What to Look for in the Best Flat Top Grill
While making the final decision of which flat top grill to bring home, sort your priorities. Ask yourself how your ideal cooking companion should look like and what features it should possess. Here is the checklist that we recommend.
Size and Power:
Small or compact units are usually more kind to your pocket. They consume less space and saves you from the hassle of storage.
A small unit does not necessarily cook an insufficient amount of food. A compact flat top cooking system such as the CUISINART CGG-888 with 30,000 BTUs of power is often good enough for an entire family or a small gathering. Smaller units such as the Presto 07061 22-inch Electric Griddle are good for two.
However, if you mean to use the unit for your business or simply for entertaining generous parties, go for a larger and more powerful flat top grill for sale like the Blackstone 1554 Station – Professional 36 inch Outdoor Flat Top Gas Grill Griddle.
The Fuel Type:
In order to ensure maximum portability and effortless use outdoors, most flat top grill carts are propane powered. If this is precisely what you want from your ideal flat top grill, choose units that run on gas.
Most models on our listicle are propane-powered such as the Camp Chef Flat Top Grill. Although, you should bear in mind that you have to buy the propane separately.
Electric flat top grills, on the other hand, are useless in places that do not have a power outlet. If your grilling is intended for indoors or simply your patio then this type of grill is great for you.
These are small and lightweight, so you can take it anywhere as long as there is a power outlet. Presto 07061 22-inch Electric Griddle is a great choice.
Number of Burners:
Flat top grills that have two burners are generally medium to small. While two burners are sufficient to generate enough heat to cook anything, the issue lies in the fact that they do not offer separate cooking zones.
Cuisinart CGG-888 is a pleasant exception. This one has only two burners but offers two separate heating zones anyway.
Units that have four burners in place provide separate cooking zones and lets you cook different things at a time. Blackstone 1554 Station – Professional 36 inch Outdoor Flat Top Gas Grill Griddle is one such versatile stove.
The Thickness of the Cooking Plate:
The cooking plate of the best flat top grill should be thick enough. This ensures even distribution of heat throughout the cooking area. Hence, your pancakes are uniformly baked and beef properly seared.
The material may be cast iron or stainless steel, or anything else for that matter. Make sure that it is thick enough. All the great cooking machines that made our top list fulfill this requirement.
Ease of Cleaning:
Flat top grills are always easier to clean than regular grills with bars. Even then, trouble-free cleaning varies from one stove to the other.
The most important thing you need to look for is an efficient grease management system.
If the grease generated from cooking is channeled and funneled efficiently, cleaning the unit after use becomes a piece of cake.
Blackstone Tabletop Grill – 22 Inch Portable Gas Griddle and Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef’s Style Stainless Tabletop Grill are a couple of flat tops with a neat grease drainage system.
Even then, no matter how easy maintenance your flat-top is, it isn’t going to clean itself. Using a superb grill scraper always helps. We use Easy Function Grill Scraper. It’s super convenient and we like the fact that it is wooden.
Common Queries about Flat Top Grills and Their Solution
01. What can I cook on a flat top grill?
Anything and everything.
From baking pancakes to sauteeing veggies and searing BBQs, you can do anything with a flat top grill. This variety of grilling machines is more versatile than its counterpart- conventional grills ( with bars ).
02. Is cooking with flat top grills healthy?
Yes indeed.
Flat top grills cook your food keeping the moisture content of the food intact. This allows you to cook with minimum cooking oil. This way, the cooked meals are not only juicier and tastier, but healthier as well.
03. Which is better, stainless steel or cast iron grill?
Both cast iron flat top grills and stainless steel grills have their own sets of pros and cons.
Cast iron retains heat for a longer period of time. However, it is prone to corrosion.
Units that come with cast iron cooking surfaces are usually protected with a coating. Even then corrosion can take place over time. These also require more effort in maintenance.
Stainless steel tops don’t get as hot as cast iron. The upside is, units made of stainless steel cooking plates are more durable and easier to clean and maintain. They darken over time, but this does not hamper the taste of food.
04. Which oil is best for flat top grills?
The best cooking oil for use over flat top grills Avocado oil.
Avocado oil is popular for its high smoke point. This means that it is great for high heat cooking. Just make sure that the brand that you choose provides high-grade avocado oil and not an unbalanced vegetable oil blend.
The non-GMO Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil is a great brand for your flat top.
Extra virgin olive oil and canola oil are also fitting options.
Olive oil adds a unique flavor to your cooking while canola oil is neutral and won’t meddle with your recipe. Pompeian Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a fine option if you go for the former while Spectrum Naturals Canola Oil is a superior brand if you choose the latter.
05. Can I use pots and pans on a flat top grill?
That depends.
Try not to. Even if you do, be cautious. Pans tend to leave scratches on your cooking surface and do some damage to the unit permanently.
The Last Sizzle
Like we mentioned in the beginning, the days of flat cooking platforms crafted with clay are over. There are innumerable options in numerous forms out there to choose from.
A wrong move could cause a lot of frustration and name-calling and may make you end up wondering if it would have been better if you made something with clay instead.
The trick here is to choose wisely. And we have poured out all our wisdom into this article, one of the best flat top grill reviews on the internet today.
Hope this has landed you with your ideal flat top grill and you keep sizzling with it for a long long long time.
Ta-Ta!
More Related Product Review:
![Top 10 Best Flat Top Grills [2021 Reviews] 1](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/824d1d131d4732d1185b4c8cc1d35f98?s=96&d=mm&r=g "Top 10 Best Flat Top Grills [2021 Reviews] 1")
![Top 10 Best Flat Top Grills [2021 Reviews] 2](https://boatbasincafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Cuisinart-CGG-306-Chefs-Style-Stainless-Tabletop-Grill.jpg "Top 10 Best Flat Top Grills [2021 Reviews] 5")
![Top 10 Best Flat Top Grills [2021 Reviews] 3](https://boatbasincafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Presto-07061-22-inch-Electric-Griddle-With-Removable-Handles.jpg "Top 10 Best Flat Top Grills [2021 Reviews] 11")
