High marks for grilling

Grill pans are great for quick, convenient indoor grilling, especially when you’re making just one or two portions. But try to buy one and you’ll find the luxury of too many choices. We narrowed the field by testing only pans that were sturdy, priced under $100 and readily available. We favored low-sided pans for ease of burger-flipping, but we tried one new high-sided pan, from Look, because it claimed to be made of a superior new material; it’s also the only nonstick pan we tested. The others were cast iron, two uncoated -- plain cast iron inside and out -- and two with enamel-coated exteriors.

We heated each pan for two minutes over medium-high heat and then threw on a 4-ounce hamburger patty to cook for three minutes on each side. We checked for an even surface temperature, how quickly the pan heated and how well it maintained heat. We rated each for ease of use and cleaning. (There was not much difference in the way the burgers looked or tasted.)

Our favorites were both uncoated cast iron pans from Lodge. Practical and plain, they took more heat than the enamel-coated pans from Le Creuset and Staub or Look’s nonstick grill pan.

-- Cindy Dorn

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Big daddy

The Lodge Pro Logic Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Pan was a clear winner, a real heavyweight. It measures a foot square, so it can grill for a family of four in one batch. Sturdy enough to outlast a generation of cooks, it has low, slanted sides that make flipping easy.

What’s the difference: It’s the only pre-seasoned cast iron grill pan.

What we thought: Heats up quickly and well, maintaining even heat over the entire grilling surface, so food on the outer edges of the pan cooked at nearly the same rate as food in the center. Grilled burgers did not stick. With two handles, it’s easy to pick up and move. Easy to clean. Easy to store. What’s not to like?

How much: $23.95 at Crate & Barrel

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Bigger daddy

Lodge Cast Iron Reversible Griddle, with all its merits, is more than enough griddle for all but the most Bunyanesque households.

What’s the difference: This grill pan is large enough -- 17 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches -- to grill whole lobsters and fish, big steaks and company-size portions. It uses two stove-top burners and turns into a griddle when reversed.

What we thought: Like the other Lodge grill, it heats evenly and holds the heat after food is placed on the surface. Grilled food did not stick to it. The flat design makes for easy storage. It’s pretty easy to clean -- but it won’t fit into standard sinks.

How much: $39.95 at Sur La Table

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Pretty mama

The Le Creuset Round Grill is made of cast iron with an enamel coating and has two small handles.

What’s the difference: Compact and round, it comes in lots of appealing colors; it’s the best-looking grill pan of the bunch.

What we thought: The small grilling surface is ideal for one or two servings. Food at the center grilled well, but at the edges took longer to cook. Although food didn’t stick to the pan, cleaning it wasn’t easy because it has to cool first and the small handles make it difficult to handle. Small and flat, it’s easy to store.

How much: $60 at Sur La Table

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Big talker

The Look Cookware Superior Non-Stick Grill Pan is a high-end grill pan that makes big claims.

What’s the difference: According to the literature, four layers of coating and a forged aluminum core that’s “seven times more heat conductive than steel and cast iron.” It’s a nonstick pan.

What we thought: It didn’t hold heat better than the cheaper pans we tried and the high-sided design makes flipping awkward. It heats as evenly as the cast iron pans and is easy to clean, but it’s cumbersome to store.

How much: $90 at Sur La Table

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Underachiever

The Staub Authentic Enameled Cast Iron Grill scored poorly on most counts.

What’s the difference: This enameled cast iron pan has a removable handle that also folds up for storage.

What we thought: Our least favorite, this grill pan heated unevenly, and food at the outside edges didn’t cook as well as at the center. It’s easy to clean, but the removable handle is flimsy.

How much: $49.95 at Sur La Table

-- Cindy Dorn