Thin, Crisp and Even: The Best Grill Press for Smash Burgers

A smash burger is a ball of ground beef pressed flat onto very hot steel in the first seconds of cooking, so that as much of the meat as possible touches the metal. The result is a thin patty with a deep brown crust and crisp, lacy edges. You can do it with a stiff spatula, but a press makes it quicker, flatter and far more even, especially when you are cooking a row of patties for a crowd.

Smash burger presses are a narrower tool than a general grill press: most are light stainless steel discs you push by hand, not heavy cast iron weights you leave on a steak. This guide picks the presses built for that job, compares their sizes, stated weights and handles, and explains how to cook the patties safely.

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Quick verdict: which smash burger press to buy

Below are the five standouts side by side, then all seven presses in detail.

Five smash burger presses side by side

Our five standout presses, one for each kind of cook, with the size and weight each maker or listing states. All seven presses are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Weights and sizes are as stated by each maker or, where noted, a retailer listing; check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best grill press for smash burgers

These seven presses were chosen for the smash itself: a flat face, a handle you can push on hard, and a size that suits either a griddle or a skillet. We did not repeat the picks from our best cast iron grill press guide, which covers heavier, all-purpose presses for bacon, steaks and tortas; the Lodge here is a smaller model that is not in that guide. Each pick says who it suits and one honest reason to skip it.

How to choose a smash burger press

A smash burger press has one job, and only a few things decide how well it does it.

A flat face, not ridges

For smash burgers, the face of the press should be flat and smooth. Ridged or grooved presses leave grill marks and stop the meat from spreading in an even layer, which is the opposite of what you want. Every press on this list is flat-faced, according to its maker or listing.

Size: match it to your patty and your pan

A 6-inch press suits a classic single smash patty and, by its stated size, fits inside a 10-inch skillet. A 7-inch press, like the Blackstone, covers a bigger patty or two small ones on a griddle. The 5.5 x 5-inch Made In is the one to choose if you cook in a small pan. Check the inside of your skillet before buying anything wider than 6 inches.

Weight versus handle

Most stainless smashers weigh about a pound or a little more, so your arm does the work; the handle matters more than the weight. A wide flat handle like the Sasquash’s lets you push with your palm and body weight. Heavier presses such as the 2.6-pound Breeo and the 1.72-pound Lodge help the smash along and can sit on the patty for a few seconds while the crust sets.

Stainless steel or cast iron

Stainless needs no seasoning, does not rust in a damp patio cabinet and, for several of these presses, goes in the dishwasher. Cast iron is heavier for its size and holds heat, but it must be washed by hand, dried and oiled, the same as a cast iron skillet.

A heat-safe handle

You are pressing directly over a very hot griddle. A raised handle or a cover in silicone or leather keeps your hand off the hot steel. An all-iron handle, like the Lodge’s, gets hot if the press rests on the griddle, so keep a towel or mitt close.

Cooking smash burgers safely

Smash burgers cook fast, but the food safety rule for ground beef does not change. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to cook ground beef, and all ground meats, to a minimum internal temperature of 160°F, measured with a food thermometer (USDA FSIS safe temperature chart). FSIS explains that grinding spreads bacteria from the surface of the meat through the whole patty, which is why ground beef needs a higher temperature than a whole steak.

Color is not a reliable guide, according to FSIS: a patty can turn brown inside before it reaches a safe temperature. With thin smash patties, the easiest check is to stack two finished patties and slide an instant-read thermometer in from the side. Keep raw beef and the press away from cooked food, and wash the press face before you use it on anything that is ready to eat.

How we picked these seven presses

We started from the job: a press for smashing balls of ground beef flat on a griddle or skillet. We looked only at presses from identifiable makers sold on Amazon US, checked that each one was in stock through Amazon’s product data when we wrote this guide, and left out anonymous sellers and near-identical listings.

Specifications come from the makers’ own pages and the Amazon listings, and where a maker does not publish a size or weight, we used a retailer listing and say so, or wrote “Not stated”. We did not handle or cook with these presses, and we do not claim to have. We also left out the presses already covered in our cast iron grill press guide, and we checked the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall listings for these makers; we found no recall for any of these presses.

Smash burger press questions, answered

Which press is best for smash burgers on a griddle?

For most griddle cooks, the Blackstone Smash & Sear Press: it is stainless, dishwasher safe and sized for two small patties. For a heavier press, choose the Breeo; for cast iron, the Lodge 6.25-inch.

Do you need parchment paper to smash burgers?

It helps. A small square of parchment between the beef and the press stops the meat sticking to the steel, so the press lifts cleanly and the patty keeps its shape. Blackstone recommends it for its press. A smooth, well-oiled press can work without it, but parchment is the reliable way.

How thin should a smash burger be?

Thin enough for the edges to go lacy and crisp against the steel. Smash it once, hard, in the first seconds on the griddle, and do not press again after it starts to cook, or you squeeze out the juices.

Can I use a smash burger press on a cast iron skillet?

Yes. Choose a press that fits inside the pan with room to spare: a 6-inch press, or the 5.5 x 5-inch Made In, suits a 10-inch skillet. Breeo says its press pairs with a skillet of 8 inches or larger.

Is stainless steel or cast iron better for a burger smasher?

Stainless is easier: no seasoning, no rust and, for several presses here, dishwasher safe. Cast iron is heavier for its size and holds heat, but it needs hand washing and oiling. For a smasher you push by hand, stainless suits most cooks.

Our final pick for smash burger night

Buy the Blackstone Smash & Sear Press if you cook on an outdoor flat-top and want one press that does the job and goes in the dishwasher. Choose the Breeo for weight and thick American-made steel, the Sasquash for the thinnest patties, and the Lodge if you cook in cast iron. Whatever you pick, use parchment, smash once, and check the patties reach 160°F.

For heavier presses for bacon, steaks and tortas, see our best cast iron grill press guide. If you are still choosing the cooking surface, our guides to the best outdoor griddle and outdoor griddle accessories cover the griddle and the spatulas and scrapers that go with it.

Related guide: Best burger press.

And if you would rather someone else did the cooking tonight, see the menu or call to order.