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Where electric griddles once had limited functionality, were hard to clean, and didn’t hold their temperature terribly well, now you can do everything from making one tiny, perfectly shaped pancake to grilling chicken and then pressing the perfect sandwich like you’re working a flat top at a restaurant.
When shopping for an indoor electric griddle, the most important things to consider are the type of food you want to cook on it; the size, so the griddle doesn’t become a bottleneck when you’re trying to prepare a meal but is also manageable to move and store; and the surface material for ease of cleaning or better heat retention.
I spoke to cooking experts about their favorite models and put the top electric griddles to the test in my kitchen, looking for ones that heat and cook evenly, release food without sticking, and are easy to use, durable, and easy to clean.
What we’re looking for
Dimensions and weight
Griddles come in a range of sizes, from one that fits in the palm of your hand to ones large enough to feed a gaggle of brunch guests. “If you’re thinking of cooking for the whole family, a small griddle isn’t going to be much better than a standard skillet,” says Mike East of Griddle King. “You’ll want something that can handle everything you throw at it without feeling cramped.” However, the griddle also needs to be compatible with your space. I’ve listed the dimensions and weight of each model to give you a sense of how much space it takes up and how difficult it is to move around and/or store.
Surface
Nonstick surfaces make cleanup a breeze (some are even dishwasher safe). Food blogger Jessica Chan says nonstick is especially useful if you’re making food in batches: “The residue from cooking the marinated meats can be easily wiped away with a paper towel so the electric griddle can be used for multiple rounds of cooking.” If you prefer to stay away from nonstick coatings, look for cast iron — but note that it requires careful cleaning (don’t put cast iron in your dishwasher or scrub with harsh chemicals) and needs to be seasoned to keep it healthy long-term.
Temperature range
Most electric griddles allow you to control the surface temperature and typically range from about 250 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Many models go up to 425 degrees, which is ideal for most home-cooking applications.
Additional features
If you’re interested in searing meat, you’ll want a griddle with a removable grease tray to catch meat juices as you cook and make cleanup easier. Extra features, like removable or reversible plates and specialized temperature settings (like the Cuisinart Griddler Five’s “sear” setting) make for more versatile cooking. Auto shutoff and cool-touch exteriors are helpful safety features if you have kids or pets.
Care
Some griddles are hand-wash only, but others have removable plates that are dishwasher safe. Many griddles have grease traps that can be removed and washed separately. And the outside surface of most griddles can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth.
Best electric griddle overall
Dimensions and weight: 19” x 12 1/2” x 4 3/8”, 12 lbs. | Surface: Nonstick cast aluminum | Temperature range: 176–425°F | Additional features: Keep-warm setting | Care: Hand-wash
This is the Goldilocks of electric griddles: It’s affordable but not cheaply built. It’s sturdy but not heavy. It’s large enough to cook for a group but not so huge as to make storage a problem. Most important, it cooks well: The cast-aluminum cooking surface, which food writer and baker Amy Halloran recommends for even surface temperature, heats up quickly (in just a couple of minutes, more quickly than most other models I tested) and evenly and retains an even temperature throughout cooking. This griddle also rises to the top for its sturdy construction; the unit is solid and sits firmly on the counter without wobbling. The unique textured cooking surface, along with its nonstick coating, makes for even cooking without scorching. This is the griddle to pick if you regularly make pancakes, eggs, or other griddle-friendly foods and want something that’s incredibly well built for the price, big enough to handle a meal for three or four people, and easy to clean (though, yes, you do have to hand-wash it).
The Zojirushi exceeded expectations in all my tests, enough so that I tried it with a few additional wild-card meals like chicken, corn on the cob, and a fillet of fish (not burgers, though, since it lacks a drip tray). In each case, my food cooked evenly and released from the nonstick surface easily. And it’s lightweight enough that I could move it on and off the counter without feeling like I was at the gym. The included metal spatula, an uncommon feature, has a slightly blunted end, which reduces the likelihood of scratching the cooking surface.
“I love its spacious and deep cooking surface, which allows me to cook a variety of meals ranging from pancakes to dumplings, Korean barbecue, and even fried rice,” Chan says. “This electric griddle can also be taken apart for easy cleaning and storage.” She adds that, for anyone who likes to prepare meals in advance, the stay-warm feature is effective and doesn’t cook the food further. “Because of its nonstick coating, I don’t have to worry about butter burning or oil pooling in the corner as it does in a skillet,” says recipe developer Grace Elkus, “meaning my pancakes come out picture-perfect every time.” Food blogger Namiko Hirasawa Chen uses her griddle for Japanese comfort foods like yakiniku, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and soufflé pancakes, which are possible only because the Zojirushi comes with a lid, unlike most other models, that can be used for steaming. “Not many griddles do,” Chen says.
Best (less expensive) electric griddle overall
Dimensions and weight: 20” x 10.5” x 2.9”, 6.2 lbs. | Type of surface: Nonstick | Temperature range: 200–400°F | Additional features: Removable dishwasher-safe cooking surface, drip tray Care: Dishwasher-safe plate, hand-wash body
The cooking surface of the Dash Deluxe is similar in size to the Zojirushi’s, but it weighs about half as much. While not quite as sturdy as the best overall pick, it still heats evenly. It also makes a perfect pancake, and the nonstick surface releases food easily. I found it was just the right size to cook food for myself and a couple of other people, without its being so massive that I can’t put it away when it’s not in use. The Dash Deluxe has a removable grease tray, unlike the Zojirushi, making it a better pick for burgers since grease won’t pool on the surface. If you want an affordable, easy-to-clean option with a large enough surface to make pancakes for several people at once, this is a great choice.
Best compact griddle
Dimensions and weight: 5” x 6.4” x 2.8”, 1 lb. | Type of surface: Nonstick | Temperature range: No adjustable temperature | Additional features: None | Care: Hand-wash
Besides being small enough to store in just about any kitchen — it could even get tucked into a utensil drawer — this adorable griddle works incredibly well for preparing simple, one-person meals quickly and evenly: I often eat a single egg for breakfast, and when I do, this griddle is easier to use than pulling out a pan.
The Dash Mini lacks some of the bells and whistles of its more sizable peers (like an adjustable temperature control), but it still has lots going for it. It is the only griddle in this roundup, besides the Cuisinart Griddler, that folds in half and cooks on both sides at once; however, it’s also the smallest: You can cook only one thing (a pancake, an egg, etc.) at a time.
I was surprised, given how affordable it is, that it’s actually pretty sturdy: The hinge is secure and doesn’t wobble, and the plates are secure and thick enough that I expect them to hold up for a long time. The Dash Mini also stays open when you want it to — good news when you’re pouring batter into a hot appliance. The nonstick plates are easy to clean, too. I never had to do more than wipe with a damp (maybe slightly soapy) cloth after it cooled.
Best splurge electric griddle
Dimensions and weight: 12” x 17” x 8”, 21 lbs. | Type of surface: Nonstick cast aluminum | Temperature range: 150–450°F | Additional features: Vented lid, drip tray | Care: Hand-wash
Cooking on the Wolf electric griddle feels like cooking on a flat-top grill in a commercial kitchen because of its shape, its size, and its ability to get searing hot (unlike the Zojirushi, which doesn’t give the same sear on meats). But unlike the commercial flat top, this one’s nonstick, which means my burgers, pancakes, and eggs cook evenly and release with ease, even when I forget to grease the surface. Like the Zojirushi, and unlike many other griddles, the Wolf has a lid, which is great for steaming and for controlling grease splatters.
Because of its size, this griddle does take longer to preheat than some others on this list, but the payoff for your patience is even cooking and a surface that holds its heat consistently. It produced a good sear on burgers (the griddle heats to 450 degrees for those who want a bit of char), and my bacon was consistently crispy, not burned in some places and soggy in others as can happen with models that don’t heat evenly.
The Wolf is big enough to cook burgers for six, and while it’s very sturdy and well made, it’s not so heavy that I can’t easily carry it from cabinet to countertop. It weighs about the same as a five-quart KitchenAid stand mixer or about twice as much as the Zojirushi griddle.
Best cast-iron griddle
Dimensions and weight: 4.3” x 18.9” x 12.8”, 23 lbs. | Type of surface: Preseasoned cast iron | Temperature range: 170–450°F | Additional features: Keep-warm setting | Care: Hand-wash
Cast iron heats evenly and holds heat well, making this the best pick for folks who are primarily cooking meats. When I added burgers straight from the fridge to this grill after preheating it, the heat loss wasn’t as noticeable as with some other griddles I tested (none of which ended up making the cut for Best in Class) and the temperature recovery time was shorter.
Because it’s cast iron, the Hamilton Beach sears like a dream, and it’s made for cooking meats: The slight downward tilt of the cooking surface sends oil straight to the removable grease trap so there’s less to splatter while you cook. It comes preseasoned, but for best results, care for it as you would any other cast iron, including wiping it with a bit of oil when needed. And if you clean with water, let it dry completely before storing to prevent rust. The only downside compared with other griddles is its weight (it was the heaviest model I tested). If you want a dishwasher-friendly griddle that’s as versatile as the Hamilton Beach, you should read on for the Cuisinart Griddler Five.
Best electric griddle for versatility
Dimensions and weight: 10.5” x 12” x 7”, 13.2 lbs. | Type of surface: Nonstick | Temperature range: 175–450°F | Additional features: LCD display, sear function, dishwasher-safe plates, press or flat-cooking functions | Care: Hand-wash body, dishwasher-safe plates
This griddle is the most versatile on this list. It comes with two reversible plates that offer grill or flat-top cooking, allowing me to grill meat on one side and toast bread or griddle some eggs or pancakes on the other. Every other griddle I tested has a flat surface (save for the slight texture of the Zojirushi), but with the Griddler Five, I can use a flat cooktop or the ridged surface of a grill (or panini press).
The Griddler Five can also work as a press or lie flat, which makes it great for griddle lovers who also love a good panini. It takes up less counter space than some of its peers for this reason, too, because it folds in half and has a smaller footprint (but can unfold to about the same size as the Dash Deluxe when you need it to). And it makes the perfect grilled kimcheese (grilled cheese with kimchee inside). Chan says, “If you want to make eggs and steak for breakfast at the same time, purchasing an electric griddle with a dual flat top for the eggs and a grill function for the steak would be ideal.” The sear setting gives this griddle an extra burst of heat to get some nice brown color on your meats quickly.
Best large electric griddle
Dimensions and weight: 20” x 24” x 7.25”, 26.7 lbs. | Type of surface: Nonstick | Temperature range: 200–450°F | Additional features: LCD display, removable glass hood | Care: Hand-wash
This very big griddle is great for RV travel and electric campsites, especially if you’re cooking for a group. Blackstone is already a favorite brand among campers and RVers, and this electric griddle has become a go-to for Jeremy Puglisi, author of Where Should We Camp Next?, who uses this griddle when the weather doesn’t cooperate. “When it’s raining or very cold out, I break out my Blackstone E-Series for big breakfasts with pancakes, eggs, bacon, French toast, whatever my kids want on those particular days,” he says. “I also use it a lot when they have friends sleep over because I can make a lot of food very quickly.”
Compared with our other picks, the Blackstone definitely has more bells and whistles when it comes to precise temperature control: East likes that its large cooking surface has separate zones so foods can be cooked at different temperatures. And the digital control is much more precise than most, allowing you to dial in the temperature to exactly what you want.
The griddle also comes with a transparent hood. “I really like the see-through glass cover,” Puglisi says. “I can put the lid down to melt cheese or steam veggies and still see the food I am cooking.” When the hood isn’t in use, it can serve as a makeshift backsplash, unique among the models we tested. Great news for your RV or campsite cleanup.
Our experts
• Jessica Chan, chef and food blogger
• Namiko Hirasawa Chen, writer of Just One Cookbook
• Mike East, founder of Griddle King
• Grace Elkus, recipe developer
• Amy Halloran, cookbook author and food writer
• Ariel Kanter, food and lifestyle writer
• Elissa Suh, freelance writer and critic
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