The grill pan is a kitchen appliance that is supposed to be the closest thing to the cooking results of an outdoor grill. Grill pans can be a nice solution for people who live in an apartment and don’t have a backyard where they can place a cool looking barbeque.
However, the average unit does have some advantages that make people prefer it over an outdoor cooking machine. First of all, you can’t use a bbq outside if there is rain or a stormy weather, which wouldn’t be the case with any indoor appliance. Moreover, it is definitely more convenient to use these indoor units in your kitchen while cooking other foods (like vegetables, sauces or spices), since you can monitor everything that is being cooked and grilled.
There are many models in the market that are produced by various companies including the All Clad Company, Calphalon, Cuisinart, Le Creuset, the Lodge brand and more. Listed ahead are some of the most popular grills that are produced by the brands mentioned above.
All Clad LTD 12 Inch Round Nonstick Grille
Being made of aluminum and stainless steel, this All Clad stovetop kitchen item is very light and easy to maneuver. However, because it doesn’t contain the heavy iron-cast metal, it tends to get less hot than most of its rivals.
On a good note, this All Clad product does heat up quickly and has a nonstick cooking surface that help making this design much easier to clean.
Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick 11 Inch Square Grill
The non stick surface of this grilling pan makes it very easy to clean and it seems like the nonstick coating can last for a long time.
Being made of pure aluminum, the Calphalon non stick cooking item is not as heavy as other cast iron units, and as long as the cooking item is not extremely hot you can also grab the handle without a hot pad. Although the surface heats up quite evenly you have to be careful of grease splatter, especially when it is set over high heat.
Cuisinart GreenGourmet Eco Friendly 11 Inch Square Grill Pan
As the name of this Cuisinart Green Gourmet product suggests, the unit is manufactured and advertised as a green product that is friendlier to the environment compared to other cookware products.
Apparently, the Cuisinart design doesn’t contain certain substances (such as PTFE and PFOA) that are believed to be bad for the health and the model is also produced in a way that is less harmful to the environment.
However, most people would like to have a grill that can deliver good cooking results rather than being eco friendly (and if you can have them both, it would be great). For more information about the Cuisinart design and whether this grilling pan is worth the money, you can read this review.
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron 10 1/4 Inch Square Skillet Grills
Being made of cast-iron, this model is not as light as other grill pans that which are based on aluminum and it can take a lot of time to cook thick meat.
However, the Le Creuset unit cooks the food nicely with sear marks, and although the heat distribution is slow it’s also distributed quite evenly.
On the other hand, this product can be a bit difficult to clean and season, and when you consider its high price it’s hard to compromise on this issue.
Lodge Logic L8SGP3 Pre-Seasoned Square Grill
Since this model is constructed of cast iron it’s not surprising that the Lodge Logic L8SGP3 is quite heavy. On the other hand, this square shaped cookware product has tall grill ridges that not only leave those nice sear marks but also help dealing with the extra grease.
As its name suggests, the Lodge L8SGP3 comes pre-seasoned and therefore ready to use. It’s important to note that you have to be careful not to touch the pan or the handles while it’s hot, at least not without a hot pad.