The 15 Best Commercial Griddles You Can Get for Your Restaurant Business in 2023
A commercial griddle is the perfect restaurant equipment because to prepare most foods; you need a precise temperature of heat level.
Think about it; more than 85% of the meals sold in food trucks and restaurants need even heat distribution to taste properly. What better way to achieve that than buying the right commercial griddle? The versatility of commercial griddles can make it a bit difficult for you to choose, but there are so many options to fit your cooking needs.
Regardless of how much space you have or how small your cooking space is, you'll definitely find the right griddle. Let's look at the common models of commercial griddles and note that they are mostly designed to be compatible with any countertop.
What Are The Different Types Of Commercial Griddles
Commercial Char-Broilers
Commercial char-broilers add grilled flavors to steaks, hash browns, pancakes, burgers, bacon, chicken, meat, fish, salmon, and other foods while designing it with sear marks - you can grill for lesser minutes if you don't fancy sear marks on your sandwiches and vegetables.
Char-broiler grills at a high but adjustable temperature. So, you just set the temperature to different levels depending on what you're cooking.
The burners of the commercial char broilers are placed at 14" across the unit's bottom. However, more expensive models have lesser space. Lesser space is an indication that evenly heats will be distributed, and there will be constant heat retention. Its price ranges from $429 - $15,000.
Gas Griddles
Gas griddles are the most common models of griddles, and it has the same range as a natural gas connection. Instead of cooking in an open flame, you can connect your gas griddle to a natural gas source and provide heat at full capacity.
What's even better with this model is that it heats a flat cooking surface. This feature should be considered when you need to make an excellent choice.
So many breakfast restaurant kitchens use gas griddles because of their consistent cooking results in making breakfast, lunch and dinner.
One of the most important considerations when getting a gas griddle is the thermostatic controls. With this feature, you can set the griddle to different temperatures, but without the thermostatic control, it'll keep generating more heat until your food gets burned. Its price ranges from $395 - $15,100.
Electric Griddles
Commercial electric griddles use electricity to generate heat and enough power efficiently. It's the best option for those who have small kitchens or always cook a small amount of food.
You can place them anywhere because you just need an outlet to put in the plug. Gas griddles come in small and large units, so your choice will be dependent on what you need a griddle for
Many breakfast restaurant kitchens favor larger griddles because you get to cook more food simultaneously and serve customers faster. Its price ranges from $335 - $11,470.
Griddle Broiler Combos
Griddle broilers come with stainless steel front and sides, making them perfect for a commercial kitchen.
Depending on the type of cooking you plan on doing, the griddle's plate thickness should be considered. If you plan on using the griddle broiler for mostly family breakfast, then a thinner plate would be ideal.
It's a commercial countertop griddle because its compact design makes it suitable for small areas. However, other models will easily fit into a bigger kitchen space.
The price range of griddle broiler combos is $2,064 - $6,707.
Best Commercial Griddles
Selecting the ideal commercial griddle can be a big decision because there are varieties of model options in the market to choose from. Let's look at a few options;
Best Commercial Char-Broiler: Cookline CCB-36 36" Gas Countertop Radiant Charbroiler - 90,000 BTU
This commercial char-broiler features wear-resistant stainless steel construction, ideal for easy clean up. With its durable cast iron grates, you can safely grill breakfast items or different foods of your choice on it.
Its back and side splash guards protect it against splashes from oil or any liquid while cooking. The Cookline gas radiant commercial char-broiler comes with reversible top grates, so you can easily do a combination of different foods to perfection.
With its 3/4" gas connection, you can hook it up to your natural gas source. Also, it comes with a waste tray that helps collect grease and dirt while cooking, and its short adjustable legs make it suitable for any kitchen countertop.
Each burner comes with independent controls to set the temperature to whatever level you want.
Honorable Mentions:
The 24" Cookline gas countertop char-broiler boasts of high-quality material, and its 60,000BTU/hr burners has the capacity to cook foods at a high temperature.
As a commercial stainless steel griddle, it's highly resistant to scratch and can withstand heavy use. It comes with two individual controls to help cook faster and keep the kitchen running smoothly. With just $495, you can have this affordable char broiler in your restaurant kitchen.
Also, it features a waste tray, reversible top grates, and a rear gas connection to connect with your natural gas source.
The Standard Range Charbroiler comes with commercial griddle plates that you can easily adjust to three different positions; sloped, plain or flat. Its waste tray allows for easy clean up, so your kitchen staff don't have to waste their time cleaning and instead focus on other things. With its 4 burners, you can cook a variety of delicacies in your commercial kitchen. If you usually have a busy kitchen, this is the ideal option for you. This unit costs $895.
The Imperial cooking equipment comes with 8 stainless steel burners that are positioned 6" throughout the width of the broiler, allowing for more heat distribution. It has two main types of models, floor or countertop models; the choice is yours, depending on the size of your kitchen. Plus, note that the countertop griddles can be safely placed on top of appliances if you plan on saving space in your kitchen.
It features removable radiant covers for easy cleaning and a drip pan to prevent your kitchen from being messy during cooking time. This unit is a bit high-end, and the full cost is $7,942.
Best Gas Griddle: Cookline CGG-60T-HD 60" Commercial Countertop Gas Griddle with Thermostatic Controls - 150,000 BTU
This Cookline commercial gas griddle comes with a thermostat that allows you to control its temperature when cooking. Thicker griddle plate heats faster and more evenly, and this gas griddle plate has just the right thickness.
It comes with 5 burners, adjustable legs and a pull-out crumb tray. With $1,475, you can add this sturdy, professional griddle to your collection.
Honorable Mentions:
The imperial gas griddle comes with incredible thick plates that provide even heat distribution even on a flat cooking surface. You can use this gas griddle when you're outdoor with friends and family.
It has a total BTU of 120,000 and a 4" grease trough for convenience when cooking, so you don't splatter dirt or oil around your cooking area. This unit costs $12,573.
Plus, it has a landing wedge and cabinet to support its weight and make it easier to carry.
The Star Ultra max griddle comes with a heavy-duty weld body, making it more durable and reliable compared to other griddles. It has a thick steel plate that makes the cooking process fast. This unit is part of our top picks because of its unmatchable performance and durability.
Its thick steel cooking surface is ideal for simultaneously making a versatile range of meals in different batches. This exact brand of griddle is available for $10,522.
This is the perfect griddle for home use and your small restaurant kitchen. Its 60,000 BTU provides enough heat for cooking up meals like pancakes, burgers, scrambled eggs, hamburgers, sausages, and a long list of other food possibilities. You can easily classify this unit as a stainless steel pancake griddle because it's efficient enough to withstand daily use in small kitchens.
Its stainless steel construction makes it resistant to corrosion. The American range griddle is equipped with many high-end features that make it better than certain types of electric griddles. You can purchase this unit for $1,917.
Best Electric Griddle: Standard Range SR-EG36 36" Commercial Electric Thermostatic Countertop Griddle, 208-240V
This commercial electric griddle features thermostatic controls with a temperature range of 150℉ to 450℉ that allows you to cook at different heat levels depending on the dishes you want to prepare. It has a thicker plate than most griddles, and its griddle surface doesn't contaminate whatever food is placed on it.
The Standard range electric griddle comes with a back, and side splash guard welded to its sides to prevent oil residues from ruining the surrounding walls. It comes with a 3-1/4" grease drawer that's easy to remove, making cleaning much easier.
Honorable Mentions:
The Toastmaster electric griddle comes with thermostat controls that helps you effortlessly adjust temperature levels. One of the advantages of this electrical unit is its plate thinness of 5/8" and compact size. With $2,183, you can have this portable unit at your doorstep.
The Star-Max commercial electric griddle is one of the best commercial griddles for restaurants. Its stainless steel body makes it more durable than other griddles. This electrical griddle supplies more heat than propane powered models making it more convenient for commercial use.
Also, it's quite budget-friendly for the number of advanced features it has; $3,426.
The Imperial electric commercial griddle comes with a cooking surface of 60" W X 24" D. It features 4 stainless legs that are resistant to rust and corrosion.
You can add this equipment to your restaurant kitchen for just $7,770.
Best Griddle Broiler Combo: American Range ARGB-36 36" Raised Griddle Broiler - 60,000 BTU
This American range griddle broiler boasts of 3 burners of 20,000 BTU each. Its compact design makes it perfect to fit into any room, small or large. The heat deflector is located every 12" of the griddle's surface, making it perfect for heating frozen items. This unit features manual controls; you can still set the temperature to low, medium or high. The griddle heats dishes quickly, and it can endure repeatedly heating without wearing down.
Honorable Mentions:
The Comstock griddle comes with manual controls, with griddle plate thickness of 3/4". It features optimal pressure of 4°WC and 10°WC for natural and propane gas, respectively.
The burner of this griddle is at 30,000 BTU, and it's equipped with stainless steel spreader to help spread heat evenly in a downward direction. With $2,064, you get to have a griddle with cleaning supplies, open top grates, safety pilot controls and knob protectors.
Unlike the previous model we discussed above, this Comstock griddle comes with two burners rated at 90,000 BTU.
The surface material of the plates is designed to minimize food sticking so that you can prepare your barbecue, pancakes and eggs professionally.
This model of Comstock griddle is available for $3515.
What Are The Most Important Factors To Consider When Choosing A Commercial Griddle?
Choosing the best commercial griddle might be a bit challenging because there are many types of griddles available the market, and you are being careful not to waste your money on something sub-standard. Reviews on a website won't suffice if you don't know the integral features to look out for.
However, we have gone through all of the trouble to figure out what you should bother with when selecting a brand or any griddle model.
Size
The size of a commercial griddle is one of the most important factors to consider before making any purchase. Larger griddles occupy more space, so you need to be sure you have enough space to accommodate them. Commercial griddles are available in different sizes, ranging from 24" to 72".
If you are running a restaurant, you need to be certain of what your menu items are and if you need a griddle with one or more burners to achieve optimal results. Smaller griddles are ideal if operating at a medium-sized restaurant with few customers. If you have a small table, you can customize a cooking space and place your griddle at the center.
You should also consider the size of cooking surface ranges and how many sections it has, as they vary based on griddle sizes and models.
Heat Source and Fuel
There are three main types of commercial griddles with different fuel source and fuel type. The placement of the heating element will vary as well, so you need to assess what will work best for your business or home.
- Electric - Electric commercial griddles are powered using electricity, and they distribute heat evenly regardless of how many items you have on the cooking surface. The only downside of this griddle is that it has a slower recovery time than gas griddles. also, electrical griddles come with three main heat settings; low, medium and low
- Gas - Most chefs love gas commercial griddles because of their efficiency and ability to recover faster than other types of griddles. Most gas griddles feature thermostatic control, making it easy to control their temperature. One major advantage of gas griddles is that they make use of natural and liquid propane gas, which is a cheaper option than the electric model.
- Induction - Induction griddles are fairly new into the market. They distribute heat almost in the same manner as a gas commercial griddle but with induction elements. Its temperature picks up fast, and it works perfectly well for cook top, plus it can use an electric power source.
Plate Thickness & Quality
The thickness of your griddle will depend on how frequently you want to use it. Thinner plates are ideal for heat retention, and it stays hotter for a longer time, while thicker plates are perfect for frequent use and are usually more durable. Thicker plates create a higher level of heat, so get a griddle with thick plates if you don't want to slow down your cooking process.
Also, your commercial griddles' quality and durability depend on choosing the right griddle plates.
Material
There are different types of griddle materials, and most griddle plates have either stainless steel surface or chromium surface material. While they are both easy to clean, stainless steel surface material is more resistant to scratches, and chromium is more unsusceptible to corrosion.
Cost
A larger griddle will come at a price, and vice versa for small griddles. As with purchasing any product or service, you need to consider the cost and your budget.
You can get commercial griddles at low prices, but it might not be efficient enough, depending on your kitchen usage.
Depending on the size, the number of burners and material, a commercial griddle can cost anywhere from $350 - $20,000, and drop-in griddles are more expensive. However, you can get a griddle that will suit your needs for a good price.
Is It Easy To Use?
Typically, it pays to buy an easy to operate, easy to clean, and light-weight griddle. It may look as though this is a feature to be overlooked, but you'll save yourself a lot of stress in the long run. If you are using a commercial griddle for the first time, you may need professional advice, so you don't make the wrong choice. Few reviews out there are accurate, so do your homework properly
Need Of Maintenance
This is another factor to consider before buying a griddle. Due to the constant use of commercial griddles, they are prone to quick wear and tear. Once your unit starts showing signs of wear, don't hesitate to take for servicing to a professional, so you can prolong its lifespan and maintain maximum functionality.
Controls
A commercial griddle will either have a manual control or thermostatic control. Manual controls just have three heat settings; low, medium and high, while thermostatic controls allow you set temperature to a precise temperature. Using a griddle with an adjustable temperature feature is the best because you can regulate the heating and easily warm cold food without any hassles.
Conclusion
A commercial griddle is a quality investment for every restaurant. Aside from its ease of use, it adds a special flavor to whatever food you're serving to a customer. Plus, when handled properly, it can last for years. So, take into consideration all the factors we have listed, and make a wise choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which griddle surface is best?
The answer is quite simple; stainless steel surface. Griddle plates with stainless steel are non-stick, making the flat top easy to clean and maintain.