Grill pans can become extremely useful within the kitchen, ideal for cooking meat, fish, vegetables, and good for toasting sandwiches and many more!
They’re especially good for grilling meat, as a substitute for a barbecue, as they will give the meat some nice smear marks and will drain away any excess oil while cooking.
Grill pans are a great way to cook without drowning your food in oil, and they’re very fast and easy to use.
Overall, they are a must for the kitchen, and with them, you can cook plenty of delicious and healthy meals.
They can be found in many different sizes and shapes, so you can 100% find a grill pan that suits your needs and preferences perfectly, allowing it to become the ideal cooking companion.
There are plenty of great grill pan options available in today’s market, so many that it can actually become quite tricky to determine which grill pans are truly the best options with the highest-quality for cooking your food.
The more durable and efficient the pan is, the better the food results will be!
We’ve compiled a list of our top five picks for the overall best grill pan, so you can check out the options to see which suits your needs best!
In a hurry?
Good food requires talent, precision, and top quality ingredients. But good food also requires appropriate kitchen tools.
A grill pan is ideal for a wide range of foods and meals, easy to use, and perfect for healthy cooking.
If you’re in a hurry to get a good grill pan, we recommend you check out our number one top choice: the Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Pan.
The Lodge brand has been manufacturing kitchen accessories and products since 1896, so they truly know what they are doing, with all of their products being highly acclaimed and popular thanks to how high-quality and reliable they are.
The Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Pan is no exception, and it is incredibly durable and long-lasting.
With it being a 10.5-inches square grill pan, it is ideal for cooking all sorts of food and meals, and it is super easy to clean after use.
It also comes pre-seasoned for an easy-release natural finish, and it ensures even heating so that the food is cooked perfectly every single time.
OUR TOP PICK
The Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill has made it to the top of our list thanks to the overwhelming amount of positive reviews and ratings, that place it at the top amongst customer satisfaction, and that makes it an excellent and reliable choice.
Founded in 1896, the Lodge brand has been manufacturing kitchen accessories for a long time, and they always deliver the best quality products, so it’s no wonder it’s the top choice!
It is a 10.5 inches big square grill pan, able to be used on all cooking surfaces, including grills and campfires.
It is also completely oven-safe, which can come in very handy! It features heat retention and even heating, which will ensure your food gets cooked to perfection, and it’s constructed to be highly durable and long-lasting, even when withstanding regular heavy-duty use.
The grill pan also comes pre-seasoned for a natural easy-release finish, which just gets better the more you use it!
It is super easy to wash after use and can be done so by hand with some soap.
And overall, it’s an incredibly useful grill pan that offers unpaired results with the pre-seasoning for a better finish.
Pros
- Highly acclaimed and recommended brand - very reliable product
- 10.5-inches square grill pan
- Usable on all heat surfaces and completely oven safe
- Pre-seasoned for a natural easy-release finish
- Heat retention and even heating
- Incredibly durable and long-lasting
Cons
- No significant downsides
EDITORS CHOICE
A close second on our list of top picks is the amazing GreenPan Paris Non-Stick Square Grill Pan, which also has an amazing number of positive reviews and ratings, making it highly popular amongst customers.
Made from ceramic, the non-stick coating is free from any PFAS, PFOA, lead, or cadmium, meaning it won’t release any toxic fumes when in use, even if it’s overheated, making it completely safe to use!
It also has a diamond-reinforced coating that makes it incredibly durable and long-lasting, as well as making it safe to be used with metal utensils.
The hard anodized body that it features is scratch-resistant and designed to withstand regular use in the kitchen, ensuring that it delivers high-quality food results every single time, no matter how often you use it.
It can be used on all stovetops except induction, and it is also oven and broiler safe to a temperature of up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
The handle it has is made from riveted stainless steel, and it is contoured so that it offers a more comfortable and safer grip when cooking.
What’s also great about the GreenPan grill pan is that it is dishwasher safe, so you can clean it a lot easier after you’re done using it!
Safe to use, delivering a high-performance, and durable enough to last you for years to come, it truly is an excellent choice!
Pros
- The non-stick coating is free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium - completely safe to use
- Diamond-reinforced coating for durability
- The hard anodized body is scratch-resistant
- Can be used on all stovetops (except induction) and is oven safe up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit
- Dishwasher-safe for easier clean-up and convenience
Cons
- The non-stick coating wastes away after many uses
BEST VALUE
If you’re looking for a grill pan that is practical and especially easy to use, while still delivering great cooking results, the Moss & Stone Griddle Aluminum Non-Stick Grill
Pan might be the product that you’re looking for. This grill pan has been designed to be incredibly lightweight, with comfortable handles that allow for a safe grip, and overall making it really easy to handle and use when cooking.
The non-stick surface is also perfect for cooking with less oil, and any grease left behind after cooking can be easily cleaned off.
It has been designed so that the heat spreads evenly throughout the pan, helping you achieve the best cooking results.
It’s highly durable and long-lasting and is able to withstand regular use in the kitchen for years to come, becoming a reliable kitchen tool.
The product also comes with a special cleaning cloth, so that you can wipe the grill pan clean after use with ease.
Moss & Stone is a great brand, and it offers great customer service along with a 1-year warranty, no questions asked, just in case you aren’t fully happy with the product.
With a square shape and a large capacity, measuring 11.2-inches x 11.4-inches, this grill pan is ideal for cooking big meals and large amounts of food, with great cooking results every single time!
Pros
- Incredibly lightweight with comfortable safe-grip handles - very easy to use and handle
- Non-stick surface
- Includes a special cleaning cloth
- Designed for even heat spreading - great cooking results
- 1-year warranty and great customer service included with the product
Cons
- No significant downsides
RUNNER UP
Another amazing choice of grill pan to ensure you get the best cooking results possible is the Anolon 84062 Advanced Hard Anodized Grill Pan, which is highly popular and a great tool to have in the kitchen.
It features some built-in ridges, to give your food those authentic grill marks, and the premium non-stick surface ensures that the food doesn’t stick, making it easier to cook with less oil needed.
It also features a duel-riveted SureGrip handle, designed to be comfortable and allowing for greater control when using the pan.
It also has a pair of built-in spouts so that you can pour out any cooking juices, which is especially useful if you’re making any sauces or gravies!
As it has been constructed in a square shape, it has a lot more cooking space than other grill pans made to be round, meaning you can cook more food at the same time!
The hard anodized body of the pan makes it highly durable, resistant to damage, and long-lasting so that you can use it regularly for years to come.
It is safe to use with all stovetops and is also oven-safe up to a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Easy to use, convenient, and it gives your food the feeling of having been authentically grilled, what more do you need?
Pros
- Built-in ridges for authentic frill marks
- Premium non-stick surface with built-in spouts for pouring out any juices
- Duel-riveted SureGrip handle - comfortable and secure for enhanced control when cooking
- Large cooking space thanks to the square shape design
- Oven safe up to a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Cons
- The non-stick surface can fade away after multiple uses
RUNNER UP
Last but not least on our list of top picks we have the Calphalon Signature Hard Anodized Grill Pan, another popular and high-quality option that helps you cook your food with great and delicious results.
The non-stick surface that the Calphalon Signature features is free from any PFOA, making it a lot safer to use even if it overheats.
It has also been designed to perform just as effectively as stainless steel, making it a great kitchen tool with even heating.
It has been crafted from heavy-gauge hard anodized aluminum, making it highly durable and long-lasting.
The brushed stainless steel handle is long and remains cool while you cook, making it a lot safer to use, and easier for you to control the pan while cooking.
The pan is also resistant to scratching, so you can use any utensil on it, including metal ones.
To make it convenient and easy to clean up after use, the Calphalon is dishwasher safe too! It’s designed as a round 12-inch pan, and you can use it on any source of heat.
It is also completely oven-safe, which comes in very handy for finishing off certain food dishes!
The ridged surface that it features gives the food that you’re cooking the authentic grill marks and also helps drain any excess oil or fat so that your food is even healthier.
Pros
- Non-stick surface free of PFOA - safer to use
- As effective as stainless steel, with even heating for better cooking results
- The brushed stainless steel handle remains cool to the touch
- Resistant to scratching - can be used with any utensil
- Completely oven safe
Cons
- Not as durable or long-lasting as other grill pan options
Best Grill Pan Buying Guide
When it comes to cooking, having high-quality and suitable kitchen appliances and tools can really make a difference.
Not only can it help you achieve better cooking results, but it can also make your life a lot easier when working in the kitchen.
A grill pan can be incredibly useful, and it’s highly versatile as you can use it to cook many different types of food, giving them an authentic grilled feel.
Although there are plenty of grill pans around, if you want the best results, you’re going to need one that is high-quality, comfortable to use, and that helps the food be as delicious as possible.
It can be tricky to determine which products are the best, so we like to compare them by taking a few basic factors into consideration, so we can ensure we’re picking the most reliable, durable, and high-quality grill pans possible.
Size and Shape
Grilled pans come in all shapes and sizes, and the one you choose is down to your personal needs and preferences.
As a general rule, however, a square pan has more overall cooking space than a round pan, so they tend to be the most popular.
As for the size, it really does depend on how much kitchen storage space you have and how many people you usually cook for. But if in doubt, bigger is better to be safe!
Material and Durability
Usually, grill pans are made out of cast iron. This makes them ideal for an even distribution of heat so that the food cooks better.
It also makes them incredibly durable and long-lasting, as a grill pan is a kitchen item that can last you for many years, even when you use it regularly.
It’s important to also check the material the handle is made out of, as it should ideally remain cool to the touch so that it’s safer to use while the grill pan is in use.
You can also look for handles with a sure and comfortable grip, so that you have more control over the pan while cooking.
Non-stick Coating
It is super important for your grill pan to have a non-stick coating, as it makes cooking a lot easier and it stops the food from sticking to the pan and making a mess you can’t clean up.
Something to look out for in non-stick coatings, is whether they are free from PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium.
These can release toxic fumes if the grill pan begins to overheat, and can become dangerous, so it’s good to look for pans that don’t have them, as it means they are a lot safer and healthier to cook with.
Versatility in Use
Grill pans can be used in many different ways, for many different types of foods. However, you can enhance that versatility by looking out for certain bonus features.
The one we like to look out for the most is whether the grill pan is oven safe or not, and to what maximum temperature.
An oven safe grill pan will give you a lot more cooking options, so it’s a great feature to look for!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a grill pan healthy?
Cooking your food in a grill pan is healthier than cooking it in a frying pan.
Thanks to the ridges that the grill pan has, the food won’t cook in its own fat, and any excess oil and fat will be drained, so that the food doesn’t absorb it.
It can also make some foods tastier, as it will give them the smoky grilled feel, and it will give them some grill marks.
Do you put oil in a grill pan?
Oil is very commonly used in pans to ensure that the food doesn’t stick. However, grill pans tend to have a really good non-stick surface, so they don’t need as much oil as other pans.
It is still recommended that you add a drop or two of oil, but you won’t need to use nearly as much as if you were cooking with a frying pan.
On top of that, thanks to the ridges that are featured on the grill pan, any excess oil will be drained instead of being absorbed by the food!
