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The Best Thawing Plate of 2024
Everyone understands how frustrating it can be to wait for your meat to defrost. But thankfully we have a solution to your problem: all you need is a thawing plate. These handy kitchen gadgets work like magic and there’s nothing but solid thermal physics behind their functioning. It can save you countless time in the kitchen, so to quicken your prep time, we’ve compiled the best thawing plates of 2024 just for you. After reviewing the best items, we found that the Zintak Thawing Plate is our top pick on this list. Read on to learn everything you need to know about these helpful tools in our buying guide!
Our Top Picks For Thawing Plates
View all ContentsThe Best Thawing Plates
Best Overall
At the top spot, we have the Zintak Thawing Plate. This plate promises to defrost your frozen meat in minutes with natural heat — no microwave required! The aluminum build provides the excellent capability to conduct heat, which speeds up the heating and defrosting process. Once you’re done, it’s super easy to clean this tray thanks to its removable silicone.
Plus, if you’re not satisfied with its quality, functionality, and design, you can send it back to the company for a full refund. But you’ll probably love it since it’s the most popular product on our list with over 2,000 positive ratings, making it our best overall pick.
Pros
- Secure purchase with a full refund policy
- Very easy to clean
- Well-built and long-lasting
Cons
- Lacks a detailed manual
Most User-friendly
Next up, we have the YUNDOOG Thawing Plate, which takes the runner-up spot with its thoughtful design and practical features. For instance, it’s the only one with a little hanging loop in one corner for a space-saving storage solution. It also comes with a silicone sponge, making the tray super easy to clean. Not only that, but this thawing plate comes with four corner caps that keep the tray from slipping on your countertop. The manufacturers have put some valuable thought into making this product user-friendly, and it shows.
What’s more, the brand reassures you about the product’s quality with a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you’re not completely pleased with its quality or performance.
Pros
- Very thoughtful design with practical features
- Included silicone sponge makes cleaning convenient
- Space-saving storage with a hanging loop
Cons
- Corner caps can sometimes fall off
Best Size
The AMMOTI Thawing Plate is the biggest aluminum thawing plate on our list. Whether you’ve got small burger patties or large fish filets, this tray can accommodate any type of frozen food! Its 14 x 10 x 1.6-inch dimensions are large enough to fit a whole ribeye steak, which means you’ll hardly ever struggle for defrosting space.
It also performs very quickly, taking only two to five minutes to melt ice cubes naturally without requiring any external heat source like hot water or a microwave. Similarly, it can defrost chicken, pork, and fish in 15, 10, and six minutes respectively. What’s more, the thawing water won’t overflow all over your kitchen counter. Instead, it will be neatly collected into the drip tray that comes included in the package.
Pros
- Spacious defrosting tray
- Included drip tray
- Quick thawing times
- 120-day risk-free money-back guarantee
Cons
- Advertised defrosting times may be inaccurate
Best Package
At number four, we’ve got the GEMITTO Thawing Plate, which comes in three different colors, including black, red black, and dark black. Choose your color depending on your personal preferences and kitchen theme. This plate’s high-density aluminum material is an excellent heat conductor and plays a vital role in cutting down defrosting time. It can thaw frozen pork chops, steak, chicken breasts, and lamb chops within 30 to 60 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat and how much contact there is between the aluminum and meat.
Since the thawing process is completely physical, it’s the healthiest way to defrost your frozen foods, especially compared to microwaving. Plus, it’s a pretty compelling package including a thawing plate, a food cover, a drip tray, six food storage bags, and four silicon corners to protect the corners of your tray.
Pros
- All-inclusive package
- Healthy way to defrost your food
- High-density aluminum build
- Quick defrosting time
Cons
- Relatively thinner than other options
Most Affordable
The QIZRON Thawing Plate is one of the best trays you can buy on a tight budget. Its aluminum build allows quicker defrost times while its non-stick finish lets you remove your meat (or other frozen food) very easily. It’s made up of integrated HDF high-density aerospace alloy and nano ions, which provide top-notch heat conductivity and quicker thawing time than thawing at room temperature.
What’s more, this thawing plate isn’t as susceptible to rust, which goes a long way in extending the tray’s life. Being dishwasher-safe, it won’t be a hassle to clean after each use, which is a huge plus from a user-friendliness point of view.
Pros
- Highly corrosion-resistant
- Stays cool to the touch
- Convenient, non-stick finish
Cons
- No instructions included
Best Thawing Plates Buying Guide
Thawing plates — also known as defrosting plates — are made of a material with high thermal conductivity (like aluminum or copper). Heat can move very rapidly through this material, defrosting your meat in no time. Below, we’ll look at a few key factors to consider to help you choose the perfect thawing plate for your kitchen. The ideal defrosting experience requires all of the following boxes to be checked, so read this buying guide all the way through to make an informed purchase decision.
The Key Features of a Thawing Plate
Fast defrosting time
Once you take your frozen meat out of the refrigerator it will naturally start to defrost, even at room temperature. A thawing plate accelerates that process, which means its primary purpose is to defrost your frozen food faster. So, the first factor to consider is how quickly the plate can defrost your meat so you can cook it.
While most manufacturers claim a defrosting time of 30 to 60 minutes, just a quick glance at the customer reviews will tell you that even a two-hour defrost time is pretty decent. That’s because those advertised figures are taken in idealistic scenarios, which just aren’t realistic in day-to-day life. Keeping that in mind, always read what buyers have to say about the product you’re looking at and see if they report a defrosting time of two hours or below.
Durability
Let’s be honest, no one likes spending money on the same thing again and again, which is where durability comes into play. A thawing plate shouldn’t break easily, especially since it’s supposed to withstand freezing cold temperatures from rock-solid pieces of meat. Look for materials like aerospace alloy with silver ions and high-density aluminum.
Water drip tray
High-quality thawing plates, especially ones that come from a large brand, include a drip tray in the package. This is a super thoughtful accessory that reduces clean-up time and saves you a lot of trouble with handwashing. Instead of wiping your entire countertop clean, you just need to wash the drip tray with some water and soap, which takes no longer than two minutes.
Thickness
Remember to consider how thick the sheet is as that not only plays a role in its durability but also its conductivity potential. Plus, the thicker the tray is, the lesser the chance it has to have or develop bends.
Size
Size certainly matters when it comes to thawing plates. If you generally cook for a relatively large family, you’ll have to thaw out a higher number of larger pieces of meat so a smaller tray won’t quite cut it. Remember to be precise about your size requirements depending upon factors like how many people you generally prepare food for.
People Also Asked
Is it safe to defrost meat on a thawing plate?
Yes, using a thawing plate is one of the safest ways to defrost meat since it doesn’t involve any artificial source of heat. It’s listed by the USDA and some trays are even certified by the FDA for being safe to use.
Is copper metal really toxic?
While copper is toxic (just like most other metals), it’s also an essential mineral that’s used by candy makers in the form of kettles, French chefs for whipping egg whites and some fashionable folks as an arthritis remedy.
How long does a thawing plate take?
A thawing plate can take between 40 minutes to two hours to defrost your meat. The duration depends on the type, amount and meat thickness. Still, it’s much faster than thawing meat in the fridge or letting it sit at room temperature.
