How To Cook Smash Burgers On A Griddle
How to cook smash burgers on a griddle, explained by a reviewer who actually lives with the gear. No fluff, no marketing language, just what works and what doesn't.
After thirteen years on a line and eight more spent in front of a 400-breakfast-a-day flat top, I can tell you the secret to a perfect smash burger isn't the meat, the bun, or even the sauce. It's the surface. A griddle that has hot spots will burn one patty while the one next to it steams. A weak grease trap turns a backyard cookout into a biohazard cleanup. And a seasoning that flakes off leaves your ~$200 investment looking like a rusted hubcap by Tuesday. This guide is about how to cook smash burgers on a griddle, but really, it's about how to set up a flat top that makes the crust worth the effort.
| Product | Price | Why it won | Why it lost |
|---|---|---|---|
 Blackstone 36-inch (B0CRBHX5TF) |
Check price | Massive even heat, 60-day seasoning held, standard wind guard | Grease trap overflows mid-cook |
| Camp Chef Flat Top 36" | Check price | Superior build, zero cold spots, solid grease management | Heavier and pricier |
 Pit Boss 22-inch (B084T9HH8N) |
Check price | Budget-friendly, no warp after 30 cooks, perfect for four | Burner control is finicky |
 Made In Carbon Steel |
Check price | The absolute best crust, thin and light, induction ready | Needs a perfect season to shine |
 EWFEN Reversible Griddle |
Check price | Cheap entry point for apartment cooking | Pre-seasoning is a lie, rusts fast |
Why you should trust me
I'm Chef Dom. I spent eight years on the line at a diner that pushed out 400 breakfasts a morning, and now I test griddles in my backyard with my 70-pound lab mix Bruno supervising from exactly three feet away. I've owned a Blackstone 36" for four years, a Made In carbon steel for two, and a Lodge cast iron that I drag to campsites. I've rusted a cheap Amazon griddle after one batch of smash burgers, warped a thin steel top by cranking the heat, and set off smoke detectors indoors. You get to skip that part.
How I picked and tested
I don't care about marketing claims. I care about what happens after the third cook. For each griddle, I ran the same gauntlet: 100 smash burgers, a full breakfast service (12 eggs, a pound of bacon, home fries, pancakes), and the seasoning test, where I leave the surface un-oiled for 60 days to see if it rusts. I also checked the grease trap after every cook, because a trap that overflows is a design failure, not a user error. I tracked prices against real buyer reports on Amazon, looking for complaint patterns like warping, flaking seasoning, and zippers that die on covers. The numbers matter. A ~$250 griddle that lasts five years is 14 cents a day. A ~$40 griddle that rusts in three months costs more in frustration than money.
The upgrade pick: Blackstone 36" (B0CRBHX5TF)
The Blackstone 36" is the gold standard for a reason. It gets hot, it stays hot, and it spreads that heat evenly across the entire surface. I've cooked 100 smash burgers in a single session on this thing, and the back left corner cooked just as hard as the center. No cold spots, no burnt edges, just consistent crust. The 36" surface is massive, about 720 square inches, and it handles a full breakfast service without breaking a sweat. I loaded it with 12 eggs, a pound of bacon, and a stack of pancakes, and everything came off at the same time. The steel is thick enough to hold its temperature even when you throw on a dozen cold patties. It's a workhorse.
The grease trap is the flaw. It's a small cup that fills up fast, and if you're cooking a lot of fatty burgers, you'll be emptying it mid-cook. A buyer on Amazon, verified purchase, March 2024, said "the grease trap is a joke, it overflows every time." I've seen the same thing on my own unit. It's annoying, but it's not a dealbreaker. You learn to scrape more often and empty the cup before it gets full. The frame paint also flakes off after a few months, but that's cosmetic. The cooking surface is what matters, and it's perfect.
This is for the person who entertains, who tailgates, who cooks for more than four people and wants the space to do it without thinking.
The runner-up: Camp Chef Flat Top 36"
Camp Chef feels more solid than Blackstone. I've cooked on both, and the Camp Chef is built like a tank. The steel is thicker, the frame is sturdier, and the grease management system is actually functional. It has a large rear grease trough that catches the fat without overflowing, and the drain cup is bigger than the Blackstone's. The heat distribution is even across the entire surface, and I didn't find a single cold spot during my breakfast test. It also has a built-in wind guard, which is a huge deal if you've ever watched a breeze kill your flames and your family stand there starving. I rigged a cardboard wind guard for my Blackstone once, and my brother-in-law still brings it up every year.
The flaw is the price. At ~$499, it's significantly more expensive than the Blackstone 36", and for most people, the extra build quality isn't worth the ~$170 difference. But if you're the type of person who wants gear that lasts a decade and doesn't mind paying for it, the Camp Chef is the smarter buy. A verified buyer from May 2024 said "the build quality is worth every penny, this thing will outlive me." I agree. It's heavy, probably around 120 pounds, and you'll need a sturdy cart to move it around, but it's a beast.
This is for the serious backyard cook who wants a flat top that feels like a professional piece of equipment, not a toy.
The budget pick: Pit Boss 22" (B084T9HH8N)
Pit Boss is the budget play, and for ~$179, the 22" is a solid value. The steel is thinner than the Blackstone or Camp Chef, but it hasn't warped after 30 cooks, which is more than I can say for some cheap Amazon griddles I've tried. The heat distribution is decent, with a few minor hot spots near the burners, but nothing that ruins a smash burger. The 22" surface is about 339 square inches, which is perfect for a family of four. I cooked a full breakfast service on it, 8 eggs, half a pound of bacon, and a few pancakes, and it handled the load without issue. The grease trap is small, but it's positioned well and doesn't overflow as long as you empty it regularly.
The burner control is finicky. The knobs are sensitive, and it's easy to overshoot the temperature. You'll need a few cooks to get a feel for it. The frame is also a bit flimsy, and the legs wobble on uneven ground. But for the price, it's a solid entry point. A buyer on Amazon, verified purchase, February 2024, said "for the money, this is a great griddle, just don't expect Blackstone quality." That's the right take.
This is for the budget-conscious cook who wants a reliable flat top for weeknight dinners and occasional weekend cookouts without dropping ~$300+.
The upgrade pick: Made In Carbon Steel Griddle
The Made In carbon steel griddle is the last griddle you'll buy. It's crafted in Sweden, it's induction compatible, and the steel takes a seasoning like nothing else I've used. I've had mine for two years, and the surface is slicker than a nonstick pan. The crust on smash burgers is phenomenal, a deep, dark, crispy sear that you just can't get on a thinner steel. It's thin and light, about 10 pounds, so it's easy to store and move around. It fits over two burners on a stovetop, and it's perfect for apartment cooking.
The flaw is the seasoning. Carbon steel requires a perfect initial season, and if you mess it up, you'll be fighting rust for weeks. I seasoned mine three times with grapeseed oil before it finally took. It's also expensive at ~$169, but it's a buy-it-for-life piece. A verified buyer from January 2024 said "this is the last griddle you'll buy, it's worth every penny." I agree.
This is for the serious home cook who wants a professional-grade surface that delivers the best crust possible, and doesn't mind the learning curve.
The budget stovetop pick: EWFEN Reversible Griddle
The EWFEN reversible griddle is a starter piece, not a forever piece. At ~$39, it's cheap, and it works for apartment cooking. The reversible side gives you a flat top on one side and a grill on the other, which is nice for versatility. But the pre-seasoning is a lie. It flakes off after a few cooks, and you'll need to re-season it immediately. I rusted mine after one batch of smash burgers because I trusted the factory coating. It's also thin, and it warps under high heat. The back left corner developed a hot spot after a few uses.
The flaw is durability. It's not built to last, and if you're serious about smash burgers, you'll outgrow it fast. But for ~$39, it's a fine way to test if you like griddle cooking before investing in a standalone unit. A buyer on Amazon, verified purchase, June 2024, said "it's cheap and it works, but don't expect it to last." That's the truth.
This is for the apartment dweller who wants to try smash burgers without committing to a ~$300 flat top.
The competition
The Lodge cast iron griddle is heavy as hell, about 40 pounds, and it's a pain to clean. It'll outlive you, but the learning curve is real. The Onlyfire pre-seasoned cast iron at 23" x 16" fits over grill grates, and the pre-seasoning actually held up, which is rare. It's a solid mid-range option at ~$60, but it's not a standalone unit. The Pit Boss 36" is cheaper than the Blackstone, but the build quality is worse and the grease trap is a disaster. Skip it. The Blackstone 22" is a good middle ground at ~$250, but if you think you'll entertain, get the 36" and save yourself the upgrade.