What's everyone's favorite burger press


 
I've only got experience with Weber's burger press. It's pretty good, you flip the base one way and it makes 1/4 lb burgers, flip it the other and it makes 1/2 lb burgers. (If you're careful, you can make 1/3 lb burgers in the 1/4 lb side. That may not make sense, but you'll see what I mean if you buy one and try it.) It puts a dimple in the top of each burger to reduce puffing up during grilling. The handle comes off for easy cleaning and the thing is dishwasher safe. It's about $15.

I did a detailed review with photos here:

virtualwebergasgrill.com

Weber 6483 Burger Press - The Virtual Weber Gas Grill

Review of Weber 6483 Burger Press Pros: Presses burgers ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 pound Clear acrylic design shows when burger is fully pressed Creates a dimple in the patty that prevents puffy burgers during cooking Handle can be removed for cleaning Dishwasher safe Cons: Meat may stick to the...
virtualwebergasgrill.com virtualwebergasgrill.com
 
I have the LEM products press and have used it for years. I cheat and buy the pre-cut wax paper squares to make my life easier. I’d actually like to find a larger diameter press to add to my arsenal as well.

LEM Press
 
I sprung for the Weber one. I have tried some cheap and inexpensive ones before with very little satisfaction. I hope this one serves me better. I may buy some of those precut wax papers squares as well.
 
I have the Weber one. It's hit or miss with sticking, I tried the non stick spray and that barely worked, maybe those paper squares?
I tried it on 80/20 GB. And for turkey burgers and pork burgers. Mostly a fail IME, I stuck it up in a cabinet somewhere.
 
I have an OXO scale and measure into balls and then press the patties by hand depending on weight and bun size.

8, 6, 4 ounces or for smash are the sizes. Most people prefer a 6 oz burger as some can enjoy 2 and others 1. The 8 oz are just too huge and I rarely make them these days.

4 oz burgers are nice for hot and fast cooks over direct coals and make easy work to feed larger gatherings as people will do two patties or eat one and one later. And kids enjoy a 4 oz’er too.

Vinyl gloves are standard in my house. Makes for fast protein work and even faster cleanup of your hands.
 
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You def need to use wax paper or oil to avoid the sticking.

Are you talking about a burger shaper or a patty smasher?

If you are talking smashburgers, tbh you can use a spatula, plate, or flat whatever if you just want to make a flat smashed patty.

The only differentiator is whether your smasher does/does not have a lip on it. Which will give you a shape and set thickness.

My lodge cast iron has a lip, which is helpful. If I want a super thin smash, I use a spatula.

FYI, for smash burgers, a thin flexible paint scraper/putty knife is the tool of choice. Works much better than all spatulas I've tried.
 
Question smash burgers: Are they not normally supposed to be very thin. A lot of the videos show them barely smashing the meat down and it is still almost a half inch thick.
 
Bruce said:
Question smash burgers: Are they not normally supposed to be very thin. A lot of the videos show them barely smashing the meat down and it is still almost a half inch thick.
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I use my weight to bare down on them to make them thin. I use the press to smash them and then a very sharp spatula to get them up. Point is to get the caramelized brown crust on both sides. My kids really like them.

I learned how to make them from this "Certified Angus Beef" video...

 
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Bruce said:
That link is "UNAVAILABLE" now. BUt here is a link to what looks to be the exact same product:

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I think a bunch of different no-name brands rebrand essentially the same product with variations on the handle. I chose an all Stainless version so I could dropped it in the dishwasher without worry. The handle must be laser welded because there is no visible seam and it is water tight. Weight is pretty substantial but not as heavy as the classic Cast Iron presses (but can't put the CI in dishwasher).
 
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Bruce said:
Question smash burgers: Are they not normally supposed to be very thin. A lot of the videos show them barely smashing the meat down and it is still almost a half inch thick.
Click to expand...
That’s what I always thought. Personally, I’m not a fan of them. I prefer a nice thick burger cooked over a flame to a nice medium rare. That being said, I wouldn’t turn one down!
 
EricV. said:
I have this one, you can use it to press a burger or to stuff a burger. I have only used it to stuff a burger.

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That's very similar to the Cuisinart CSBP-100 3-in-1 Stuffed Burger Press I bought a couple of years ago.

Tried it out and was disappointed with how much the meat stuck and made a mess of the formed burger.

Two years later, I watched a Chuds BBQ video where he used square parchment paper on both sides of each burger in a burger press.

I tried the same method and it works like a charm.
 
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