Grilling Baskets

Grilling small or especially delicate foods can be difficult without losing them through the grate. A metal grill basket solves this by offering a smoother cooking surface and holes too small for the food to fall through. But when we surveyed the options, we found wide variations in design and materials. We wanted to know which worked best.

We tested 10 models—including stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel and nonstick—to grill mixed sliced vegetables, small chunks of potatoes and salmon fillets (which often stick to grill grates). We quickly learned that proper heating of the baskets helps prevent food from sticking. We also found that the more room the baskets offered for food to spread out, the more even the browning.

Our top choice was the Proud Grill UltraVersatile Stainless Steel Grill Basket. It has a solid build, removable handle and high sides, and it provides excellent browning. The basket comes with removable dividers for separating foods, but we found this caused crowding, so we ultimately didn’t use them in our test. The stainless steel did discolor from the heat, but it’s purely a cosmetic issue.

Another standout, the BK Carbon Steel Grill Tray, offers sturdy construction and a large surface for searing, though the short sides risked spilling foods while tossing. The Lodge Cast Iron Grilling Basket also got top marks for browning and heat retention, but its tight holes prevented foods from developing deep grilled flavor.

The Norpro Flexible Grill Basket and BBQ Dragon Rolling Grill Basket performed worst. The Norpro’s wide-set mesh failed to contain smaller items, and its fixed handle stuck out too far for closed-grill cooking. The barrel-shaped BBQ Dragon proved cumbersome and ineffective, its gimmicky rolling design roughing up and poorly browning the few items it held.

When choosing a grill basket, opt for sturdy materials, a large surface area, high sides and removable handles. Avoid unnecessary moving parts that can hinder cleaning and use. For best results, heat the basket, then lightly oil it before adding ingredients, but be sparing—too much oil can create flare-ups.