10 Best Griddle Pans for the Perfect Sear in your Sunday Steaks
A bright sunny day of May or the rainy, gloomy days of July—has anything ever stopped you from craving chargrilled steaks? Vegetables, we get it, you don’t like as much. But the love for steaks initiates the love for the best griddle pans for us.
But why a pan griddle? What’s wrong with the oven you have? That can surely give you juicy grills! It’s the time, readers. Pan griddles can have your veggies and steaks seared in no time. What about regular fry pans? Now, do they give you raised ridges and char marks? Then off with them too!
However, buying the best griddle pans is a lot of work too. You have to pay attention to the ridges and handle the heat retention and conduction, and there are pan types and materials to pick from too. Let’s hop on to the pans first.
Our Top Pick of Best Griddle Pans
- Best for Breakfast – Ecolution Non-Stick Double Burner Griddle
Making eggs and bacon is so much easier than before and full of flavors. Thanks to the Ecolution griddle pans! - Best for Large Meals – Ecolution Reversible Double Burner Family Griddle
Have a big fat Greek family or a family-like Ron Weasley’s where small portions won’t do? This is the best pan setting for cooking large meals. - Best for Comfortable Handles – Ecolution Non-Stick Square Griddle Pan
The comfort on these handles is out of this world. You will have trouble cooking and making switches on this one, thanks to the handle. - Best Quality – Calphalon Square Griddle Pan
A combination of professional class, use, and powerful cooking. The best quality griddle pans are here. - Best Overall – Rachael Ray Deep Square Griddle Pan
For sous chef cooking by home cooks, oven-friendly, grip-friendly, and with the best materials, this is our overall best pan griddle. - Best with Dual Handles – Lodge Pro-Logic Square Cast Iron Griddle
In case one handle is not befitting your style, a long handle with a lateral loop is the best purchase you can make out of comfortable cooking love. - Best Budget – Farberware Buena Cocina Nonstick Griddle Pan
For those who love a steak but on a pan that doesn’t kill your budget, this one is for the penny-wise steak lovers who want to cook at home. - Best Lid Option – Copper Chef Non-Stick Square Fry Pan
Fancy a lid just as much as you fancy your grills? This is the best option for a grill, a lid, and fast cooking. - Best for Easy Cleaning – Rachael Ray Nonstick Flat Grill Pan
Done with cooking, dusted with eating but hate the cleaning? The easiest cleaning pan grill is here! - Best for Single-Use – Ecolution Artistry Non-Stick Square Griddle
Living alone in a dorm but love to have large portions? Here is a spacious grill for plenty of cooking, all for yourself!
Product Reviews on the Best Griddle Pans
Here, you’re going to find a collection of the best griddle pans featuring different shapes, materials, sizes, and of course, brands. Let’s take a detailed look at them:
1. Ecolution Non-Stick Double Burner Griddle
- Dual Handle: Since the cooking surface is quite big, you will find that the dual handle makes it really easy to move the pan from one place to another, that is, from stovetop to countertop. It also doesn’t put undue pressure on your one hand.
- Non stick Coating: Thanks to the nonstick coating, the food comes off and goes onto the pan quite easily. It also does not stick to the surface and hence is easy to clean after cooking.
- Even Heating: You can place your pan griddle across two stovetops burners and ensure even heating owing to the aluminum construction. This helps with proper cooking.
People say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Therefore, cooking the meal is an important task too! So we want you to succeed in it with the best pan griddle for making breakfast by Ecolution.
For the perfect grilled cheese sandwich on lazy mornings, this pan griddle is really cool.
- Expansive and can cook a lot of meals.
- Dishwasher friendly and easy to clean.
- Extra durable construction featuring aluminum.
- Large yet lightweight.
- The handles should have been extended out for better use.
2. Ecolution Reversible Double Burner Family Griddle
- Reversible: You love the chargrilled look on your steaks, but not your pancakes. This one lets you make a switch between the cooking surfaces with its ribbed side for grilling and the flat side for frying. So when you want a switch between cooking your steak and eggs, you can easily do it without buying a separate pan for it.
- Even heating: Unlike the previous Ecolution Non-Stick Double Burner griddle, this one is made of cast aluminum that ensures even heating and does not rust.
- Compatible: this pan griddle is cool with both electric and gas stovetops. This stovetop compatibility lets you use the griddle with multiple heat sources.
We know how fulfilling (and sometimes tiring) it is to cook for your family! If there are just the two of you, maybe not so much. But with mom, dad, the children, grandma, and uncle Joe, his wife, and two of your neighbors that like to frequently come over, cooking can be very time-consuming.
Did you want something to help you with the heaps of cooking? Here goes!
- Cook large meals on either side of the pan.
- Dishwasher safe so it cuts down on cleaning time.
- Dual handle for easy pan movement.
- Not for induction or glass stovetops.
3. Ecolution Non-Stick Square Griddle Pan
- Functional: The combination of heavy gauge aluminum for even heating and a rust-proof stainless steel base ensures that you get not only heat retention, but also hassle-free cooking in high heat.
- Premium coating: You will get one of the best coatings on this with a multi-layered premium coat. The food release that you get helps you cook without worrying about sticking.
- Silicon Handles: The comfort and ease of use of silicon handles let you cook and carry without causing your hands any injury whatsoever! The handle stands out in terms of convenience and gives you good control.
Ecolution seems to be winning the deal by creating pan griddles that serve every need! The breakfast specialty of the Ecolution Double Burner Griddle and the benefits of the flat side of the Ecolution Reversible Griddle Pan are both replicated in this flat pan griddle by them. However, unlike them, both these come in a beautiful copper shine on the exterior.
- Hammered finish for a beautiful style.
- Extremely protective and durable coating.
- Easy grip on the cool handles.
- Multiple color options to fit with the kitchen decor.
- Heat distribution needs to improve as it focuses on the center more.
4. Calphalon Square Griddle Pan
- Even heating: The heavy-gauge construction has hard-anodized aluminum, unlike any of the Ecolution Griddle Pans we discussed so far. This makes grilling steaks and searing veggies easy with consistent heat.
- Durable: The interior of the pan griddle has 3 layers of premium nonstick coating. Two of them provide durability as you continue to cook on it for months, while the third layer allows quick food release. The coating also lets you cook easily with less butter or oil, whichever you prefer!
- Cool handles: You get long, brushed handles made of stainless steel on this one. These handles stay cool even when you use the griddle on the stovetop, allowing you to make quick switches.
When the quality of the pan griddle above everything becomes the most important for you, you know you can look for commercial-grade griddle pans that are solely used for these purposes!
Not subject to warping easily, twice as heavy as regular grocery store pan griddle options, and dense information, this pan griddle prevents unwanted food slides and lets you cook with confidence!
- Helps to accommodate several servings in a large cooking area.
- Dishwasher and oven are safe.
- Stylish and modern design.
- Allows easy cleanup after cooking.
- The present version is lighter than the original version.
5. Rachael Ray Deep Square Griddle Pan
- Indoor Grilling: The hard anodized pan is perfect for indoor grilling as it gives you fast searing and even heating. The high-quality nonstick on the grill also gives effortless food grilling that makes your indoor grilling stress-free.
- Oven-friendly: You can swap the stovetop for an oven easily and quickly with this pan griddle. So you can easily go from searing to baking, to stewing! It is difficult to damage pans even at high temperatures as they can tolerate up to 400 F.
- Good Grip: It also features a double-riveted silicon handle that is easy to hold and easier to move from one side of the kitchen to the other!
Would you believe that a hard-anodized aluminum skillet could ever beat a cast iron skillet? We were skeptical too! But that was before we saw the Deep Square Skillet by Rahcel Ray!
As the cold weather comes on and your desire to grill steaks comes out, you would be delighted to see how compatible this is with most stovetops. Glass stovetops included!
- The quick food release enables you to clean up the residue from this pan effortlessly.
- PFOA-free nonstick coating is durable after a lot of recipes.
- Reduced spatter as it is deeper than regular pans.
- Trouble keeping the grease on the pan and not the stovetop.
6. Lodge Pro-Logic Square Cast Iron Griddle
- Seasoned: It is a well-seasoned pan that comes seasoned with oil for a natural finish. This also allows an easy release that only perfects with each use.
- Versatile: You can take it for camping, use it for outdoor or indoor grilling on the stovetop or the oven, anywhere you like, and it will deliver! It also lets you enjoy a good grill without the ridges!
- Excellent heating: Being made of high-quality cast iron, this skillet has excellent heat retention and conduction properties. The retention is so good that you can turn off the stove midway through cooking, and the retention will cook the rest of the food!
You know how there are complaints about handles on pan griddles? When the handle is elongated, they say it throws you off-balance when raising a spacious pan.
Again when it is too close to the pan, it feels hot. What if you combine the two? You get the benefit of handling a spacious pan with ease with the help of these two; you can toss and shove it in the oven, all in one!
- Requires very little cleaning.
- Unparalleled heating and retention properties.
- Good service in multiple types of cooking while maintaining longevity.
- Needs to be hand washed.
7. Farberware Buena Cocina Nonstick Griddle Pan
- Sturdy: As this is made of aluminum, the construction is tough. It will last you recipes after recipes to come without warping easily.
- Strong: The double-riveted handle on the pan makes it strong and easier to work with. So you do not have to fear the handle coming off after prolonged use in the middle of your cooking.
- Convenient: Being dishwasher safe, you do not need to worry about the residues in these that you have to scrape off, unlike cast iron griddles. Moreover, they are also cool with the oven, as they can tolerate high temperatures of up to 500 F, which is the highest on the list for aluminum pans.
The usage of aluminum in the making of pan griddles has been long seen since we introduced you to Ecolution Griddle Pans. How is it different from Farberware?
Farberware gives you a thinner construction which is 22% less heavy than the Ecolution pans of similar build and setup. Also, it is smaller in size, making it perfect for those who don’t like to handle large pans or heavier ones.
- Effortless clean up after cooking.
- Easy food release prevents sticking to the surface.
- Requires less fat and oils to cook.
- Some users found it to be a little flimsy for large servings cooking.
8. Copper Chef Non-Stick Square Fry Pan
- Coating: A lot of coatings have come up so far. But we bet you haven’t seen anything like The CeramiTech nonstick technology on the pan. This ensures that your pan is PTFE-free. This means that absolutely nothing will stick onto the surface of the pan, and now you can easily cook without shrouding your pan in butter, oil, or chemicals!
- Even Cooking: There is no single hot spot or haphazard hot spot on the pan with this one! You get an even distribution of heat where all parts of the food are cooked properly. There is no blind spot left undercooked.
- Resistant Handle: The double-riveted handles can resist temperature up to 850 degrees, letting you handle the pan with ease.
Here’s something totally different from the pan griddles that you are used to seeing both in today’s lists and in general.
A copper-colored, stylish pan griddle that comes with a lid to accelerate the cooking process and seal-in flavors, this one is a perfect option that combines the fineness of the grill and sophisticated look all in one!
- Requires no oil when frying.
- Easy pan pickup as handles doesn’t heat up so fast.
- Scratch-resistant even after consistent use.
- The lid and deep pan adjustments need to be more befitting.
9. Rachael Ray Nonstick Flat Grill Pan
- Proper Heating: Being made of hard anodized aluminium, this griddle pan is ideal for an even distribution of heat that cooks the meat from the center to the edges in the same consistency. So you don’t get an overcooked center and burnt sides.
- Durability: The handles are as durable as the pan itself. It gives you not only comfort but also control and lasts your recipes after recipes without coming off. Since the food also releases effortlessly, you will find yourself not scraping off the surface, which makes things more long-lasting.
- Easy Cleaning: And since this is dishwasher-safe, you need not worry about leaving it in the sink, soaked in water, and wait to clean!
Another Rachael Ray option for those who are looking to buy this brand but want to spend a little less! Compared to the Rachael Ray Deep Square Pan, this is much flatter.
But it has the same perfection of indoor grilling that is so loved by the cult. Perfect for breakfasts and making crepes, let us take a look at how this one is a good starter.
- Harder than stainless steel construction.
- Comfortable handles that allow you to deal with the heated pan easily.
- Perfect for gas stovetops.
- Not for ceramic cooktops.
10. Ecolution Artistry Non-Stick Square Griddle
- Multipurpose: This is a high-performance pan where you can not only cook different kinds of breakfast meals and egg recipes but also grill burger patties, steak, and sauteed vegetables. This will not only perform but also last your cooking sprees.
- Heat distribution: Along with the heavy gauge aluminum construction, the rings on the bottom of the pan allow even heat distribution. This is essential to ensure that your cooking is not over or under requirement and is a delectable meal at the end of the day!
- Eco-friendly: Since the nonstick coating is PFOA-free on this one, it emits less greenhouse gas and is ecologically advanced. So you get more confident and proud of its use.
And the list is ending with our favorite Ecolution griddles! This is quite like the Farberware Buena Cocina pan, except that this one tends to be heavier and has more space.
You could fit a Farberware pan inside an Ecolution one but not the opposite. So for single-serving larger meals, Ecolution will definitely beat Farberware for us!
- Safer as it emits less harmful gas.
- Extreme protection and durability from the nonstick coating ensure long usage.
- Easy to clean since it is dishwasher friendly.
- Handle could be extended further out.
- Some had issues with warping.
Types of Griddle Pan
There are two kinds of best griddle pans in the market that are most used and most popular. They are cast iron pans and nonstick pans. Which one of these is the better one? For us, it’s the iron.
1. Cast Iron Griddle
A lump of molded iron is used to make cast iron griddle pans. If these are enameled too, that means they are easier to clean, and you will have to rub and scratch burnt residues off them after cooking your steaks.
You will find excellent heat retention in these pans. But first, you have to pass the waiting time. After five minutes of heating, the heat distribution is even and lets you cook fast. Also, these have mobility issues, as you will find them heavier, but who’s lifting in the middle of cooking steaks anyway?
2. Non Stick Griddle
The prime reason these are so loved is that they are so easy to clean. No need to rinse, rub, dry, and oil like the iron pans! Only wipe down with liquid dishwashing soap, and you’re done. However, these are more expensive than cast iron pans, have poorer heat retention, and will take you comparatively longer to cook in these.
Cooking with a Best Griddle Pans
We’ll teach you how to cook delicious food on a stovetop or burner using a pan griddle and also teach you how electric griddles should be used. Here goes the stovetop first for you.
Stovetop
So you have the best griddle pan for a gas stove but don’t know how to use it for perfect cooking? Follow these steps:
- Start by preparing your food in thin to medium sizes. You can cook anything between chicken, steak, fish, veggies, and sliders on this pan. Now, begin rinsing and drying your pan griddle to prepare it for the next rounds.
- Brush high-smoking point oil onto your food. This will prevent the good from sticking to the pan and will obviously help it cook without being burned.
- Heat up your pan to get an even distribution of heat throughout the surface.
- Using tongs, place your uncooked steak/fish/veggies on the preheated pan perpendicular to the ridges.
- Varying with the food you have put on, after the cooking time passes for each side, flip the sides. Don’t flip them too often, as the char marks won’t shine so well then. Aubergines and courgette slices should be done in 2.5 minutes, while fish and meat may take up to 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of it.
- Flip the other side and let it cook. A thermometer if you have, you can check the heat as you cook for the perfect end results.
- Flip and turn to check the food. If you’re satisfied, take it off and enjoy!
Electric
Cooking in a grill pan for electric stoves is just the same as above. You don’t need to know anything exceptional except that this time, you are powered by electric currents and not gas. The best bit is that this gives you more even heating than burner pan griddles, and cleaning after the delectable food is down your stomach is easy as well!
Making The Perfect Steak on a Griddle Pan
Laid your hands on the best grill pans for the outdoor grill? Now you need to know how to make steaks that will help you enjoy the meal with flash-frying! Be it a cast iron or a nonstick griddle; the techniques can be as follows.
- First off, pick the cut of steak you like, with any thickness that fits you best.
- Now oil the cut. You will use a high smoking point oil. For this, peanut, canola, soybean or avocado oils are good. Avoid olive oil as it heats easily and may burn your desired steak! But remember not to oil the pan so much as you oil the food. One good reason for using the pan griddles is that we’re willing to cut off the excess grease.
- Preheat your pan for 3-5 minutes on medium-high heat. For even cooking and beautiful char marks, this heating helps a lot.
- Place the steak on the pan and decide on your doneness of the steak and heat for 1.5-5 minutes for a rare to well-done steak on each side. Sprinkle salt and pepper as you do each side, and don’t forget another brush up of oil.
- Instead of moving the food frequently, let one side cook. After the time per side as mentioned above, rotate your steak by 45 degrees to get the slanted char marks. To increase the flavors and smokiness, cover with a lid. You can also use a steak press to let it cook better.
- Time to plate and gulp down!
Buying Guide for the Best Griddle Pans
A lot of things go into making sure that your griddle pans serve you well. Whether you will be eating alone at home or have friends over from time to time, buying the right griddle pan is important. This is what you need to look out for.
Materials
Different kinds of materials go into making pan griddles. Some of them are as follows:
Cast Iron
You will find there is no match for cast iron griddles pan when it comes to creating flavors on your steak! The wider and higher ridges ensure that the fat released and the smokiness from the iron creates a delicacy that would love, and so this remains our first choice in pan griddles.
You will find two kinds of cast iron griddles. Enamel-coated ones are non-sticky and Uncoated ones that rust easily and need frequent oiling.
Stainless Steel
As you know, these are not good conductors of heat. But once you combine them with a copper base, they can heat things up easily and are dishwasher-friendly, unlike cast iron pans that need hand washing.
Carbon Steel
You will find them acting as great alternatives to cast iron griddles without being as heavy as them. However, these tend to be thin, so the heating is not so good. But if you’re on a budget, these can be a good purchase.
Ceramic
Ceramic cookware and especially pan griddles, have a nonstick coating on them and have good heating properties. But the coating doesn’t last as long as you would like it, but these tend to be affordable.
Hard Anodized
You will always find these pans in exceptionally grey and black shades. This hard and sleek finish comes from the electrochemical treatment. This gives you two different benefits. One, it does not chip or peels when you scratch your steel spatula against it while cooking. Two, it does not react and mix with acidic food, which can change the taste of your food. They are also light and heat easily and, of course, are a contemporary favorite!
Aluminum
Aluminum pans are easy to clean and with durable construction. They usually have an enamel coating on the outside that can tolerate high heat from the stovetop and an internal coating that prevents food burning and sticking on them. This one’s also resistant to scratching while cooking, so you can wage war with your spatula on these!
Heat Conduction and Radiation
We have already discussed most of the heat conduction in the materials. But how is radiation important? The areas of your pan which will not heat up easily by conduction will use radiation principles to heat up and accelerate the cooking process. So look for high radiation power.
Again, retention is important too. Your pan should not lose its heating as you cook (which is rarely the case) or switch stovetops.
Handle
Having long handles on your griddle pan is very welcome. This will keep the heat sources away from the handle and let you take things off the stovetop easily. But for long, single handles have negative impacts on the maneuverability and weight of the pan; having another handle along with or having loops or tongues on the pan always helps.
Make sure that your cast iron skillet always has cool handles that are not affected by heat conduction to prevent any injuries.
Bare vs Enameled
Enameled pans are better loved by users like us for their great benefits! These prevent the food from sticking, don’t need pre-seasoning or additional nourishment. But bare pans need both seasoning and nourishment to keep them going. The latter is also cheaper. But then again, this requires less upkeep than enamel pans. So it is totally up to you which benefits you want to trade-off between the ones of bare and enamel-coated griddle pans.
Ridge
Sharp and HD ridges are super important to get the char marks on your food that you love so much! High and raised ridges keep the food away from the oil/fat content and drain the excess fat, allowing the food to absorb less oil and be more flavorful.
On the other hand, since foods stay on the surface of shallow ridge griddles, they heat up and hence cook faster in these. The oil consumption is higher in shallow ridge pans.
Nonstick
Nonstick pans save you from frequent seasoning, food sticking to the surface, and rigorous cleaning. So always opt for these options, making sure the coating lasts long.
Oven-friendly
A much-known cooking technique for steaks is that after searing it on the pan, it goes for a really short time into the oven. In such cases, if your pan griddle is not oven-friendly, you’ll stay aloof from this chef’s technique. But we don’t want that! Hence, try to find oven-friendly options.
Shape
Square griddle pans give you more warmth and cooking area than rounded griddle pans. So unless you have preferences, opt for square shapes in your pan griddles.
dishwasher, there isn’t raw meat stuck into the blades of the tenderizer. Always brush off the excess debris.
Frequently Asked Questions of Best Griddle Pans
Final Words
And that brings us to the end of our hunt for the best griddle pans! As you saw, there were plenty of shapes to pick from, even ones without a ridge that you could use to make your steaks and veggies.
Be it the best grill pan for vegetables or steaks, if we had to pick one, it would definitely be the Rachael Ray Deep Square Griddle Pan for its quick stovetop to oven swap, comfortable handles, and easy cleaning and depth for thick cuts of steak cooking. Another great option would be the Calphalon Square Griddle Pan with its exceptional quality featuring hard-anodized aluminum that has a low profile, perfect for cooking crepes and French toasts! And for the ultimate smoky flavors on your at-home steaks, it will be the Lodge Pro-Logic Square Cast Iron Griddle.
No matter which one you pick, you can always trade-off between cast iron and nonstick pans, or even choose from a wide range of material we mention in our guide. But for the right smokiness and rustic feel, cast iron definitely has our heart.
Once you pay attention to how efficiently and tastily your food is done in these griddle pans, you’d cut ties with regular pans. And that’s a promise!
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