Best Broiler Pan
Are you looking for the greatest broiler pan out there? If yes, take a look at my list of top 5 broiler pans on the market right now.
I have a confession to make, folks – I think I am becoming a health nut. Ever since I’ve hit my mid-forties, I’ve started to look for healthier ways to prepare food, and now this interest has grown into a full-blown obsession.
And who could blame me? 🙂
I’m a mother, a wife, and a cook for an entire family, so it’s my responsibility to serve my loved ones (and myself) food that’s good for our bodies.
My new, favorite weapon in the fight against diet-related diseases is the broiler pan. Trust me; if you haven’t tried to cook in it, you’re missing out big time.
To try and motivate you to buy one for yourself, I’ve composed a list of reviews in search of the perfect broiler pan out there.
Have a read!
What is a broiler pan?
For those who’ve encountered this term for the first time, let me explain what this thing is. A broiler pan is a piece of cookware that by its shape and size, looks similar to a cookie sheet.
However, it also has a grate on top, the purpose of which is to hold the food that’s cooking. It is almost exclusively intended for oven use, so that’s why it is the perfect asset to add to your kitchen.
But wait, there’s more!
The cool thing about broiler pans is that they reflect heat coming from the top heater of the oven, thus helping the food to cook evenly on both sides. It’s a simple method, but it works like a charm.
Why should I buy a broiler pan?
I can answer this question with two words – healthy and delicious. One doesn’t have to exclude the other, and this pan is a perfect tool for achieving both of these qualities.
Let me elaborate a bit further on this topic in the sections below:
Less oil needed
If you’re trying to avoid frying at all costs, you’ll be happy to hear that broiler pans require little to no oil, depending on what you’re cooking. In most cases, you’ll just have to brush the grate with some oil lightly, but if you’re preparing some fatty meat parts, then even this won’t be necessary. How is this good?
Well, less oil means fewer calories, so you won’t have to worry about gaining weight so easily (hurray!). Another thing that this helps with is people’s cholesterol levels, as oil is not an ally if your numbers are too high.
Less fat in meat
Similar to grilling, broiling also helps you reduce the fat content of the meat you’re preparing. This is due to the grate which allows the fat to drip as it melts, so it doesn’t remain trapped.
Another reason why this is good is that if you accidentally leave a few chunks of fat while trimming the meat (oh well, it happens), it will all melt down, and you won’t consume it.
Further Reading: Most Recommended Grill Pans
Speeds up the cooking process
As I’ve explained earlier, the broiler pan is designed so that it distributes the heat evenly on both top and bottom sides, and what this does is help make the cooking process faster. Also, its very purpose is to allow you to cook food at high heat, as quickly as possible.
Suitable for fragile pieces of meat
Delicate cuts like chicken strips or thinly sliced steak tend to tear when prepared on a grill or a griddle because you have to flip them, and I know how annoying this can be. The broiler pan’s advantage is that it cooks the meat on both sides and thus eliminates the need for turning it. Also, it will be cooked really fast!
What to know before buying a broiler pan?
Although buying a broiler pan is a great idea, one should not jump into this decision recklessly.
It is always better to prepare yourself adequately by reading some useful information about this product.
Where could you find such information? Right here! Just keep reading.
Material
These items can be made from different materials, but the main ones are stainless steel, carbon steel, ceramic, and cast iron. All of them do the job well, but they do have some different properties. For example, cast iron distributes heat evenly across its surface while stainless steel is known to be great for roasts, etc.
Maintenance
If you don’t like to spend your free time scrubbing away at the sink, then you might be interested in searching for a piece of cookware that is dishwasher safe. Even if you don’t need the latter, you will undoubtedly want a dish that’s easy to clean, so see what other people have to say about this before buying.
Dimensions of the pan
Before picking a pan, you need to know whether it’s going to fit in your oven. First, measure the dimensions of the stove and then look for the pan accordingly.
What kind of food do you want to cook?
Ask yourself, “Will I be cooking mostly meat or veggies?” In the case of meat, you should go for a broiler that has a grill-style rack or a grate with wide slits so that the drippings can go through them smoothly. Those who are more into vegetables should choose a pan with more surface area on the top rack.
Most Recommended Broiler Pan: Detailed Reviews 2022
Granite Ware Bake, Broil and Grill Pan
I absolutely adore this 3-piece broiler pan set from Granite! In the package, you get a roasting pan, a grill rack, and a perforated tray.
What I especially like about this one is the material.
All pieces have a carbon steel core which is light and strong, but it also has fantastic heat retention properties which make the food cook faster and thus improve the energy efficiency of the entire process. Talk about eco-friendly cooking, huh!
The outer layer is made from enamel, which is non-stick and perfectly healthy as it doesn’t release any chemicals into the food during cooking.
The previous characteristic is essential to me, and it should be to you too. Another material that this pan contains is porcelain, which is masterfully fused with steel and its role is to make the pan dishwasher safe.
The downside of this mixture of various materials is that the surface of the item becomes similar to glass.
This means that it is prone to cracking in case you happen to drop it. The upside of this feature is that it is easy to maintain and clean (dishwasher-safe, as I’ve mentioned).
The perforated tray is perfect for vegetables while the grill rack is intended for meat preparation. You can even use the roasting pan by itself if you wish.
The dimensions of this product are 14 x 9 x 2 inches, so check if it fits in your oven.
What I Liked
- Durable and quality construction
- Doesn’t leach any chemicals into the food
- Distributes heat evenly
- Good for cooking meat and vegetables
- Dishwasher safe
What I Didn’t Like
- It might crack if it’s dropped or hit
General Electric WB48X10056
General Electric needs no introduction, and this broiler pan sure justifies its brand’s name. I only have positive things to say about their cookware and this product is no different.
When it comes to material, the GE pan is made from black ceramic which feels very solid.
The design is full of many serrations and slits which are there to ensure that the cooking process goes perfectly every single time.
The pan is dishwasher safe, and that’s a good thing. However, when it comes to hand washing, it might be a bit troublesome to clean it thoroughly due to its somewhat complicated design as well as the material to which food tends to stick to.
Another complication is that it isn’t advisable to scratch it too hard or use abrasive cleaners as this may damage its coating. Frustrating, I know!
As far as its cooking capabilities are concerned, there are no problems with this one. Meat, seafood, veggies – you name it, this oven broiler pan is going to cook them fast and well.
Its dimensions are 15 3/4 x 12 x 3/4 inches, so it is wider and loner (but shallower) than the previous model.
What I Liked
- Fairly large
- Can cook meat, fish, and vegetables
- Solid and quality build
- Elegant design
- Works well with GE ovens
What I Didn’t Like
- Food might stick to the surface
- Difficult to clean
Frigidaire 5304442087 Broiler Pan
Despite is a peculiar French name and their custom to assign long serial numbers to their products, Frigidaire is a trusted brand.
Their product ranks lowest on my list not because it’s inferior in quality, but because of the fierce competition and superb products that came before it.
First, let’s inspect the good things. The porcelain non-stick exterior is fine. It works, the food slides off of it without any problems even when cooking without oil.
Another advantage is that it is easy to clean. Just soak it in soapy water for a while, scrub off the remains, and place it in the dishwasher. Easy as chips.
Now the not-so-good stuff. The porcelain coating tends to chip if you hit it or drop it. This is pretty bad because those coating-free areas might not be deemed safe to use anymore.
Also, I saw some users reporting discoloration of the pan after some usage. On top of all this, the price is through the roof!
The Frigidaire pan comes in two pieces – a top tray and a scraper. The total cooking surface amounts to 14 x 11 inches, which makes it a middle-sized product of its category.
When it comes to food preparation, you can cook pretty much anything on it.
What I Liked
- Beautifully colored
- Easy to clean
- It has a non-stick coating
What I Didn’t Like
- The coating might peel off
- Some users reported discoloration of the surface
- Much more expensive compared to similar products
See also: Finest olive oil available to buy online
Norpro 273 Broil and Roast
Norpro is a well-known supplier of all things kitchen, hailing from the Pacific Northwest of the US.
Their broil pan which I am about to review is a bit different than the previous two products, so let’s find out how.
The main thing that sets it apart from the first two pans is the material. Norpro’s pan is made from sturdy stainless steel.
In my mind, it feels like an old-school, fuss-free, and straightforward piece of cookware, and is excellent for people who like this kind of stuff.
The term “fuss-free” refers to the lack of any special layers or additional materials; heck, it doesn’t even have a non-stick coating.
The latter, if you ask me can be both an advantage as well as a disadvantage, but it all depends on what you prefer.
The great thing about it is that it is easy to clean (dishwasher-safe), there are no chemicals in the metal to worry about, and it can last for a long time.
A downside is that you’ll have to use more oil or butter when cooking to prevent food from sticking to it.
The top, diamond-perforated pan makes an excellent surface for preparing both meat and vegetables, while the bottom tray collects the drippings.
The pan is 12 x 9 x 1 3/4 inch big, which places it among smaller products of its kind.
What I Liked
- Sturdy and durable stainless steel construction
- Easy to clean
- Can cook meat and veggies well
What I Didn’t Like
- It doesn’t have a non-stick coating
- Relatively small
Related article: Is It Time To Buy A New Grill Brush?
Range Kleen Porcelain non-stick broiler pan
Looking for something durable and practical to prepare healthy food with? Well, then the Range Kleen might be just for you.
When I say durable, I’m referring to the pan’s steel core which gives it the kind of hardness that you want with these items.
Furthermore, the porcelain finish gives it a non-stick surface that requires little to no grease to cook your food properly. So far, everything seems well.
However, this product is not without faults. There have been reports of the coating chipping off after some time.
Also, the perforated top is a nightmare to clean by hand as there are plenty of small indents that need to be scrubbed individually. It can be time-consuming, trust me.
You can pop it in the dishwasher, but I’d recommend roughly washing it by hand first so that you remove those stubborn food remains.
Its capabilities are similar to the other broiler pans on this list.
It is great for meat, fish, and vegetables, so there aren’t any problems in this department. A potential issue (or advantage, depends on you) is the pan’s small size of 8 3/4 x 13 inches. This is good because it can fit in any oven and dishwasher easily, but inconvenient if you want to cook for a large group of people.
What I Liked
- Quality build
- It has a non-stick surface
- Versatile; can cook meat, fish, and veggies
- It is dishwasher safe
What I Didn’t Like
- Might be too small for some people
- The top is difficult to clean thoroughly
- The coating might chip off after some time
See also: Suggestions for Countertop Convection Ovens
The Final Verdict
All in all, I must admit that this was one of the tougher roundups that I did in a long time.
The market is filled with fantastic broiler pans, and it is not so simple to determine which ones are better and which are worse.
Nevertheless, the absolute winner of this list is the Granite 3-piece broiler pan, due to its quality construction, amazing versatility, and the ability to cook food fast!
The runner-up isn’t far behind, and you won’t be making a huge mistake if you opt for the second or third option as well. As I’ve said – they’re all pretty good!
This would be all for today. Until next time my dear friends! 🙂