BBQ vs griddle: grill bars or a flat top?

How each cooks

A BBQ grill has open grates over burners, charcoal or pellets. Heat reaches the food partly by radiation and partly through the hot bars, which leave sear marks. Fat drips through, hits flavouriser bars or coals and turns to smoke, which adds flavour. With the lid down, a BBQ also works as an outdoor oven for joints and whole chickens.

A griddle, often called a plancha, is a thick steel or cast iron plate heated from below. The whole surface of the food touches hot metal, so you get even browning across a burger or fish fillet rather than stripes. Nothing falls through, which makes it ideal for chopped vegetables, eggs, pancakes and seafood. Most flat tops cook with the lid open, or have no lid at all.

Point by point

This comparison covers the two styles in general. A specific model may blur the lines, for example a kamado with a cast iron plancha insert.

Food, flavour and cooking style

If your idea of a barbecue is sausages, chicken thighs, steaks and kebabs with a bit of char and smoke, grill grates suit you. A lid also lets you cook indirectly, roast a whole chicken or smoke with wood chips, which a flat top cannot really do.

If you mainly cook for a family that likes breakfast outside, burgers pressed thin, fajitas, prawns and vegetables, a griddle is more practical. You can cook many small items at once, and the surface stays usable even for delicate fish.

Whatever you cook, burgers, sausages and chicken must be cooked through. Our BBQ meat temperatures article gives the Food Standards Agency guidance.

Combos: a gas BBQ with a griddle plate

Many gas BBQs now offer both. Weber's Spirit E-425 Mix Griddle and Spirit EP-425 split the cooking area between grill grates and a flat plate, so you can sear steaks on one side and cook onions and eggs on the other. Several other brands sell a griddle plate that replaces one grate section.

A combo is the sensible choice for most households that want variety, as long as the grill side is big enough for your usual numbers. Our best gas BBQs and large gas BBQs for entertaining guides include griddle models.

See large gas BBQs with griddles →

Care and cleaning

Grill grates need a brush while warm and an occasional deep clean of the burners and grease tray. Our how to clean a gas BBQ guide covers the routine.

A steel griddle needs seasoning, like a wok. After cooking, scrape it while warm, wipe it and apply a thin coat of cooking oil to stop rust. In damp British weather an uncovered steel plate can rust quickly, so a cover matters more. Enamelled or stainless plates need less care but still benefit from scraping.

Note:Griddles collect a lot of fat. Empty the grease cup often and never let it overflow near the burners, as hot fat can catch fire.

Frequently asked questions

Is a griddle better than a BBQ? Neither is better overall. A griddle suits small and delicate foods; a BBQ suits classic grilling, smoke flavour and roasting.

Can you get smoke flavour on a griddle? Not much. You get a fried, browned flavour rather than smoke.

Can I put a griddle plate on my existing BBQ? Many gas and kettle BBQs accept a plancha insert or a cast iron plate. Check the maker's accessory list for a correct fit.

Does a griddle need a lid? Not usually. A lid helps melt cheese and keep heat in on cold days, but most flat top cooking is lid open.