Griddle vs skillet
Choose a griddle to cook pancakes, bacon, eggs and sandwiches side by side for several people. Choose a skillet for searing, frying and anything with fat or sauce, which its sides keep in the pan. If you'll own only one, the skillet does more jobs.
| Difference | Griddle | Skillet |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Flat, with a low lip or none | Round, with sides that hold fat and sauce |
| Burners | One, or two for a long griddle | One |
| Cooking room | About 90 to 120 sq in on one burner, 160 to 210 on two (Nordic Ware) | One round floor |
| Best for | Pancakes, bacon, eggs, grilled cheese, tortillas, smash burgers | Searing, shallow frying, pan sauces, one-pan meals |
On this page
Two exact examples
| Difference | Lodge Double Play Reversible Grill/Griddle, 16.75 × 9.5 inches | Lodge 12-inch / 5-quart Deep Skillet |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Cast iron | Cast iron |
| Cooking surface | Seasoned cast iron | seasoned cast iron |
| Included shapes | Double Play Reversible Grill/Griddle, 16.75 × 9.5 inches | Skillet |
| Supplied lids | 0 | 0 |
| Lid oven limit | No lid in the box | No lid in the box |
| Empty total weight | 9.35 lb | 9.28 lb |
| Dishwasher | Hand wash only | Hand wash only |
| Induction | Works on induction | Works on induction |
What each one is for
A griddle is flat and open, with a low lip or none, so a spatula slides under pancakes, eggs, bacon, grilled cheese, tortillas and smash burgers, the jobs Nordic Ware names for it. A two-burner griddle gives about twice the room of a one-burner one. A skillet's sides keep fat, sauce and splatter in the pan, which is what searing, shallow frying and a pan sauce need.
About the two pans listed
Both examples are Lodge cast iron: the 16.75 × 9.5-inch Double Play, a griddle on one side and a grill on the other that spans two burners, and the 12-inch deep skillet. Cast iron of either shape is heavy, so lift it rather than slide it across a glass cooktop.
What’s in each, measured
Scroll sideways for every column; tap a heading to sort. “Not stated” means the maker doesn’t publish it.
| Lodge Double Play Reversible Grill/Griddle, 16.75 × 9.5 inches | Not stated | 0.62 in | 16.75 in | 9.5 in | Not stated | 9.35 lb | Not stated | Not stated | Not included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lodge 12-inch / 5-quart Deep Skillet | 12 in | 3.43 in | 18.26 in | Not stated | 5 US qt | 9.28 lb | 15 | 10 | Not included |