Features:

  • Rectangular cast-iron grill press for squeezing fat from meats or flattening bacon
  • Preseasoned with vegetable oil and ready for immediate use
  • Heavy-duty cast-iron base and "cool grip" spiral handle
  • Cleans easily; hand wash only
  • Measures 6-3/4 by 4-1/2 inches
Does what it is supposed to do, weighs down bacon or other meats you are cooking.

I use this mainly for cooking bacon and it works great nice and heavy keeps the bacon flat. I have used it for burgers as well and I got a great crust using this. You need a pretty large skillet (10 inches or larger) to use this with other wise it will not lay flat.

Purchased for one specific use and it works as I hoped.

This flat-bottomed press is advertised as a way to keep bacon from curling, among other uses. As some reviewers noted, the size of this press is too small to cover strips of bacon, so I'm not sure it is the best use of it. However, I purchased it for one specific use: to press and grill Cuban sandwiches. While I have a nice panini press which is used a lot, it has elevated grill sections so doesn't press the whole sandwich down as is preferred when pressing a Cuban sandwich...all of the bread should be pressed down and grilled until it is crunchy. I had been using a couple of heavy sauce pans placed on top of the sandwich placed in a skillet, but it was too unsteady. This item takes care of that issue. It sits perfectly on top and makes it easy to press down while heating. This may be the only thing I use it for, but since I love Cuban sandwiches and eat them often, it will be used often. Some reviewers experienced problems attaching the handle onto the press, many citing screws that either did not attach easily or protruded too far from the bottom. I did not have those issues; the handle attached easily enough, and no protrusion of the screw heads. It seems sturdy enough, not wobbly at all. Other reviewers cited rust. It is too soon for any rust to have developed, having only used this twice, but I will keep it wiped off so as to minimize this problem. So far, this press works just as I had hoped. And unlike some buyers reported, the handle did not get too hot to hold at all, didn't even need a pot holder. I'm glad I bought it.

Nice grill press.

Nice grill press. Made very well and easy to put together. Cleans up fast with regular dish soap and water. I dry it with a dish towel right after washing it, Do not put it in the dishwasher. I recently bought a cast iron square grill pan and this press is great with it to give those grill marks and to cook food faster. MADE IN THE USA

Perfect for bacon and smash burgers

Great for burgers and bacon on the Blackstone Grill. I used this frequently and clean it the same as my cast iron skillets and Blackstone. The handle, despite advertisement, does still get very hot if you use this a while. I keep a small towel handy while using it and it's never an issue. Great product over all.

Stainless hardware that fits properly

Purchased this to do bacon as I hate that it curls up when cooking. I noticed all the reviews stating the hardware left the handle loose so I was prepared to buy replacement hardware at the store if needed (it would have cost about a dollar), however, it was not needed. The hardware included is stainless and works well, I think the problem people are having is thinking the nuts included should go on smoothly - they do not. Think of the nuts as lock nuts, they are corse threaded and do not go on smoothly (you will have to pay close attention to not cross thread them), this is done on purpose to keep them secure and not subject to loosening over time. You will need a wrench or crescent (along with a flat blade screwdruiver) to tighten them, it will take some effort and can be awkward (because of the handle), plus you will need a good screwdriver that fills the slot since it will take some force to tighten them properly, it would have been better if they were of the phillips type. The bottom is not perfectly smooth, although it is flat, it has the texture of a cast iron skillet - a bit rough, but what you would expect of a cast iron product. The total weight was 2.74 lbs. with the handle on it, a good weight to ensure long life and keeping the food down on the pan. You will need to keep it seasoned (like any cast iron product), it does come pre-seasoned, however, unless you want to use it without first washing it you will need to season it every so often (an easy thing to do), they recommend after each use - but you can be the judge of that. Overall this does the job I wanted it too and will last a lifetime (like my cast iron pans), the handle keeps cool in my useage (it may get too hot if you left it on a high heat for a long time - then use a pot holder) and performs as expected. Good for all your pressing needs (pun intended).

Excellent tool for grill cooking.

I love to grill and thought that a spatula was all needed to cook on one. Then I remembered the grill in my old building when I was growing up. The guys who cooked there always used a grill press much like this one. I now know why. Hamburgers, Steaks, Fish and Hot Dogs all come out better and cook more evenly with this. No more meat that balloons in the middle or fish that cooks unevenly. I don't know how I did without it.

Easy to assemble

This arrived today. I haven't had time to test it while cooking, but the assembly couldn't be easier. Others have complained about how the handle comes loose, but I found that if you follow the assembly it should work just fine. From the bottom up: screw, weighed plate, handle, washer, hex nut. I finger-tighened the nut on the assembly then further tightened the assembly with just a screwdriver. This seems to hold it all together quite tightly and I'll see what happens when I use it for cooking but I can't believe it'll loosen then. A fair price for a meat press and, having had other Lodge products (their cast-iron pans, which are first rate) I expect that this will be similar in quality over the long haul.

Great little item

Tired of your bacon shriveling up to nothing? Well this is what you need. Like all other Lodge pieces I've had, this is a quality product that does a good job. I do wish the handle would fold or swivel down for easier storage, but that is no biggie. One item of note: This size press is more the size of a half-length of bacon, and not nearly large enough to work well on full size pieces.

Secondary use!

Sadly i gave up bacon. Now i use both of them as door stops! They work better than anything else i've ever tried! They dont scratch the floor, dont stub my toes on them. When the crosswind picks up they hold my solid wood door with ease!

I love

Although I read reviews stating people had trouble connecting the handle, I am 76 years old and had no problem at all. In fact, just hand tightening made it tight enough that there was no movement in the handle. I did however, tighten it with the screw driver and pliers as suggested in the instructions (which are found on the package when the item is removed). No problem with rust (seasoned it as suggested). The handle is black and not chrome as pictured. The press works perfectly and is just the right size. I love it

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