Are you wondering what type of griddle is best for food truck? If YES, here are 10 best griddles for food truck.
America’s food truck industry is growing massively. According to reports, the industry is expected to bring in $1.2 billion annually, with the average food truck bringing in just under $295,000 per year. There are now over 4,000 food trucks operating in the United States.
Once you buy a food truck, your next step is to decide on the kind of equipment you will put in it. Whether your food truck has existing equipment or you are starting from scratch, it is imperative to make the most of its compact space and ensure that you have everything your business needs.
When you are buying equipment for your food truck, just expect to channel the bulk of your budget to cooking equipment.
Note that to optimize your food truck kitchen, you can select a mixture of countertop and full – size models. Howbeit, devote more space to your most – used equipment and stick with countertop alternatives for appliances you will use less often or for smaller quantities of food.
Uses of a Griddle
A mainstay in every food truck, the griddle is a must – have. This item can be used to cook everything from burgers and tacos to eggs. Countertop griddles are a great option for on-the-go food, and you will want the largest surface space that can fit in your truck for those high – trafficked days.
Burgers, pancakes, eggs, and grilled cheese sandwiches are just a few customer favourites that no equipment can prepare better than a griddle. These flat – top workhorses are available with a number of different features that determine how they can be used and the volume of food they can be used to prepare.
Mobile food vendors need decent commercial griddles to keep up with the hungry masses. However, these griddles mentioned below have been selected based on price and performance and are suitable not just for food trucks but also other mobile catering operations such as food stalls and carts.
Best Griddle for Food Truck
1. Avantco Electric Countertop Griddle
The electric countertop griddle remains one of the best economical choice for cooking pancakes, eggs, sausage, and much more for food trucks. Featuring a heavy duty stainless steel housing and a 15 ½ “x 24” griddle plate.
- Stainless steel housing
- Stainless steel feet that are adjustable from 3 ½″ to 5 ½″
- Two adjustable temperature knobs (150 – 570 degrees Fahrenheit)
- 3″ steel splashguards on sides and back
2. Buffalo Extra Wide Countertop Electric Griddle
This griddle is probably the best in terms of performance, size, and build quality and at the high end of the budget. Note that it is the larger version of the well known Buffalo countertop electric griddle and has all the same features.
However, the only real difference, which can be an important one, is it has a larger surface space for cooking and frying. The one downside, meanwhile, is that they are relatively heavy at around 34kg.This is just worth bearing in mind when it comes to mobility and moving between events
3. Grindmaster – Cecilware Stainless Steel Electric Griddles
Grindmaster – Cecilware EL1636 Medium Duty Steel and Stainless Steel Electric Griddles is very ideal for food trucks. This grill provides excellent heat retention, and is easy to clean.
- Stainless steel construction for durability.
- Long lasting; reliable and innovative.
- Easy to maintain and use
- Economical; Value Priced
4. Royal Catering Electric Griddle Plate
Note that this Royal Catering model has a larger surface space with a width of 73cm compared to 55cm for its small brands. Also note that it has all the same features as the smaller model, with automatic temperature control.
However, this model has a handy additional feature with two sections that can be used for grilling and keeping cooked food warm. This is very nice for when you haven’t got a queue waiting but are expecting a rush of people and don’t want to be caught off guard.
5. Vollrath 14″ Electric Countertop Griddle – Cayenne Series
Indeed this versatile French fry cutter is another good option for food trucks since it is comes with suction cup and its can be mounted on the wall or countertop.
- Heavy – duty polished cooking surface for high heat retention
- Superior element design ensures even heating over entire cooking surface.
- Griddle plate is fully welded to base
- Thermostatic controls allow for precise temperature adjustment
6. Buffalo Countertop Electric Griddle
Buffalo countertop grills are a quite popular brand on the food stall scene in the world and a reliable bit of kit. This Griddle has heavy – duty commercial grade elements and thermostats and the company that produces these even tell you how many burgers you can make in an hour (100 per hour).
7. WANLECY Electric Countertop Griddle
This heavy – duty electric countertop griddle features a recovery signal light, so you can easily see when your cooking surface is hot and ready for more food to be added.
Owing to the high power, it cannot be equipped with a plug. It can also be used to connect an air switch or a circuit breaker or a leakage protection switch. (The selected switch must meet the requirements of 4400W power and the current is above 40A)
- This 72.7cm/28.6″ wide commercial electric griddle is built with durability and convenience in mind, with a stainless steel control panel, cool – touch front and splash guard.
- A throttling thermostat adjusts from 50°C to 300°C to provide a quick response to surface temperature change.
- The heavy duty knobs ensure accurate temperature adjustment of +/ – 5°C from the set point, while it is highly polished 1cm thick griddle plate distributes heat evenly and recovers quickly.
- Built in grease channel and catch draws grease away from your food. Allows for easy clean up at the end of each use.
8. Royal Catering Electric Grill
The Royal Catering flat top grill is a slight upgrade from the first and in the middle in terms of pricing. Note that it comes with a pretty high splatter guard which is good for keeping oil off of surfaces. It also has temperature control for even cooking and a drain hole and catch tray for oil. It also as has a ready device which indicates when the hot plate is ready to use
9. DULONG Commercial Electric Griddle Flat Top Grill
If you are looking for an economical griddle for your food truck, then this is ideal for you. Best of all, this model homes with a front – loading grease trough that’s easy to empty and clean after use.
- Made of high quality stainless steel, compact and sturdy. Non – stick surface for stick – free cooking and cleaning.
- Thermostatic control allows you to adjust the temperature of the griddle to suit the cooking requirements of different foods.
- A built – in grease channel and removable grease tray help to collect excess oil and food residue for fast and easy clean – up.
- Large capacity griddle grill fits perfectly for the most even heat distribution, it allows you to cook without the worry of flare ups or flavour loss from leaked juices, and helps keep meats tender griddle
10. TAIMIKO Electric Griddle Commercial Counter Top Stainless Steel Hot Plate
This product has a high heat distribution which means it cooks food evenly. Also, it has a nifty little drain hole for collecting oil which goes into a tray underneath the grill plate. It is also relatively lightweight which means it is pretty mobile for when you move between events.
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Griddle
Note that the best griddle for a food truck should come with both ribbed and flat iron surfaces, and feature well – balanced lids that adjust to the thickness of the food for even heat distribution. Also the hinged top plate and removable tray should allow for easy grease and crumb removal, and the detachable cover makes cleaning a breeze.
In addition, the large cooking surface should be ideal for grilling sandwiches, burgers, rolls, vegetables, chicken and more. Any griddle you pick should be clad in sturdy stainless steel to resist wear and tear, and power and indicator lights to eliminate guesswork and make quick referencing easy.
Conclusion
In a food truck, space is at a premium and you are often working in tight spaces, along with other staff. But at the same time, you need a food truck griddle that is large enough to keep up with demand. It simply entails that you should go for a countertop griddle that has a generous amount of surface space to grill your food.