Smash Burger Press vs Grill Press: Which One Do You Actually Need?
Smash press or grill press — what's the difference?
They look similar and they do opposite jobs.
| Smash burger press | Grill press / steak weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Flatten a ball of mince into the plate | Hold food flat while it cooks |
| Used | Once, hard, for about 10 seconds at the start | Sits on the food throughout cooking |
| Material | Stainless steel — you're pressing, not heating | Cast iron — weight and heat retention are the point |
| What it delivers | Crust. Maximum contact = maximum Maillard browning | Evenness. Full contact = no curling, faster and more even cooking |
| Price | £9.99 | £14.49 |
How to smash a burger properly
The whole technique comes down to heat, contact, and timing.
- Get the plate properly hot. This is non-negotiable. A cool plate steams the meat grey instead of searing it.
- Use a loose ball of mince — do not pre-form a patty and do not compact it. The looseness is what lets it spread and grip the plate.
- Press hard, immediately, and hold for about ten seconds. You are forcing the meat into full contact with the hot steel while the surface is still wet.
- Then leave it alone. Let the crust form. Moving it early tears the crust off, and the crust is the burger.
- Scrape it up with a stiff turner, getting under the crust so it lifts with the patty rather than staying welded to the plate.
- Flip once. That's it.
The single most common mistake: pressing again after the first few seconds. Once the crust has started forming, pressing squeezes out the juice and gives you a dry burger with no benefit. Press once, at the start, and never again.
Why is cast iron used for grill presses?
Two reasons, and weight is only one of them.
- Mass. It holds the food down flat by its own weight, so you don't stand there pressing.
- Heat retention. A hot cast iron press cooks from above as well. Bacon under a cast iron press cooks faster and lies flat instead of curling into a shape that won't fit a sandwich.
That is why our grill presses (£14.49) are cast iron and our smash presses (£9.99) are stainless. The smash press is only in contact for ten seconds — it doesn't need thermal mass. The grill press lives on the food.
Round or rectangular? Round (7") suits burgers and round items. Rectangular suits bacon, sandwiches, and pressing several items at once.
The meat tenderiser with reversible heads
Our stainless tenderiser (£12.99) has two faces and they do different jobs:
- The flat face — flattens and evens the thickness of a cut. Even thickness means even cooking, which is really the point of the whole exercise.
- The spiked face — breaks down connective tissue in tougher cuts, and helps marinade penetrate.
Use the flat side to make an escalope cook evenly. Use the spiked side on a tough cut you want to make tender. Using the spiked side when you only wanted an even thickness will shred your meat.
Cleaning and care
- Cast iron: treat it like a pan. Clean it, dry it thoroughly, keep it lightly seasoned. Do not leave cast iron wet — it will rust.
- Stainless smash presses and tenderisers: straightforward to clean, dishwasher-friendly. Get into the spikes on the tenderiser — that's where residue hides, and it's a real hygiene point.
- Clean between raw and cooked. A press touches raw meat and then the next item. Treat it with the same discipline as your colour-coded tongs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a grill press to smash burgers?
You can, but the shape and handle aren't designed for the hard, straight-down force a smash needs, and cast iron is heavier than you want for the job. A dedicated smash press is £9.99.
Why is my smash burger sticking to the griddle?
Either the plate isn't hot enough, or you're lifting too early before the crust has released. It should come away cleanly once properly crusted — get a stiff turner under it, not a flexible fish slice.
Should I press a burger more than once?
No. Press once, hard, at the very start. After that you're just squeezing out juice.
Does a grill press really speed up cooking?
Yes — full contact with the plate plus heat from a hot cast iron press above means the food cooks from both sides. It also stops bacon curling.
How fast can I get one?
UK stock, £9.99–£14.49. Order before 10am for next-day delivery, free over £25. Call 073 8051 5838.
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