So if you are looking to buy a pancake griddle where do you start? There are just so many choices it isn’t even funny. Again we are back to which kind do you want the electric model or the cast iron model. Lets look at each and some possible venues to purchase them.
Cast Iron Versions
The absolute best place to buy a cast iron griddle is at a garage sale. Don’t laugh at this! The secret is in the seasoning as my grandma used to say. You see an old griddle is perfectly seasoned and made of good quality materials. It has likely been used hundreds of times. Just like wine cast iron skillets get better with time! The grease from the cooking oil or meat fat has baked itself into the pan and made it rust proof. Trust me I would take a garage sale pancake griddle over a store bought model any day of the week and twice on Sunday!
Electric Versions
Well this is where the search gets crazy. There are many places to buy an electric griddle. Some include Walmart, Target, Amazon, etcetera, etc. So who has the best variety and who has the best prices? I think the winner is Target. They carry a large variety of griddles in all sizes and at very good prices. My favorite model they carry is the Presto Big Griddle with Cool Touch technology. That is quite a mouthful huh? This unit has a heavy cast aluminum base and a non-stick finish that is very easy to clean. Plus, the unit is big and can prepare food for a very large family. It comes complete with an instruction manual and a small cookbook although I found the cookbook to be a bit weak. The good news on this one is that the thing is rated at 1500 watts and this means there is enough power to cook food well. I guess you could also buy an electric griddle at a garage sale as well but I think with the sheer number of retailers selling this item it makes sense to buy it new.
The decision of where to buy your pancake griddle is yours to make. As stated above my preference is to buy a used one at a garage sale and make it a cast iron version. Then you can enjoy the full experience of using this cooking tool as it was meant to be used.