Griddle vs Grill Press: Which Outdoor Cooking Tool Do You Need?
By Nordic Ware | Published: 2026-10-14
Category: Buying Guides
Compare a griddle and a grill press to decide which outdoor cooking tool fits your BBQ style. Learn when a press, a griddle, or a set makes the most sense.
Quick answer
Choose a grill press if you mainly cook burgers, steaks, or sandwiches and want faster searing with better surface contact. Choose a griddle if you need a flat cooking surface for eggs, pancakes, or delicate foods that fall through grates. If you want both capabilities without buying twice, a set like the Nordic Ware Grill Press & Griddle Set covers pressing and flat-top cooking in one purchase.
What a Grill Press Actually Does
A grill press is a weighted tool you place on top of food while it cooks. The weight pushes the food against the hot surface, which improves contact and speeds up browning. It is not a magic sear button, but it does help eliminate the dome shape that burgers sometimes get, so more of the patty touches the grate. For steaks, a press can reduce cooking time by keeping the meat flat. For sandwiches, it turns a regular grill into a panini maker. The main trade-off is that pressing squeezes out some juices, so it works best for burgers, bacon, and paninis rather than thick cuts you want to keep rare.
What a Griddle Brings to Outdoor Cooking
A griddle is a flat surface that sits on your grill grates. It gives you a solid cooking area for foods that would otherwise slip through: shrimp, chopped vegetables, eggs, pancakes, and small pieces of fish. Because the surface is solid, you get more even heat across the whole cooking area, and you can use a spatula to flip without losing pieces. The trade-off is that a griddle blocks the direct flame, so you lose some of the smoky char you get from open grates. It also takes longer to heat up and cool down than a simple press.
Key Differences That Affect Your Cooking
The biggest difference is contact. A press pushes food down onto the grate; a griddle creates a new surface on top of the grate. That means a press is better for foods you want to sear with grill marks, while a griddle is better for foods you want to cook evenly without falling apart. A press is also smaller and easier to store, while a griddle takes up more space but replaces a skillet for outdoor use. If you often cook for a crowd, a griddle lets you work in larger batches. If you mostly cook burgers and chicken, a press is the more targeted tool.
How to Choose Based on Your Grill
Check the size and shape of your grill grates before buying either tool. A grill press needs enough clearance under a closed lid, and it should be wide enough to cover the food you press most often. A griddle needs to sit flat without wobbling, so measure the usable grate area and look for a griddle that fits within those dimensions. If your grill has uneven or narrow grates, a griddle with a flat bottom will be more stable than a press that can tip. For portable grills, a lightweight press is easier to pack, while a full-size griddle may be too bulky to transport.
Decision Rules for Buying a Griddle or Grill Press
- If you cook burgers most often: A grill press is the more direct tool because it flattens patties for even contact and faster searing. Look for a heavyweight press that stays stable on the grate. Start with a press before adding a griddle.
- If you cook small or delicate foods: A griddle or a perforated topper keeps shrimp, chopped vegetables, and fish from falling through the grates. A griddle gives you a solid surface; a topper keeps more airflow. Choose a griddle for solid surface cooking, a topper for smoke penetration.
- If you want both pressing and flat-top cooking: A set that includes a press and a griddle lets you switch between tasks without buying two separate items. Check that the griddle fits your grate size and that the press is heavy enough to be useful. A set is the most space-efficient way to cover both jobs.
- If you already own a griddle or flat-top: You only need a press to add searing capability. Skip a second griddle and put the budget toward a heavier press that will last. Buy the press only; avoid duplicate surfaces.
Nordic Ware Options That Fit Each Role
- Perforated Grill Basket for BBQ & Outdoor Cooking: Perforated Grill Basket for BBQ & Outdoor Cooking: perforated design allows for even heat circulation and smoke penetration, and it is designed for grilling vegetables, seafood, and smaller items that might otherwise fall through the grates. If you want smoke flavor and grill marks but still need to keep small foods contained, a basket gives you more open airflow than a solid griddle.
- Perforated Grill Topper for BBQ & Outdoor Grills: Perforated Grill Topper for BBQ & Outdoor Grills: perforated surface helps prevent food from falling through grill grates, ideal for vegetables, shrimp, or delicate items, and it fits most grills. A topper is a lighter alternative to a full griddle when you only need a stable surface for a few delicate items.
- Grill Press & Griddle Set: Grill Press & Griddle Set: includes both a grill press and a griddle surface, helps press down meats and sandwiches for even browning and searing, and is designed for use on a grill or griddle. This set covers both jobs in one purchase, so you can press burgers and griddle eggs without choosing between the two tools.
- Heavyweight Grill Press: Heavyweight Grill Press: substantial weight presses down on steaks, burgers, and sandwiches, promoting even browning and reducing cooking time, and is ideal for use on grills, griddles, and flat-top surfaces. If you already own a griddle or flat-top, this press adds the searing benefit without duplicating a surface you already have.
Who Should Buy Which Tool
Best for
- Home cooks who want faster searing and even browning on burgers, steaks, and sandwiches
- Anyone who needs a flat surface for eggs, pancakes, or small vegetables on an outdoor grill
- Buyers who want a single set that covers both pressing and griddling without buying twice
Not for
- Cooks who want maximum smoky char and never press their food, since a griddle blocks direct flame
- People with very small or irregular grates where a full griddle will not sit flat
- Anyone who only grills large cuts and prefers to leave them untouched while cooking
