8 Best Grill Pans, Tested & Reviewed

Looking for a pan that's also cute enough to be a kitchen centerpiece? This Le Creuset pan is made of durable enameled cast iron, has a convenient handle with an opposing loop handle for easy handling, high ridges for deep sear marks, sloped sides for better grilling and a pour spout. Plus, it comes in a variety of rich, glossy colors like teal and bright orange.

Since it's cast iron, this pan can reach high temperatures and maintain heat evenly, but doesn't need to be seasoned or cleaned any special way. It can be used over any burner — induction, gas, electric or ceramic — and can be slipped in the oven. At seven pounds, it's on the heavier side in comparison to competitors, but we found it easy to manage thanks to its short handle which our experts appreciate helps balance it. With a lifetime warranty, we love Le Creuset pieces for their timeless longevity.

If you're new to grill pans and want to test one out without breaking the bank, this aluminum one by Gotham Steel will do the trick. In tests, we found maintenance for this pan was easier than caring for a cast iron, and it’s much lighter (less than two pounds) so you'll have a better time of maneuvering it around your kitchen. In addition, it’s oven-safe up to 500°F and dishwasher-safe, though you cannot use it on an induction stovetop. The square shape is efficient for one burner and can fit four burgers at once.

The brown interior is nice when it comes time to clean because you can easily spot any remaining burnt bits or stuck on food in comparison to grill pans with a matte black interior. Though this grill pan may not achieve the super charred, deep grill marks like that of a cast iron, it’s a great starter grill pan. Our experts also appreciate that this brand is known for its cookware that heats quickly and is "ultra nonstick."

Many cooks gravitate toward nonstick pans due to their ease of cleaning and ease of use, not to mention the potential ability to use less oil than other materials.

When it comes to grill pans, this nonstick option from All-Clad is a good choice. While testing, we found that food didn't move around too much on the pan like some other nonstick surfaces tend to, and also appreciated how sturdy it felt. It's also high quality, compact and won't overheat quickly. It's made of hard, anodized aluminum, which is durable and known to be scratch-resistant, with wide ridges for defined grill marks. Our tests found that this pain produced some more noticeable grill marks than other nonstick options.

This choice is lightweight compared to cast iron but can still stand up to high temperatures, and is a breeze to clean. Its square shape makes for an efficient use of space. Its stainless steel handle makes it easy to maneuver as it doesn't get as hot as cast iron ones, although we found its thin design with defined edged to be hard to hold and balance. Note that this pan is not compatible with induction stovetops, so plan to use this on gas or electric burners.

This heavy duty option can cook up just about everything you could ever want with some impressive grill marks. Cast iron grill pans require a bit more diligent maintenance than other materials, but they get a great sear so we think the extra TLC pays off.

This grill pan is the most well-rounded in performance, yet still comes in at a super approachable price point. Its square shape (10.5 inches) allows for an efficient use of surface area to fit more food in the pan at once while staying out of the way of other pans on nearby burners. The pre-seasoned cast iron heats quickly and hold the temperature well. Our pros particularly liked that this pan can reach such high temps while testing.

At six and a half pounds, this pan is certainly heavier than some competitors, but it’s not so clunky that it’s difficult to manage. It's great for camping and can be used on the grates of your backyard BBQ. This pan has one long handle for maneuvering while the other smaller handle is great to use for cleaning and scrubbing — but always make sure to grasp the handles with heat protection, as they will get extremely hot.

For those that don't have the arm strength to schlep around a massive cast iron, this hard anodized ceramic nonstick grill pan is a lighter, easier to maintain option. It's oven- and broiler-safe, metal utensil-safe, as well as dishwasher-friendly. The round surface area heats quickly and we found the side handles easy to grab which make the pan simple to maneuver (though they do heat up, so always use them with mitts).

While ceramic nonstick is easy to clean, it can overheat quickly, which makes it harder to cook a thick steak. A fitting glass lid is available, though it’s sold separately. While testing, our pros found that this pan left nice grill marks on our food, and we also liked the round shape. Plus, you can use it worry-free on an induction stovetop, and at two pounds you don't have to strain while moving it around.

When it comes to enameled cast iron, we love Staub pans for the durability, sleek look and seasoned, matte interior. The round shape and 10-inch diameter gives a lot of cooking area and the rounded handles are easy to grab, though they can become very hot.

Despite the large handles jutting out, this compact, small grill pan does not get in the way of pans on nearby burners. In tests, we found that the high ridges on the pan allowed for juices to drip away and produced noticeable grill marks, though there is no convenient pour spout to pour out residual liquids.

We love that this attractive pan comes in a variety of fun colors to jazz up your kitchen space, and the coating is resistant to rusting and cracking and requires no additional seasoning like some other cast iron pieces. Our pros appreciate how quickly this pan cooks your food, its ability to reach high temperatures and sturdiness. Like other cast iron pans, the cleanup is a bit more involved than nonstick or aluminum, but you can’t beat the durability and high heat capabilities.

Save kitchen space with this incredibly versatile yet compact two-in-one pan. We love that this reversible, cast iron grill pan can not only create signature sear marks, but also has a griddle surface on the other side for eggs, pancakes and anything else you’d want to pan-sear.

Its square shape is ideal for cooking space, as it allows you to completely fill this single-burner pan. Though the grill doesn’t have loop handles, the corner handles make it easy to maneuver the pan when it comes time to clean it (always handle with mitts). The pan is just shy of eight pounds which is certainly on the heavier side, but the dual side handles make it easy to manage and the compact size means it's ideal for storage.

The pre-seasoned surface ensures you won’t have any serious food-sticking issues, and as long as you care for this pan like you would any other cast iron pan, it’s sure to last you a long time. While this pan works great over your stovetop burners (induction is fine), it’s also safe to transfer into the oven or use over outdoor fires.

If you're looking for more cooking area, try the Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Reversible Grill/Griddle. It's just as slim, but double the size and fits over two burners. It just gets very hot and often sets off our smoke alarms, which is the reason our top-choice is the single burner version.

Cook enough to cater your very own dinner party with this spacious tray. If entertaining and cooking a lot of food at once is a top priority, you’ll want a sturdy grill pan with tons of surface area. This enameled cast iron is just as attractive (there are plenty of fun colors to choose from) as it is durable. Turn it into a kitchen centerpiece by purchasing one of the unique shades like olive green or ocean blue.

It can be used on induction, and the large rectangular shape allows you to cook several large steaks or burgers at once. It can be used over one burner with some overhang, or is perfect for the long oval burner many stoves come with now. Our experts found that it fits great on a middle burner and appreciate how much room this pan has. At seven pounds, this pan is quite light considering its size. The side handles may not be as easy to quickly grab as a long handle, but they’re convenient to use when handling and cleaning (they do get hot, so always wear mitts).