We Tested 10 Grill Pans—Our Five Favorites Got Top Marks

What’s better than a burger that’s hot off the grill? You know, one with crispy bits of char around the edges and those coveted grill lines running across it, a sure sign of caramelization and the Maillard reaction? But, sometimes, a charcoal or gas grill just isn’t an option—maybe you’re an apartment-dweller without a yard, or you live in a place with less-than-ideal grilling weather. Or perhaps you just don’t want to go through the whole process of setting up a grill for a few servings. For all that and more, grill pans come to the rescue.

Well, sort of. Before we get more into grill pans, we should explain that they are great for grill marks, but they won’t ever impart the same smoky, flame-licked flavor that comes from an outdoor grill. A grill pan lacks the powerful radiant heat that emanates from hot coals (and, to a lesser extent, flames in a gas grill). Instead, heat is conducted from the stove burner to the pan and then straight to where the food touches the metal— which is why whatever's in the pan browns primarily where it comes in direct contact with the pan’s raised slats.

That all being said, for people who want the option to easily grill a big handful of veggies or a few portions of protein for dinner without the setup or space a grill requires, you can replicate some of that char (sans smoky taste) inside your home. All you need is the right pan, plus a little patient preheating.

To find the best grill pan, we tested 10 popular models. We looked at both uncoated (pre-seasoned) cast iron and enameled cast iron varieties to determine which was more versatile and easy to clean. When all was said and done, we spent more than 30 hours evaluating the grill pans.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Grill Pan

Lodge Chef Collection 11-Inch Cast Iron Square Grill Pan

$64 at Amazon $60 at Kohls.com

With moderately deep grill grates and just 0.2 inches between the grates, this pan created super distinct grill marks in all of our tests. It had low sides, which made it easy to maneuver food.

The Best Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan

Staub Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan

$150 at Amazon $130 at Williams Sonoma $150 at Wayfair

While enameled cast iron is not quite as versatile as standard cast iron (nor will it ever become more seasoned), this pan offered beautiful grill marks and was easy to clean. It was rather heavy, at 7.3 pounds, but was still easy to maneuver with a mitted hand, and it heated more evenly than its lighter counterparts.

The Best Splurge Cast Iron Grill Pan

Smithey Ironware Co. No. 12 Grill Pan

$220 at Smithey.com View on Acmetools.com $220 at Food52

Smithey’s grill pan is beautiful and well made, and its grill grates left sear marks on everything we cooked with it. It was deep, too, so dripping fat stayed in the pan instead of spattering out onto the stovetop. Food was released easily, and the pan was super easy to clean.

The Best Budget Cast Iron Grill Pan

Victoria Cast Iron Square Grill Pan

$38 at Amazon $35 at Walmart $90 $32 at Macy's

This pan seared well and cleaned up nicely. If you’re curious about adding a grill pan to your kitchen without spending a lot of dough, the Victoria is a great value. Its grates were also spaced fairly wide, leaving plenty of space for liquids to evaporate to prevent steaming.

The Best Budget Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan

Cuisinart Chef's Classic 9.25-Inch Square Grill Pan

$42 at Amazon $40 at Walmart

For quick cleanup and less maintenance on a budget, this enameled cast iron grill pan from Cuisinart heated evenly, seared well, and was fairly wide. We also liked the longer handle, which made it easy to move one-handed.

The Tests

• Pressed Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: We cooked a grilled cheese sandwich in each pan (pressed down with a light weight) to evaluate how evenly each pan heated.
• Chicken Breast Test: We grilled a butterflied chicken breast in each pan to see if the lean meat stuck to the grates, and examined the quality of the final grill marks.
• Burger Test: We grilled two 80/20 blend beef burgers in each pan to judge how the pans handled a higher-fat food cooked at a higher heat.
• Pork Chop Test: We cooked a pork chop on each pan, to see how it did with a thicker cut of meat.
• Zucchini Test: We cooked 1/4-inch thick strips of zucchini on each grill pan, to see how many planks the pan fit and how it did with a more delicate food.
• Usability and Cleanup Tests: Throughout testing, we evaluated how easy the grill pans were to use, maneuver during cooking, and clean according to their manufacturers' instructions.
  

What We Learned

Better Grill Marks Came From Taller Grates

A grill pan should have grates that are high enough to keep food elevated from the bottom surface of the pan; this helps create the signature browned grill marks and allows fat and moisture to channel away from the food, both of which can inhibit browning. The Tramontina Grill Pan had the lowest grate height of the bunch at 0.1 inches—food actually touched the bottom of the pan in between the grates during cooking. In the case of burgers, these shallow grates trapped rendered fat around the burger, essentially frying the entire bottom of the patty in its own fat. A delicious result, but one that’s more effectively achieved using a smashed burger method in a standard flat cast iron pan, if that’s what you’re going for.

On the other hand, the FINEX Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Pan had the highest grates—a full quarter-inch deep. Because of this, the grill marks that resulted were bold and defined. However, the chicken took longer to cook through fully, and the grilled cheese was too soft due to the lack of true radiant heat from the bottom of the pan. To balance height with heat, the sweet spot for grate height seemed to be around .2 inches (like that of our winner). 

Uncoated Cast Iron Was Best for Char

Enamel-coated cast iron offers plenty of perks: it can absorb and distribute heat just as well as regular cast iron, without you having to worry about ever seasoning it. It’s a phenomenal material for a Dutch oven, but not all its pros translate when it comes to grill pans. While enameled pans can get hot (Staub's are oven-safe up to 900°F), it’s recommended to preheat them over lower temperatures and cook at medium heat for best results (and to avoid damaging the coating).

Comparatively, cast iron had no issues getting—and staying—super hot. It performed well at smoking temperatures, which helped us attain the grill marks and char we were looking for. This is one reason we didn’t include nonstick grill pans in our tests: nonstick should never be used at high heat.

Flat, Broad Handles Were the Most Comfortable to Hold Onto

Easy-to-grip handles were vital—for making adjustments while cooking or holding the pan steady while washing. Handles that were rounded (like on the Tramontina pan) were hard to grip with an oven mitt; they were also slippery while cleaning. The FINEX pan, in particular, had a surprisingly efficient quick-cool handgrip, but it was nearly impossible to grasp comfortably due to the bulbous, spring-shaped design. Comparatively, our winning models had flatter handles, with rectangular angles that offered leverage for a secure hold.

The Criteria: What To Look for in a Grill Pan

A great grill pan should heat evenly and get hot enough to create grill marks and a little char. Its grill grates should be tall enough so the food doesn’t touch the bottom or sit in its drippings, but not too tall as to prevent things from cooking evenly. Lastly, it should have flatter, broad handles that are easy to hold so you can maneuver the pan easily with oven mitts on.

The Best Grill Pans

The Best Grill Pan

Lodge Chef Collection 11-Inch Cast Iron Square Grill Pan

$64 at Amazon $60 at Kohls.com

What we liked: The Lodge Chef Collection grill pan was a breeze to clean and heated evenly. The grill grates were high enough to keep the food off the bottom of the pan (and out of any rendered liquid), creating crispy textures and winning grill marks. The shallow sides made it easy to move food in the pan with tongs or a spatula. It’s sturdy and adaptable, just as suitable for a weekend camping trip as it is to sear steaks or toast a slice of crusty bread at home.

What we didn’t like: This pan has two short handles rather than one long one, so you need to use two oven-mitt-covered hands to move it while it’s hot. Its low walls also mean that this pan could create more splatters to clean up around your stove, although we didn’t find a significant difference between it and higher-walled pans in our tests.

Key Specs

• Weight: 7.14 lbs
• Materials: Pre-seasoned cast iron
• Care instructions: Hand-wash only using a pan scraper, chainmail scrubber, brush or sponge (yes, using a little soap is okay); dry promptly, and rub with cooking oil to season
• Dishwasher-safe: No
• Number of grates: 11
• Depth of grill grates: 0.2 inches
• Induction compatible: Yes

The Best Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan

Staub Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan

$150 at Amazon $130 at Williams Sonoma $150 at Wayfair

What we liked: This pan created nice caramelization and grill marks in all three tests. It required a little more time to preheat, but it held onto that heat and distributed it evenly over the entire cooking surface. It was also the easiest of the enameled cast iron pans to clean. 

What we didn’t like: Compared to the cast iron pans, it took a little longer to scrub off the stuck-on bits after cooking. This pan also experienced some very light sticking during the chicken test, but it released easily after an extra 30 seconds or so of browning. It's also expensive, but if you're set on an enameled cast iron model, we do think it's worth paying for the craftsmanship of a heritage brand like Staub.

Key Specs

• Weight: 7.3 lbs
• Materials: Enameled cast iron
• Care instructions: Let the pan cool before cleaning, then use warm water, dish soap, and a soft sponge or brush; dry completely
• Dishwasher-safe: Technically yes, but we don't recommend it
• Number of grates: 13
• Depth of grill grates: 0.2 inches
• Induction compatible: Yes

The Best Splurge Cast Iron Grill Pan

Smithey Ironware Co. No. 12 Grill Pan

$220 at Smithey.com View on Acmetools.com $220 at Food52

What we liked: This was by far the heaviest pan of all our top picks, and the extra material retained more heat than any other model we tested—it still registered at 302ºF five minutes after the heat was cut. That extra heat helped sear both sides of everything that we cooked, resulting in deep, even grill marks. Its grill grates were polished, so food released easily when it was time to flip, and its deep sides kept fat from splattering out onto the stovetop. It may be a little pricey, but it’s a beautiful, well-made piece if you’re up for the investment. 

What we didn’t like: The only real downside is its price—though we think it’s a gorgeous pan.

Key Specs

• Weight: 10.8 lbs
• Materials: Cast iron
• Care instructions: Hand-wash only using a pan scraper, chainmail scrubber, brush or sponge; dry promptly, and rub with cooking oil to season
• Dishwasher-safe: No
• Number of grates: 17
• Depth of grill grates: 0.2 inches
• Induction compatible: Yes
  

The Best Budget Cast Iron Grill Pan

Victoria Cast Iron Square Grill Pan

$38 at Amazon $35 at Walmart $90 $32 at Macy's

What we liked: This was one of the lighter pans we tested. it heated up quickly, taking just under four minutes to reach 300ºF. Because it was quick to heat, it was able to recover rapidly and sear both sides of whatever we were cooking with nice, deep char marks. Food released easily from the grates, and its slightly smaller footprint centered it well over the burner. It performed admirably overall, and at this price point, is a great value. 

What we didn’t like: Because it heats so quickly, it can be hard to manage temperature. In some cooking tests, the grates seared too aggressively on the side before it was cooked through. This also led to some sticking, but with a little bit of practice, we were able to manage the temperature swings. 

Key Specs

Key Specs

• Weight: 5 pounds
• Materials: Cast iron
• Care instructions: Hand-wash only using a pan scraper, chainmail scrubber, brush or sponge; dry promptly, and rub with cooking oil to season
• Dishwasher-safe: No
• Number of grates: 12
• Depth of grill grates: 0.2 inches
• Induction compatible: Yes

The Best Budget Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan

Cuisinart Chef's Classic 9.25-Inch Square Grill Pan

$42 at Amazon $40 at Walmart

What we liked: Overall, this pan performed well. It heated fairly evenly, seared deep grill marks onto whatever we were cooking, and its grill grates were close enough together to keep food from sitting in any drippings. It wasn’t the best performer of the bunch, but it’s very reasonably priced for an enameled cast iron pan, making it a great choice for anyone who wants easy cleanup and good performance.

What we didn’t like: It struggled to sear both sides of everything we cooked evenly, though that could be addressed with some tweaks to temperature and cook times. We also saw some sticking when cooking meat. Since the interior is a black satin enamel, its nonstick properties won’t improve over time.

Key Specs

• Weight: 6.5 lbs
• Materials: Enameled cast iron
• Care instructions: Let the pan cool before cleaning, then use warm water, dish soap, and a soft sponge or brush; dry completely
• Dishwasher-safe: Technically yes, but we don't recommend it
• Number of grates: 20
• Depth of grill grates: 0.125 inches
• Induction compatible: Yes

The Competition

• Lodge 10.5 Inch Cast Iron Grill Pan: This pan was easy to clean and heated evenly, but its grates only had a 0.13-inch depth, so the burgers cooked in their own juices after they were flipped, making the patties look steamed rather than grilled.
• Le Creuset Square Skillet Grill Pan: While this pan yielded distinct grill marks and crisp texture on the grilled cheese, there was some sticking during the grilled chicken test (even after a brush of oil), and the shallower grates meant that the burgers weren’t elevated out of their drippings during cooking.
• Backcountry Cast Iron 10-Inch Medium Square Grill Pan: The Backcountry pan performed similarly to the other cast iron models but seemed to heat less evenly, with hot and cool spots in all three of the cooking tests. Its out-of-the-box seasoning had a rough finish and needed a little more care when cleaning than the Lodge pans, but this improved slightly after several uses.
• Tramontina Grill Pan: The grill grates on this pan were the lowest of all the models we tested, causing the burgers to sit in their rendered fat and creating more browning between grill marks in other tests. While it wasn’t the winner for our objectives, this pan comes with its own 3.6-pound press, making it a good choice for paninis.
• FINEX Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Pan: While taller grates are great for bold grill marks (and for channeling out drippings), the grill grates on the FINEX pan were so high, that they prevented the food from cooking evenly. The large, bulbous handle and diamond shape of the pan made it hard to hold and maneuver. The deep grooves of the pan were tough to get in between while cleaning and seasoning.

FAQs

Do I need a grill pan?

While grill pans can’t replicate the smoke and char flavors of an outdoor grill (or even a good indoor grill), they tend to be easy to use and clean while providing the look and feel of a grilled meal. Grill pans are good options for people who live in an apartment or want to skip the hassle of an outdoor grill.

What is the best shape for a grill pan?

For nearly all uses, square and round grill pans work equally well. The base of your pan should be about the same size as your burner, especially if you have a gas stove, to prevent damage to the walls of your pan (flames should never go up around the sides). Pans that are 10 to 11.5 inches are ideal for most stoves.

How do I clean a grill pan?

For enameled cast iron grill pans, let the pan cool to the touch before cleaning with a non-abrasive sponge, soap, and warm water. For traditional cast iron, scrub with a cleaning brush or sponge and warm water. You can use a little dish soap, coarse salt, and/or a chainmail scrubber if needed for stubborn bits. Dry your cast iron pan completely, then rub it all over with a thin layer of unsaturated oil (like canola or vegetable oil) and heat on a stovetop until it lightly smokes—this adds another layer of seasoning for its next use.

Should I buy a nonstick grill pan?

We don't recommend it. Nonstick pans of any style, like frying pans or skillets, should not be used at high heat. Most nonstick coatings break down around 500˚F, which is far cooler than the temperatures we'd use with a grill pan. An enameled cast iron grill pan is a better choice than a nonstick, although as we noted above, even those can't handle the smoking-hot temperatures of seasoned cast iron.

Why We're the Experts

• For this review, we tested 10 grill pans—making grilled cheese, burgers, vegetables, pork chops, and more. We spent more than 30 hours testing these pans to land on our five favorites.
• Our favorite grill pans have entered long-term testing. We will update this review with any notable feedback.
• Ashlee Redger is a recipe developer and freelance writer who has spent most of her career in test kitchens. She's written for Serious Eats for about a year and has authored many of our equipment reviews, including nakiri knives and induction burners.