As an apartment-dwelling millennial who never learned how to cook, I have only mastered a few recipes … most of them being sandwiches. One day, I hope to be the proud owner of a panini maker, because nothing elevates a grilled cheese like the fresh, hot-off-the-presses sear. The only problem is, most apartments don’t have the cabinet space to store such a large, non-essential kitchen appliance.
The Hot Bottom food press solved this problem and more, with one deviation from the standard design. Unlike most panini presses, which compress food between two heated plates, the Hot Bottom only uses one. This makes the product less bulky than other products and the smaller surface allows the appliance to heat up more quickly. The hot-plate is also detachable and comes in three different skillet forms, expanding your cooking options to grilling or searing meats, veggies, and more.
The Hot Bottom’s intentionally simple design makes it easy to use. What helps is that we’ve seen this design before, just with a different appliance: the clothing iron. The Hot Bottom’s handle even copies an iron’s flat side, which allows you to stand it upright while the plate heats up. The simplicity of the Hot Bottom food press offers accessibility. I can imagine users purchasing it solely for its sandwich-making power, then gradually branching into other recipes … because I would do the same thing. Novices would love this product because it uses a familiar shape to help get over the initial intimidation factor that comes with cooking. The Hot Bottom proves that, in the case of food presses, one hot-plate is better than two (not the other way around).
Designer: Cole Fungaroli
