Bacon is a people-favorite food, it is a popular breakfast item in many countries around the world. However, bacon can be a tricky meat to prepare. To get the best results you need to understand how to handle bacon, allowing you to create a scrumptious bacon meal.
One of the biggest challenges with bacon is to get the strips or slices to take on a uniform length and shape. Additionally, Cooking bacon incorrectly can result in a lot of grease splattering, making a mess of your kitchen and your plate.
So, what’s the solution to cooking a scrumptious bacon meal? It’s a bacon or grill press. The best bacon press will turn that bacon into art, and that’s what we will review in this article. So stay with us!
#List Of The Best Bacon Press– Our Editor’s Pick:
[amazon bestseller=”Bacon Press” items=”5″ template=”table”]
What To Look For Before Buying Bacon Press
Before we dive in and review the best grill press for bacon from top brands, it is important to know what to actually look for in the first place.
This section will just run through a few technicalities to ensure you get the most out of your money and enjoy the best taste.
- Safety Features
No matter how delicious a meal you are cooking, everything goes to waste if your safety is compromised. Accidents during cooking are quite common and can also result in serious injuries, like burns and cuts. And, when you are working with a bacon iron press, the risks are multiplied due to high temperatures. For this reason, always pick a press with a cover or handle made of insulating material.
Wood is a popular choice, and the thicker the wooden handle, the better. Furthermore, see if the product you buy comes with oven mitts, as that will add an extra layer of hand safety.
- Heat Conductivity
What use is a bacon press that does not even heat up? While there are several good materials out there, be warned that the market is also flooded with a lot of poor heat conducting materials, which are passed off as “top quality.”
You will observe that the best kind of bacon press is usually made of stainless steel or cast iron. Both materials are excellent heat conductors and should be your material of choice.
- Compact Build
While bacon presses can be heavy, they are also quite compact, and this is a very beneficial feature.
Buying a compact build ensures less storage space, easier to clean, and easier heating as well since the unit is smaller.
A compact build should take precedence over a more rugged or large structure to store it away easily.
Top 10 Best Bacon Press Reviews
Our review features only the top brands out there and therefore brings you the best products.
1. Bellemain Cast Iron Grill Press
To kick off this bacon press review, we start on a strong note with the 8.5″ iron press grill from Bellemain. At a weight of 3lb, this heavyweight product will cook bacon to perfection.
With a classy look and a rugged exterior, this product is made of 100% cast iron. This product is highly resistant to damage and is nonstick. Ensuring your meat is cooked through and through.
Coming with a weight of 3lb, the weight and mass of this product are perfectly balanced. It will ensure the food is prepared rather quickly and will be pressed to perfection. With a handle made of wood, it will be cool to the touch at all times, safeguarding your hands from excessive heat.
- Large diameter for more cooking area
- Can cook food fast
- Made of durable cast iron
- Does not allow food to stick to it.
- A bit on the heavy side.
2. Norpro 8.75-Inch Cast Iron Bacon Press
The 8.75″ press from Norpro is one of the best-cast iron bacon press currently on offer. At 1.36kg, it is not only sturdy but quite resilient. No matter how tough the bacon is to press and flatten out, this product will promptly get the job done. We love this bacon press as its lightweight and very easy to hand.
Flattening your bacon or meat to ensure an even and thorough heat distribution. Made from premium cast iron, this bacon press is a favorite on our top ten list.
This bacon press also comes with a full set of instructions for maintenance and care, so should serve you for many years to come.
- Includes instructions for cleaning
- Can be used on different foods
- Can flatten tough bacon
- Made of cast iron.
- It May not work for steaks.
3. Victoria Cast Iron Panini, Burger, Bacon, Grill Press Seasoned
Victoria Stores bring a fine grill press to their valued customers, straight from their factories in Columbia. With fast cooking times, it is the product you need when cooking on a schedule. This product really cuts cooking times by half. You can actually press bacon in just about 4 minutes, minimum. This is a heavy duty grill press, with a preseasoned skin of non-GMO flax seed oil ensuring uniform heat distribution,
We love the large easy-grip handles which can easily be removed to top up the preseasoning. Its lightweight and easy to lift. Made primarily for bacon, this product also works on loaves of bread and paninis with equal efficacy.
- Healthy seasoning provided
- Removable handle
- Fast pressing times
- Can eliminate oils and fat from bacon via squeezing.
- Works with a limited number of pieces of bacon (around 3) at a time.
4. Hulisen Stainless Steel Bacon Press
When looking for the best-cast iron bacon press, Hulisen is a brand name known for quality. This 9″ long, large, heavy duty press is not only suitable for long strips of bacon but can be used to press burgers and steaks.
Using commercial grade stainless steel of 2.5mm thickness and a weight of 1.86LB, your bacon or meat will be pressed flat fast and without too much pressure being applied. Stainless steel is renowned for being easier to clean than cast iron so maintenance of the Hulisen will be a breeze
With a nonstick surface, this press will keep food from sticking to the surface, which we loved. this press is sturdy, easy to maneuver and looks great. If you prefer stainless steel over cast iron, this is the meat press for you!
- Easy to clean
- Cooks fast
- Can be used for burgers
- Well- insulated handle.
- Not dishwasher safe
5. Norpro Cast Iron Bacon Press with Wood Handle
Another great press from Norpro shows you how amazing they are when it comes to customer satisfaction. This high-quality bacon press is the stuff for champion chefs and cooks alike. Measuring at 6.75″ x 4″ x 3.25″, it is perfectly sized for your custom stove. Built to deal with bacon, it flattens out even the most resilient slices like it was a sheet of paper.
While being ideal for bacon, you can also use it with hamburgers, sandwiches, and much more. This makes it an ideal tool and cooking partner to have in the kitchen. It is easy to use and fairly lightweight yet effective.
Many users report issues with cleaning so we recommend you study the care instructions carefully.
- Features a strong wooden handle
- Can be used as a steak weight
- Is highly versatile
- Comes with cleaning instructions.
- Should not be used with a nonstick frying pan.
- not easy to clean
6. Old Mountain Pre seasoned Bacon/Meat Press
A nice and rather cute design from Old Mountain, cast in the shape of a rooster, it may look like a toy but is actually a heavyweight press. With a size of 10.5″, it possesses a rather large surface area, making it suitable for use in parties or gatherings. The best part about it is that it comes pre-seasoned with soy oil, which is great, just check this is suitable for your family or diners to ingest.
The spiral bail handle is not just another fancy design. It makes handling the press easy and does not require to much pressing since it has a reasonable weight.
Being made for bacon, it works on it like a charm. However, it also works equally well with ham and chicken breasts. which makes this press even more versatile. We love this cute press for its medium weight and great design, as well as its price, which will serve a small family well.
- Does not have to be seasoned
- Unique design
- Large area
- Can be used for other meat
- budget friendly
- Not easy to clean
- may need regular maintenance to preserve
7. Griddle Accessories Kit, Flat Top Griddle Tools Set for Camp Chef
When speaking of a large bacon press set, it is foolish to not once mention the absolute masterpiece from Joyfair. This epic 18-piece tool kit ha everything you need for grilling outdoors. The cast-iron press, is the heart of this set. It is ideal for a range of food items, such as bacon strips, hamburgers, and other meats, It uniformly distributes the heat, thereby ensuring every part is cooked to perfection since it is heavy enough to flatten without too much pressure.
The 6 spatulas are of commercial grade 5 mm thick stainless steel with ergonomic handles and beveled edges to easily turn food on the grill and for ease of use, the burger domes can cover a variety of patties and veggies. Additionally, this set comes with 3 different types of handles, so you can choose which material suits you best.
Coming with stainless steel tongs, with this one, you can finally get to throw that barbecue you were always planning. It serves for handling grilling and also turning hot food on the grill or stove.
All in all, this is a set to watch out for.
- 18 in one set
- Spatulas provided for turning
- The bacon press provided deals with a range of food.
- 2 Melting Domes
- Dome may not be suitable for cooking vegetables.
8. GADGETWIZ Enameled Bacon Press- Anti Rust Cast Iron Grill Press
[amazon fields=”B08BR6GGV5″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center”]To end this section on our reviews of the topmost cast iron and/or stainless steel bacon press, we would like to sign off strongly. The 7″ beast of a product from Gaadgetwiz will help us do just that.
This is a product that can be used on a variety of surfaces. These include grills, griddles and also work with stoves of various kinds.
The pressing weight is ideal for removing excess fats and oils from the meat. It also helps in cooking the meat faster.
With a neat enamel coating, it does not even need to be seasoned! In fact, even rust formation is a thing of the past, so no need to worry about that anymore.
Since it comes with a cool to the touch handle, you can masterfully maneuver this product even while it is hot. The wooden handle makes sure no heat comes in touch with your skin.
- Can be used on different surfaces
- Eliminates fats from meat
- Covered with an enamel coating to prevent rusting
- Does not need to be seasoned.
- Can be a bit costly.
How To Use A Bacon Press
Using a bacon press can be incredibly easy. Let us take a close look at how.
Step 1: Prepare the press
Clean the press first and foremost, so that it is free from bacteria/dirt.
Step 2: Prepare the bacon strips
Place the strips on a pan that has been set on the stove. Remember to season the strips as needed, and pour oil into the pan.
Step 3: Allow the strips to heat up
Once placed, the strips will absorb heat. Allow them to heat up for a minute.
Step 4: Place the press over the strips
Now is the time to place the press over the strips. Do this gently, and no need to apply excess pressure. Keep it pressed for a few minutes( depends on cooking time).
Step 5: Remove the press, cook as needed
Remove the press and continue cooking the strips as needed. When you think it’s enough, turn off the heat.
Step 6: Enjoy!
You know what is left to be done!
What is the Best Bacon Press Material?
There is a lot of debate about the best material for a bacon press. Here we will try to clear things out.
Cast Iron: Cast iron is by far the best material for a bacon press. If you can get the best cast iron bacon press, it will provide the best service in terms of heating and also maintenance.
The reason is that cast iron is a very good conductor of heat, more so than a standard iron. Furthermore, cast iron is a non sticky material, so the meat will not stick to it.
This is an amazing feature which not even steel has, making cast iron a prime material for bacon presses.
How to Clean a Bacon Press
Even the best made bacon press will deteriorate if not maintained periodically. While cleaning a bacon press is not difficult, but a few things should be kept in mind. To make the process easier for you, we will guide you step by step.
Step 1: Wipe off
Wiping off any dirt or grease should be the first step. Grease can accumulate over time and can even harden.
Using a soft tissue, make sure you properly wipe off any grease.
Step 2: Wipe with warm water
This does NOT mean dishwasher cleaning. Rather, use a very soft sponge soaked in warm water to clean the press.
Adding some salt to the water can help, although it is not mandatory.
Step 3: Now use a brush
To get to those tough corners and clean around nooks, a clean brush should be used. Be accurate when scrapping off dirt, and do not exert too much brushing force.
Step 3: Apply oil to prevent rusting
After cleaning with a brush, apply oil or lubricant all over the press. This is a special type of oil you can buy from the hardware stores and is custom made for bacon presses.
The oil keeps things smooth and prevents air from setting in and forming rust with moisture.
Step 4: Dry
Lastly, dry the entire press very thoroughly. This can be done in an oven, ideally. Make sure to give it an hour or two to dry off.
Frequently Ask Questions (FAQ)
1. Are the bacon press worth money?
If you’re keen on bacon and love to cook them yourself, you need to have a bacon press. There are such a large number of benefits of getting a bacon press in your kitchen. forged iron bacon press has multi usages than solely preparation bacon. you’ll use it for preparation also.
2. What else I can do with the bacon press?
You can cook many items with a bacon press. Here is a shortlist is given for you-
1. As weight to depress hash brown patties and make them crispy.
2. To flatten grilled sandwiches, hamburger patties, sausage patties, French toast, and quesadillas;
3. As weight to press out whey when making cheese or thick yogurt;
4. To flatten boneless meats when grilling or frying them like ham or pork chops;
5. As weight to press out unwanted fat from hamburger patties.
3. Do I need to season the bacon press before using it?
Yes. If you are using a cast iron bacon press, you must season it before using it. Follow the given steps:
1. Take a little vegetable oil in your fry pan and put it on the stove.
2. Put some vegetable oil on the bacon press lower side.
3. Put the bacon press into the pan and heat it for a while
4. Stop the stove and your seasoning is complete
4. What is the actual weight of a bacon press?
There are a variety of bacon press available on the market. Depending on the brand and material used, you will have to decide which is right for you. The most popular bacon or meat press is cast iron since they have the optimal weight to ensure even cooking throughout, however a stainless steel bacon press can be just as effective. The average weight for a bacon press is 2 pounds.
Final Words
Hope you really enjoyed this article, as much as we enjoyed writing it for you. As you can see, finding the best bacon press is not that tough at all! If you know what you are looking for, you may even enjoy the pursuit.
So remember us the next time you enjoy your bacon at breakfast, and share these tips with your friends. All the best!