A Smash Burger is exactly what it sounds like – a smashed burger. However, before you start worrying about things like losing flavor or missing out on a juicy experience, these thinner patties can easily rival your favorite hamburger.
If you’ve visited an In-N-Out or Steak N Shake, you’re probably already familiar with their traditional smashed patties. Typically cooked on a flat top griddle, as the burger is cooked in its own fat, the browning edges become crisp and full of flavor.
Whether you’re looking to feed a backyard party or you and your family are in the mood for a healthier alternative to a classic fast food dish, homemade Smash Burgers are a breeze to make – as long as you have the right tools such as the best hamburger turner for smash burgers.
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Comparison Table of The Best Hamburger Turners
| Category | Brand | What We Liked |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall |   Dexter Russell Offset Hamburger Turner | Stain‐free Dexteel™ blade |
| Best Bang For The Buck |   MANNKITCHEN Professional Grade Stainless Steel Spatula | Heat resistant hardwood handle |
| Best Restaurant-grade Spatula |   Mercer Culinary Hell’s Handle Heavy Duty Turner/Spatula | Wide 6x5" work surface |
| Best Novelty Spatula |   SpongeBob SquarePants Krusty Krab Spatula | Hard Maple handle with brass rivets |
| Most Economical Spatula |   New Star Foodservice 38200 Wood Handle Flexible Grill Turner/Spatula | Made of professional food grade material |
| Best Made in USA |   Dexter Russell 6 x 5 Turner | Heat resistant up to 500 degrees F |
How Do You Make Spatula Smash Burgers?
Luckily, Smash Burgers are considerably easy to make, regardless of your grease-patty flipping capabilities. Once you’ve got your meat seasoned and ready, each burger should be about a quarter of a pound. You don’t need to make it into a perfect ball – the abstract blob will squish just the same.
Once you’ve got the meat on the griddle, press into the meat with your spatula. It’s important to have a wide-set, sturdy spatula for Smash Burgers; you don’t want to lose too much juice and ruin the flavor. You’re going to need something practically designed for the job: heavy, metal, and weighted.
When the bottom becomes a crispy brown after a few minutes, flip, salt, and add cheese. This time you’re looking for a perfect melt on the cheese before pulling your burger off the skillet. My suggestion is to toast your buns along the edge of the skillet right after you place your cheese, giving you the perfect toasted breading.
Reviews of the Best Smash Burger Spatulas
Key Features:
- Stain‐free Dexteel™ blade
- 6×3” stainless steel surface
- Polished Rosewood handle
Flexible, durable, and strong are the top three words to describe the Dexter Russell Hamburger Turner. With a 6×3″ stainless steel surface, this tool is perfect for flattening Smash Burgers to perfection. Designed to flex at the workstation, you can confidently work the edge under your burgers without worrying about flexing at the handle.
The Rosewood handle isn’t just there for looks – although it does get bonus points for presentation. With brass compression rivets securing the blade to the 5” handle, you can focus more on control and less on wrist tension when getting stubborn burgers off the back burner.
I consider the Dexter Russell Hamburger Turner the best overall for Smash Burgers not only because of its size but especially because of the weight. At 7.05 ounces, it may at first seem like a hefty addition to your grilling needs. However, when it comes to keeping the flavor in the fat of a burger, you want the press to come from the weight of the tool as opposed to pressing hard on it.
View Price On Amazon⇒Dexter Russell Offset Hamburger Turner
Key Features:
- Heat resistant hardwood handle
- 2 ⅞ x 5” Stainless Steel
- Precision beveled straight edge
MANNKITCHEN specifically designed its products to go against the toughest of surfaces, giving you a wider range of cooking capabilities. The hardened stainless steel blade of their spatula boasts its effectiveness against even “cast iron skillet surface leveling.”
While this product isn’t as wide as many of the other options on this list, I find it to still be the perfect tool to get an even press; at most, you’ll maybe need to smash down twice to ensure even distribution.
With the quality single-piece hardwood handle, though, you won’t need to worry about the extra wrist movement. You’re not likely to have difficulty with wrist tension or slippage as this piece is designed to provide a solid grip, even flexibility, and high heat resistance.
View Price On Amazon⇒MANNKITCHEN Professional Stainless Steel Spatula
Key Features:
- Precision-ground stainless steel blade
- Wide 6×5” work surface
- Restaurant quality heat resistant handle
You know what they say: if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen. When looking for a restaurant-grade spatula that’s specifically designed to take that kind of heat, look no further than Mercer Culinary and the Hell’s Handle.
With a 6×5″ work surface, this is one of the widest blades on our list, making it perfect for an evenly distributed smash. Having a sturdy, uniquely designed nylon handle and weighing 0.75 pounds, you’ll easily be able to get a quality press for a crisp and juicy edge. But while the Hell’s Handle is an incredibly useful tool for Smash Burgers, it’s also a great heavy-duty burger spatula overall.
While at first I was worried the size may be too much for other burger needs, it made grilling and turning burgers a breeze. The wide surface and stiff edges are designed to give you full control over your meats.
View Price On Amazon⇒Mercer Culinary Hell’s Turner/Spatula
Key Features:
- 1.05 pounds
- Hard Maple handle with brass rivets
- Laser-cut stainless steel
I’m sure this option will come as a shock for most people, but this is a quality smash burger spatula for sure. I consider the Krusty Krab Spatula to be the best novelty spatula that really works while also bringing to life some nostalgic dreams.
While the longer handle may at first seem like a deterrent for Smash Burgers, the combination of the weight and sturdy Maple build makes it a top contender for your griddle needs. While it’s not my first choice when considering wrist tension, a skilled chef will know how to use the weight to their advantage.
It’s also a great way to get the whole household involved; whether you’re teaching your kids the magic of grilling or showing off to your roommates, the Krusty Krab spatula is the perfect bridge to start a culinary conversation. If anything, this is a great tool to either add to your personal collection or give as a great gift to a budding chef.
View Price On Amazon⇒SpongeBob SquarePants Krusty Krab Spatula
Key Features:
- Long, slim work surface
- Commercial grade material
- Hand-wash only
At first, this slim spatula may be a surprising choice for your Smash Burger needs. So far, we’ve been focusing on spatulas that have a wide work surface. However, among other traits, the New Star Foodservice Spatula is going to be the best bang for your buck.
With commercial-grade stainless steel material, this spatula is going to be great for taking control of the grill. With the current market price at $15, you’re still getting a restaurant-quality tool that has a strong, easy-grip wooden handle.
Your primary concern will most likely be in getting an even press. Because this spatula prioritizes length instead of width, you’ll need to be careful as you smash the patties. You’ll most likely need to press the patty a few times but with a focus on evenly distributed pressure, they’ll come out just as crisp and delicious.
View Price On Amazon⇒New Star Foodservice Flexible Grill Turner/Spatula
Key Features:
- Made with Carbon Steel
- 0.75 pounds
- Slip-resistant handle can resist up to 500℉
The Dexter Russell High Heat Turner has great weight and size for making Smash Burgers. Weighing 0.75 and a work surface area of 6×5”, the blade of the spatula has ideal conditions for making an evenly flattened burger.
The stainless carbon steel blade is designed with a great cutting edge that’s a quality feature for any burger. The textured polypropylene handle not only balances the proper flexibility between the blade and handle but it’s also slip-resistant, an important addition for working with fat-spitting foods.
It’s important to note that while the Dexter Russell High Heat Turner is the last on the list, it’s still a quality choice to consider when making your choice. Heavy, wide-set, and comfortable to use, this tool is a significant contender for all of your grilling needs.
View Price On Amazon⇒Dexter Russell 6 x 5 Turner
Buyer’s Guide to the Best Hamburger Turners For Your Smash Burgers
When looking for the proper Smash Burger spatula, you’ll need to consider three key features: the size and material of the blade and its handle.
– Size
Size is possibly the most important aspect of your spatula. With an extended spatula, preferably both in length and width, you’re more likely to have an evenly distributed smash.
– Material
The material of the spatula is going to affect the weight, cutting edge ability, and quality. Stainless steel is a great choice because of its durability, stiffness, and longevity. It’s also usually dishwasher safe, though most grill masters prefer to hand wash their tools.
– Handle
The handle isn’t just there to look pretty – in fact, it’s going to reduce wrist tension, give better surface control, and put distance between you and the heat. Whether it’s a wooden or polypropylene handle, put the focus on the length, heat resistance, and sanitary seal.
FAQs About Smash Burgers
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Why do my Smash burgers fall apart?
Most burgers fall apart due to being flipped over and over again or being flipped too soon. Take it easy – it’s not gymnastics. Once the first side of your patty has reached the halfway point of being cooked it will be easy to flip over without breaking apart.
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How do you make a Smash burger without it sticking?
Be sure to add a high temp oil to your skillet or griddle to prevent sticking to the cooking surface. To avoid your smash burger sticking to your spatula, use wax or parchment paper to place over the burger patty prior to smashing. You can also just spray or spread a coat of non stick oil to your spatula before you get to smashing.
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Do you flip a Smashburger?
There are no silly questions when it comes to grilling as my son who is a new cook asked this question. He assumed because it was so thin it would cook thoroughly on just the one side. Short answer to this one – Yes son; flip the burger once you start to see little bubbles on the first side.
Our Final Thoughts on the Best Spatulas for Smash Burgers
When looking to create the perfect Smash Burger straight out of your favorite fast-food restaurant, you need to have the best spatula for the act of smashing. After finding the right recipe, the next most important step is finding a balanced tool with the right weight, surface area, and material.
While all of the spatulas on this list should be top considerations when cooking Smash Burgers, the Dexter Russell Offset Hamburger Turner is my top choice. The combination of a heavy, thick blade and sturdy Rosewood handle grants you the ability to make more than just crisp, juicy Smash Burgers.