I purchased one for about $100 from Electrolux for my Icon gas cooktop. It looks very similar to your photo with one side smooth and the other ridged. I use it for bacon, eggs, pancakes, & French toast, so far. I will mention 2 problems: there is no place for the bacon grease to go (previously, I had a Jenn-Air electric cooktop where you could switch out a burner unit and put in a griddle that had a hole for the grease to run down into a jar below), and the griddle spans two burners -- one larger than the other which results in uneven heating, though I continue to try to adjust for that. Since you have to remove it to clean it, I just keep it in a drawer by the cook top.

Go to Sears and look. They have several varieties of cast iron pancake griddles/grills including Lodge. I bought one that was on sale for $15. I had to cure it myself, but it was easy to do. (oil it bake for 1 hr.)

I was going to buy a gas range that had the built in griddle or came as an optional accessory, but wound up finding a different range that didn't have the griddle as an accessory. I have a large center oval burner that I use my griddle on, but it works on 2 burners too.

Yep I have the Lodge Logic. It is wonderful. It is much better to get one that is not part of your gas cooktop as then you still have all your burners to use. Here is a pic. If you get one for two burners and the burners are different sizes this is actually very good. You think of it as a french top. You start food on the hotter part and move to the cooler part. Also if you start the griddle heating gently 10 min ahead the temp does equalize throughout the griddle. They are seasoned and I use grease remover on the ridged size and a good brush and it comes very clean. Then all you do is quickly wipe with oil and reheat and you are good to go. Amazon has them for a very good price. Singles as well as doubles.

I have this one....I love it! it's the sole reason I'm not giving up burners just to have a griddle. I use it every weekend for french toast or pancakes. Haven't done bacon on it, but it would probably do well with that too. I grill burgers on the grill side...but don't do that too much as I can just grill outdoors most of the year here.

Here is a link that might be useful: griddle/grill pan

I got mine from Amazon. I think it was $40, but now they're about $46...and with free shipping, which is a big help, since they're heavy and usually cost a bit to ship.

reno--how funny, i have the exact range and was just thinking that I should have gone for the griddle top!

I use a Lecreuset reversible grill/griddle.. I love it. Once you get it well seasoned its great and nothing sticks to it. I dont know that I would keep on the stove top though, I oil mine after i clean it and I would think that stuff would stick to it in the open air. I think I bought mine about 5 years ago for $100. I wasn't able to use it much in my previous house we only had a microwave hood and the house was small..it would always set off the fire alarms. The only thing I hate about using it is the stove clean up afterwards but it doesn't stop me, in fact it will get used tonight for steaks since its about 25 degrees here!

Here is a link that might be useful: grill pan

We have the double and it's constantly on the stove...we also just got the higher-sided square ridged pan, to cook burgers or whatever else (a few at a time) so that not as much grease would spatter out.

I love these pieces. The grill/griddle is definitely the workhorse of my entire kitchen.

Those look great. Anyone know if there's a cast iron griddle made with a recessed space to scrape stuff into so you can keep using it?
Thanks

I picked up an All Clad grill for $100 at Williams Sonoma. It works like a charm and very easy to clean. They also sell a griddle (which is on my Christmas list). I always cook bacon in the oven, so grease isn't an issue for me.

I also have the Lodge Logic pre-seasoned griddle which I really enjoy. It does take a little practice getting the temperature adjusted properly but it is just a matter of using it two or three times. I like making the thin greasy spoon restaurant type hamburgers with toasted buns and also pancakes. You will need a good hood venting system if you plan on cooking meat on either the griddle or grill side. My cooktop has a built in grill so all I have used is the griddle side.
Cooking bacon in the oven sure beats frying it.

Sold! I'll point DH to this thread when he gets home.

Thank you SO much for the photos. It really helps to see "real life" pics of these things in use, rather than just a pretty catalog pic!

Chefnewbie--GriddleQ has a grease trough but it's not cast iron. Designed for use on an outdoor chargrill.

Here is a link that might be useful: GriddleQ

chefnewbie - the Lodge Logic has the recessed trough on the smooth side. About $50 & worth every penny.

Ebay has some neat vintage cast iron. I was recommended to griswold if you're into using a very old one. Below is a new lodge logic.

Here is a link that might be useful: ebay griddle

Reno, I have an ancient Jenn Air with a griddle attachment and I could not live without it. We're replacing our current stupid Jenn Air with another, and I'll be getting another griddle attachment to be sure.

What a great thread. I didn't know Lodge made pre-seasoned cast iron. I see they make a bunch of different shapes and sizes. I would love to have one of these!

I have a reversible cast iron griddle and love it. I keep it in my warming drawer when not in use. BTW I have a microhood with pretty good cfm and have no problem when I grill steaks on it!
I also have vintage cast iron pieces and I was taught to coat lightly with crisco, put it upside down in the oven on 350 for an hour to season.And Ouila! seasoned.I do the same with "preseasoned" pans. If I could snag a Griswold I would do it in a heartbeat!

cooper,that has got to be the biggest CFM microhood I've ever seen. Just last night I was making shiitake/beef burgers and commenting that if we hadn't gotten our 650-cfm hood and sacrificed the convenience of having a microwave right there, we'd have the smoke alarm on within about 30 seconds of putting the burgers down on our hot, hot Lodge grill...

What is your microhood, may I ask?

flyleft-mine used to go off all the time in my previous house..one time is was so bad the whole house filled with smoke, we had to open all the windows and put a fan in the window to suck it out! LOL..Granted, my microhood was not efficient and my house was all of 1000 square ft.

Its so funny to see the difference in my new home with my Broan hood..it's not even an issue. We made steaks last night and you could watch the smoke go right up the vent..whoosh, I love it!

Our ventilation is one of the things I really fought for, and also learned about on this forum!

There was a JennAir downdraft cooktop in the house when we bought it, and I promptly had a gas line run for my range, and we also bought a 1150 cfm insert for our hood.

Fly it is about 300 or 350 vented straight out the back to the outside. It is the top of the line Jenn Air (without convection) with 5 speeds. I think the short run of duct makes a difference in helping the fan. I don't get full capture as trail does. I have watched carefully and I get about 90%. But, I also only cook 2 small steaks at a time. And never stirfry. Hey, if I could I would have a big range and hood but small kitchen and budget had to make do and it works great for us!

Wow, cooper--that's really a testimonial to that microhood. Amazing. That's really great.

We started out getting a microhood (actually a convection microhood) but then the convection part was so pathetic I ended up returning it and having to fight for my money back...I decided we'd just have the microwave somewhere else and got a hood instead (it cost about the same, actually). Unfortunately, since we'd planned the microhood originally I had only 30" for the hood, and I can really see now why they recommend 6" over the width of the range for the hood. Oh well. I bought up (the 650) because I hated our range (we were keeping it at the time) and I was dreaming of the day we'd replace it with a decent one -- gosh, one of this girl's dreams has finally come true--backwards, sideways, and 4 years late, but hey...

Hey great! Thanks for the links to the griddles with grease troughs. I had to choose between a grill and a griddle for my rangetop so I went with the grill thinking that I could always get an after market griddle.

Reno

So glad we went w/the removable griddle - I like that I have options - This is a Viking one - which fits over 2 burners perfectly - clean up is a breeze too!
GL

i am VERY dissapointed with the one that I bought from Homeclick.com, their website made it look as if I was getting one specially made for my 36" berta gas range and they charged over $100 for it.

In fact, the cheap old Lodge griddle that we had been using with our builders grade electric range was bigger and of a better quality.

A cast iron griddle is a wonderful piece of cooking equipment -- if you buy the right one.

renofan-
How do you like that Jenn Air Premier?? We're debating between it and the GE Cafe. I have read horror stories about both models so it's a really tough choice. Are you on propane or NG?
Thanks!!
Stacey

Did your DH get your grill/griddle for Christmas? Which one?