Best griddle pans

In May 2021 we put 10 griddle pans to the test from the likes of major brands including Le Creuset, Tefal and ProCook.

Our mission was to find the best griddle or grill pan whether you're sizzling a steak, grilling halloumi or charring vegetables.

See the results below to find out which pans conducted the most heat and produced perfectly cooked food, as well as which were the easiest to wash and had the best non-stick coating and scratch resistance.

Pricing and availability last checked 3rd December 2021.

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The best griddle pans

Only logged-in Which? members can view the griddle pan test results below. 

If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the griddle pans we tested. Join Which? now to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.

The Anything Pan from Jean-Patrique

Cheapest price: £39.99 available from Amazon, also available at Jean-Patrique

Diameter: 28cm

Weight: 1.14kg

Dishwasher safe: No

Oven safe: Yes, up to 250°C

Induction hob: Yes

The Anything Pan from Jean-Patrique features a button on the handle, which when pressed releases the handle from the pan.

This allows you to take the griddle pan from your hob to the oven with ease. 

What do we think of the Anything Pan? Log in to find out, or join Which? today.

Circulon Ultimum High Density Forged Aluminium Non-Stick Grill Pan

Cheapest price: £75 available from Circulon, John Lewis

Diameter: 28cm

Weight: 1.02kg

Dishwasher safe: Yes

Oven safe: Yes, up to 260°C

Induction hob: Yes

This grill pan from Circulon sports a brushed chrome handle and a forged pan body.

It's claimed to have excellent heat conduction and be easy to clean.

What did we make of it in our tests? Log in or join Which? to find out. 

Earthpan Eco Grill Pan

Cheapest price: £59.99 available from Lakeland. Also available from Prestige

Diameter: 28cm

Weight: 1.11kg

Dishwasher safe: Yes

Oven safe: No

Induction hob: Yes

Earthpan is an aluminium pan that the manufacturer claims is produced from recycled and recyclable materials. 

It has a strong handle screwed into the back and the screw is accessible in case you ever need to tighten it.

What do we think of this pan's quality, and does the non-stick coating last? Log in or join Which? to get instant access to our full test results. 

Eaziglide Neverstick2 Non-Stick Square Grill Pan

Cheapest price: £60 available at John Lewis 

Diameter: 28cm

Weight: 1.48kg

Dishwasher safe: Yes

Oven safe: Yes, up to 260°C

Induction hob: Yes

The Neverstick2 Grill pan has a wide square pan with shallow ridges and a polished stainless steel handle riveted in place. 

The non-stick coating of this griddle pan is designed to make it possible to cook with less grease, as well as make it easier to wash.

How does this pan compare with the rest of our selection, and how scratch resistant is the non-stick? See our full test results by logging in or joining Which? now. 

JML Copper Stone Griddle Pan

Cheapest price: £29.99 available at JML

Diameter: 28cm

Weight: 978g

Dishwasher safe: Yes, but if you do there are special care instructions

Oven safe: Yes, up to 150°C

Induction hob: Yes

This griddle pan from JML is made from forged aluminium with a stainless steel base. 

It's certainly eye-catching, and while the handle looks like it's wood it's actually made from rubber.  

Does this pan serve up steaks charred and seared to perfection? To see our full results log in or join Which? today. 

John Lewis & Partners Cast Iron Square Grill Pan

Cheapest price: £35 available at John Lewis

Colours: Comes in frost grey or blue

Diameter: 26cm

Weight: 2.81kg

Dishwasher safe: No

Oven safe: Yes, up to 240°C

Induction hob: Yes

This cast iron griddle pan is considerably heavier than its aluminium peers. 

Forged into a single piece, the pan is thick with deep ridges and tall sides. 

Can this cheaper pan compete with much more expensive alternatives? Log in or join Which? to see our full review and find out. 

Le Creuset Cast Iron Signature Square Grillit

Cheapest price: £130 available at Harvey Nichols, John Lewis, Le Creuset

Colours: Comes in Marseille blue, deep teal, cerise, satin black, volcanic, flint, teal or meringue

Diameter: 26cm

Weight: 3.05kg

Dishwasher safe: Yes, but if you do there are special care instructions

Oven safe: Yes

Induction hob: Yes

Le Creuset is internationally renowned for its cast iron kitchenware. 

There is a stark difference in price between some of these cast iron products, and this pan is at the higher end of the scale. 

How does it compare with the cheaper cast iron cookware in our tests? To find out and read our full review join Which? or log in. 

ProCook Cast Iron Square Griddle

Cheapest price: £29 available at ProCook

Colours: Comes in black or red

Diameter: 26cm

Weight: 2.87kg

Dishwasher safe: No

Oven safe: Yes, up to 260°C

Induction hob: Yes

Just like all of the cast iron griddle pans in our selection, this pan from ProCook is on the heavier side. 

It's a solid piece of iron with tall edges and deep thick ridges. 

Does this pan give our steaks the perfect 'fresh off the barbecue' look? Read our full review by joining Which? or logging in. 

STAUB Cast Iron Square American Grill Pan

Cheapest price: £109.99 available at Amazon. Also available from John Lewis, Zwilling

Colours: Comes in black, graphite grey or cherry

Diameter: 26cm

Weight: 3.23kg

Dishwasher safe: No

Oven safe: Yes

Induction hob: Yes

It's easily both the heaviest and most expensive griddle pan from our selection. 

This grill pan from STAUB has deep ridges and tall sides around its square base. 

Was this pan worth the pennies? See our full review by logging in or join Which? now to find out. 

Tefal Unlimited Aluminium Non-Stick Square Grill Pan

Cheapest price: £88 available from John Lewis

Diameter: 26cm

Weight: 1.1kg

Dishwasher safe: Yes, but if you do there are special care instructions

Oven safe: Yes, up to 175°C

Induction hob: Yes

This grill pan has wide but shallow ridges and a rubberised handle that's designed to be comfortable to grip. 

Tefal is famous for its non-stick surfaces, but how did this griddle pan do in our non-stick test? 

To find out, log in to your account or join Which? for instant access to all our results and reviews. 

How we tested griddle pans

To find out which grill pan was the best we put our entire selection through the following series of tests.

Heat conduction and retention

To test the heat conduction we put each griddle pan on medium heat for five minutes and using a temperature gun we measured the temperature once a minute. 

Then to test the retention of heat by each griddle pan we took them off the heat and left them for a further five minutes, again taking a temperature reading every minute. 

The griddle pan that conducted heat fastest but also held onto that heat for the longest was considered the best. 

Non-stick

To test the non-stick coating of each of our selected grill pans we cooked two slices of halloumi and two rashers of bacon on each pan for six minutes (three minutes per side) after a one minute preheat. 

The more the halloumi and bacon stuck to the pan, the worse the griddle pan was considered in terms of non-stick. 

The best pans in our selection allowed the halloumi and bacon to slide off without issue, but the worst seemed to superglue the meat and cheese to the surface.

Cooking

To test how well food cooks on the griddle pans, we cooked a ribeye steak and four slices of aubergine on each pan from our selection. 

These food items were cooked separately with a teaspoon of melted butter applied to the food with a basting brush before grilling. 

Each steak was cooked to medium-rare (three minutes on each side) after a one minute preheat. Each slice of aubergine was cooked for eight minutes (six minutes on the first side and two minutes on the second) after a one minute preheat. 

The testers examined the steaks and aubergine slices, considering how well the food had been cooked. The better the outcome the better the pan did. The testers were looking for crisp griddle lines on the surface of the food. 

Washing

After each pan had been dirtied by the cooking processes mentioned above, we washed them to see how easy they were to clean. 

To wash the pans we used eight litres of hot tap water mixed with one teaspoon of Fairy Platinum Quickwash. 

The easier the grill pan was to clean the better it did. Most of the pans were not too hard to wash, but we found deeper ridges required greater effort. 

Scratch resistance

To test the scratch resistance of the grill pans we put them through three tests. 

First, they were washed using a wire wool scourer with the same water to soap ratio as our wash test (detailed above). 

Second, each pan was subjected to one minute of repeated wear and tear from a metal spatula. Our tester drew the spatula across the pan up and down with even pressure for one minute. 

Finally, to simulate damage caused by storage, the griddle pans were placed under a stockpot and for one minute the tester pressed down on the stockpot with all their strength and twisted it back and forth. 

The fewer signs of damage on the grill pan's surface the better the pan had done in the test. 

How we chose

When compiling our selection of griddle pans to test we looked at griddle pans that primarily worked on hobs, were sold by major UK retailers and were either bestsellers or very popular according to our research. 

We also limited our selection to one griddle pan per brand. 

Heat retention, why is it important?

Heat retention is essential for different types of cooking. For example, a wok will get hot very quickly, but it doesn't retain that heat when removed from the heat source, whereas a griddle pan should retain heat for longer.

A griddle pan that retains heat well will ensure the heat is more evenly spread, but a pan that doesn't may have hotspots that mean one area cooks quicker than another, leading to unevenly cooked food.

Always ensure your heat source covers the entire base of your griddle pan. A thicker metal-based pan will cook food more evenly.

When you place the oil or butter into the pan it should melt and thinly cover the entire surface. Then add your meat, fish, cheese or vegetables and it should cook nicely with even brown griddle lines. 

When cooking steaks, you want a pan that's lightly oiled, hot and almost smoking to sear each side quickly, then you turn the heat down to medium to continue cooking. 

How to care for your cast iron griddle pan

Like most cast iron products, cast iron griddle pans have particular needs to ensure they have a long and productive cooking life. 

Try not to put cast iron cookware through rapid changes of temperature. This is because iron and the coating changes temperature at different rates so heating or cooling them too quickly can damage them. We advise not to put them straight onto high heat and not to dunk them into water straight after cooking.

After using cast iron cookware you should 'season' it. Most of these types of cookware will come with special instructions, but the simple method is to heat cooking oil with the product and then, after it's allowed to naturally cool, rub the oil into the cooking surface. 

How to care for your non-stick griddle pan

Most non-stick cookware should come with a use and care guide, which we always recommend reading before use. 

Here are a few simple tips to get the best use and longest life out of your non-stick cookware. 

• Hand wash with hot soapy water before using it for the first time. This way you remove any residue or dirt from the manufacturing or shipping process. After washing, rinse well and dry completely. 
• With non-stick cookware, there is no need to 'season' the product as you would a cast iron griddle pan.
• Don't use metal utensils on your cookware. It's much safer to use wooden or silicone products.
• When cooking, stick to medium or low heat settings as much as possible. Avoid constant high heat, as the non-stick coating could start to deteriorate. 
• Allow the pan to cool naturally before you wash it. Drastic temperature changes can warp cookware.
• Always hand-wash with a dishcloth or non-scratch sponge, even if the pan is dishwasher safe. 
• Try not to store your non-stick cookware under other products. If this is not possible, use a tea towel or sheet of kitchen roll to protect the non-stick surface.

Griddle pans in our tests compared

We purchased all the products we tested. No food was wasted to bring you these results.