We Found the Best Electric Griddles Perfect for Pancakes, Burgers, and More

Best Overall

Zojirushi Gourmet Sizzler Electric Griddle

Orig. $196 $142 at Amazon $160 at Wayfair View on Bed Bath & Beyond

If cooking with a griddle is going to be an everyday occurrence, investing in a top-quality griddle might be a wise decision. This luxurious model from Zojirushi has a nice-sized 19 x 12.5-inch cooking surface and can heat from 176 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The cooking surface has a nonstick ceramic coating enhanced with titanium to make it long-lasting and easy to clean, while it promotes even browning. The griddle disassembles easily for cleaning, so you’ll get all the nooks cleaned every time.

We tested this in our Lab, where it earned excellent ratings across the board. We could easily cook six pancakes at once, and after the first batch, they cooked a bit quicker thanks to the griddle's solid heat retention. We also fit an entire pack of bacon on the griddle; it cooked beautifully and evenly.

The cooking plate sits inside a bodyguard, which helps to prevent accidental scalding while cooking. Both the guard and cooking plate are fully immersible for thorough cleaning, though we noted that it would rarely need to be submerged since the surface cleans off so easily. This griddle includes a lid for faster cooking, to hold in steam, and to protect against splattering. A stainless steel spatula is also included. It will take up a lot of room when stored, but we still think it is worth the investment.

Unlike most other griddles, this does not have a drain hole or grease trap, which means that fat and liquids will stay in the griddle during cooking. Thanks to the generous 1-inch sides, there’s little risk of spillage, and in some cases, we actually prefer keeping the tasty juices until they reduce on their own. We can’t call this a pro or a con–it depends on what you’re cooking. And of course, if you really need to remove liquids, a turkey baster can handle that task.

Material: Aluminum with ceramic nonstick coating | Heat Range: 176 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit | Lid Included: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: No | Dimensions: 19 x 12.5 inches | Weight: 12 pounds

Best Budget

BELLA Electric Ceramic Titanium Griddle

$35 at Amazon $45 at Macy's

This wallet-friendly griddle performs well above its modest price point—featuring a generous 10.5 x 20-inch surface, it heats quickly and evenly thanks to 1500 watts of power. The dial offers great temperature control and allows you to heat the surface from "warm" to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to turn out pancakes, bacon, and more at an excellent pace. The ceramic nonstick surface is reinforced with titanium for extra durability (though you should still avoid using metal utensils to prolong the life of your griddle).

In our Lab, this griddle performed wonderfully—pancakes and French toast cooked evenly, and the griddle maintained its heat very well throughout the cooking process. It was incredibly easy to take apart and clean, and though it is dishwasher safe, we were able to just wipe it down with a damp paper towel. While there was a hint of staining after cooking eggs, we're confident that this nonstick surface is pretty durable and will work just fine for quite some time.

The handles stay cool for optimum maneuverability and the surface has a ledge that comes in handy to stop hash browns or pancakes from slipping as you flip them. To clean, remove the probe—the surface is fully immersible and the drip tray can go right into the dishwasher.

Material: Aluminum with ceramic nonstick coating | Heat Range: Warm to 400 degrees Fahrenheit | Lid Included: N/A | Dishwasher Safe: Drip tray only | Dimensions: 10.5 x 20 inches | Weight: 3.88 pounds

Best for Crepes

NutriChef Electric Griddle and Crepe Maker

$27 at Amazon Orig. $33 $25 at Walmart $29 at Home Depot

This electric crepe maker and griddle by NutriChef has an easy-to-adjust temperature dial and a large (12 inches), flat nonstick cooking surface that cooks quickly and evenly. It has an impressively even cooking surface—the crepes cooked evenly from one side to the other. This surface also has a short lip so that your batter doesn't spill over the edge.

Plus, the NutriChef comes with a wooden pastry spreader and wooden crepe turner with beveled edges, which we found extremely helpful in folding over the crepes due to their large diameter. We love that the appliance is multipurpose: we can cook other breakfast favorites such as eggs, bacon, and sausage with it. There is a mechanical sound that is emitted while this one is in use, but it's not a deal breaker. In the end, if you're a crepe cake aficionado, then this griddle is a must-have.

Material: Aluminum with ceramic nonstick coating | Heat Range: Variable | Lid Included: No | Dishwasher Safe: No | Dimensions: 12 x 12.9 x 2.4 inches | Weight: 2.4 pounds

Best Multi-Tasker

Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler

Orig. $100 $90 at Amazon $85 at Wayfair $100 at Williams-Sonoma

If versatility is important to you, the 5-in-1 Griddler from Cuisinart is a great choice. This model has interchangeable plates that allow you to use the machine as a griddle or grill, as well as a traditional panini press—great for sandwiches like traditional Cubanos. A waffle plate option is also available for purchase. Open the lid all the way to create a flat top griddle, perfect for making pancakes, eggs, and bacon for the family. Use the selector knobs in front to control the temperature, from 200 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit in griddle mode. When in panini/grill mode, you have a variable temperature selection from "low" to "sear," so you can adjust to your heating preferences as needed.

We liked the ease of using the Griddler, as well as the ability to set the temperature for constant, consistent heating for whatever you're cooking. One drawback we noticed is that though the hidden drip tray is convenient, it is also easy to forget about when it's time to clean up, so you'll have to be conscious of cleaning it before storing the grill away.

This easy-to-use griddle/grill combo has a sturdy brushed stainless steel exterior, which is easy to maintain with a simple wipe-down to remove any debris. Cleaning up is simple—we love that the removable nonstick plates are dishwasher safe but can also be easily washed by hand.

Material: Stainless steel | Heat Range: 200-425 degrees Fahrenheit | Lid Included: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but just the removable plates | Dimensions: 11.5 x 13.5 x 7.12 inches | Weight: 11.44 pounds

Best Extra Large

BELLA XL Electric Ceramic Titanium Griddle

Orig. $50 $47 at Amazon View on Costco.com

When it comes to value, this griddle from Bella—a larger version of our Best Budget pick—delivers it in spades. This durable model offers a 1500-watt heating system underneath a titanium and ceramic-coated nonstick surface. The extra-large surface, measuring 12 x 22 inches, means that you can easily cook for a crowd—incredibly useful if you have a large family or are entertaining guests.

We found the heat retention to be great with this griddle—the second round of pancakes cooked in half the time of the first batch (which initially took about six minutes). Cooking bacon was fairly straightforward, though we did have to move some pieces from the edges into the center for better crisping. We noticed that the surface remained slick throughout cooking—almost too slick, as flipping the pancakes without them slipping took some getting used to.

The griddle has a variable temperature control dial that ranges from "warm" to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The handles stay cool so you can easily move the griddle anytime, and the surface features a built-in ledge with a backstop for better control when flipping flapjacks or crispy home fries. To clean, simply remove the probe—the surface is fully immersible and the drip tray can go right into the dishwasher.

Material: Aluminum with ceramic nonstick coating | Heat Range: Warm to 400 degrees Fahrenheit | Lid Included: N/A | Dishwasher Safe: Drip tray only | Dimensions: 22 x 12 inches | Weight: 4 pounds

Best Splurge

Wolf Gourmet Electric Griddle

$450 at Williams-Sonoma $450 at Sur La Table

This is, no doubt, a high-end griddle that’s built to last. It cooks evenly, has a slick nonstick surface that’s super easy to clean, and it’s got enough room for 10-12 slices of bacon – and you can squeeze in more if you wait for them to shrink a bit. This did well for both low-temp cooking, as well as searing and sizzling. The control knob is in the front, in signature Wolf red, and is easy to see and use.

For anyone used to cooking on a flat-top outdoor griddle, this could be the perfect foul-weather friend, since it sears well. Burgers and brats will be no problem. While grease and liquids do travel to the drain and into the grease trap, it doesn’t drain it all in a hurry, so your pancakes or eggs won’t head to the exit, and the butter you melt will stay on the griddle for cooking.

This is a one-piece unit aside from the lid and grease trap, so you can’t dunk it in the sink. However, thanks to the excellent nonstick surface, it is easy to clean. First, push any remaining food bits, grease, or juices into the grease trap, then use a soapy sponge to wash, and then a non-soapy sponge or cloth to wipe off soap residue. Easy peasy, then it’s ready for the next batch of French toast or fajitas. Unless it's headed for the cabinet—but keep in mind, it is significantly heavier than others on this list.

Material: Stainless steel body, nonstick coating surfact | Heat Range: Warm to 450 degrees Fahrenheit | Lid Included: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: No | Dimensions: 12 x 17 inches | Weight: 21 pounds

Best for Small Spaces

Presto Electric Tilt-N-Fold Griddle

Orig. $70 $64 at Amazon Orig. $70 $64 at Walmart $70 at Target

For a small, inexpensive griddle, this little guy gets the job done. We lined up 8 slices of bacon to cook without overlapping, and could have managed another 2 on the sides...and even more as the bacon shrank, as bacon does. That’s more than any of our skillets, and because of the drain hole and grease trap, we didn’t end up with the bacon swimming in fat. We even managed to cook breakfast sausages on one side, with eggs on the other. This would be great for singles and small families, cooking up a whole lot of scrambled eggs or hash browns in a jiffy.

If draining fats and liquids is a must for a recipe, this has a tilt feature that funnels the liquids to the drain even better, but we preferred cooking while the griddle was flat. For storage, the legs fold under, so it takes even less space. Cleanup is simple, too, since it’s fully immersible, although we prefer to keep the socket out of water, just in case.

Material: Plastic body and legs; aluminum cooking plate with nonstick surface | Heat Range: Warm to 400 degrees Fahrenheit | Lid Included: No | Dishwasher Safe: No | Dimensions: 13.75 x 13.75 inches | Weight: 5.64 pounds