Same here!!

I do both. I start by setting my stitching then press either to the side or open. Then I turn my piece over and press the top. I like my seams as flat as possible. I do use steam. I press seams open if I have a lot of seams coming together. I always press seams open on my binding and backing to prevent bulk.

My vote!
Sandy

The hardest ones to open completely are the HST blocks. Those little ends seem to want to not open well. So I first set the seam, then, with light on the bottom, open the top and push the tip and side of the iron into the seam just a short way. Then I back off and push the tip of the iron into the seam at each corner. That way I know those corners are really pressed open. And pressing then from the right side helps, too.
Check each of the corners to be sure they are pressed all the way open.

I dry press from the back, then turn over, dry press front and then, when I'm certain there's no fold in the seam, hit it with high pressure steam. My ironing board has a vacuume suction and the steam is pulled thru quickly and the steam used is dry steam.

I set the seam from the back. After that it depends on whether I want the seams to be open or to the side. All pressing is done with steam.

For open seams: after setting, I press them open from the back, flip and press the seam and the entire unit from the front. So the sequence is back, back, front.

For side pressed seams: after setting, I flip the unit face up seam to the left (I'm right handed) and run the edge of the iron along the ridge of the seam gradually moving it to the left and pressing the fold flat. I then flip it to the backside, press the seam again, flip it to the front and press the entire unit. The sequence is back, front, back, front.

Just to be sure, I press from both sides, the front and the back, it just works better for me.