Burners, Grates and Flame: Choosing the Best Gas Stove Griddle

A gas range is the easiest stove to put a griddle on, and the easiest to get wrong. The flame wraps around whatever sits on the grates, the grates decide whether the pan sits level, and the gap between two burners decides whether the middle of a long griddle cooks or just stays warm. A griddle that suits a smooth electric top can rock on cast grates, and a thin pan that is fine over one burner can bow when two big flames hit it at once.

This guide is about that fit. It names eight stovetop griddles that span two burners, in cast iron, polished cast iron, carbon steel and coated aluminum, and explains how to match one to your burner spacing, your grates and the flame you actually cook on. Fit across the burners is given only as each maker or listing states it; measure your own range before you buy.

Julia’s earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on what a restaurant kitchen looks for, product specifications, maker information and range makers’ published guidance, which we name.

Quick verdict: which gas stove griddle to buy

If you are still deciding between a griddle and a big skillet, our griddle vs pan guide covers what each does better. If your griddle is for an outdoor gas grill rather than a kitchen range, that is a different product: see our gas grill griddle inserts.

Five gas stove griddles at a glance

Our five standout picks, one for each kind of cook, with the size and material each maker or listing states. All eight griddles are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Sizes, materials and cooktop ratings are as each maker or listing states them; measure your burners before you buy.

Our picks for the best gas stove griddle

These eight cover the real choices on a gas range: heavy cast iron that holds heat across the cool middle, carbon steel that reacts faster, and coated aluminum that is light and easy on eggs. Each pick says who it suits and gives one honest reason to skip it. Stainless steel double burner griddles are covered separately in our stainless steel griddle guide.

How to fit a griddle to your gas range

Measure the burner spacing first

A double burner griddle only works if both flames sit under the cooking surface, not under the handles. Measure from the outside edge of one burner to the outside edge of the other on the side you will use, then compare it with the cooking surface, not the overall length. The Maverick, for example, is 22 inches overall but has a 16-inch cooking surface. On a range with a center oval burner, check whether the maker designed that burner for a griddle; some ranges include a matching griddle or offer one as an accessory.

Check how it sits on the grates

Continuous grates that run flat from front to back give a long griddle a level base. Separate grates with a gap or a height difference between them can make it rock. Set the griddle on cold grates and press each corner: if it rocks, it will heat unevenly and slide when you scrape it. GE’s guidance for its gas ranges says flat-bottom griddles may be used because there is room underneath for air to circulate, and it notes that some of its pro ranges have reversible grates, so check your own manual for any griddle rules.

Keep the flame under the pan

The quick-start guide for an Electrolux gas cooktop puts it plainly: if the flame extends beyond the outer edge of your cookware, reduce the flame setting. That matters more with a griddle, because flame curling past the edge heats the handles and the grates, not the food. The same Electrolux guide says to center its griddle over the two left burners and preheat it for five minutes on medium to medium-low. That slow start is a good habit for any griddle.

Think about warping

Warping happens when one part of a pan gets much hotter than the rest. Over two gas burners, the area right above the flames heats fast while the middle and ends lag, so a thin pan on high is the classic way to bow a griddle. Thick cast iron and 4 mm carbon steel resist it; coated aluminum lasts longest on medium. Nordic Ware and Viking both limit their griddles here to moderate or low to medium heat, which is a good guide for the rest.

Expect a cooler middle

Two round flames do not heat a rectangle evenly. The strip between the burners is usually a little cooler, and the ends past the burners cooler still. Use that: sear over the burners, hold cooked food or warm tortillas in the middle, and keep the ends for food that only needs to stay hot. Heavy cast iron evens this out better than thin aluminum once fully preheated.

Material, by the job

Cast iron and carbon steel are best for steak, fajita vegetables and smash burgers, and they last for decades with care. Coated aluminum is best for eggs, pancakes and quesadillas and is easier to wash, but the coating wears. If you want only cast iron, our cast iron griddle guide covers more shapes, including round and single-burner griddles.

How we picked these eight griddles

We looked for double burner griddles from identifiable makers that were in stock on Amazon when we checked, and that cover each material a gas range cook might want. Specifications come from the makers’ product pages where we could read them (Viking, Cuisinart, Nordic Ware), from the Amazon listings and, where noted, from retailer listings. Range guidance comes from GE’s gas range support page and an Electrolux gas cooktop quick-start guide.

We have not cooked on these griddles ourselves. We left out griddles already featured on our related guides, and in-stock double burner griddles from sellers with no maker information. We could not find an in-stock stainless steel or enameled double burner griddle we had not already covered, so this list has none; see the stainless guide linked above.

Gas stove griddle questions, answered

What is the best griddle for a gas stove?

For most ranges, a heavy reversible cast iron plate like the Viking 20-inch, because it sits steadily on grates and evens out the heat between burners. If you mostly cook eggs and pancakes, a nonstick aluminum griddle like the Nordic Ware is lighter and easier to clean.

What is the best stove top griddle for gas stoves with wide burners?

Choose a longer plate. The Viking 24-inch bronze cast iron griddle is the longest here. Always compare your burner spacing with the cooking surface, not the overall length with handles.

Should I buy a gas stove with a built-in griddle instead?

A gas range with a built-in griddle or a center griddle burner gives you a fixed, level spot designed for it, but it costs range space you may want for pots. A loose griddle works on almost any range and goes in the cupboard when you do not need it. If you are shopping for a range anyway, check whether it includes a griddle or offers one as an accessory.

Can a griddle damage my gas stove?

Very high heat under a large pan can trap heat and discolor grates and the cooktop. Keep the flame under the pan, preheat on medium and follow your range maker’s manual, which may list griddle rules for your model.

Cast iron or nonstick for a gas range?

Cast iron or carbon steel if you sear, grill or cook on high. Nonstick aluminum if you mostly cook eggs, pancakes and quesadillas on medium and want quick cleanup.

Our final pick for a gas range

Buy the Viking 20-inch reversible cast iron griddle if you want one heavy plate that sits flat on the grates and does both breakfast and grill marks. Choose the Maverick for thick carbon steel, the Nordic Ware for splatter-free nonstick, or the Viking 24-inch if your burners sit far apart.

For more griddle ideas, see our best cast iron griddles and our pancake griddle guide. A big griddle is made for a fajita night; our guide to how to eat fajitas covers the rest. Or let us cook: see our menu and call to order.