Contact Grills

A contact grill, also known as a sandwich press, is an appliance that heats food from both sides simultaneously, reducing the total cooking time by half compared to a traditional one-sided grill or griddle surface. A well-calibrated two-sided hot surface ensures even browning and the characteristic grill ridge imprint on both sides of the product, delivering juiciness and a tender meat texture inside. Professional contact grills are designed for intensive, high-volume continuous operation, which is a mandatory requirement for burger restaurants, sandwich cafés and fast-casual businesses. BHS offers a range of contact grills for various power and size requirements.

Contact grill technology and features

Professional contact grills have several key features. Adjustable pressure – from light (for panini) to heavy (for thicker burger patties) – ensures the most suitable cooking process for each product. Independent top and bottom temperature control allows precise temperature settings for each surface according to the product. The grill surface material – cast iron or stainless steel with a non-stick coating – affects heat distribution and easy cleaning. Wider professional models allow multiple products to be cooked simultaneously, ensuring high throughput. A timer with an audible signal reminds users of the cooking time, reducing the risk of human error.

HACCP and hygiene in contact grill operation

A contact grill operates at high heating temperatures (180°C–230°C), ensuring complete thermal processing of meat products in accordance with HACCP requirements. The internal cooking temperature for a meat burger must reach at least +72°C – with an intensive contact grill and good pressure, this happens in 2–4 minutes. The grill surface must be cleaned of grease residue after each shift – accumulated grease can ignite or contaminate subsequent products. Special grill scrapers and sponges are essential accessories. BHS recommends professional specialised chemical cleaning agents for grill surfaces, which effectively remove grease deposits without scratching the surface.

HoReCa usage scenarios

In a burger restaurant, the contact grill is the main and central piece of hot equipment – it ensures significantly faster service times than a classic one-sided grill or griddle surface. In sandwich and panini cafés, a contact grill allows Italian-style panino to be prepared in minutes. In hotel breakfast areas, a contact grill is used for omelettes, cheese toasts and vegetable grilling. In fast-casual businesses, a contact grill with a flat surface is also used for preparing hot sandwiches and chicken fillets. In food courts and kiosks, a compact contact grill is an essential piece of equipment for preparing hot dogs, sandwiches and heated products with high throughput.

Frequently asked questions

What power contact grill is needed for a burger restaurant? For most medium-sized burger restaurants serving 100–200 portions per day, a 2–4 kW contact grill with a width of 40–60 cm is sufficient. For large volumes or parallel preparation, several smaller models are often more effective than one large unit.

Can the contact grill surface be replaced? In many professional models, the grill plates are interchangeable, allowing different surface configurations to be chosen – ridged for a classic grill imprint or smooth for pan-like frying.

Why choose BHS?

BHS – Baltic HoReCa Solutions supplies professional equipment for restaurants, cafés, hotels and canteens: more than 20,000 products from many manufacturers. Our specialists help you choose the right equipment and spare parts for your kitchen or bar.

Delivery

We deliver across the European Union. Delivery time and cost depend on the order volume and destination — contact the BHS team for an exact price and lead time.