Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

How to season a commercial griddle

Updated: 23 October 2026

You have unboxed a bare steel or cast-iron flat top, the plate smells of factory oil, and the first UK reviews you read are arguing about whether a black surface means the machine is ruined. This is how to season a commercial griddle of that kind before the first service, then how to cook and clean without scrubbing the film back to bright metal. The steps follow the Nisbets Essentials countertop manual where they are a sequence. They are not a ranking of the ten amazon.co.uk listings on the [Commercial grill](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/commercial-grill) comparison. If you are about to sell burgers, food temperatures are on the [commercial griddle for cafe breakfast](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/commercial-grill/sub/commercial-grill-breakfast-service) page.

You have unboxed a bare steel or cast-iron flat top, the plate smells of factory oil, and the first UK reviews you read are arguing about whether a black surface means the machine is ruined.

Our top picks

PATIOZA PATIOZA UK-HK-280C

Best overall

PATIOZA PATIOZA UK-HK-280C
7.2/10about £89.90
View offer
TAIMIKO TAIMIKO TM-818

Rank 2

TAIMIKO TAIMIKO TM-818
8.4/10about £139.90
View offer
LIROPAU LIROPAU PL818

Alternative

LIROPAU LIROPAU PL818
5.2/10about £112.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before the first heat
  2. 2.Season the iron, and let it go dark
  3. 3.Through a cook
  4. 4.Clean without wrecking the plate

Before the first heat

Wipe the plate before you turn the thermostat. Only the LIROPAU PL818 bullet in this capture says there is a factory oil film and that you should wipe it off. Do the same on every bare iron plate. That film is a transit coat, not the seasoning you cook on. Wash with hot water and a drop of washing-up liquid if the surface feels greasy, rinse, and dry it. Check the feet and the tray before the first heat. A missing leg hole shows up in a UK review of the TAIMIKO HK-820V. Seat the grease tray so it catches the run-off. If the lead, plug, or casing looks damaged, do not season it. Plate width and plug lines are in the commercial griddle buying guide.

Season the iron, and let it go dark

The Nisbets Essentials manual gives a short first-heat sequence. Oil the clean plate. Set the thermostat at 50°C until the heat lamp cycles off. Let it cool. Wipe the excess. That is a light film, not a puddle. General cooking in the same manual sits around 200–220°C later. A Blackstone or Weber routine is a different appliance. Borrow only the thin film: darkening is expected, and thick oil chips. UK reviews on the TAIMIKO TM-818 say the plate goes black. On these iron plates, black is the seasoning. A plate with no heat, a dead half, or smoke from under the box is a fault. A UK review of the HK-820V mentions smoke when the plate is left on high. Open a window, keep the dial off maximum, and stay in the room. A sticky surface is too much oil. Wipe most of it off and start again.
PATIOZA PATIOZA UK-HK-280C

Testsieger

PATIOZA PATIOZA UK-HK-280C
7.2/10about £89.90
View offer

Through a cook

Use the Nisbets general range, about 200–220°C, as a starting dial once the plate is seasoned. The dial is the plate control, not the temperature in the middle of a burger. Eggs want a cooler patch than bacon. On a single thermostat, such as the TM-818 bullet, you cook in turns or push food to a cooler edge. On a dual-zone bullet you can split the plate, and you still check the food, because UK reviews describe centres that run hotter than the edges. Leave the thermostat off maximum when you step away. A plate at 3,000 W or 4,400 W keeps climbing if nobody is watching it. Sticky food usually means the film is thin or the plate is not hot enough yet. Add a small amount and keep the scraper beside the pass.

Clean without wrecking the plate

Disconnect the plug and let the worst of the heat fall before you clean. The Nisbets manual says to use a soft plastic or wooden scraper, and not steel wool. Scrape the loose debris. Carbon left in place can trip a thermal cut-out. Leave the dark film. Clean while the plate is warm, empty the tray, and do not flood a very hot plate with cold water. A cold shock can warp a thin 8 mm iron face. Empty the tray before it overflows onto the plug or the shelf. UK reviews call some trays small and some edges sharp. Tip the fat into a heat-proof container once it has cooled enough to handle. Wipe a thin coat of oil back on the dry plate. If you smell burning from inside the case, unplug it and stop.

Common questions

Do I wash the plate with soap first?
Yes, once, to remove factory oil and dust. Only the LIROPAU bullet mentions that transit film, and the same wipe applies to the other bare plates. Use hot water and a little washing-up liquid, rinse, and dry, then season with a thin oil coat. Daily washing with a harsh detergent strips the dark film and invites rust.
Why did it turn black?
On these iron plates, black is the seasoning. UK reviews of the TM-818 describe that change, and one person tried to scrub it bright again. Thick oil goes gummy. A silver face is the new plate, not the seasoned one. Chrome is meant to stay bright, and none of these listings states chrome.
What temperature do I cook at?
The Nisbets manual starts at 50°C until the lamp cycles, then gives general cooking around 200–220°C. A bullet that says 50–300°C is the dial range, not a target for every food. Eggs sit cooler than bacon. The dial is not the centre of a burger. If you sell food, probe the food.
Can I use a metal scraper?
Nisbets specifies a soft plastic or wooden scraper and rules out steel wool. A metal edge can gouge an 8 mm film if you lean on it, and it marks chrome, which these ASINs do not claim. Scrape the loose debris. Do not chase a mirror finish.
It smoked the kitchen. Is it broken?
A thin film on the first heat, or a plate left on high, will smoke and can trip a UK alarm. Open the room, turn the dial down, and wipe excess oil. Smoke from under the case, a hot plug, or a burning smell with no food on the plate is a fault. Unplug it. Do not keep seasoning through that.

Related pages

Commercial griddle 13 amp plug

Best commercial electric griddle

Commercial grill

Commercial griddle for cafe breakfast: zones and heat

Commercial griddle buying guide for the UK counter

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these ASINs. Retrieved 22 October 2026.

  1. GOV.UK: Cooking food safely (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. GOV.UK: Food business registration (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. GOV.UK: Less than thoroughly cooked beef burgers (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. HSE: CAIS12, electrical safety in catering (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. HSE: Electrical equipment (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. HSE: GS50, electrical safety at places of entertainment (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. Contender electric griddle user manual (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Nisbets Essentials countertop griddle user manual (retrieved 22 October 2026)