Toastie Maker Guides
A toastie maker is a simple machine, but small details decide whether you get a crisp, sealed, molten-centred toastie or a soggy one welded to the plates. These guides cover choosing the right machine, using and cleaning it properly, and fixing the common problems.
Start here: new machine? Read how to use a toastie maker. Cheese everywhere? How to stop toasties leaking. No machine at all? How to make a toastie without a toastie maker.
All guides
- How the toastie maker was born
The history of the toastie maker: 1949 jaffle irons, Breville's 1974 electric sandwich toaster, the UK boom and why we still call a toastie "a Breville".
- Non-stick safety: the facts
Are non-stick toastie makers safe? The facts on PTFE, PFOA and PFAS, ceramic coatings, overheating and scratched plates, plus when to replace your machine.
- Is a toastie maker worth buying?
Are toastie makers worth it? The honest value case: cost per toastie, time saved, what a pan does just as well, and who should skip buying one entirely.
- Butter vs mayo for toasties
Butter or mayo for toasties? How each browns, tastes and behaves in a toastie maker, pan and air fryer, plus oil, spreads and no fat on non-stick plates.
- Toastie cooking times
How long to cook a toastie in a toastie maker (3–5 min), microwave toastie maker, frying pan, air fryer, oven and campfire, with timings by filling.
- Running cost per toastie
How much electricity does a toastie maker use? Cost per toastie worked out at about 26p/kWh, plus how it compares with an oven, air fryer, grill and hob.
- How to clean a toastie maker
How to clean a toastie maker with fixed or removable plates, shift burnt-on cheese safely, and what never to use on non-stick. Step by step, UK guide.
- Toastie without a toastie maker
Every way to make a toastie without a toastie maker: frying pan, grill, oven, air fryer, toaster bags, health grill and more, with times and temperatures.
- Stop toasties leaking
How to stop toasties leaking cheese and filling in a toastie maker: the right quantities, layering, bread that seals, drying wet fillings and edge tricks.
- Using a camping toastie iron
How to use a camping toastie maker or jaffle iron on a gas stove or campfire embers: seasoning, preheating, timings per side, and staying safe.
- Using a microwave toastie maker
How to use a microwave toastie maker step by step, with cooking times for 700W, 800W, 900W and 1000W microwaves, safety rules and fixes for soggy toasties.
- How to use a toastie maker
How to use a toastie maker properly: first use, preheating, buttering, how much filling, cooking times (3–5 min) and getting toasties out cleanly.
- Best bread for toasties
The best bread for toasties compared: white, wholemeal, sourdough, brioche, seeded and gluten-free, with slice thickness and which fit toastie maker plates.
- Best cheese for toasties
The best cheese for toasties: why mature cheddar, mozzarella, red Leicester and Gruyère melt well, which go oily or rubbery, and the best blends.
- How to choose a toastie maker
How to choose a toastie maker in the UK: plate types, fill depth, wattage, sealing, latches, size, cleaning and what to spend, with a quick checklist.
- Toastie maker troubleshooting
Toastie maker not working? Fix one that will not heat, odd lights, uneven browning, a broken latch, tripping or burning smells, and know when to replace it.
- Toastie vs grilled cheese vs jaffle
Toastie vs grilled cheese: how the UK toastie differs from the US grilled cheese, the Australian jaffle and the French croque monsieur, from bread to cheese.
- Every type of toastie maker explained
The six types of toastie maker explained: sealed electric, deep fill, 3-in-1, panini press, microwave and stovetop jaffle irons, with who each one suits.
- What a toastie actually is
What is a toastie? The UK toasted sandwich defined: the sealed triangle, how it differs from a sandwich or toast, the name, and how toasties are made.
- What to make in a toastie maker
What to make in a toastie maker besides toasties: eggs, hash browns, omelettes, waffles, quesadillas, pizza pockets, pastries and desserts, with timings.
- Why toasties stick (and fixes)
Why your toastie sticks to the toastie maker plates, from no preheat and worn non-stick to sugary leaks and cooking spray, plus how to fix and prevent it.
Ready to cook? Browse every toastie recipe.