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Burger Presses

Burger presses promise to make patty preparation quicker, with more consistently shaped results than making them by hand.

Published Sept. 1, 2014.

What You Need To Know

We’re always careful to shape patties gently since compressing and overworking the meat turn it tough, but we wondered if a burger press could make the job easier and the results more consistent. We tried out five models, priced from $6.90 to $22.17, making burgers of every size allowed by each press. Those designed like a waffle iron or tortilla press—load ground meat and press down the top to produce the patty—squished the meat, splattering it across the counter or onto our clothes, and the resulting patties had to be peeled from the press with a spatula and then reshaped by hand. It was no surprise that the resulting burgers were tough.

One model fared better. Made by the same manufacturer as our favorite adjustable measuring cup, its clear plastic barrel and plunger design works much the same way: Twist and lock the plunger to produce a 1/4-, 1/3-, or 1/2-pound burger; loosely pack meat into the barrel; and then push to eject the patty. Though the handling of the meat was notably gentle and produced tender burgers, the plunger required significant force, and meat clung to the crevices. Worse, ink markings on the plunger rubbed off onto the patties. We’ll pass on the press and just use our hands.

Everything We Tested

Good : 3 stars out of 3.Fair : 2 stars out of 3.Poor : 1 stars out of 3.
*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.
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