So what’s the difference? It sounds like a silly question, but we get it all the time. Many people don’t know how to cook breakfast or prepare fried eggs without using an outdoor grill. Others want to regulate their cooking without buying and storing expensive grills or camping stoves. And yet others want to avoid the cost, hassle, and hassle of dealing with propane tanks.
Electric skillets and electric griddles are both kitchen appliances designed to cook foods according to your specifications. The two items vary in the ways they can function: an electric skillet can sear meats while an electric griddle may not, while an electric griddle heats up quickly and evenly but is less versatile than a skillet. Both of these appliances, however, should be part of your kitchen repertoire.
Cooking pancakes or making eggs on the stovetop can be a tricky feat, but not when you have an electric griddle. An electric skillet is slower to heat and has a smaller cooking surface area than an electric griddle so it’s more suited to certain things. But an electric griddle can cook anything, even desserts! We break down which features might come in handy for your next purchase and why it’s important to find the right product that suits your cooking habits.,
Electric skillet
Electric skillets have been a household appliance for nearly 100 years. They are very popular and make cooking much easier. The variety of electric skillets include those with turntable disks, “exotic” designs, automatic shutoff timers, and sleek stainless-steel finishes. Electric skillets cook food by using underwriters to heat up a coil of wire in the base of the skillet. During the process, electricity is passed through this wire coil to produce heat that is then transferred to the food on top of it. Because the heat source is in the base of the skillet, the food cooked on top doesn’t burn.
Some newer models come with micro-circulation rings that help distribute oil evenly on the food to prevent sticking. Other models have features such as swivel drip pans, adjustable heat settings, and flat bottom cooking surfaces. Some have both a digital and manual setting on the control panel. All electric skillets are made to cook food quickly with minimum wear and tear on the skillet. In addition, many are dishwasher safe to clean up after use.
We recommend ;
The Presto-06857 16-inch Electric Foldaway Skillet, Black
This is a basic, large electric skillet that can be folded away for easy storage when not in use. It has two heat sources with independent controls and an adjustable thermostat that will keep food warm if desired. It’s dishwasher safe and has a ‘Stay Cool’ handle to move it around the kitchen safely with ease. It’s perfect for making meals for two, or even a 4-person family. The stay cool handle reduces fatigue and it’s even dishwasher safe! The temperature control is very accurate and will make the difference between perfectly browned food and under-cooked food.
The Presto-06857 16-inch Electric Foldaway Skillet, Black has a 16-inch surface area that makes it good for use with stews, chili, or any type of stew that requires large surface area to keep the heat under control.
Electric Griddle
A griddle is a large pan that’s used to cook food. Griddles are usually heated by an electric coil or gas flame. A griddle typically has a sloping surface that allows grease and liquids to drain off, so it doesn’t interfere with the cooking process.
The best way to achieve evenly cooked eggs -for example- on a griddle is by using medium heat and moving them around constantly while they’re cooking so their surfaces will be crispy when done.
If the griddle is very hot, it will scramble the eggs instead of fry them. Use a spatula to turn them over and cook them until they’re firm but not rubbery.
A cast iron griddle is best for cooking pancakes, because it retains heat well and heats evenly. If you don’t have a cast iron griddle, use an electric griddle that can be set to medium-low heat and pre-heated for a few minutes before cooking or a seasoned pan that’s allowed to reach medium heat.
We recommend ;
Presto 07061 22-inch Electric Griddle With Removable Handles, Black
Every kitchen is incomplete without a good frying pan and this Presto 07061 22-inch Electric Griddle With Removable Handles, Black in particular is one of the best. This long-lasting electric griddle has removable handles for easy storage and clean up, so you can leave your kitchen looking neat as you work away. Make light meals and even dessert with this durable pan that features a nonstick cooking surface, making it easy to fry eggs, bacon, or pancakes without any extra oils or mess.
What is the difference then??
An electric skillet is a frying pan with an insulating liner on the interior surface and heating coils in the bottom of the pan. The heat generated by the coils heats up the insulating material, which in turn heats up whatever food is placed inside of it. An electric griddle, meanwhile, is a flattened cooking surface that has either an insulating layer or a metal plate below it to spread heat evenly across its flat surface.
Electric skillets have larger heating surfaces, which means they distribute heat across the entire frying pan in less time. That’s because the electric skillet is designed with high conductivity and power capacity to be able to absorb more current and use less electricity than its electric griddle counterpart. This makes electric skillets great for cooking large amounts of food at the same time, such as when you’re making eggs or a dozen pancakes.
Electric skillets are also much safer to use than electric griddles, since there’s no hot griddle plates that can cause burns and eye-hurting. Plus, they’re not as easy to slip from stove tops as electric griddles since the heating element is placed on top of the pan instead of below it.
Electric skillets and griddles are similar in that they are both electric cooktops, with heating coils that can be turned on or off. The main difference between them is the level of control they offer. A skillet has a flat metal or glass surface for cooking, so it can be used to brown foods (broil) or sauté them. An electric griddle, meanwhile, has a flat surface with either an insulating layer under the metal plate or heating coils underneath.
Griddles have other advantages that electric skillets don’t offer. For instance, some electric skillets have power knobs that aren’t very useful. They may look cool, but they can’t be manipulated by a cook to produce any kind of effect other than turning them on and off. Griddles, on the other hand, often have small valve knobs or handles that can be manipulated while cooking. Even without considering the versatility that tongs or spatulas offer, grill cooks can control the heat of a griddle by adjusting these controls.
The controls on an electric griddle are often called “regulators,” and they work by letting heat escape from the food. If, for example, a cook wants to keep food warm on a griddle until it can be served, he or she will adjust the regulators so that less heat escapes from the food. This is especially useful in restaurants where staff must fill up steam tables with hot foods.
Conclusion
Which is the better option for you? That all depends on your needs. An electric skillet will give you more versatility, speed and control, but an electric girdle has more features that are geared towards luxury. If you need a tray to sit on or an oven-proof plate holder, then an electric girdle is the way to go. If you want to cook meat on a plate, set up the electric skillet and put it in the oven, then you might as well pick up an electric girdle.