If you love cooking for a crowd, you should consider investing in a good flat top grill. If you don’t have the space and/or the budget for one, then you should get the next best thing – a stove top griddle. Your stove can hardly handle all of the pots and pans you’ll need to make food for a hungry horde. With a stove top griddle, you turn your burners into one flat cooking surface, enabling you to cook multiple foods simultaneously. That’s not all. With a griddle, you become more versatile with your cooking. You can cook fried rice, crab cakes, crepes, and cheesy quesadillas. That’s just a few off the top of our heads. There’s just one thing – not all stove top griddles are made equal. Some are infinitely better than others. And to make sure that you get the right one, we’ve scoured the market for the best ones:
- Lodge Pro-Grid Iron Grill & Griddle
- Lodge Double Play Reversible Grill & Griddle
- Cuisinart MCP45-25NS Double Burner Griddle
- Caannasweis Stone Coated Griddle 9.5″
- Emeril Lagasse 62929 Double Burner Griddle
- Victoria GDL-194 Cast Iron Double Burner
- Stove Top Griddles Buying Guide:
- How big is your ideal stove top griddle?
- Make sure there are walls.
- Look for easy-to-grip metal handles.
- What’s the material of the stove top griddle?
- What’s your price?
- 5 Extra Grills to Focus Your Attention
Lodge Pro-Grid Iron Grill & Griddle
Review: When it comes to cooking over charcoal, nothing can beat the gold standard that is Weber. So, it’s not surprising that the best charcoal smoker on our list comes from the same brand – the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. It has all the features we want and need to create deliciously smoked meat. It comes with a porcelain-enameled lid, bowl, and center section for excellent heat retention. There are two plated steel cooking grates that provide 481 square inches of cooking space. You should be able to cook two large roasts at the same time with this smoker, perfect for your next neighborhood party. There’s a removable aluminum fuel door to make adding charcoal easy even during the middle of your cooking session. This door also allows you access to the water pan. In short, there’s no need to move the grates (and your meat) around if you need to replenish your fuel or water. A silicone grommet allows you to insert a temperature probe and keep a close eye on your meat, enabling you to cook it to perfection. This smoker also features air dampers as well as a large water pan that makes it easy to maintain your desired temperature. The material of the smoker is, of course, of the highest quality, ensuring the unit’s long life in your backyard. As an added bonus, this smoker can easily be converted into a standard grill.
Lodge Double Play Reversible Grill & Griddle
Review: While charcoal smokers are as old school as it gets, that doesn’t mean that none of them have transitioned into the 21st century. The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 is a digital charcoal grill + smoker that combines the mouthwatering flavor from cooking with charcoal and the ease of use that you often find in a gas or electric grill. This baby features a GravityFed hopper that can hold up to 10lbs of lump charcoal or 16lbs of briquettes. There’s a digital control panel that allows you to control temperature and cook time. You can also use your smart device to control the unit; just connect it to the grill via WiFi or Bluetooth. There’s a fan that ensures that the hot air from the hopper flows to the cooking chamber and maintains your desired cooking temperature. It can easily reach 700 degrees Fahrenheit for grilling and searing. Or go as low as 225 degrees Fahrenheit for low and slow cooks. With a fully loaded hopper, you can grill and/or smoke meat up to 12 continuous hours without having to refuel. Even if you did, loading up the hopper is a breeze. What’s more, this grill-smoker combo features smoke + sear versatility. The cast iron cooking grates are reversible, enabling you to sear your meat when needed. With this digital charcoal grill + smoker, you can set it and forget it when the mood arises or keep an eye on your meats while chatting and drinking.
Cuisinart MCP45-25NS Double Burner Griddle
Review: When it comes to cooking over charcoal, nothing can beat the gold standard that is Weber. So, it’s not surprising that the best charcoal smoker on our list comes from the same brand – the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. It has all the features we want and need to create deliciously smoked meat. It comes with a porcelain-enameled lid, bowl, and center section for excellent heat retention. There are two plated steel cooking grates that provide 481 square inches of cooking space. You should be able to cook two large roasts at the same time with this smoker, perfect for your next neighborhood party. There’s a removable aluminum fuel door to make adding charcoal easy even during the middle of your cooking session. This door also allows you access to the water pan. In short, there’s no need to move the grates (and your meat) around if you need to replenish your fuel or water. A silicone grommet allows you to insert a temperature probe and keep a close eye on your meat, enabling you to cook it to perfection. This smoker also features air dampers as well as a large water pan that makes it easy to maintain your desired temperature. The material of the smoker is, of course, of the highest quality, ensuring the unit’s long life in your backyard. As an added bonus, this smoker can easily be converted into a standard grill.
Caannasweis Stone Coated Griddle 9.5″
Review: While charcoal smokers are as old school as it gets, that doesn’t mean that none of them have transitioned into the 21st century. The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 is a digital charcoal grill + smoker that combines the mouthwatering flavor from cooking with charcoal and the ease of use that you often find in a gas or electric grill. This baby features a GravityFed hopper that can hold up to 10lbs of lump charcoal or 16lbs of briquettes. There’s a digital control panel that allows you to control temperature and cook time. You can also use your smart device to control the unit; just connect it to the grill via WiFi or Bluetooth. There’s a fan that ensures that the hot air from the hopper flows to the cooking chamber and maintains your desired cooking temperature. It can easily reach 700 degrees Fahrenheit for grilling and searing. Or go as low as 225 degrees Fahrenheit for low and slow cooks. With a fully loaded hopper, you can grill and/or smoke meat up to 12 continuous hours without having to refuel. Even if you did, loading up the hopper is a breeze. What’s more, this grill-smoker combo features smoke + sear versatility. The cast iron cooking grates are reversible, enabling you to sear your meat when needed. With this digital charcoal grill + smoker, you can set it and forget it when the mood arises or keep an eye on your meats while chatting and drinking.
Emeril Lagasse 62929 Double Burner Griddle
Review: If you want a griddle you can trust, then you should definitely check out the Emeril Lagasse 62929 Double Burner Griddle. Emeril Lagasse is a well-known chef, restaurateur, and TV personality, so he definitely knows what he’s doing in the kitchen. That includes the tools he uses. This stove top griddle is the perfect size for using on top of your double burners as well as in your oven. It is made of heavy gauge aluminum that enables the griddle to heat up quickly and evenly. It also features durable, scratch-resistant, triple layer, nonstick coating for easy cleaning. Even your stickiest foods won’t be hard to wipe off the griddle’s surface. The griddle is large enough to cook multiple burgers on one side and other foods like sauteed onions and bacon to go with your burger. To make the griddle easy to lift on or off your stove (and into the oven if need be), this model comes with a riveted stainless steel handle. Even better, this entire thing is dishwasher-safe, so you can just pop it in to get cleaned while you enjoy your meal to the fullest.
Victoria GDL-194 Cast Iron Double Burner
Review: If you want a more versatile griddle than Emeril Lagasse model, then you need to get the Victoria GDL-194 Rectangular Cast Iron Double Burner. Like our previous pick, this griddle can be placed on top of two standard burners, providing you with double the space for cooking your favorite meals. But that’s about the only thing they have in common. The Victoria GDL-194 model is made of cast iron which is great at retaining heat. You won’t need to wait long for the griddle to get hot enough to cook. More importantly, this stove top griddle features a 100% non-GMO flax seed oil seasoned coating. This seasoning adds flavor to your meal AND prevents your food from sticking to the griddle surface. The coating is free from harmful substances such as PTFE and PFOA. Another big advantage to using this griddle is that it can be used not just with burners. You can use it in an oven, broiler, over a campfire grill, or using an induction cooker. And to further enhance the griddle’s versatility, the Victoria GDL-194 model is reversible. It has a flat side which is perfect for cooking pancakes, bacon, eggs, quesadillas, and the like. And there’s the grill side that enables you to cook burgers and steaks while creating delicious sear marks. Who needs an indoor or outdoor grill when you’ve got this stove top griddle?
Stove Top Griddles Buying Guide:
Griddle me this, griddle me that. There’s no doubt that this cookware is incredibly versatile. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in-between snacks. You name it, you can probably cook it on a stove top griddle. It’s versatility is just one of the many reasons why it has become a must-have in any home cook’s kitchen. However, not all griddles are good enough to produce tasty treats. In our experience, it’s easy to pick the wrong one. After all, they look so alike. How would one be able to differentiate one model from another? Well, that’s what we’re here for – to provide you with an in-depth guide on how to recognize the griddle of your dreams.
How big is your ideal stove top griddle?
How many people do you plan on cooking for? How many times will you cook for that number of people? Would you be cooking multiple foods at once or one type of food at a time? How many burners do you have at home? These are all questions you’ll need to answer if you want to find out the size of your perfect stove top griddle. Small models generally are only able to cover one burner. This is ideal if you’re only cooking for you along with a friend or two. Or, if you only have one burner available. A lot of stove top griddles are big enough to be placed on top of two burners. But that doesn’t mean that these griddles are all of the same size. There will be slight differences in terms of length and width. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding how much food will fit on the cooking surface to get an accurate estimation of the size you’re looking for. If there isn’t any, here’s a good rule of thumb that you can keep in mind – at least 160 square inches. That should be big enough to cook over 6 pancakes at a time. If you’re not sure how to measure the cooking space, just look at the width. Anything less than 9.5 inches is too narrow to cook enough pancakes for 3 people.
Make sure there are walls.
Splatter is inevitable when you’re cooking on a griddle. And since you’ll be cooking over an open flame, any grease that heats that fire can cause a dangerous flare-up. That means that your griddle should have walls on the sides that measure at least an inch high. This prevents grease from splattering to the sides of the griddle AND from flowing over the edge of the griddle. While these walls won’t necessarily eliminate the possibility of flare-ups, it will significantly reduce it. Take note: the higher the walls of your griddle, the more protection you get from grease.
Look for easy-to-grip metal handles.
You’ll be cooking over high heat which means that you’re griddle is going to get very, very hot. To safely move your griddle from stove top to table, you’re going to need handles that are easy to hold and resistant to heat. Handles that are extended upwards or outwards (away from the cooking surface) are the most ideal. It lessens the chances of your fingers getting burned on the cooking surface or its walls. Avoid handles that come with coated with silicone as these may melt during a flare-up. Uncoated metal handles are recommended by experts.
What’s the material of the stove top griddle?
Stove top griddles are made of various types of metals. There’s cast iron, hard-anodized aluminum or cast aluminum, carbon steel, and stainless steel. Let’s discuss the different materials one by one to provide you with an informed choice.
Aluminum is a good heat conductor which means that a griddle made of this material will heat up very quickly. For example, it will only take 1 to 3 minutes to reach 350 degrees Fahrenheit on medium heat. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the griddle. Usually, models made of aluminum feature a non-stick coating on the exterior to make it easy to clean. However, make sure to check the ingredients of the non-stick coating because some of them contain polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) which can cause toxic fumes to be released when exposed to high heat.
Carbon steel is less conductive in comparison to aluminum. The same can be said for cast iron. Under the same conditions, it would take 3 1/2 minutes to 6 minutes for a burner on medium heat to raise the temperature of the stove top griddle up to 350 degrees. Moreover, these materials are good at retaining heat which means that cooling down the griddle from that temperature takes time. In fact, it will probably take up to 24 minutes to completely cool down the griddle and move it to the sink for cleaning. Aluminum models, on the other hand, usually require 14 minutes or less to cool down. That’s not the only issue with carbon steel and cast iron. These two materials can be quite heavy, especially when compared to aluminum models. In short, they are less maneuverable. Moreover, cast iron and carbon steel require more care to prolong their lifespan. Some cast iron stove top griddles come pre-seasoned which may mean touching up the seasoning after use. One benefit of cast iron, however, is that you can easily use it on induction cooktops. Moreover, cast iron models are more durable and last longer (with proper care, of course).
And then there’s stainless steel. In general, stainless steel does not have the same heat retention capabilities of cast iron. This means that it doesn’t get as hot as a cast iron griddle. But it does hold heat better. More importantly, it is easy to clean and requires little to no maintenance. Moreover, stainless steel is resistant to rust and very durable. Like the cast iron griddle, it can definitely last longer than a lifetime. And it requires less care.
What’s your price?
Everyone has a price. Some may be higher than others. But a bigger ticket item does not necessarily mean that it will be better. When it comes to stove top griddles, even the most budget-friendly options can be the best choices. Just make sure that the stove top griddle you’ll be choosing fits easily in your budget without sacrificing quality and performance.