Why a Flat Top Grill Combo Transforms Your BBQ Experience

Introduction

Traditional grill grates might be great for burgers and steaks, but they're painfully limited when it comes to cooking a complete meal outdoors. Ever tried grilling bacon, scrambled eggs, or a pile of hash browns on standard grates? Spoiler alert: most of it slips through the cracks or burns in uneven heat. Not to mention foods like rice, chopped veggies, sauces, or delicate fish are simply not grill grate–friendly.

This is exactly where the Arteflame Insert changes the game. By combining a flat top griddle surface with a center grill grate, the Arteflame Insert transforms your existing grill into a true outdoor kitchen. Suddenly, your grill isn’t just a meat machine—it’s a breakfast station, stir-fry zone, and sear master, all in one. It’s a simple upgrade that breathes new life into your grill and cooking routines.

Why Grates Alone Aren’t Enough

Cooking on just grill grates locks your meal options into a very narrow lane—think large, sturdy cuts of meat or kabobs. That’s fine for a weekend burger bash, but if you’re someone who loves culinary variety, you’ll quickly find the standard grill grate setup limiting.

Let’s look at some of the key problems with traditional grates:

• Food falls through: Smaller items like chopped onions, diced peppers, or even shrimp can slip right into the flames.
• Uneven cooking: Grates often have hot and cold spots, leading to inconsistent results.
• No sauces or liquids: Forget about simmering any sauces or cooking anything that needs a liquid base.
• Limited breakfast options: Eggs, pancakes, and bacon are out of the question on an open grate.
• Cleanup chaos: Grease drips directly down, flaring up and creating a cleanup chore later.

The solution? Add a griddle. Better yet, combine both.

Advantages of a Grill + Griddle Combo

When you add a flat top grill surface to your existing setup—like with the Arteflame Insert—you unlock a whole new level of outdoor cooking. Here's why a grill-griddle combo is the ultimate backyard upgrade:

1. Bigger Menu, Better Meals

You’re no longer restricted to grillables. Craving a full breakfast outdoors? With the griddle side, you can fry eggs, sizzle bacon, cook hash browns, and even flip pancakes—all at once. Planning a stir-fry or crispy fried rice? Easy. Want caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms for your burger? Done without losing a single piece to the fire.

2. Controlled, Even Heating

A flat top surface distributes heat more evenly than exposed grill grates. That means no more food half-done on one side and burnt on the other. Plus, with the Arteflame Insert, the griddle surface is engineered to retain and radiate heat efficiently, creating a high-heat searing zone that's perfect for all proteins and vegetables.

3. One-Surface Multi-Zone Cooking

With a combo setup, you can use the hot center grill for direct searing while using the outer griddle for slow roasting, fry-ups, or warming buns. It essentially creates multiple cooking zones in one compact space.

4. More Flavor, Less Flare

Grate-only grilling lets juices drip straight into the flames, often causing flare-ups that oxidize the meat and change its flavor. Griddles, on the other hand, let the juices and fats sizzle on the surface—enhancing caramelization and locking in that rich umami flavor without charring the outside.

5. Cleaner Cooking, Easier Cleanup

Grilling with a griddle insert dramatically reduces drips and flare-ups. Plus, cleanup is simpler—there are no hard-to-scrub grates, just a wide, flat surface that’s easy to scrape clean and wipe down once cooled. The Arteflame Insert also features drainage channels that direct grease away safely.

6. Perfect for Entertaining

When you’re cooking for a crowd, having both a griddle and a grill lets you multitask while keeping everyone’s stomachs happy. Sear steaks on the grate, fry up veggies or sides on the griddle, and toast burger buns or tortillas simultaneously. It’s a one-stop solution for cooking versatility.

7. Upgrade Without Replacing Your Grill

The best part? The Arteflame Insert doesn’t require a whole new grill. You simply insert it into your current setup, transforming it instantly into something more powerful, functional, and fun. This saves you hundreds of dollars while massively enhancing what your grill can do.

Conclusion

If your current grill setup is holding your creativity hostage, it’s time for an upgrade that doesn’t require a whole new appliance. The Arteflame Insert breathes fresh life into your backyard cooking by delivering the powerful versatility of a grill-griddle combo. Made with 100% US Steel—not brittle cast iron—it’s built to endure heavy use, resist cracking, and last a lifetime. Unlike cast iron, which is prone to rust and fractures, US Steel maintains its strength and reliability year after year.

Best of all, Arteflame Inserts are 100% made in the USA under strict food-safe manufacturing standards. That means you can cook with confidence, knowing your surfaces are as safe as they are functional. Upgrade your backyard BBQ game with the Arteflame Insert and start grilling without limits.