Lodge Cast Iron Rectangular Reversible Grill/Griddle - 9.5 x 16.75 Inch

This reversible cast iron grill and griddle is hands-down one of the best purchases I’ve made for my kitchen. The quality is exactly what you’d expect from Lodge—heavy-duty, durable, and built to last. I love that it’s pre-seasoned, which made it ready to go right out the box (Although I seasoned it again. I’ll give instructions on what I did at the very end of this review in my “PRO TIP”, if you’re interested in doing the same.). I’ve used it for everything from searing steaks and flipping pancakes to grilling veggies and making breakfast sandwiches, and it performs beautifully every single time. The heat retention is unmatched, and I love how evenly it cooks no matter what side I’m using. It turns an ordinary stovetop or campfire into a professional cooking surface, and it’s become one of my go-to tools whether I’m indoors or out. Cleaning it is surprisingly easy, especially if you care for it properly, and it just gets better with time. Like, seriously! Lodge just never disappoints, and this piece is no exception. If you’re serious about your cooking or just want to elevate your meals with that classic cast iron flavor, this is the one to get. It’s reliable, versatile, and honestly—an absolute joy to cook with. And now for my “PRO-TIP”…PRO TIP:: Give it a little extra oiling and bake it a few times when you first get it though (if interested, I’ll tell you how below) — you’ll fall in love with the results.Use an oil with a high smoke point and that forms a good layer of seasoning, like canola oil, Crisco (vegetable shortening), or grapeseed oil. I’ve used vegetable oil too. Avocado oil, I think can be used too, but don’t quote me on that particular one as I’ve never used it. But if I take a guess, I THINK it can be.But the FIRST thing you do even before oiling it and baking it is wash it thoroughly as soon as you get it with a teeny-tiny bit of soap and hot water, EVEN IF IT SAYS IT IS PRESEASONED! But ONLY DO THIS ONCE! After this first wash, you won’t have to use soap ever again! This is to remove any of the factory residue. But you are then to dry the pan completely.Then with a think layer of oil (I pour a bit on the pan and then take a paper towel and wipe it completely with oil in all of the nooks and crannies inside and out and the handle with an even coat of whatever oil you choose to use.Place it upside down on your top oven rack and put a baking sheet (or if you want to line the bottom rack with foil you can do that instead of the baking sheet) on the bottom rack to catch the excess oil that drips off the pan.Bake this @ 450 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Then turn the oven off and let it cool completely inside the oven to allow the oil to set.Now, for a smoother, non-stick finish, it’s BEST to repeat this process 2 or 3 times, BUT you don’t have to. I like to though, but who knows…maybe it’s because I’m extra.Then, BOOM! Your brand new cast iron is ready to make some magic happen!! Enjoy!!

I've got lots of cast iron, but this is my new favorite. Here are a few tips for other users. The griddle is perfectly flat and well-made, but it tips from corner to corner on my burners. It's an issue with the design of my burner grates, not the grill. If you have this problem, just fold up a little piece of foil and stick it under one of the edges that tips. Problem solved.People often complain about foods spilling off a griddle. If that's happening, then you should cook that type of food in a skillet. Skillets and griddles each have their own purpose, The low profile edges on a griddle are suited to foods that stay put but take up a lot of surface area, like eggs, pancakes, steaks, vegetables. They made the low edge so it will be easy to get a spatula under those foods. Foods that produce lots of grease should not be cooked on a griddle, unless it's just a couple of strips of bacon. If you're trying to cook up lots of greasy food, use a skillet. They are designed to hold liquids, hence the tall sides. So, you guys who complain about grease running off your griddle when you cook a pound of bacon, stop complaining and get a skillet to hold liquids.Yes, the center will be a little cooler than the ends. Don't worry. This is natural. Use it to your advantage. Put slower-cooking things in the center or add food to the center first so it starts cooking before the food on the ends. Just like on a charcoal grill, it can be helpful to have a "cool zone" (actually a not quite as scorching hot zone). Make sure you let it heat up evenly over low heat before turning it up to medium / medium high, this discourages sticking. Also, for you people moving from teflon, never turn or move food in an iron or steel pan until the food has browned. The food does indeed stick, but then releases from the surface on its own when it is browned. Wait for the food to release itself. Be patient. Also, make sure steaks, etc. have no water on them when you put it on the cooking surface. A little oil helps food release, water encourages sticking.Clean it while it's hot before it can cool off, or food remnants will be harder to remove. Scrape it with a metal spatula. Then wipe it with a paper towel dipped in oil. Done. Also, clean up will be easier if you cook liquids and super greasy foods in a skillet, which is easier to wield (and clean in a sink) when hot. Don't want to leave your clean, hot griddle to cool on the stove? Use oven mitts to cary it to the oven.This is a great product. I consider it an essential and helpful sidekick to a 12 inch cast iron skillet. It's ready to go right out of the box. Pancakes came out great and did not stick, even though I used almost no oil on the griddle. Works on the charcoal grill, too for small foods that would fall through the grates. Take it camping as an easy to set up grill. Use it in the oven as a cookie sheet. Great for small pizzas with crispy crust.

The cast iron feels like really good quality. It’s not sticky at all, even right out of the box. So far I’ve mostly used it to cook Beyond Meat burgers on a grill and over a campfire, and it performs great every time.It holds heat for a long time and is super easy to clean. I’m very happy with this product and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a solid cast iron griddle or pan.

I’m giving this product 4 Stars. I have yet to use the product so, I will reserve the final Star. I would like to mention that this product is made of Grade A cast. If you have a chef inspired kitchen, it will easily lay flat on your stove top. The weight is quite heavy but it’s not bulky. I can’t wait to try (both sides)!

Value for the money, thickness good@ functional.

I'm moving into a house with gas heating. This meant, obviously, that we'd be buying a gas stove. I saw that a lot of them has a middle 5th burner, so I decided to give this product a try. I like cooking certain things like burgers, pancakes and such but it takes ages when you can only cook one or two at a time. One thing I noticed right away is that this griddle isn't too heavy, so I can see myself using this fairly often.This griddle heated up fast and cooked three grilled cheese sandwiches very evenly. My partner and I were surprised at how fast the food was done and he said it was the best grilled cheese I've ever made. I'm definitely looking forward to using this more in the future.I haven't used the grill side yet, but I imagine that it'll be easier to clean than other grill pans with deep grooves. I'll update this review once I have a chance to really put this griddle through its paces.