Dash Everyday Ceramic Electric Griddle Review: Our Verdict

Who it suits

Families who cook breakfast for four or more will like the big flat surface. It also suits dorms, RVs and small kitchens that want one appliance for pancakes, grilled cheese and burgers.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you want a plate you can drop in the dishwasher. In that case the Dash Deluxe, covered below, is the better match. Also skip it if you tend to cook everything on high, since ceramic does not like that.

Now that you know who it suits, here is how we judge it. We rate the griddle on the dishes a family actually makes, namely pancakes, sausage and eggs, with burgers and grilled cheese as the sizing check. We assess heat-up, browning, size, cleanup and safety around kids using only findings we can support; we do not claim a lab-style trial or a set number of test weeks.

Performance comes first, then size and cleanup. Last we ask whether an older kid can use it with supervision.

With the scoring criteria set, these are the numbers behind them.

The griddle is a long, low rectangle that looks right at home next to a toaster. The outer shell stays cool enough to handle, which matters when little hands wander past the counter. A drip tray slides in at the front to catch grease.

First impression: it is simple. There is a dial, a power cord, and a flat ceramic surface. No presets, no screens, and nothing a teenager needs a tutorial to use.

Heat-Up Time and Temperature Control

Heat-up is quick, which is the reason we reach for a griddle on a rushed school morning. The dial tops out at about 400F, plenty for pancakes, eggs and burgers. The griddle heats fast and holds its heat, and that matters more on a busy morning than a stopwatch number.

The dial settings are numbered rather than marked in degrees, so you learn your favorite spots by trial and adjust from there.

Heat Distribution and Edges

The ceramic surface holds its heat, and a full batch of pancakes browns evenly across the plate. Dash says the surface heats evenly with no hot spots. Griddles at this price are rarely perfectly uniform, though. On the nonstick Everyday sibling, the end nearest the plug runs hottest, and edges can run hotter than the center. The fix on any of these is the same: spread food out, rotate it, and adjust the dial.

Pancakes, Eggs, and Burgers

Pancakes are where this griddle shines. The wide plate lets you flip a whole batch as a group, and the even browning means the last pancake looks like the first.

For burgers and grilled cheese, the large surface lets you cook several at a time. Bacon works too. A pound of bacon renders about three quarters of a cup of fat into the drip cup, so the tray handles a full package without overflowing.

Cooking performance depends on the coating, so it is the part to protect. Eggs and pancakes release easily from the ceramic nonstick surface, but ceramic can burn and start to grab food if it is run too hot. Cooking on a moderate dial setting is the habit that keeps it slick.

On the question of PFAS: the coating is ceramic nonstick, but a PFAS-free claim is not stated by the maker's copy we could read. If that matters to your household, confirm it with Dash before buying.

Cleanup matters most in our kitchen, and it starts with caring for the coating. The ceramic surface is easy to wipe clean after a Sunday pancake breakfast. The drip tray pulls out for grease, and it is the safest part to run through the dishwasher.

The main gripe is the fixed plate. The cooking surface does not lift out, so cleaning means wiping in place. Batter can also drip into the gap between the cooktop and the outer shell. A damp cloth gets it out, but it is a small chore.

Dishwasher status: care instructions differ between listings. Some describe the drip tray and parts as dishwasher safe, while one retailer lists hand wash. Confirm against the manual before putting the cooking surface in a dishwasher.

Once the griddle is clean, it has to go somewhere. At 20 x 10.5 inches, the cooking surface is long and narrow, so it tucks against a backsplash instead of eating counter depth. That shape suits small kitchens, RVs and dorm rooms.

We could not find an official overall footprint or weight, so measure your cabinet if storage space is tight.

The next question is how it compares with other Dash griddles. Dash sells three close cousins. The ceramic and the original nonstick Everyday share the same 20 x 10.5 inch size and 1500 watt power. The Deluxe is the one with a removable plate.

The Deluxe's plate and drip tray pop off for dishwasher or hand washing, and it fits about eight slices of bread. Its heating elements can fail on some units, though. The older nonstick model has a similar weak point at the power port and element. For a family that hates scrubbing, the Deluxe is the cleanup winner. For a cooler-feeling, easy-release ceramic surface, we prefer the Ceramic.

If the Deluxe still is not what you want, there are other directions. For a bigger plate, our Blackstone E-Series 22-inch electric griddle review and Presto 22-inch electric griddle review cover roomier options. For a premium feel, see the Zojirushi Gourmet Sizzler electric griddle review. For a tiny one-serving machine, the Dash Mini Maker electric round griddle is more dorm-friendly.

Price is the other half of the choice among these models. The Ceramic is budget-priced, and the Deluxe costs a little more. You can buy the Ceramic through the button above or the banner below.

Still weighing it? These are the questions that come up most.

If your household regularly cooks for more than four, look past this model at the bigger Blackstone or Presto 22-inch griddles linked above, because a 20 x 10.5 inch plate gets tight for a crowd of seven. For a family of up to five, this is the budget griddle we would hand over.