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As far as cast iron cookery goes, there are few companies making more handsome, performance-based products than FINEX.
These are damn fine looking pots, pans and griddles made here in the USA and guaranteed forever. My old searing and grilling workhorse is one of their 12-inch skillets and I also have their version of a Dutch oven.
Recently, the brand released a smaller 10-inch griddle pan that has all of that trademark FINEX performance, but in a size that fits neatly on a stovetop. Naturally, I was curious how this daily driver would stack up in my regular rotation, so I had to try it out.
Finex 10-Inch Griddle Pan, at a Glance
Pros
- Practically unbreakable
- Delivers excellent crisp and sear
- Decades-long life
- Impressive cool-touch handle
Cons
- Extremely heavy
- Finicky post-cooking care
How We Tested
My way of testing the griddle was to compare it to a nondescript non-stick skillet I typically used when frying eggs or making pancakes. It’s not a like-for-like comparison necessarily, but both breakfast actions are a good way to see how the Griddle could perform on a day-to-day basis.
I love the old non-stick I have because, well, nothing sticks to it, and eggs and pancakes essentially come out flawless because there’s the right level of heat retention through the bottom of the pan. I’ve broken it in enough to make it my do-it-all pan-frying machine.
Cast iron is a fantastic heat conductor, so you could easily burn anything if you run the heat too high or for too long. There’s a bit of a learning curve to cooking with cast iron, but once you get it, you’ll find a much crispier and better end product than just about anything else.
With a quick spray of avocado oil (you need to use something with a high smoking point), you’re off and running, and I love the lack of curvature to fully get under anything you’re cooking. You can flip pancakes with ease, whereas the curvature of my non-stick occasionally put the back of my hand at risk of getting burned if I don’t use a wide spatula. The Griddle also cooked through a batch much faster because of the retained heat on the cooking surface.
Initially, sticking eggs were a bit of a challenge for the pan. Whether frying, scrambling or trying to flip without breaking yolks, they did stick to the surface and it made for a bit of a mess. When cooking two or more eggs, there’s a good chance some of it will get stuck in the shallow channel around the pan’s exterior (which I think is to capture grease), and it can be a bit annoying to clean.
Pros and Cons of the FINEX 10-Inch Griddle
Like all FINEX products, I love how well built these pans are. Yes, they are expensive, but you’re buying a great-looking and extremely durable piece of cast iron cookware that’s going to stay with you forever. With a little bit of care and consistent seasoning, FINEX cookware will go the distance.
However, that durability comes with some post-cooking care that can get a little finicky if you have tough, hardened crud on the pan. I can’t just boil water in the Griddle like I do with my larger FINEX pieces, so I have to be rather expedient about wiping off any leftover food, then spraying the pan down in the sink with hot water. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m not going to have a perfectly clean pan ever again, but the adage with cast iron is that the more you cook with it, and the more you bake in oil, the better the pan performs.
FINEX also did the smart thing and brought over its cool-touch handle that’s also quite comfortable to hold. It adds the perfect amount of leverage when trying to move ingredients on the pan and enough sturdiness to feel solid when moving a solid item like a half-done pancake.
The last thing I’ll say about the construction is that the Griddle is much heavier than your average skillet. Where it potentially becomes an issue is on glass cooktops (like mine) where if you’re not careful, you could easily crack a burner. You can’t go swinging this thing around as you would a lighter pan. That’s not a dealbreaker, but it is something to consider. (For storage, I’m finding this pan best laid on its side in a pan rack since it is balanced enough to reside that way.)
The Verdict: Should You Buy the Finex 10-Inch Griddle Pan?
With cast iron comes the flexibility to cook on a grill or over open coals, and that’s where I’m taking the 10-inch Griddle next. This is a perfect flat surface to cook items that would usually fall through grill grates, and I would even bring this particular pan to a campsite to have an easy cooking area over a small fire.
All in all, this is another winner from FINEX, and I’m eager to continue adapting the 10-inch griddle to my overall cooking experience much like I have the brand’s other products. It’s my new Sunday morning go-to, and perhaps I’ll reach for it every other day of the week, too.
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