Andrew Heinzman
It can be hard to cook a large meal for your friends or family. After all, a stove can only hold so many pans. But, armed with a stovetop griddle, you can cook for everyone.
Stove top griddles are, essentially, large flat cooking surfaces that across the burners on your stove. You turn the burners on, heat up the griddle, and boom, you have a grill.
Griddles are great for cooking large quantities of food, but they’re also great for cooking specific types of food on a whole new level. Meats, fried rice, and pancakes simply cook better on a grill. Not to mention, some griddles are non-stick, and they don’t require a lot of oil or grease to cook a good meal.
But it can be difficult to find a griddle that suits your needs. There are cast iron griddles, non-stick griddles, and large griddles that cover your entire stove. Lucky for you, we’ve taken the time to find the best griddles, and to explain which one might be the best for your needs.
The Best Cast Iron Griddles ($30)
Cast iron is king, for many reasons. It’s easy to clean, easy to use, and it can last forever. Plus, cast iron cookware can fortify your food with iron, and reduce the amount of oil and fat that you use to cook. It’s a great way to go a little bit healthier, without too much effort.
But small cast iron pans can only cook so many things at a time. If you want to make a full meal with cast iron, then you’ll need something bigger. Perhaps a cast iron griddle is the best solution.
Lodge is one of the most well known and reputable cast iron companies. Their products are durable, well-made, and affordable. The Lodge pre-seasoned cast iron griddle is a 16″, two burner griddle that’s easy to clean and store. It’s reversible, with a smooth side for eggs and pancakes, and a ribbed side for meat. At $30, the Lodge cast iron griddle is a great option for anyone that wants a relatively large cast iron surface for a reasonable price.
If the Lodge cast iron griddle isn’t big or pretty enough for your taste, then you should check out the Fresh Australian Kitchen pre-seasoned cast iron griddle. It’s a 20″ long two-burner reversible griddle, with a smooth side and a ribbed side. It has some nice handles, and grooves to trap any oil and grease that might come out of an intense burger session. For $43, it’s a pretty decent deal. After all, good cast iron appliances can outlive you when they’re properly taken care of.
The Best Stainless and Non-Stick Griddles ($25+)
Cast iron isn’t great for all foods, and you can’t really throw it in the dishwasher. If you’re looking for a griddle surface that’s a little easier to deal with, then you should consider grabbing a non-stick griddle.
Anolon sells a pretty nice 24″ two-burner hard anodized non-stick griddle for just $90. Hard anodized appliances are by far the best non-stick solution for your kitchen. They’re better than Teflon, and they don’t flake away or fall apart after heavy use or a trip through the dishwasher. Consider hard anodized cookware the non-stick equivalent of stainless cookware.
But if you’d like something more affordable, then you should take a look at the T-Fal A92114 two burner stainless griddle. It’s an 18″ dishwasher safe griddle that only costs $25. It’s a relatively deep griddle and could be used to make some soupy dishes.
The Best Full Sized Stove Top Griddles ($104+)
If you want a real kitchen experience, then you’re going to need a bigger griddle. Thankfully, there are some four-burner griddles on the market, and they’re relatively inexpensive. These griddles cover your entire stove top, and they’re great for putting together giant meals for the whole family.
The Chef King 7 gauge griddle is relatively easy to clean and store. It’s a 23″ stainless griddle with heat resistant handles. It has a relatively high lip to keep grease from going all over your floor and countertops. It costs $104, but it should last you a long time if you take care of it. And hey, it costs less than a grill.
But if you really want an authentic grill experience, then you’ll have to spend a little bit more money. The Steelmade flat top 30″ grill costs $169, but it’s worth the price. It’s large enough to cover your whole stove top, and it even has a little grease trap for easy cleaning and long cooking sessions. Speaking of grease, you won’t have to use too much oil with the Steelmade griddle, because it’s pre-oiled by hand for a natural non-stick surface. You could just leave this griddle on your stove top forever, but it’s only 30 pounds, so you won’t have too much trouble moving it around.
