Food ยท Gear Review
Best Cast Iron Griddle. Breakfast for everyone, on any fire.
Our pick for most households is the Lodge Pro-Grid Reversible Grill/Griddle. It spans two burners, browns pancakes evenly, puts a deep crust on burgers, and goes from the range to a grill or an open fire, for about $50. Two alternatives follow for smaller ranges and for a smoother surface.
By Dan Whelan, founder of New World Survival
Researched from government agencies, university extension services, and other published sources. See our sources
At a glance: Lodge Pro-Grid Reversible Grill/Griddle, 20 x 10.5 inch
Strengths
- America's Test Kitchen named it the best cast iron griddle, with evenly browned pancakes and deeply crusted burgers.
- It is reversible, flat on one side and ridged for grilling on the other.
- Testers found it can go on the stovetop, a grill, or an open fire without risk of damage.
- It costs about $50.
Limitations
- At about 13.5 pounds, it is heavy to lift and move.
- Its short walls let grease spatter over the edges when searing burgers.
- Its small handles are cut into the cooking surface and are hard to grab.
The verdict
Two burners, one slab, any fire.
A griddle earns its place in a household that feeds a crowd. Our cast iron cookware handbook explains why cast iron is the version that also works on a grill or fire. We weighed browning, how the griddle handles grease, how hard it is to lift, and whether it fits your burners.
Best for most households
Lodge Pro-Grid
The test-kitchen pick for cast iron, flat and ridged.
About $45 to $60
Smaller and lighter
Lodge Double Play
For closer burners, small grills, and camp stoves.
About $35 to $50
The smooth upgrade
Field Long Griddle
Nearly nonstick from the start. Flat side only.
About $300 to $325, sold direct
Affiliate disclosure: New World Survival earns a small commission on qualifying Amazon purchases at no cost to you. This helps us cover operating costs and keep building new content. We only recommend gear we would put in our own kit. Commission never decides a recommendation. Field Company sells only through its own site, so we earn nothing if you buy one.
Why the pick wins
Thick iron, even browning.
A good griddle cooks the same in the middle as at the ends. Mass is what makes that happen, and the Pro-Grid has plenty.
01
Test-kitchen pick
America's Test Kitchen named it the best cast iron griddle of everything it tested in late 2025. (ATK)
02
Two cooking surfaces
Flat for pancakes, eggs, and grilled cheese; ridged for burgers, steaks, and vegetables.
03
Range or fire
Testers found it safe on a grill or open fire, which no nonstick griddle can claim.
04
About $50
A fraction of the premium iron, for the same heat sources.
Lodge also notes that a large griddle heats most evenly on a range with a bridge burner between two elements, and that cast iron should be preheated slowly. (Lodge)
America's Test Kitchen's broader findings shaped the rest of our checks: walls about an inch tall contain grease best, grease troughs caught only a tablespoon or two and cost cooking space, and nonstick griddles are thinner and more prone to warping. (America's Test Kitchen)
The picks
Measure your burners, then pick the plate.
Check the distance across your two burners, and the width of your grill grate, before you buy. A griddle that overhangs the heat cooks unevenly at the ends.
Best for most households
Lodge Pro-Grid Reversible Grill/Griddle, 20 x 10.5 inch
A thick reversible slab, flat for pancakes and eggs on one side and ridged for grilling on the other. Lodge lists it at 20 by 10.5 inches and about 13.5 pounds. (Lodge)
America's Test Kitchen named it the best cast iron griddle in its December 2025 testing. It made evenly browned pancakes, great fried eggs, and burgers with an especially deep crust, and testers called it thick, durable, and safe on a grill or open fire. Their quibbles: a cooking surface a bit smaller than they prefer, small cut-out handles, very short walls that let burger fat spatter and flare, and real weight. (America's Test Kitchen)
Worth knowing: the same testers' overall winner was a stainless nonstick griddle, which is lighter and easier for daily pancakes on a range. It cannot go on a fire. For a household that wants one griddle for the kitchen and the grill, cast iron is the choice. (America's Test Kitchen)
Specifications
Smaller and lighter
Lodge Double Play Reversible Grill/Griddle, 16.75 x 9.5 inch
The same reversible idea in a smaller plate, which Lodge lists at 16.75 by 9.5 inches and about 9.35 pounds. (Lodge) It suits ranges with closer burners, smaller grills, and camp stoves.
Outdoor Life named it the best overall camping griddle for its space-efficient double-sided design. (Outdoor Life) In Prudent Reviews' March 2026 testing it was the slowest of six griddles to preheat, too cool after four minutes on medium to crust a smashed burger, but it held heat the longest and stayed completely flat at 450°F. (Prudent Reviews) Give it a longer preheat than you expect.
Specifications
The smooth upgrade
Field Company Long Cast Iron Griddle, 20.5 inch
A one-sided, polished cast iron griddle that America's Test Kitchen rated highly recommended. It made perfect pancakes and eggs and crusty burgers and was nearly nonstick from the start. Testers wished the surface were a little bigger and the walls taller, since grease sometimes overflowed, and found the small handles tricky for large hands. (America's Test Kitchen)
Field lists it at $325. (Field Company) It is sold through Field's own site, so we earn nothing if you buy one. It is for the cook who wants a smooth surface from day one and does not need a ridged side.
Specifications
What owners actually say
Great pancakes, divided on sticking.
These patterns come from retailer reviews, cooking forums, and expert testing. A theme appears here only when more than one source raises it independently.
Lodge Pro-Grid
Across sixteen thousand ratings, owners praise it for pancakes and seared steaks, say it gets very hot with even heat, and value it for both indoor and camp cooking.
Opinions split on sticking: some report none, others find food sticks, which usually tracks how well the seasoning has built up.
Lodge Double Play
Owners say it works across many stovetops, cooks pancakes, eggs, and bacon well, holds heat for a long time, and fits across two burners.
The weight and the sticking draw the same split as the larger plate. Forum owners report no warping and warn against dousing a hot griddle with cold water.
Field Long Griddle
Field sells it mostly through its own site, and we found too little independent owner discussion to report patterns. The test kitchen's findings above are our best evidence.
The one thing to know
Grease and flame need a plan.
Every cast iron griddle in this test has short walls, and America's Test Kitchen saw burger fat spatter or flow over the edges and flare up. (America's Test Kitchen) Cook burgers and bacon at moderate heat, wipe away pooled fat as you go, and keep a lid or baking sheet nearby; the U.S. Fire Administration's advice for a pan that catches fire is to cover it and turn the burner off. (U.S. Fire Administration)
Outdoors, the same grease fire risk applies on a grill, and the fire stays outside. During a power outage, the CDC says never to use grills or other gasoline, propane, or charcoal burning devices inside your home, garage, or carport, or near doors, windows, or vents, because they produce carbon monoxide. (CDC)
How they fail, what they cost
Flat stays flat. Seasoning is the work.
Thick cast iron resists warping far better than thin nonstick or carbon steel plates. What fails is usually the surface or the cook's habits.
Sticking and rust
Cook bacon on it early, oil it after each wash, and dry it on the burner. America's Test Kitchen notes it needs careful drying and oiling to keep rust away. (ATK)
A cracked glass top
The risk is to the stove, not the griddle. One tester found the 10-pound Double Play landed hard enough on a glass cooktop to worry about cracking it, and advised against it there, while many owners use it on glass without trouble. Set it down gently and lift rather than slide.
What it costs to own
Close to nothing: cooking oil, a stiff brush, and a flat metal scraper for the griddle side. There are no parts to replace.
What we didn't pick
And who should skip these.
Backcountry Iron 20-inch griddle
A popular seller with a grease reservoir on the flat side, listed at 7 pounds 11 ounces. (Backcountry Iron) We found no independent testing of it, and America's Test Kitchen's grill pan testing found Backcountry's pan started out quite rough. Until it is tested, we pick the Lodge.
Camp Chef reversible grill/griddle
Built as a 16 by 14 inch accessory for Camp Chef's own stoves, and its product page describes the material as both cast iron and pre-seasoned steel. (Camp Chef) If you own a Camp Chef stove, check the fit there; otherwise the Lodge plates fit more burners.
Amazon Basics reversible griddle
Still sold and inexpensive, at about 20 by 10.6 inches, but we found no independent testing of it. The Lodge Pro-Grid costs a little more and has been tested thoroughly.
Nonstick and carbon steel griddles
Lighter and easy to clean, and America's Test Kitchen's overall winner was a stainless nonstick model. But nonstick cannot go over a fire, and the carbon steel plate they tested warped slightly. (America's Test Kitchen)
Skip a griddle entirely if
You cook for one or two. A 12-inch skillet does breakfast for two, and our skillet comparison names the one to buy first.
Skip the Pro-Grid if
Your burners are close together, your grill is small, or 13.5 pounds is too much to lift. The Double Play is the answer.
Where it fits in your readiness
Feeding everyone from one fire.
A griddle belongs in the Sustain tier for larger households. During a long outage it turns a grill or fire into a place to cook breakfast for everyone at once, which saves fuel and time.
Power outages
A griddle on a gas or charcoal grill outdoors cooks a whole family's pancakes, eggs, and sausage in one batch while the range is dark.
Hurricanes and winter storms
Long outages after storms mean days of outdoor cooking. One large surface on one fire beats three pans in rotation.
Maintenance
Scrape, wash, oil, store flat.
- Wash with warm, soapy water and a stiff brush, dry completely on a burner, and wipe on a thin coat of oil, the routine Lodge recommends for all its cast iron. (Lodge)
- Use a flat metal scraper on the griddle side while it is still warm; a brush clears the ridges.
- Preheat slowly over two burners, on low to medium at first, and give a thick slab several minutes before the first pancake.
- Store it flat and dry, with a paper towel on top if other pans stack on it.
Questions people ask
Before the first pancake.
Is a cast iron or nonstick griddle better?
For daily pancakes on a range, nonstick is lighter and easier; America's Test Kitchen's overall winner was a stainless nonstick griddle. Cast iron sears burgers better, lasts indefinitely with care, and can go on a grill or open fire, which is why it is the choice for a household that cooks outdoors during outages.
Can I use a cast iron griddle on a glass-top stove?
Many owners do. Lodge advises lifting cast iron rather than sliding it across glass, and one tester found the heavy Double Play landed hard enough to worry about cracking a glass cooktop. Set it down gently, and check your range maker's guidance on heavy cookware.
How do I keep grease from overflowing a griddle?
America's Test Kitchen found that walls about an inch tall contain grease best, and that grease troughs caught only a tablespoon or two. With a low-walled cast iron griddle, cook fatty foods at moderate heat, wipe away pooled fat as you go, and keep a lid or baking sheet nearby.
Will a cast iron griddle warp?
Thick cast iron resists warping well. In Prudent Reviews' testing the Lodge Double Play stayed completely flat at 450 degrees F, while America's Test Kitchen saw a carbon steel griddle warp slightly. Avoid shocking a hot griddle with cold water.