Looking for a griddle pan that is NOT nonstick

[iluvcookies]

Hi everyone,
The latest item I'm looking to add to my collection is a new griddle (for stovetop use). Ideally I want to find a square one that is either stainless steel or hard anodized aluminum but I absolutely do not want nonstick.
I've been to Bed, Bath and Beyond and Macy's, and have searched Amazon, All Clad site, Williams-Sonoma, Chef Central, and this Cookware board so far.
What I'm wondering before I continue this search:
1. Does this actually exist?
2. If so, where can I get one?
3. Can I get it for less than $50?

The only thing I've seen that is close is this, but it has high sides like a frying pan:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produc...

I've also looked at the double burner cast iron ones and so far these seem to be the only one that aren't nonstick coated. I will likely end up with this if I can't find anything else.

As always your help is much appreciated... If you can keep me off a wild goose chase I'd be a happy camper!

[rexster314]

I wanted a griddle like my mother had when I was still living at home. Everything I found was nonstick c@@p. It was a Farberware cast aluminum NONSTICK that was about 15" long and 9/10 inches tall. Farberware stopped making these back in the 80's I think. I found one on EBay for around 40$. Looked brand new with a perfect heat control. Didn't look like it was used more than 10 times. It's perfect and I enjoy the nicely browned pancakes, hash browns, bacon that it cooks.

[ninrn]

Does this look like it might work? --

<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000...>

It's not square, but it looks more substantial than most of the griddle-type steel pans I've seen.

I'd be wary of the camping ones if you're going to use this pan a lot. As Escondido123 warned, they tend to warp.

[John E.]

I don't know how big a grddle it is that you are looking for but we have one at our cabin that completely covers our gas grill. It's steel, not cast. I'm sure there are smaller sizes. We git ours at a store called Sportsmen's Warehouse. I have also seen them at Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops. The point is to go to a sporting goods-outdoors-camping-hunting type store. There are also aluminum griddles as well as the ubiquitous cast iron.

[Candy]

Lodge makes one.

[walliser]

Have you considered a Mexican comal? They come in all shapes and sizes.

Price should be pretty cheap, certainly cheaper than what can be found at WS et al.

[ToothTooth]

For a pancake pan that is NOT coated with Teflon, PTFE, etc. you can not do any better than a carbon steel crepe pan:

http://www.finestcookware.com/catalog...

I have one of these and they are FANTASTIC, plus it will last forever. Enjoy.

[gimlis1mum]

I use one like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Design-Re...

You can probably find it cheaper somewhere online; I think there are a few different brands available. It's heavy, but not nearly as heavy as a cast-iron one would be. We've had one for almost 20 years and I still love it. Just be sure to clean it really well after you make pancakes - if you don't get all the oil off it gets kind of "gummy" after a while.

[iluvcookies]

This looks like it would work... going to have a look locally to see if I can find it.
Thanks very much :)

[gimlis1mum]

I think that we got ours at Bed Bath and Beyond. Hope you can find one -
Good luck!

[ruby2shoes]

Thanks for this question - I'm looking for the same thing. I have a great old round cast iron pancake griddle that I use at home but I'm looking for one for our vacation house which has a glasstop stove - something I've never used before. I've heard that I should only use flat bottom pans, so that eliminates the cast iron reversible griddle/grills. I love AllClad but that puts me out of the under $50 range. Will keep an eye on all of the suggestions.

[pericolosa]

If cast iron round shapes are acceptable, I'd encourage raising the dollar limit or spending a lot of time looking for a bargain. I have a Le Creuset cast iron crepe pan with the matte black enamel cooking surface and also a Lodge 10" griddle pan, which is almost exactly the same form factor but of course just raw iron -- at about 20% of the cost of the LC. And I also have a Griswold 10" griddle with a bail handle. The LC and the Griswold are worth the extra money, I think. And a Griswold pan is much, much lighter than any Lodge pan of the same size. (I use them all on an induction cooktop, too.)

[I used to know how to cook...]

Hi,

If I may ask, why is cast iron your third choice? Or, rather, what don't you like about it?

I realize your main purpose is to cook pancakes but I'm puzzled why you wouldn't want cast iron.

Lucy

[iluvcookies]

Cast iron is my 3rd choice only because it's heavy and I already have a good, well seasoned CI skillet that I love. But I'm looking for a griddle--not a grill pan--primarily to make pancakes and I really would rather not season another piece of CI.
My current cookware consists of several pieces of Calphalon hard anodized, a clad stainless skillet and saucepan, the CI skillet and a Le Creuset dutch oven. I've never been a fan of nonstick pans and was hoping I could find this one last piece so I can use it instead of the Calphalon or stainless skillet, which isn't really the best thing for making pancakes.

[I used to know how to cook...]

Hi,

I hear you about the weight! Cast iron can be dauntingly heavy. It is, though, pretty much perfect for pancakes and, if that's all you're going to use it for, seasoning shouldn't be a big deal.

You mentioned a double-burner griddle. That would be VERY heavy indeed. I wonder if a single burner square griddle might work (except for the possibility of the corners not heating the same as the middle) or a round one.

I have an 11" round very old cast iron griddle that's not too heavy for wimpy me to handle. I can do 4-5 medium pancakes at a time on it .

Just did a quick Google search and came up with this site. Lodge products. 10 1/2" round griddle - 4 pounds, 10 1/2" square reversible - 8 pounds. These are already seasoned.

Prices aren't bad. I'm sure there are more sites. This is just one of the first that popped up.

Here's the link: http://www.apptrav.com/kittools.html

Scroll down a ways, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Hope this helps!

Lucy

P.S. Pancakes are very important!! :)

[I used to know how to cook...]

Hi again,

Just had a thought...

When you narrow down your search, it might be a good plan to draw a template on paper of the size/shape you're considering. Then, cut out a few pieces of paper that are the size of your regular pancakes. Lay them out on the template to see how they work.

As I said before, I cook 4-5 pancakes on my round griddle but they might be smaller than the ones you make (or larger, for that matter...)

If you need a pretty big griddle, aluminum might be your best choice weight-wise.

Lucy

[Politeness]

Except for the "under $50" part: http://www.amazon.com/Olvida-Inch-Nic...

[iluvcookies]

Thanks... but this is a grill pan, not a flat griddle.

[Chemicalkinetics]

I think you said you want a square griddle pan, and you also said you want to use it to make pancake. So I assume you are not talking about the ones with grill marks because I don't think you can make pancakes from those.

Lodge makes some square griddle pans like these:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pre-Seasoned-5-Inch-Wonder-Skillet/dp/B000809QN4/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1297642915&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-12-Inch-Square-Griddle/dp/B0008G2W2U/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1297642915&sr=1-3

Of course, Lodge is not the only company which makes these.

There are stainless steel ones, but I have no idea about the quality:

http://www.amazon.com/BNF-Stainless-S...

[iluvcookies]

Definitely the flat griddle :)
I saw the 12" square Lodge at Chef Central and that might be what I'll end up with. I was really hoping to stick with only 1 piece ot cast iron--that being the well seasoned skillet I already own.

Thanks for your input.

[Chemicalkinetics]

I understand your concerns for the a cast iron pan, but don't forget there are the stainless ones as well

http://www.google.com/products/catalo...

good luck

[Molly James]

Vintage may indeed be the way to go. My husband who was the pancake maker, would only use a Guradian Ware griddle that originally belonged to his mom. It looks like this http://cgi.ebay.com/Guardian-Ware-Gri...

[sunrider]

Demeyere has one, in a 7-ply clad stainless design. Expensive, though.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Get one for yourself. You are worth it.

[sunrider]

I've never come across a stovetop griddle that beats a barbecue - in Australia, it's warm enough outside to fire it up almost any time of the year.

[eclecticsynergy]

I think nowadays for anything other than cast iron you'll probably have to check goodwill stores. rummage sales, thrift shops and garage sales. But good old fashioned steel or aluminum ones do occasionally turn up. The good news is, when you find one at one of these sources it will be quite inexpensive. Best of luck...

One other possibility- a restaurant supply store might have a good used one: these will be nice and heavy, but likely very pricey too.

[cutipie721]

http://www.amazon.com/BNF-Stainless-Steel-Square-Griddle/dp/B003SOPAVE/ref=sr_1_32?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1297641013&sr=1-32

http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-...

Well, I know, the second one's shipping is outrageous. But that should give you some search ideas ;-)

[DAVESGIRL]

I was about to post both the WS All-clad option and the BNF SS one on Amazon, but y'all beat me to it!

[iluvcookies]

That second link looks interesting... maybe I need to try some camping equipment/sporting good stores. No way that actually weighs 32lb though. Thanks!

[Dave5440]

Lodge has a nice one , it is very heavy which should stop it from moving around like my aluminum one used too

https://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefron...

[escondido123]

I was not clear on my sister's griddle. It does not have any non-stick coating as far as I can tell, but seems to be non-stick because it was seasoned....but I could be wrong.

[iluvcookies]

Do you know if the one you get from your sister is still being made? The ones I've seen in my travels and searches do have nonstick coating.

Thanks :)

[escondido123]

I will ask her what she remembers about it.

[iluvcookies]

Thanks very much!

[blaireso]

Have you considered getting a 10 or 12 inch CI skillet? Big enuf for pancakes, but can also be used for lots of other things.

[iluvcookies]

Already have a 12" CI skillet as I mentioned in my earlier post.

I've actually abandoned this search, sadly, as I don't have the time for pancakes right now. Sigh...

[Candy]

Le Creuset had made a 2 burner reversible grill griddle. I've had one what seems like forever. It has become seasoned over the years and we have never regretted spending the $$$. for it.

[nosurndr]

What's wrong with a cast iron griddle pan, Lodge for example? Takes a little work to get it "seasoned" but once you do they will last a lifetime or two or three. My cast iron skillet sits on my stove top. It wasn't worth hanging it up every time I used it since I use it almost every day. Fairly inexpensive as well. I haven't looked, but they must make a two burner griddle. A large skillet would work as well as a one burner griddle size and they have them with and without the ridges. They might even make one with ridges on one side and flat on the other. And you could take it camping and throw it on the campfire to cook with no danger of hurting it. I love my Lodge skillet.

[iluvcookies]

Thanks for the info. I'm not against cast iron at all... I have a CI skillet that I use frequently for bacon and steak. But I'm really looking for a griddle to make pancakes. I don't make pancakes often because I don't have a griddle and making them in one of my skillets just isn't working out to well because of the skillet's shape.
As I mentioned above, if I can't find a square griddle that isn't nonstick then I will likely get the cast iron one.

[rasputina]

I still don't get it, cast iron makes wonderful pancakes snf you can buy cast iron griddles.

[blaireso]

Agree. I've got a 2 burner Lodge, one side grill, one side griddle. I use the griddle side less frequently, but it's great for pancakes! Just a matter of getting it well seasoned before you start. Cleanup is oil & salt, very fast. I usually re-oil mine with a bit of oil on a paper towel before storing so it's good to go. We also inherited an old, thick aluminum one, but it's large and round, and doesn't give even heat because of the large surface. I find I get better results with the cast iron.

[c oliver]

link:

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-LPGI3-16-...

[escondido123]

I :inherited" my sister's 2 burner All-Clad griddle when she got an induction cooktop. In my experience, including an ooey-gooey grilled cheese made ten minutes ago, it is non-stick. (I used to work in a kitchen store and I want to recommend you go with as heavy a griddle as possible, the thin ones warp.)