Most flat-top grills also have locking castors and powder-coating to prevent rust-these ones can be stored outside.

FeaturesĮxpect extras such as folding side-serving shelves, a wide storage shelf underneath, hooks for grilling tools, and removable grease buckets. If you plan on entertaining larger parties, five or more burners may be in order. Two-burner grills work for most small families, while four-burner grills are better for larger families or cookouts with friends. To determine the size that’s best for you, consider the number of people you typically cook for or whether you want to grill enough food to serve a crowd. Most flat-top grills are propane-fueled, so you’ll want to consider how many BTUs of cooking power a grill offers. Some flat-top grill models come with both grill and griddle cooking surfaces, eliminating the decision if you can’t decide-but make sure you have a place to store the griddle when you aren’t using it. That leaves those lovely grill marks on your chicken, steak, or veggies. Grillsįlat-top grills with grated surfaces allow oil and grease to drip away from the food as it cooks. The surface of flat-top griddles is almost always rolled steel and, like cast-iron cookware, needs to be “seasoned” with oil after use-even if the model you choose comes pre-seasoned with a nonstick surface. If you’re a fan of White Castle’s sliders, a griddle grill is the way to go. Breakfast food, hot sandwiches, and stir fries cook well on flat-top grills with a griddle surface. Griddle surfaces can reach temperatures up around 600 degrees, but work best a bit below 400 degrees. Rather, choose a flat-top grill if you like to make large amounts of burgers or hot dogs, stir fries, and anything else that needs a super hot surface and not much else. They’re rectangular in shape, have two or more gas burners, and they don’t generally have a cover or lid, though many have plastic fold-in side shelves to protect the cooking surface and keep it clean.īecause there’s nothing to trap the heat, flat-top grills aren’t ideal for low-and-slow cooking or smoking. Flat-top grills provide a fully accessible cooking surface from end to end, and griddle and grate models share some common characteristics.

Drop in flat top grill