If you are in the market for outdoor barbecue equipment, then flat top grills should be one of the best that you should go for. The best flat top grill is going to allow the convenience of grilling outside while giving the ease of use of a stovetop grill. Who wouldn’t love to cook breakfast delights such as scrambled eggs, pancakes etc in the outdoors? Continue reading to determine the flat top grill you can purchase in the market today.
How Do Flat Top Grills Work?
A flat-top grill, also known as hibachi, teppanyaki, or gas griddle, is a device with a large flat cooking surface with no lid or cover and is best used for camping, backyard parties, and other outdoor events.
Flat top grills work in a similar way to regular grills. However, flat-top grills often have several burners where you can set each burner individually to match what you will be cooking. It uses different heat sources to evenly heat the burners so that you comfortable cook your meals.
1. Blackstone 28 inch Outdoor Flat Top Gas Grill Griddle Station
- RESTAURANT STYLE COOKING - With 470sq inches of flat top...
- REPLACE YOUR STANDARD GRILL - Replace your grill or BBQ with a...
- TRANSPORT WITH EASE - Easily wheel around your yard or transport...
- DURABILITY AND LONGEVITY - This Blackstone Grill is built to last...
- CONTROLLABLE HEAT ZONES - Two independently controlled 15,000 BTU...
The Blackstone 28 inch Outdoor Flat Top Gas Grill Griddle Station is a great choice that depends on the size of the cooking space, but if you want a bigger one, the 36-inch model might be the best option. At 28 inches wide, this flat top grill has a cooking area that measures 470 square inches.
It is slim enough to fit in a tight space and also easy to transport around. The grill also weighs about 75 pounds without the propane tank. It comes with two independently controlled stainless steel burners, each with a 15,000 BTUs output, giving a total of 30 o00 BTUs.
The battery-powered push ignition is very straightforward for novice users, and there is an additional rack for added convenience and storage. It also has high-quality wheels that make it easy to move around, making it one of the portable grills available.
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2. Blackstone 1554 Cooking 4 Burner Propane Flat Top Grill
- Rear grease - Blackstone has updated the grease Management on...
- Replace your standard grill - replace your grill or BBQ with a...
- Restaurant style cooking - with 720sq inches of flat top...
- Controllable heat zones - four independently controlled 15, 000...
- Durability and longevity - this Blackstone grill is built to last...
While it is important to ensure that the grill is working at its peak performance and last for a long time, this model will help you stay on top of grill maintenance. The Blackstone 1554 Cooking 4 Burner Flat Top Gas Grill Propane provides a quick and easy cleanup because of the front and rear grease management system.
This 60,000 BTU Blackstone grill is also stylish, versatile, and has an impressive design. It uses an electric ignition system to start the grill and comes with four independent burners to ensure fast grilling of your steaks.
When the grill is not in use, you can cover it with an optional canvas that is sold separately. This comes in handy to protect its frame and other parts of the grill.
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3. Royal Gourmet 4-Burner Portable Propane Flat Top Gas Grill
- Combo Design: Combination of gas grill and griddle with two...
- Portable: Easy to assemble within 15 minutes. With fold-down legs...
- Automatic Ignition System: Automatic ignition system delivers...
- No Fussy Cleanup: Removable oil management system facilitates...
- Ample Preparation Spact: Two fixed side tables provide ample...
Royal Gourmet 4-Burner Portable Gas Grill is relatively affordable and backed up with the fantastic features that enhance your grilling adventure. This portable flat top grill features a stainless steel frame and has a gloss ceramic-coated flat griddle top portion.
Additionally, it is equipped with four separate burners, with an overall power of 52,000 BTUs. This is adequate for a basic family and has a cooking surface area of 748 square inches. This grill also has a front control push button ignition that is convenient to operate.
Some of the other impressive characteristics are the large bottom tray, hooks for grilling the food, easily detachable grease trap, folding side shelves. It also contains four locking caster wheels to make it mobile.
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4. Cuisinart Flat Top Professional Quality Propane 28" Two Burner Gas Griddle
- COOKING SPACE: The cold rolled steel cook top provides 644 sq...
- DUAL GREASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: The griddle is equipped with two...
- FOLDING DESIGN: The griddle folds flat for easy and compact...
- EASY PORTABILITY: The two wheels and handle allow you to easily...
The Cuisinart Flat Top Professional Quality Propane 28" Flat Top griddle is another portable flat top that offers massive cooking zones and cooking power. It comes with 644 square inches of cooking surface, which is big enough for a meal of approximately ten people.
Despite the massive cooking zones, the grill is lightweight, which means you can move the grill around without too much hassle. It is also equipped with two wheels and a handle to ensure you can easily move your griddle.
This flat-top griddle comes with two front access grease cups to ensure easy management of the grease. You need to guide the grease towards the two cups, remove the cups, and then clean.
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5. Camp Chef Flat Top Grill, True Seasoned Griddle Surface
- Includes flat top griddle & grill grate, True Seasoned Surface,...
- Grease management system for easy clean up, Grease tray, catch...
- Four 12,000 BTUs/Hr. stainless steel Burners, Matchless ignition...
- Two large folding shelves, Propane tank holder, Adjustable leg...
- Griddle Cooking Surface: 604 sq. in., Grilling Cooking Surface:...
Camp Chef is a reputable brand in the cooking industry known for making one of the best flat-top grills. The Camp Chef Flat Top Grill, True Seasoned Griddle Surface, is a propane flat top girl that features four stainless steel burners that can be ignited using a matchless ignition system.
Every burner has an output of 12,000 BTUs, giving 48,000 BTUs for the four burners. These burners do an impressive job in distributing heat evenly to ensure even cooking. In addition, it comes with interchangeable grill and griddle tops, where the griddle top has 604 square inches of cooking space.
This grill surface is perfect for making veggies, burgers, side sauces, or even boiling water. You can also remove the griddle to get 501 square inches of grill grates perfect for burgers, chicken, griddle steaks, etc. Its versatility is excellent, and the rice also is super competitive.
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What Are the Types of Flat Top Grills?
There are several types of flat-top grills based on two main factors;
1. Size and Portability
a). Full-Size Grills
If you're not planning to move the grill or travel with it, then the full-size flat-top grills are the best. They offer a large cooking area but are a bit bulky and harder to pack up. In addition, they often have a side table, cast iron griddle top, easy to clean grease management system, and stainless steel burner.
b). Tabletop Grills
Stationary and tabletop grills are movable and can be carried to other areas for cooking. They stand on the counter top, on a table, or any flat and stable platform so that grilling can be done on the go.
2. Heat Source
a). Gas Grills
Gas is the most commonly used heat source in flat-top grills because it allows temperature control when cooking.
b). Charcoal Grill
Charcoal grills offer smoke into the mix, something that a gas grill can't be able to do. The smoke gives the dish a charbroiled taste, which many people love. Although the charcoal grill is quite uncommon, they do exist.
c). Electric Grills
These grills use electricity as their heat source. As a result, they are quicker than others, but you might not get that authentic grilled taste.
What Do You Need to Consider Before Buying the Best Flat Top Grill?
1. Cooking Area
As with any other grill, you need to determine the amount of the grilling area that you require based on the number of foods that you will prepare. For instance, if you only intend to make a single meal or for a small family, then you can easily opt for a small flat top grill measuring approximately 400 square inches or even less.
Nevertheless, if you are going to prepare food for several people or even a company, you will want to get something larger, which allows cooking more dishes at once so that it is easier to use and take less time.
2. Versatility
One of the main drawbacks when it comes to flat-top grills is that you might not be able to get the smoky BBQ flavor because the dripping won't fall in the fire and come back up to smoke your food, the same way it works with a traditional grill.
For this reason, it is crucial to think about the type of food you're making and the results you're hoping to achieve. For example, some of the best flat-top grills will have both a flat top and a traditional grilling surface in one unit.
3. Pre-Seasoned
For a new grill, the seasoning process is important as it makes your food taste better and avoids rusting or any damage on the grill surface. This is because it helps eliminate the leftover chemicals or residues used in the manufacturing process.
To season a flat grill, you only need to apply a coat of cooking oil on the surface, then bake it in high heat for 30 minutes. A pre-seasoned cooking surface will mean that the manufacturer has already baked the oil, which helps save time.
4. Portability
In terms of flat-top grills, it is likewise crucial to think about where you will need to employ them or if you will have to move them. For instance, if you want the flat top grill for mobile grilling, then you should consider investing in one with a relatively small size and light weight.
5. Price
Another important factor that one should consider while buying the best flat top grill is the price. However, it is important to note that flat-top grills are relatively cheaper than other types of grills. Thus, you can always choose one of the offers that will cost you more or less, and it will meet your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Flat Top Grills
1. Are flat-top grills worth it?
Flat top grills offer a wide range of benefits, making them a worthy choice depending on what you're looking to cook. First, they in draining off the excess fats and oils from the food, making it healthier.
Additionally, they also heat up quite first and have a large cooking surface enabling one to cook different meals at the same time. Finally, the best flat top grill distributes heat evenly across the cooking surface to ensure the food cooks evenly.
2. Are Burgers Much Better on a Grill or Griddle?
The way in which the burgers are cooked depends on the desired flavor that has to be imparted to them. For instance, a grill does not use charcoal and therefore the flavor is less of smoke hence it is ideal for a healthy burger.
On the other hand, a griddle does not allow the fat to drain, and, therefore, the burgers will fry together with their own juices. This also means more flavour and a juicy burger with the grill marks on its surface. The griddle also maintains an even heat, and thus it is way more versatile
3. Is a Flat Top Grill a Griddle?
A flat-top grill is not a griddle, but they are a bit similar in appearance but cook food differently. In flat-top grills, the heating elements are in circular shapes, while a griddle has horizontal and straight elements.
Cooking appliances can be placed directly on top of the surface of your new flat top grill instead of onto the surface of the griddle. Furthermore, most flat-top grills are made from a heavy stainless steel material, which is similar to cast iron, and well seasoned to make it a more non-stick surface.
