Griddle, charbroiler or hot plate — three countertop cooking units that all sit on the same stand and all run off the same gas line, but cook in completely different ways. Pick by what comes off them, then size by width. This guide works through both using the Flamaster FLM series, where the BTU-per-inch numbers are consistent enough to plan a line around.
The three, in one table
| Griddle | Charbroiler | Hot plate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking surface | Solid flat steel plate | Open grates over radiants | Open burners, no surface |
| Cooks | Burgers, eggs, pancakes, onions, smash patties, sandwiches | Steaks, chicken, chops, vegetables — anything wanting char and grill marks | Sauté pans, stock pots, sauces — anything in a pan |
| Why choose it | Full contact = crust; nothing falls through; easiest to clean | Flame contact and grill marks you cannot fake on a flat top | Burner capacity without buying a full range |
| Flamaster widths | 12" – 60" gas, 12" – 48" electric | 12" – 48" gas | 12" – 36" gas, 15" – 36" electric |
Sizing: the BTU-per-inch rule
Across the whole Flamaster line the heat scales linearly with width, which makes sizing arithmetic instead of guesswork:
- Gas griddles: 2,500 BTU per inch of width. 12" = 30,000 BTU, 24" = 60,000, 36" = 90,000, 48" = 120,000, 60" = 150,000.
- Gas charbroilers: about 2,900 BTU per inch. 12" = 35,000 BTU, 24" = 70,000, 36" = 105,000, 48" = 140,000.
- Gas hot plates: 25,000 BTU per burner, two burners per 12" of width. 12" = 50,000 BTU, 24" = 100,000, 36" = 150,000.
So the question is never "how many BTU" — it is "how many inches of surface do I need at peak". Work that out from the busiest fifteen minutes of service: count the items on the surface at once, allow roughly 9–10 inches of griddle width per burger patty station, and round up to the next size. Going wider is much cheaper than running out of surface at noon.
Gas griddles
| Model | Width | Cooking surface | BTU | Burners | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLM-G12-M | 12" | 12" × 20 7/10" | 30,000 | 1 | 122 lb |
| FLM-G24-M | 24" | 24" × 20 7/10" | 60,000 | 2 | 203 lb |
| FLM-G36-M | 36" | 36" × 20 7/10" | 90,000 | 3 | 285 lb |
| FLM-G48-M | 48" | 48" × 20 7/10" | 120,000 | 4 | 361 lb |
| FLM-G60-M | 60" | 60" × 20 7/10" | 150,000 | 5 | 466 lb |
All 28 7/10" deep and 15 2/5" tall, natural gas or liquid propane, manual controls, one burner and one control knob per 12" of width — so you can run the left half hot for smash burgers and the right half low for eggs.
Electric griddles
FLM-G12-E, G36-E and G48-E run 208V or 240V with a 150–450°F thermostat, in the same 20 7/10" cooking depth. Thermostatic control is the reason to pick electric: a manual gas griddle is set by feel, an electric one holds a number. The trade-off is the circuit — 6 kW or 8 kW depending on configuration, hardwired.
Gas charbroilers
| Model | Width | Cooking surface | BTU | Burners | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLM-CB12-M | 12" | 12" × 20" | 35,000 | 1 | 102 lb |
| FLM-CB24-M | 24" | 24" × 20" | 70,000 | 2 | 158 lb |
| FLM-CB36-M | 36" | 36" × 20" | 105,000 | 3 | 213 lb |
| FLM-CB48-M | 48" | 48" × 20" | 140,000 | 4 | 269 lb |
All 28 7/10" deep, 15 3/4" tall, natural gas or liquid propane. Vulcan's VCRB radiant charbroilers cover the same job with a lower profile.
Radiant or lava rock
Radiant charbroilers use metal radiants over the burners to spread heat evenly and catch drippings — more consistent, far less to maintain, and what most kitchens now buy. Lava rock briquettes hold more heat and give a slightly smokier result, at the cost of replacing rock and uneven hot spots as it ages.
Hot plates
| Model | Type | Width | Output | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLM-HP12-M | Gas | 12" | 50,000 BTU, 2 burners | 84 lb |
| FLM-HP24-M | Gas | 24" | 100,000 BTU, 4 burners | 137 lb |
| FLM-HP36-M | Gas | 36" | 150,000 BTU, 6 burners | 189 lb |
| FLM-EHP15S | Electric | 15" | 2 kW, 208V/240V | 42 lb |
| FLM-EHP15 | Electric | 15" | 4 kW, 208V 1 phase | 70 lb |
| FLM-EHP24 | Electric | 24" | 8 kW, 208V 3 phase | 128 lb |
| FLM-EHP36 | Electric | 36" | 12 kW, 208V 3 phase | 185 lb |
Gas hot plates are 27 9/16" deep and 13" tall — the lowest profile of the three, so they tuck under a shelf. Note that the larger electric models need three-phase power: the 24" and 36" units are 208V 3-phase, while the 15" FLM-EHP15S runs single phase at 2 kW. Check the panel before ordering.
What all three need from your kitchen
- A Type I hood. Griddles and charbroilers produce grease-laden vapor and sit under a grease hood with fire suppression under most US codes. Confirm with your inspector before you buy — this is the item that most often fails inspection.
- An equipment stand. These are countertop units, but a 285 lb 36" griddle needs a stand rated for it, not a prep table. Equipment stands →
- The right gas. Order natural gas or liquid propane to match the building — conversion is an orifice change, not a switch. NG vs LP →
- Clearance behind. All the gas units are roughly 28" deep before the gas connection.
Keeping them alive
- Griddle: scrape after every service, deep clean and re-season the plate weekly. A neglected plate cooks unevenly long before it looks bad.
- Charbroiler: brush grates hot after each service, empty the grease tray daily, pull and wash radiants weekly. Grease in the radiant tray is the single most common cause of flare-ups.
- Hot plate: clear burner ports monthly — a yellow, lazy flame means a blocked port, not a failing burner.
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