Griddles and grill pans

A griddle is a flat plate, smooth or ribbed (grill), that sits on the hob to cook meat, fish and vegetables with very little oil; a grill pan is the same thing with a frying pan handle, and a hot stone grill brings the plate to the table over spirit burners or a gas burner. Here are the 65 models we sell, from 18 to 65 cm, in cast iron, natural iron, cast aluminium with a non-stick coating, uncoated multi-ply stainless steel and stone, from Ibili, Lacor, Garcima, Inoxibar, De Buyer, Ilsa, Alexalo, Louis Tellier, Pujadas, Kitchen Craft and Wecook.

The two we have sold most since 2013 are the enamelled cast iron grill griddle by Garcima, with 507 units across 416 orders and a rating of 9.6 out of 10 from 40 reviews, and the Ibili tinned steel bread toaster for the gas hob, with 610 units. Frying pans with sides are in frying pans, accessories for cooking over charcoal in barbecue and paella burner accessories, and the rest of the pots, woks and paella pans in cookware.

How to choose a griddle by material, with the data from each product page

Outside these families are the Ibili tinned steel bread toaster in 20 x 20 cm with a folding handle, for gas, wood and charcoal, the Ibili Induplus roasting tray in 40 x 26 cm that doubles as a griddle and an oven tray, the De Buyer Inocuivre oval roasting dish in 32 and 36 cm in copper with a stainless steel lining (for electric and ceramic hobs, not induction) and the Lacor replacement handles in 36 and 47 cm for its Eco Piedra griddle plates.

Smooth, ribbed or both: which surface suits you

The smooth surface touches all of the food and is the one that best browns a piece of fish, an egg, a slice of toast or a thin vegetable; the ribbed grill lifts the food above the fat and leaves grill marks on a sirloin steak or a chicken breast. In our experience the smooth one is more versatile for day-to-day cooking and the ribbed one only pays off if you grill meat often: that is why Ibili, Lacor and Wecook offer the same ranges in both versions, and the Garcima griddle settles the question with one side of each. If you want to understand the differences between a non-stick coating and an uncoated iron or steel surface, we explain them in our guide to uncoated versus non-stick frying pans.

What size of griddle and for which hob

Measure the cooking area, not the whole piece: a 47 x 29 cm griddle plate with handles takes up two burners or the whole surface of a hob, and the 48 x 30 cm Inoxibar Absolut rests on a ceramic hob on a 28 x 20 cm base. For one or two portions an 18 to 24 cm grill pan is enough; for three or four, 26 or 28 cm, the most common size in the catalogue; from 33 x 24 cm you cook for the whole family and from 47 cm or 35 x 50 cm for catering, paella burners and barbecues. On induction the sensor has to detect a ferromagnetic base the size of the zone: all the aluminium pieces from Ibili, Lacor, Inoxibar, Wecook and Pujadas in this category have an induction base, except the Lacor Titanium Pro; the Ilsa toastie maker, the Garcima griddle, the De Buyer copper dish and the Ibili toaster are not suitable for induction. We explain it in our guide to induction-compatible cookware. For gas and charcoal, Garcima's cast iron and Ibili's iron plates withstand a direct flame and embers; for the oven, choose a piece without a Bakelite handle or with removable handles.

Care: seasoning, washing and storing

Unenamelled cast iron, Ferrum natural iron and the Mineral B are washed by hand in hot water, dried straight away and stored with a thin coat of oil so they do not rust; if a patch of surface rust appears, Lacor recommends rubbing it with salt, water and vinegar and oiling it again. Garcima's enamelled iron does not need seasoning, but it should not be shocked under a cold tap either. Non-stick aluminium pieces are not heated empty beyond what the manufacturer specifies and, although several are dishwasher-safe, they last longer washed by hand and without metal utensils. Stones are heated slowly in the oven and never get wet while hot: the sudden change in temperature cracks them. The Triply Natural and 5ply Element multi-ply pieces go in the oven and need no more care than not scratching them with a steel scourer; the 5ply is dishwasher-safe.

Frequently asked questions about griddles and grill pans

Which griddle is better, cast iron or aluminium?

It depends on how you use it. Cast iron (Garcima, Ibili, Kitchen Craft, Lacor's Magma) holds a great deal of heat and sears meat over a high flame, lasts a lifetime and works over charcoal and in the oven, but it is heavy (the 65 cm Garcima weighs 14.6 kg) and has to be dried and oiled. Cast aluminium with a non-stick coating (Basic Stone, Eco Stone, Absolut, Ecostone) heats up in a couple of minutes, weighs little and cleans with just soap and water; its limit is the coating, which wears over the years. For grilling meat often on gas or charcoal, iron; for fish and vegetables every day on induction, aluminium.

Which griddles work on induction?

All the aluminium ones from Ibili, Lacor, Inoxibar, Wecook and Pujadas in this category have an induction base, as do the cast iron plates and mini griddles, the Ferrum range, the De Buyer Mineral B, the Kitchen Craft griddle and the Triply Natural and 5ply Element multi-ply pieces. Not suitable for induction are the Lacor Titanium Pro, the Ilsa toastie maker, the Garcima enamelled griddle according to its product page, the Inocuivre copper dish, the bread toaster and the hot stone grills. On each product page we list the hobs it can be used on.

What is the difference between a griddle and a grill pan?

We call a griddle the plate with two handles, designed to cover one or two burners, and a grill pan or grill the square or round piece with a frying pan handle, for one burner. Both cook the same way; the griddle gives more surface (from 33 x 24 to 48 x 30 cm) and the grill pan is handled with one hand and stored like a frying pan (from 18 to 28 cm). The hot stone grill is something else: a plate of stone or iron that is heated in the oven or with a burner and brought to the table.

How do you use a hot stone grill at the table?

The stone is heated in the oven to its working temperature (Tellier allows 300 ºC), placed on its tray or stand, and the spirit burners or gas burner are lit, which only keep in the stored heat. Each guest cooks their own meat, fish or vegetables in thin slices, without fat. Do not wet the stone while hot and do not put it directly over a powerful burner. The Ibili and Alexalo stones are also sold as replacements.

How much does a griddle cost?

At Hiperchef, the 18 to 28 cm aluminium grill pans go from around €22 to €65 including VAT; the two-handled cast aluminium griddle plates, from €38 to €140 depending on size; the Garcima cast iron griddle, from €29 for the 21 x 27 cm to around €200 for the 65 cm; the Ibili iron plates, from €22 to €65 with a wooden base; the tabletop stone grills, from €55 for the Ibili to €255 for the Alexalo volcanic stone; and the De Buyer copper pieces and the Tellier table griddle are over €350. The exact price, including VAT, is on each product page.

How do you season and look after an iron griddle?

Before first use, wash the griddle in hot water to remove the factory oil, dry it, rub on a very thin coat of vegetable oil and heat it over a medium-high heat until it stops smoking; repeat two or three times. After each use, wash it by hand with no washing-up liquid or very little, dry it over the heat for a minute and wipe over a drop of oil before putting it away. Never in the dishwasher. Garcima's enamelled iron and the non-stick Ferrum pieces do not need seasoning.