermarket bought loaf needs to be trimmed down to fit onto the plates. This is a common complaint with sandwich makers, especially 'budget' ones, as the others I have owned in the past have also had this problem too but I did expect this to happen so it didn't come as any great shock the first time I used the machine. On the positive side the non-stick plates are good at being cleaned and any spillages are easily removed with a damp piece of kitchen roll, do be careful with the back of the machine though as it can be a bit fiddly to get to if you want to give it a wipe but trial and error with the fillings you add to your sandwiches will soon teach you to be careful not to overfill the bread therefore reducing the need to clean up after yourself.

When not in use the sandwich maker can be stored upright so doesn't take up much room in the kitchen cupboard I have mine kept in and it does have non-slip feet which raise it from my kitchen counter when I do use it. For the price I paid for mine I can't be too critical of it really, I knew what to expect when I bought a 'value' product and the end result of toasted cheese and ham sandwiches are always tasty and I've been happy with my sandwich toaster from Argos.

Conclusion

It's not a five-star household appliance but it is functional and its on that basis that I would recommend this one to anyone who wants simple toasted sandwiches and are prepared to settle for fillings that are basic. Four stars as a rating seems fair so that's what the "Argos Value Range 2-Slice Sandwich Toaster" gets from me, looking online for the purpose of this review I have noticed that it is still available to buy online and instore at Argos, it still retails for the price I paid - £5.99 and is item number 423/5424 should anyone want to check it out for themselves.

Thanks for reading my review.