I have a manual one, if you will. It is oh so handy. I love cooking chicken breasts and burgers on it. The heavy top allows the meat to cook more quickly and it seems that the moisture stays in the meat much more so, than if you cook it to death for more minutes on a regular stove top/pan. You can cook veggies with it....it is endless. AND grilled cheese sandwiches are the best on my panini! Mine is an All-clad...teflon coated (ugh)...(we're all gonna die from teflon, I'm afraid.)....

Right now Lucy, the little black barn cat of mine, is putting her big furry head right on my right hand, as I type. She would crawl inside me if she could. Talk about a velcro kitty.

Back to the panini....I can't believe I waited as long as I did, to buy mine. I figured someone would make them less expensively eventually. I bet they are all about the same, but the prices vary somewhat. I guess I have had mine for about 3 years now.

I like mine because it is so easy to clean. Since it is not electric, I can submerge it completely in the soapy water. I find that my waffle maker begins to collect icky batter in the oddest of places. And since it is electric, I can't soak it etc..... then I get out a toothbrush......ugh. and start cleaning...