The Best Tools for Smash Burgers to Buy in 2024

Want to make your own smash burgers? From presses to heavy-duty spatulas, these are the right tools to help you get started.

If you’ve been obsessing over smash burgers and want to try making them yourself, you’ll need a good burger smasher.

A good burger smasher is heavy, has a comfortable grip, and doesn’t slip off the burger patty. Picking the right one can make the difference between messing up your burgers and making burgers that leave everyone in awe.

We spent a week researching and trying burger presses to help you find the best one for your backyard grill or stovetop.

It’s more than just a tool—it’s an investment in flavor. For some, even a family heirloom in the making.

Keep reading to see our picks and get our tried-and-tested tips on how to use and care for them.

The Best Tools for Smashing Burgers

• Cast iron smasher: Cuisinart 6½-Inch Cast Iron Burger Press
• Stainless steel smasher: Bellemain 6-Inch Stainless Steel Burger Press
• Heavy-duty spatula: Winco TN719 Blade Hamburger Turner

Make old school diner-worthy smash burgers in your backyard or kitchen with the Cuisinart CISB-111, Cuisinart’s heavy-duty cast iron burger press.

Sporting a 6½-inch diameter, this burger smasher ensures mouthwatering, perfectly smashed patties every single time. And weighing at about 2 pounds, it feels heavy in your hand and allows you to press down on your burgers with ease.

The result?

Crispy, cracked edges and just the right thickness.

The press feels sturdily constructed and is built to last. It has a cast iron body and sleek black-painted handle secured with round Phillips bolts on each side.

The construction is sturdy and feels long-lasting—it has a cast iron body with a black-painted metal handle, attached with round Phillips bolts on each side.

Another feather in the Cuisinart CISB-111 Burger Press’ cap is its availability. Whether you’re clicking through Amazon or strolling the aisles at Walmart or Lowe’s, this burger press seems to call out, ready to take your grilling game to new heights.

However, a word to the wise: Cast iron requires a bit of love. Seasoning is a must to fend off corrosion and rust, and hand-washing is the only way to go. Treat it with care, dry it thoroughly, and avoid the heartbreak of finding it rusted in your cabinet.

Lastly, don’t get hoodwinked by the sometimes confusing and frankly wrong product descriptions on the Internet. Contrary to some sellers’ claims, the Cuisinart CISB-111 Burger Press has a flat bottom and no raised edges.

The Bellemain Burger Press is all about practicality—marrying stainless steel construction with a wooden handle. While you’re cooking up a storm, that handle stays cool, giving you more control and comfort. It’s a straightforward tool that’s designed with the everyday cook in mind.

The construction is simple and, by all means, durable. The stainless steel body is united with the handle through a pair of Phillips round-head bolts on either side. Like our cast iron choice, the Bellemain Burger Press‘s design makes it easy to replace the handle, even if it wears out and breaks after years of use.

Here’s where our stainless steel pick stands out from the cast iron one: no seasoning required. Stainless steel won’t corrode or rust. It’s a no-fuss, low-maintenance option that, if you go by the product’s description, is even dishwasher safe. Still, if you want the wooden handle to last longer, wash it by hand using dish soap and warm water.

Weighing in at just over a pound, the Bellemain Burger Press is also considerably lighter than our cast iron pick. If you’re in the market for a burger smasher that doesn’t turn burger-cooking into a gym workout, this could be the better option for you.

Easy on the wallet, beloved by professional chefs, and earning high marks from both Wirecutter and The Spruce Eats, the Winco TN719 Blade Hamburger Turner stands out as the best spatula for smashing burgers without breaking the bank.

Made from thick, heavy-duty stainless steel, this burger flipper is truly up to any challenge. Most importantly, it’s built to endure the repeated smashing of burgers over and over again without breaking. While its rectangular head is smaller than a proper smasher, it still does a good enough job at flattening your burgers patties.

So if you’re short on storage space in the kitchen, or you’re just looking for a multi-use kitchen tool instead of a single-use burger press, the Winco TN719 Blade Hamburger Turner should be on your radar.

Few other heavy-duty spatulas offer this much value for the money.

How to Choose

When it comes to making smash burgers, nothing can beat the utility of a burger press.

Most burger presses have a flat, round bottom and are designed for one-handed use. They make it easy to apply just the right amount of pressure to your patties, flattening them to get that crispy, caramelized crust.

When to Opt for a Cast Iron Burger Press

Thick and heavy, cast iron burger presses like our top pick, the Cuisinart CISB-111, retain a lot of heat and transfer it quickly to the meat. This results in crispy edges and a juicy center.

But cast iron has its quirks. The griddle needs to be kept seasoned and dry to prevent corrosion and rust—a peculiarity that some home cooks love and others prefer just not to deal with. This is where our stainless steel pick, the Bellemain Burger Press, comes in.

When to Go for a Stainless Steel Burger Press

Compared to their cast iron counterparts, stainless steel burger presses are lighter, easier to clean, and don’t need seasoning. In fact, if you don’t feel like washing it by hand, you can even put it in the dishwasher (just don’t do it too often, or the handle might discolor unless it’s all steel).

True, they don’t retain heat as well, but if you’re just cooking a burger or two every so often, you won’t notice a difference. Choose based on weight and how much care and maintenance you’re willing to do.

When to Get a Heavy-Duty Spatula Instead

Lastly, there’s the most affordable and versatile tool of all: the spatula.

Most spatulas aren’t sturdy or durable enough for smashing burgers. They’re flimsy and don’t give you confidence that they’ll hold up well when used over and over again for this purpose. Our heavy-duty spatula pick, the Winco TN719 Blade Hamburger Turner, is the exception.

It’s a spatula that’s well-known among chefs and restaurant owners for being affordable and durable. It’s thick and well-made, and it’s about as sturdy as a spatula can be for this kind of use. There are other options, like the Dexter Russell S8696 Hamburger Turner, but they come at a considerably higher price.

Get a spatula if you’re short on kitchen space (shout out to New Yorkers and van lifers), or if you want a tool that’s good for more than just smashing burgers. A good spatula can be handy for all sorts of griddle cooking—including eggs, bacon, sausages, and more.

Tips for Cooking Smash Burgers

Make Meatballs, Not Patties: If you’re going to smash the burger, don’t shape it into a patty at all. Instead, create a loosely formed meatball and let the press or spatula do the rest.

Preheat the Griddle: To make a great smash burger, preheat your griddle on medium-high for 10 to 15 minutes. The longer the preheating time, the better the outcome. When you press the meat onto the griddle, it should be so hot that you hear the meat hissing and sizzling.

Smash the Meat With the Right Technique: Smash the burger, then twist the press or spatula around and keep the meat pressed down while it cooks. To get your burger nice and golden brown all over, it needs to be in full contact with the hot griddle—you achieve this by keeping it pressed down.

Cook the Burger Long Enough on Each Side: It takes time for the crust to form and get that dark, golden brown color. Keep the burger pressed down and let it cook for a few minutes on one side before flipping it to the other. Remember, patience is key.

Flip Swiftly: Even if your griddle is seasoned well, your burger might still stick to it. So use a spatula with beveled edges or a fish flipper that can easily slide under the burger. Wiggle the spatula back and forth as you flip the burger to avoid tearing it apart.

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