I remember where I was when I first saw a griddle. My Uncle’s 4th of July BBQ in Cape Cod, 2009. Previously, all my burgers, hot dogs & steaks had come from direct grilling. I thought that the pitfalls of grilling were a necessary trade off for the flavor.

Griddles totally changed my perspective on that. A flat, smooth surface that can hold food of all sizes, with more control over temperature, and less variability when it comes to flare-ups. Now, you can find all sorts of griddles for your needs, whether that be on the grill or the stovetop.

Griddle Grills

Let’s start big and work our way down. Blackstone is one of the best griddle grill brands when it comes to the full package. Napoleon is very high quality as well. Griddle grills give you the following: even heat distribution, a large cooking surface, & easy cleanup compared to direct grilling. Nobody likes scraping the grates, and now you don’t have to!

Griddle Pan

Griddle pans are best served for those who like to cook on their stovetop. It is a nice way to mix things up from the traditional frying pan. Whether you’re cooking pancakes, eggs or bacon, making breakfast on a griddle pan is always a good move. You don’t need a gas tank and a big backyard to enjoy some grilled food!

Portable Griddle

There are amazing portable electric griddles out there. The TYTUS Emberwood Portable Propane Griddle is my favorite. It is amazing that something as compact as this can be so precise when it comes to temperature and utility. A very affordable griddle option.

With 4.5mm of carbon steel, and two 12,500 BTU burners, this thing heats up in a hurry, and has plenty of power. Grill lines may be a signature aesthetic of barbecues, but we like to focus on taste and function first over here. When it comes to reliability, griddles are a no-brainer over the randomness that can come with direct grilling. As always, happy cooking!