6 Pancake Griddles for Your Best Breakfast Ever

I once binge-read a murder mystery novel titled In My Dreams, I Hold a Knife in which a group of friends gather for their 10-year college reunion and attempt to uncover the truth about their friend’s murder during her senior year. In my dreams, I too hold a knife—a butter knife— which I use to slice a stack of pancakes that tower as high as the Empire State Building. Maybe they’re all plain, maybe they’re alternating chocolate chip and banana pancakes, or because I’m dreaming, maybe they’re four dozen Pillsbury Unicorn pancakes. The mix-ins are less important than how they’re cooked—golden brown on both sides with a slightly pale equator and a fluffy, bubbly interior is preferable. 

The batter matters, as does what you use to grease the pan, but above all, the griddle makes the difference. Does the griddle make it easy to flip the pancakes? Do they cook evenly, batch after batch? And after pools of batter and butter have been poured onto the griddle, is it easy to clean? With these factors in mind, we rounded up the best pancake griddles for better breakfasts.

Food52 Pick

Nordic Ware Nonstick Backsplash Griddle

So how easy is it to flip pancakes on this griddle from the brand that makes our favorite cake pans and baking sheets? So easy. This pancake griddle, which is available in the Food52 Shop, features a PFOA-free nonstick surface so it’s not only easy to flip pancakes without any casualties, but it also ensures easy clean-up. We also love that one side is slightly sloped, allowing for any excess melted butter or batter to drip off.

Cast-Iron Griddle

Lodge Chef Collection Seasoned Cast Iron Double Burner Reversible Grill/Griddle

Get a griddle that can do it all—in this case, that means this double-sided grill. The smooth side is perfect for cooking pancakes, while the reverse features ridges that are ideal for creating char marks on meat, seafood, and vegetables.

Enameled Cast-Iron Griddle

Le Creuset Cast Iron Griddle, 9.5"

When I picture cooking with enameled cast iron, I think of searing pork chops or braising chicken thighs in a puttanesca sauce. Cooking pancakes doesn’t come to mind, but this square griddle from French cookware brand Le Creuset makes it possible. It fits four generous-sized pancakes, but can multitask as a griddle for burgers, home fries, bacon, and eggs. Order up!

Ceramic Griddle

Presto Cool-Touch Electric Ceramic Griddle

This ceramic griddle requires little to no oil or butter to cook pancakes, but trust me—they taste so much better when cooked in a little (okay, a lot) of melted butter. But be careful: There isn’t a huge lip on the perimeter of the griddle so it’s easier than some models to burn yourself.

Nordic Ware Nonstick Silver Dollar Pancake Pan

Personally, I like diner-style pancakes, meaning pancakes the size of a 12” dinner plate. But I understand that not everyone is in the same camp. For anyone who wants petite-sized pancakes, this pre-portioned heavy-gauge aluminum pan will help you get breakfast on the table in no time.

Amazon’s Bestseller

Presto 22-inch Electric Griddle With Removable Handles

The griddle of all griddles. This unfussy but reliable griddle is a staple in thousands of households. It’s a bestseller on Amazon and has more than 20,000 four- and five-star reviews among pancake lovers.

Do you exclusively eat pancakes for breakfast or are you ever team breakfast for dinner? Let us know in the comments below!