Hallco MEMT16052XNS Panini Contact Grill – Ribbed Top & Flat Bottom

The Hallco MEMT16052XNS is a dual-plate contact grill designed for commercial sandwich and panini service. The upper plate is ribbed, producing the char marks and texture that work well on pressed sandwiches, ciabattas and grilled vegetables, while the lower plate is flat, providing even contact across the full cooking surface. The combination makes it a practical choice where a kitchen needs to handle both pressed paninis and items that benefit from a smooth, uninterrupted cooking surface.

In a working kitchen environment, the counterbalanced top plate is a meaningful detail. It reduces the effort required to lift and hold the lid during busy service, and it helps maintain consistent downward pressure across food without the operator having to apply force manually. The adjustable thermostat gives enough range to move between light toasting and more intensive grilling without significant delay, and the cooking surface is wide enough to run several portions simultaneously during a lunch rush.

From an operational standpoint, the key practical points are:

• Ribbed top plate produces clean grill marks on sandwiches and pressed items
• Flat bottom plate suits delicate items that need even, consistent contact
• Counterbalanced lid reduces operator fatigue during continuous service
• Removable drip and crumb tray speeds up cleaning between services
• Dual 13-amp supply means no specialist electrical installation is required

On installation, this unit runs on a standard dual 13-amp supply, which keeps setup straightforward and avoids the need for hardwired connections or specialist electrical work. It sits comfortably on a countertop and is well suited to operations where worktop space is at a premium. There is no water connection required, and ventilation demands are typical for a contact grill of this type — adequate general kitchen ventilation is normally sufficient, though this should be confirmed against your canopy or extraction setup.

This grill is a sensible fit for sandwich bars, cafés, hotel kitchens, school canteens, and similar operations running a steady volume of pressed or grilled items through a service period. It is not designed for continuous high-intensity use across multiple covers simultaneously — for sites with heavier throughput requirements, a more robust or larger-format unit may be worth considering.

If you are unsure whether this model is the right match for your service volume or kitchen setup, the team is happy to talk it through before you commit to a purchase.