Let’s set the scene: The month is June and the climate is within the 90s with nary a cloud in sight. The humidity is oppressive and, given the selection, we’d be indoors. This isn’t an possibility. There are flat-top grills to check, burgers to smash, grilled cheese to flip, and bacon to fry. 

That is all to say: We fairly actually put our sweat into testing flat-top grills. In case you’re unfamiliar with them, these out of doors griddles are finest described as propane-powered variations of the big flat-tops short-order cooks use to churn out all types of delights at your favourite diner. Not like a fuel or charcoal grill, flat-top grills are grateless, with massive items of carbon metal serving as their cooktops. Whereas they received’t ship grill marks or smoky taste and may’t do low-and-slow cooking, flat-top grills are nice for browning and searing. Due to their large cooking surfaces, partitions, and a number of burners, flat-tops help you cook dinner a complete lot without delay, use completely different warmth zones, and make historically un-grillable issues outdoors. Consider a full breakfast with pancakes, eggs, and bacon; a heap of peppers and onions; a bounty of fried rice.

To make use of a flat-top is to fall head over heels for cooking on one. In an effort to discover the perfect of those out of doors griddles, we put six of them to the check.

 The Winners, at a Look

The Weber’s expansive cooktop, easy-to-ignite burners, and built-in, slide-out drip tray made this flat-top grill exceptionally simple to make use of. It cooked meals evenly and browned it deeply, and obtained as sizzling as you needed it to go, climbing over 575°F in our assessments. In fact, you get Weber’s distinctive customer support, too.

This flat-top grill is smaller and pricier however has a digital temperature gauge, extra-wide facet tables, a fold-out extending desk, and storage bins to deal with all your grilling instruments. It browned meals rapidly and evenly and, as with the 36-inch Weber, we cherished the built-in, drawer-style drip tray.

Whereas it’s the priciest flat-top grill we examined, the Traeger provides you a great deal of management. It has three separate cooking zones, indicator lights to point out when it’s lit, and even a propane tank stage monitor. Whereas it ran cooler than different grills we examined, it nonetheless produced golden grilled cheese, crispy bacon, and lacy smash burgers.

It is a unbelievable flat-top grill given its sub-$400 price ticket. It will get depraved sizzling, has a drip tray within the rear (which stays out of the best way of the motion), and seared among the laciest, crispiest-edged smashed burgers.

The Assessments

• Heating Check: We preheated the grill for 10 minutes, taking the temperature at varied factors on the cooktop with an infrared thermometer to judge how evenly it was heating. We continued to do that intermittently all through testing, too.
• Grilled Cheese Check: To see how evenly the grills carried out on low warmth, we positioned 12 grilled cheeses throughout its floor. We flipped the grilled cheeses halfway by means of cooking, evaluating their browning. ‘Twas a grilled cheese warmth map!
• Breakfast Check: We made bacon, pancakes, and fried eggs on every griddle, counting what number of of every match. We used two warmth zones for this check: medium for the bacon and low for the pancakes and eggs.
• Smashed Burgers Check: We used every grill to make smashed burgers, cooking them on medium-high warmth. On the opposite facet of the grill, we toasted the burger buns on low. 
• Usability and Cleanup Assessments: All through testing, we evaluated how simple the grills had been to make use of and ignite. Between every check, we scraped any meals remnants into the drip tray. On the finish of testing, we cleaned the drip tray, evaluating how simple it was to take action.

What We Discovered 

The Finest Flat-Prime Grills Heated (Principally) Evenly 

Flat-top grills’ cooking surfaces are large, honking sheets of carbon metal. Their sheer measurement means they’ll take longer to warmth up, however the steel will keep ripping sizzling (very like a carbon metal skillet). Due to their expansiveness, we didn’t suppose it was irregular for there to be some slight sizzling or chilly spots. Nevertheless, the perfect flat-top grills warmth principally evenly and are able to producing near-perfect grilled cheese warmth maps. We didn’t need to see a blackened sandwich beside a golden brown one.

Distinct Heating Zones and Searing Skills Have been Appreciated

All the flat-top grills we examined had three or 4 burners. Due to how large their cooktops had been, we needed to have the ability to use distinct heating zones (one burner on low, three on medium; two burners on excessive, one on medium) so we might, for instance, make smashed burgers and toast burger buns without delay. All of our winners had been capable of obtain this, although we’ll say a lot of the flat-tops obtained extremely sizzling, so err on the facet of utilizing barely decrease warmth. 

For searing, we needed the grills to have the ability to simply hit 500°F. The Webers, specifically, proved adept at this. The Weber 30-inch repeatedly clocked in at 500°F and the 36-inch at 575°F, which is absolutely, actually highly regarded. The Traeger did properly, too: It was 514°F within the heart earlier than we made smashed burgers.

Straightforward Ignition and Drip Tray Openings Impacted Usability

We cherished the straightforward, dependable ignition on the Weber fashions. They’d click-to-ignite burners, which, after we turned the burners to the ignite place, actually clicked them on. It was good to not have to carry down a separate ignitor. It was additionally useful to have a small area between the grill’s physique and cooktop, so you may visually verify if the burners had been on. 

So far as cleanup, large openings that led to sizable drip trays had been a should. The Camp Chef failed right here, with a small gap for its grease properly that simply obtained clogged. The Weber grills’ drip trays and openings had been to the left of the grills, with the trays situated in built-in, pull-out drawers. We cherished the disposable, aluminum pans of those drip trays. It was a lot simpler to only toss them reasonably than scrub down an un-lined tray. 

The Standards: What to Search for in a Flat-Prime Grill and Outside Griddle

The most effective flat-top grills warmth (principally) evenly, have a large temperature vary, and are able to distinct heating zones. They needed to be simple to ignite and have large drip tray openings that didn’t clog. We additionally appreciated grills with massive facet tables—useful for putting sheet trays of raw and cooked meals. 

Our Favourite Flat-Prime Grills

What we appreciated: This Weber pairs an affordable worth with wonderful efficiency and usefulness. Its large cooking floor heated evenly, yielding golden brown grilled cheeses, handily accommodating a breakfast that’d serve 4, and cooking super-crispy smashed burgers with aplomb. It has a smooth-opening hinged lid that sits out of the best way behind the griddle, click-to-ignite burners that reliably begin with an audible “click on,” two facet tables, and a built-in drawer-style drip tray. The disposable aluminum grease pans make for ultra-easy cleanup. Plus, with any Weber grill you get the model’s distinctive customer support.

What we didn’t like: The grill’s facet tables had been a bit narrower than we’d like, although they nonetheless accommodated half-sheet pans.

Key Specs

• Variety of burners: 4
• Cooktop space: 756 sq. inches 
• Extra options: Instruments hooks, facet tables, shelf
• Variety of wheels: 4
• Suitable cowl: See right here
• Guarantee: 5 years

What we appreciated: For a smaller flat-top grill with all the similar options, this Weber impressed us with its searing skills and user-friendliness. For a few hundred greater than the 36-inch Weber, you get a digital temperature gauge, large facet tables, an extendable desk, and storage bins. Like the opposite Weber, the hinged lid easily slides again, resting vertically (however out of the best way) behind the griddle. And the built-in, drawer-style drip tray with disposable liners was a boon for cleanup.

What we didn’t like: Its small measurement, after all, match much less meals than different fashions. For these planning to throw yard bashes, this might restrict its versatility.   

Key Specs

• Variety of burners: 3
• Cooktop space: 540 sq. inches
• Extra options: Instruments hooks, facet tables, shelf, bins
• Variety of wheels: 4
• Suitable cowl: See right here
• Guarantee: 5 years

What we appreciated: With a spacious 594-square-inch cooktop, three completely different temperature management zones, and lights that point out when the grill is lit, that is the Tesla of flat-top grills. And it actually was simple to manage the temperatures of the zones; it did a superb job having a cooler zone for toasting buns whereas sustaining a warmer space for searing smashed burgers. Whereas the griddle ran on the cooler facet, it nonetheless produced superbly golden grilled cheese sandwiches and pancakes, crusty, lacey smashed burgers, and shatteringly crisp bacon. The facet tables match a half-sheet pan properly, too. In order for you management and have a concern of burning dinner, the Traeger takes what generally is a demanding, short-order cook dinner vibe and turns it into one thing manageable.

What we didn’t like: Whereas the gasoline sensor is a pleasant bonus, hoisting the propane tank onto the weighing hook was strenuous. You need to elevate it along with your shoulders because the underside of the grill is low, which is a recipe for pulling your again muscle tissues. One other quibble was the dearth of hooks to hold a grill brush or pair of tongs; you need to purchase them individually. At $900 on the time of testing, this was the most costly flat-top grill in our lineup.

Key Specs

• Variety of burners: 3
• Cooktop space: 594 sq. inches
• Options: Constructed-in ignitor, gasoline gauge, ash keg
• Variety of wheels: 4
• Suitable cowl: See right here
• Guarantee: 5-year restricted

What we appreciated: This factor obtained ripping, blazing, sweat-on-your-eyelids sizzling. And, in consequence, all the pieces we threw on the floor—be it bacon or burgers—cooked as much as golden, caramelized, crispy-edged perfection. We solely seen sizzling spots throughout the grilled cheese check; a fast look on the bread advised us the middle and prime of the grill had been working hotter than the entrance and sides. However past that, and a few gentle sticking of the fried eggs, the Blackstone carried out properly for a sub-$400 flat-top grill. The paper towel holder was a pleasant contact, too. 

What we didn’t like: The facet tables had a niche the place they met the grill, which lowered their usable floor space. The middle and prime of the grill ran a bit hotter than the entrance and sides. 

Key Specs

• Variety of burners: 4
• Cooktop space: 768 sq. inches
• Options: Constructed-in ignitor, rear grease lure, paper towel holder
• Variety of wheels: 4
• Suitable cowl: See right here
• Guarantee: 1-year

The Competitors

FAQs

How do you clear a flat-top grill? 

To scrub a flat-top lady, scrape any meals particles into the drip tray utilizing a steel spatula or scraper. If crucial, you should use a bit of water to loosen and scrape robust, stuck-on bits, however ensure to dry the grill very totally afterward. After cleansing, rub the floor with a bit of oil and clear the drip tray.

Do you must season a flat-top grill?

Similar to carbon metal cookware, you do must season a flat-top grill. Producers often have their very own directions for pre-seasoning, however ensure to wipe the floor with a bit of impartial oil after cooking and cleansing it, which is able to stop the cooktop from rusting. 

What’s the easiest way to retailer a flat-top grill? 

We suggest storing the grill with a canopy on it, to forestall water from rusting the floor. For long-term storage, stash the grill in a dry place, like a shed or storage. 

Why We’re the Specialists

• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the senior commerce editor for Severe Eats. She’s been with the positioning since 2021 and has been testing gear for about six years. She’s written different grilling opinions for the positioning, together with fuel grills. 
• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor for Severe Eats. She’s been with the positioning for about two years and beforehand labored for America’s Check Kitchen and as a line cook dinner. She examined the Traeger Ironwood XL. 
• For this assessment, we examined six flat-top grills, evaluating how evenly they heated, how simple they had been to make use of and clear, and extra.