Griddles

Commercial griddles for Aussie cafes, restaurants, food trucks and burger bars — flat-plate cooking surfaces that sear, fry and toast in direct contact with the food, sized from compact benchtop units through to wide freestanding tops. This range covers gas and electric models with smooth, grooved and ribbed plates so you can match the surface to what you actually cook. Griddles sit inside our broader commercial cooking equipment range, alongside chargrills for the char-marked work a flat plate can't do.

Who griddles are for

If your menu leans on burgers, breakfast, eggs, bacon, pancakes or toasted sandwiches, a griddle earns its bench space fast. Cafes run a 600mm plate for the morning rush; burger bars and diners want a wide top so two cooks can work side by side; pubs and clubs use them for steak sandwiches and schnitzels through service. Food trucks and mobile caterers favour LPG and benchtop units because they plug into a tight setup and travel well. The common thread is volume — a griddle holds a large, even cooking zone you can load front to back, which is exactly what a frypan can't do once a venue gets busy.

What's in scope

Gas griddles

Natural-gas and LPG models heat quickly and hold their temperature well under a heavy load, which is why most high-turnover venues run gas. They need a gas connection and licensed installation, but recover heat fast when you drop a cold load of patties onto the plate. LPG versions suit food trucks and outdoor catering where there's no mains gas.

Electric griddles

Electric models install with standard power (larger units need three-phase), which makes them the practical pick for prep kitchens, fit-outs without a gas line, and venues that want tighter zone control. For more on where electric fits, see our guide to the best commercial electric griddles for restaurants.

Plate type — flat, grooved and ribbed

A smooth flat plate is the all-rounder: eggs, pancakes, bacon, onions, toasted sandwiches. A grooved or ribbed plate puts sear lines on the food and lets fat drain away, so it reads more like a chargrill for steaks, chicken and burgers. Some tops are half-and-half — smooth on one side, ribbed on the other — so you cover both jobs on one unit. If you're weighing it up, our breakdown of flat-top vs ribbed griddles walks through the trade-offs.

Benchtop and freestanding

Benchtop griddles sit on a counter or stand and keep a small footprint — the fit for cafes, kiosks and mobile setups. Freestanding (floor-standing) griddles are larger units that often pair a wide plate with a storage cabinet or oven base underneath, built for back-to-back service in a busy line.

How to choose a griddle in three steps

Picking the right griddle comes down to three questions, in order.

Step 1 — Gas or electric?

Start with your services and your kitchen. If you've got mains gas and high volume, a gas griddle gives you fast recovery and lower running costs in most states. No gas line, a prep-only space, or a fit-out you'd rather keep simple? An electric model installs more easily and zones the heat tightly. Catering on the move? LPG keeps you running off bottled gas.

Step 2 — Plate width and surface

Size the plate to your peak, not your average. As a rule of thumb, a 300–400mm plate suits low-volume cafes and sandwich bars; 600mm is the everyday workhorse for most restaurants and takeaways; 900mm and wider is for burger bars, breakfast venues and production kitchens running two cooks at once. Then choose the surface — smooth flat for the broadest menu, grooved or ribbed if seared protein is the main act.

Step 3 — Format, power and ventilation

Confirm the footprint fits your bench or floor space, and check the connection: gas units need licensed installation, larger electric units typically need three-phase power. A griddle throws off heat and grease-laden vapour, so it usually needs to sit under a canopy or extraction hood to meet ventilation requirements — confirm your setup before you buy.

If you want the full background before you commit, our complete guide to choosing a griddle covers plate metals, thickness and maintenance in more depth.

Popular picks: two proven starting points are the Roband high-production griddle for a benchtop electric plate that handles steady cafe volume, and the Cobra CT6 600mm gas griddle toaster where you want a wide gas plate with built-in toasting for breakfast and burger service.

Frequently asked questions

What is a commercial griddle?

A commercial griddle is a flat metal cooking surface, heated by gas or electricity, that cooks food in direct contact with the plate — frying, searing and toasting rather than grilling over flame. The large, even cooking zone lets a kitchen turn out burgers, eggs, bacon, pancakes and toasted sandwiches in volume, which is why griddles are a staple in cafes, diners and burger bars.

What's the difference between a griddle and a hotplate?

In Australian commercial kitchens the terms are used interchangeably — both describe a flat, solid cooking surface for direct-contact frying and searing. "Hotplate" tends to be the older or more casual term; "griddle" is the more common product label. Either way you're buying the same thing: a flat plate, not an open grill.

Should I choose a gas griddle or an electric griddle?

Choose gas if you have a mains connection and high volume — gas griddles heat quickly, recover fast under load and usually cost less to run. Choose electric if you don't have a gas line, you're fitting out a prep kitchen, or you want precise temperature zones; electric models install with standard or three-phase power and skip the licensed gas work. For mobile catering and food trucks, LPG gas is the usual answer.

What size griddle do I need?

Size by your busiest service. A 300–400mm plate covers low-volume cafes and sandwich bars; a 600mm plate is the standard choice for most restaurants and takeaways; 900mm and wider suits burger bars, breakfast venues and high-output production kitchens where more than one cook works the plate. Measure your bench or floor space before you settle on a width.

What's the difference between a flat and a ribbed griddle plate?

A smooth flat plate is the all-rounder for eggs, pancakes, bacon and toasted sandwiches. A grooved or ribbed plate leaves sear lines on the food and channels fat away as it cooks, so it behaves more like a chargrill for steaks, burgers and chicken. If your menu needs both, look for a unit with a half-flat, half-ribbed top.

Does a commercial griddle need a ventilation hood?

In most cases, yes. A griddle produces heat and grease-laden vapour during service, so it generally needs to sit under a canopy or extraction hood to meet kitchen ventilation requirements. Check your local council and food-safety obligations, and confirm your extraction setup can handle the unit before installing.

Do you deliver griddles across Australia?

Yes. Commercial Kitchen Store ships nationwide, and Australian-based phone support is available on 1300 111 901 if you need help sizing a griddle to your kitchen. Our range is backed by genuine customer reviews, so you can see how each unit performs in real venues before you buy.