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The Best Grill Pan of 2024
A well-constructed grill pan is the ultimate tool for barbecue lovers, apartment dwellers, and healthy eaters. You don’t necessarily need a fire pit or an electric grill to enjoy a beautifully seared steak. Grill pans are designed with ridges and spacious cooktops to let the meats sizzle in their fats and juices, serving you a grease-free sear. Ready to start cooking? We've tested the best grill pans on the market and can safely say that the TeChef Stovetop Korean BBQ Grill Pan it our favorite grill at the moment. But if you want more options, we have several recommendations for you. Read on to learn more!
Our Top Picks For Grill Pans
View all ContentsThe Best Grill Pans
Best Overall
This Korean-manufactured grill pan offers excellent value for money combining top-notch features with a nominal price tag, everything a product needs to qualify for our best overall badge! It features a premium Teflon nonstick coating, the best in the market, coated five times with Teflon print designs for lasting durability.
Moreover, we can’t help but be impressed by the swirled channel design that makes grilling and searing so much easier for newbies in the grilling game. The swirled channel design adds more flavor to the food by draining the excess oil. What’s more, this grill pan features a fat-grease draining system to help you enjoy non-greasy pork belly and beef steaks. This dishwasher-safe and oven-friendly grilling product offers excellent value for money with minimal maintenance needs!
Pros
- Grease-draining system helps drain excess oil easily
- PFOA-Free grill pan with premium aluminum construction
- Teflon nonstick coating and a swirled channel design
- Oven and dishwasher-friendly
Cons
- Hard to get it all the way clean due to the grooves on its surface
Exceptional Durability
Here’s a grill pan for grilling enthusiasts who value durability and wish to invest in a product that will last longer and provide a versatile grilling experience. Constructed with hard-anodized aluminum, this grill pan is much more durable than most other cookware materials. The heavy-gauge aluminum cooktop delivers even heat distribution to prevent those nasty hot spots that ruin the meat.
Plus, it comes with a flawless nonstick coating that makes grilling and cleaning incredibly effortless, and you won’t have to scrape off bits and pieces of the pan. This versatile pan works well on multiple heat sources, including halogen, ceramic, ovens, electric stoves, gas, and glass. You can pop it in the oven and dishwasher without a care in the world.
Pros
- Highly durable construction with hard-anodized aluminum
- Versatile grilling experience with a non-stick coating
- Compatible with multiple heat sources and oven safe for up to 500F
- Dishwasher-friendly
Cons
- The non-stick coating starts to wear off eventually
Top-Rated on Amazon
Cuisinart is one of the most reliable and popular cookware brands trusted by families and restauranteers worldwide, and this premium-grade grill pan is a testament to its superior quality standards. This round grill pan is constructed with hand-anodized aluminum and a quantanium nonstick interior to deliver a matchless and effortless grilling experience.
We’re also quite impressed by the manufacturer’s attention to detail and features that enhance user convenience and prioritize safety. For instance, this grill pan features a cool grip handle to prevent burns and a drip-free rim for easy cleaning and eliminating excess oil/grease. The pan is tapered for clean and easy pouring, and the 12-inch cooktop is spacious enough to fit sizable fillets of meat without cramping the pieces!
Pros
- Durable and hardened exterior
- Spacious grilling surface for large fillets
- Cool grip handle for convenience and a tempered glass cover
- Hard-adonized aluminum construction with quantanium nonstick interior
Cons
- Heavy handle for small pan
For Perfect Sear Marks
Most cookware items are constructed at a maximum temperature of 900F, which explains why they lose their nonstick coating and fall apart. What sets this grill apart is its unique construction, designed to get those perfect sear marks and an exceptional grilling experience. The heavy-gauge aluminum grill pan is created at a whopping temperature of 30,000F, to deliver unmatched durability and lasting nonstick coating.
Ninja has equipped this pan with its NeverStick technology that delivers excellent food release and makes the nonstick coating safe for metal utensils. The grill ridges are designed to allow grease, excess oil, fats, and liquids to drip away from the meat, while the deep edges minimize oil splatters. What’s more, it comes with an ergonomically designed stainless steel handle!
Pros
- Easy drip mechanism for excessive oil and grease
- The grooves prevent food from sticking, coupled with a metal-friendly non-stick coating
- Scratch-resistant and oven-safe with an ergonomic handle to maximize convenience
- Shot-blasted hard-adonized exterior
Cons
- The soap water gets trapped in the lid after washing
Best Budget Buy
Grill enthusiasts hunting for a budget-friendly find should look no further than this durable and versatile grill pan from Itwani. It’s a super-functional grilling product that combines convenience with superior quality construction to make grilling effortless and enjoyable. It makes it easier for newbies to prepare perfect, restaurant-quality Takoyaki and many other flavorful grilled treats.
The pan features a premium-quality nonstick coating to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the surface. Cleaning and maintenance are very straightforward, and the aluminum alloy construction is exceptional within this price range. The thick and sturdy material delivers even heat distribution to prevent the meat from being undercooked or burnt.
Pros
- Excellent nonstick coating with a durable aluminum alloy construction
- Designed for preparing Takoyaki
- Delivers even heat distribution
Cons
- Can’t be used in the oven
Buying Guide: Grill Pans
Decoding the anatomy of a grill pan is crucial to understanding features and specifications that maximize its utility. Our detailed buying guide will help you understand your grilling preferences to scoop up the most versatile grill pan to satisfy your needs.
Design and Dimensions
Dimensions of the cooking surface matter a great deal, and most grill pans usually come in 10-11 inches. We advise determining the ideal size by reflecting on your cooking and serving needs. If you cook for one or two people, a small grill pan should be sizable enough for grilling three to four hamburgers. But if you’re grilling to feed a crowd or a big family, a double burner grill pan is ideally suited for large batches.
Doubler burners cover two stovetops with their spacious rectangular-shaped surface area, packing enough space for several large hamburgers. Most grilling enthusiasts prefer square-shaped grill pans to enjoy an extended surface area, especially for meals that require single-layer grilling. If you’re planning to use the pan for sauteing or stir-frying, any shape will do nicely.
While square and rectangular grill pans provide extended surface area, round grill pans offer even heat distribution. If you need a pan that combines grilling and griddling features, consider investing in a reversible grill pan with ridged and smooth surfaces.
Material of Construction
Grill pans are constructed with numerous metals, and each material provides a different utility. It’s wise to reflect on your grilling preferences and convenience and consider the maintenance needs of the material while choosing a grill pan.
Cast iron
If you like grilling the traditional way, a cast iron grill pan is a must-have for your kitchen. It’s the ideal material to grill at high temperatures, mimicking the experience and quality of an outdoor grill. You can pop it into the oven after searing the meat on the stovetop without worrying about damaging the pan.
However, cast iron is a high-maintenance commitment that demands regular seasoning, hand-washing, and immediate drying. Grilling fanatics looking for a low-maintenance cast iron pan should consider exploring enameled cast iron varieties to escape the finicky seasoning, cleaning, and drying demands.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a highly recommended and popular material when buying grill pans and super-functional cookware. Hard-anodized aluminum grill pans offer excellent value for money, as they undergo an extensive chemical oxidation process to build corrosion resistance and offer lifelong durability. Typically, hard-anodized aluminum grill pans have a nonstick coating, offering even heat distribution and superior conduction.
Cast aluminum is another popular and super-functional material constructed from molten aluminum, cast into a mold to create a highly refined, durable, and versatile cookware product. Cast aluminum grill pans are lightweight and savvy conductors, and you can find varieties of them layered with nonstick coating.
Ceramic
Ceramic grill pans are popular with culinary enthusiasts who prefer adding aesthetic and functional pieces to their kitchenware. Ceramic-coated grill pans are designed with a sturdy metal base, such as stainless steel or aluminum, covered with a nonstick coating. These grill pans offer excellent heat conduction and distribution, but they’re not as durable as aluminum or cast iron.
Handles
The wrong handle will quickly transform a grill pan into a useless and hazardous item. After all, you don’t want to burn your fingers every time you grill a hamburger. Metal and cast iron handles are ill-advised as they become extremely hot very quickly. Plastic handles stay cool to the touch, but grill pans with plastic fixtures aren’t oven-friendly.
We advise investing in dual-sided handles made with heavy material, such as cast iron or hard-anodized aluminum, for effortless utility. Some grilling enthusiasts prefer one handle, while others find it easier to operate grill pans with handles on both sides.
Grease channels
Grease channels, also known as pour spouts, are a dynamic feature that can make your grill pan an absolute dream to use and clean. Now, this feature isn’t absolutely necessary, and it will increase the cost of the product, but it is definitely worth the money.
Grill pans tend to accumulate hefty amounts of grease, preventing you from achieving that perfect sear that you enjoy. Grease channels are designed for effortless cleanup and eliminating the grease buildup easily so you can enjoy searing your meats to perfection.
Versatility
You don’t want to bring home a grill pan that works fine on the stovetop but crumbles inside the oven. Grill pans should be versatile and compatible with all heat sources and ideal for grilling several types of meat and ingredients.
You should ideally be able to use these pans on the stovetop, oven, campfire, and broilers, alongside preparing multiple recipes and meals. Be sure to examine the versatility and usability of the material before setting your heart on a grill pan. For a better cooking experience, use your grill pans with grill covers, grill tongs, grill kits, grill stones, and grill gloves.
People Also Asked
Which material is best for a grill pan?
Cast iron, hard-anodized aluminum, and stainless steel are excellent materials to invest in a durable and versatile grill pan. We advise reflecting on your grilling needs, heat sources, and maintenance preferences while selecting the material.
Should I buy an aluminum grill pan?
Grill pans designed with hard-anodized and cast aluminum offer lasting durability, versatility, even heat distribution, and effortless maintenance. They are an excellent investment, and most varieties come with a nonstick coating.
Is a grill pan useful for cooking steaks?
Grill pans are the ideal cookware to prepare steaks indoors without compromising the sear doneness and juicy flavor you adore.
