For those of us who love cooking, we know just how important it is to have equipment in the kitchen that is multi-functional. An electric griddle can be one of the most useful multipurpose cooking tools in the kitchen and far too many people don’t even remember that they have one!

A key benefit of using an electric griddle is that you can make a complete breakfast buffet with just one appliance.   On your griddle you can cook eggs, bacon, and pancakes on the same cooking surface at the same time.  Want to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich?  Electric griddles were made for you.  The types of foods that you can make on a good electric griddle will amaze you and you will love how easily they clean up.

The flat surface of an electric griddle will free up your stove top (unlike a cast iron frying pan, which actually sit on top of a stove’s burners).  It plugs into any wall socket in your kitchen (other room that you may want to cook in.  Think college dorm room.). More importantly, they cook food quickly and evenly with minimal fuss.

A lot of cooks use their electric griddle for breakfast.  If you think about traditional breakfast foods such as eggs, bacon and pancakes, you realize how convenient the open flat cooking surface is for these types of foods.  Just like a griddle surface in a restaurant, you will be working with a flat surface that has no sides to work around.  Remember making pancakes in your frying pan?  You could get one, maybe two, in the pan at one time.  Then you had to maneuver your spatula around the sides of the pan to flip the pancake.  More often than not you tore the pancake or made a mess because you couldn’t quite get it flipped onto the right spot in the pan.

So-what is an electric griddle?   That may sound basic but there are other kitchen appliances that are labeled griddles that are different. Basically an electric griddle is simply a large, flat cooking surface that is heated by a power element.  The power element (the cord with the control dial that gets plugged into the griddle) controls the temperature of the griddle.  Most griddles have a non-stick surface although some ceramic griddles are now available and they don’t need a non-stick coating.  The average size of the cooking surface is 20”-22” long and 10”-11.5” wide.  They are lightweight and easy to store.  Almost all electric griddles have a drip tray to catch any runoff from the surface.  The drip tray is usually on the front but some have trays that run down the middle of the griddle.

Griddle cooking has been around since fire.  Originally made of stone, griddles were used for all types of cooking over a fire.  Commercial griddles became common as better materials were manufactured to withstand steady, high heat.  The electric griddle that we use today is an offshoot of electric frying pans.

I recently bought a new electric griddle; I gave my long-serving Presto to my son for college.  I was amazed by the options available now, although it has been 20 years since I bought my Presto.  The advancement in materials for the surface and the quality of the heating elements is impressive and yet, the price has remained reasonable.

As with any purchase, before you buy you need to think about what you are going to be using your purchase for.  I have become a fan of the Instant Pot and use it a few times a week.  However, we do like pancakes for breakfast and I have a couple of pages of electric griddle recipes that are favorites so a new griddle was necessary.

I looked at ceramic griddles and really liked the feel of solidness that came with them.  I also liked that the griddle itself comes off of the frame and can go into the dishwasher.  Hamilton Beach had one that I really liked for around $45.00.  For other griddles, the non-stick surface is standard and is usually problem free.  Most non-stick griddles can’t go into the dishwasher but most can be submersed into warm soapy water (with the power cord removed) for easy cleaning.

Because I like to make bacon on my griddle I was looking for a drip tray that was large enough to hold the grease from bacon.  I also wanted a drip tray that will go into the dishwasher.  Again, depending on what you plan on cooking, this may or may not be important.

There are a few other features that you may want to look for.  If you have space issues in your kitchen (and who doesn’t?), you may look for removable handles.  This is available on a few of the Presto models and it’s a real space saver.  Oster has a griddle with a warming tray.  The tray itself slides underneath the griddle surface and keeps food warm with heat from the cooking surface.  It’s a perfect option when you are making food and may be serving it in shifts.  It’s also great for keeping pancakes warm.

For a more elaborate, but very useful, package you might look at the Hamilton Beach 3 in 1 griddle grill.  The unit is about the same size as a standard electric grill but it has two surface pieces that are a smooth griddle on one side and a grill on the other.  The heating function is different also; you have two heat controls, one for each side.  This set up gives you some wonderful options for cooking.  You can grill hamburgers on one side (the grill surface is large enough to hold 4 hamburgers) while sautéing vegetables on the griddle side.  Bacon can be grilled while pancakes are on the griddle.  The drip tray goes down the middle, making it easy to clean off both surfaces.  Another nice touch is that both cooking pieces can go into the dishwasher.

What can you cook on an electric griddle?  For the most part, you can cook anything on a griddle that you can cook in a pan on your stove.  I have mentioned some basics, such as eggs, bacon and pancakes.  Don’t forget how easy it is to make crispy hash browns on your griddle.  French toast also turns out well and again, with no pan lip to wrestle with, is easy to flip.  Any breakfast meat works well and enjoy making omelettes on my eclectic griddle.

Grilled cheese is not the only sandwich that comes out well on a griddle.  Any grilled sandwich will be done to perfection as well as quesadillas and burritos.  Most cuts of meats can be done on the griddle, such as hot dogs, steaks, burgers and chicken.  I like to sauté vegetables on mine, they usually get done about the same time as the chicken breasts.

You will be hard pressed to find a kitchen tool as versatile as an electric griddle.  It’s easy of use, easy clean up and simple storage make it a must-have for an active kitchen.

One of the best things about cooking, is that whether you are not so great at it or a cooking virtuoso, you can benefit from recipes and great cooking tips. Anyone can follow a recipe and implement tips. Whether you think you’re a great chef or if you think that you can’t cook at all, here are a few cooking tips you can use today.

Keep It Simple!

In order to make the process of cooking easier, you should take to time to make large amounts of meat or vegetable stock and store it in the freezer. Not only is making your own stock less expensive than buying it from a retailer, but it makes it easy to keep a large supply on hand. Simply freeze the stock in small and clearly labeled portions and then take out what you need when you need it!

Indenting the center of a hamburger patty by up to one half inch will prevent bulging during cooking. Just a poke in the middle prior to cooking will allow a more even distribution of heat and will stop your burger from swelling on the top, something most of us are all too familiar with.

Think about buying large beef roasts or pork shoulders to make during one of your weekend nights. After you have this for dinner, store it in your fridge so that you will be able to create many different types of sandwiches, as the week progresses. Maximize your value and limit your expenses by conserving food.

Cooking is not something you stop learning. You eat every day of your life, so you can use cooking skills every day of your life. What you learn about cooking today, you can use forever. Use these tips to boost your cooking skills and put your own spin on them, to make everyday eating a pleasure.