A big outdoor griddle can change what summer feels like. And the best flat-top grills can make dinner feel like an event to be proud of. What’s a more satisfying sound than the slap of a spatula onto the chopped onions and rib eye meant for a perfect cheesesteak? The blister of corn tortillas cooked in the grease left by hard-seared carne asada? The smash of a burger at a backyard barbecue? The blessed evenness of pancakes cooked on a well-seasoned griddle plate? All you need is a great griddle to set you up for success.
An outdoor gas griddle is an essential backyard counterpart to the satisfying direct heat of a high-performing charcoal or wood-fired grill—adding all the versatility of your favorite diner to your sunny-day toolkit. I’ve spent months cooking dozens of smashburgers, bacon strips, tacos, and pancakes to find the best outdoor griddle for each kind of backyard cook. Now, I find myself using the griddle more than a classic grill.
My top-rated Traeger Flatrock ($1,000) offers the most even and reliable heat out of any I tested, and it feels like a Cadillac idling in the yard. Meanwhile, the rust-resistant four-burner 36-inch Weber Slate ($1,049) provides a broad cooking surface, an easier seasoning process, and the best array of features to build out a flat-top grill into a true workstation. For those keeping it to a tighter budget, my best recommendation is just to downsize your Weber. The compact 28-inch Weber Slate is the best value at $798, edging out lower-cost brands whose durability is less assured.
For more outdoor cooking action, check out WIRED’s guide to the Best Pizza Ovens, Best Smokeless Firepits, and Best Cast Iron Pans.
Updated May 2026: I added the 28-inch Weber Slate, the Solo Stove Stainless Griddle, and the 22-inch Weber Slate portable griddle. I moved the LoCo 36-inch griddle to honorable mentions. I also added context and updates on griddle performance over time and ensured up-to-date links and prices.
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Best Griddle Overall
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Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
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Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
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Traeger
Flatrock 33-inch 3-Zone Griddle
WIRED
- The most even heat on any cooktop I’ve tested
- Sturdy construction and wind shielding
- Spacious cooking surface
TIRED
- Side tables lack hooks for utensils
- Heat tops out at 600 degrees
I grew up in Oregon, where Traeger was also born. Even after the company sold and moved to Utah, a Traeger grill or smoker in the backyard has remained a source of both aspiration and pride for those who raised me—a sign you’re living right and doing OK. This sturdy-built three-zone Flatrock griddle lends the same vibe.
The constant enemy of flat-top grills is uneven heat, a byproduct of the amount of thermal energy it takes to heat up thick steel or iron plates. This Traeger, as much as any flat-top grill I’ve tried, is designed to offer impressively even heat distribution despite the thickness of its burner. The secret is the three U-shaped burners that essentially double the heat sources under thermally conductive, thick carbon steel. The Flatrock also grants tight temperature control between zones and sterling wind shielding on top and under the burners. Throughout a year of cooks, I’ve had no flameouts. There’s barely even a hot spot, with less than 20-degree variation across the main cooking space. This means even, easy seasoning on the grill to cook nicely browned pancakes; burgers that cook the same way all across the surface; and easy temperature regulation among veggies, meat, buns, tortillas.
The Flatrock is big, it’s built sturdily, and it doesn’t shake or wobble. It holds fast with the casters locked on its wheels. If you keep it plugged in, a handy extra feature lets you check on the fill status of your propane tank. It doesn’t heat super-hot (clocking in just under 600 degrees Fahrenheit), which isn’t ideal if you’re trying to attain a super-fast sear on a smashburger, but the temp remains beautifully stable for the more dignified sear of a fish or a steak.
