Roasting Pan vs Grill Plate: Picking a Nonstick Oven Tray
By Cookware Brands | Published: 2026-11-01
Category: Comparisons
Compare a small nonstick roasting pan with a nonstick grill plate on size, draining, and browning so you can pick the right oven tray for two people or vegetables.
Quick answer
Choose the Essteele Nonstick Roasting Pan 25 x 18cm when you want a compact pan that holds a joint or vegetables and keeps juices in. Choose the Essteele Nonstick Small Grill Plate 35 x 21cm when you want a wider, ridged surface with a drain spout for grilling vegetables or cuts and letting fat run off.
Size and footprint: what 25 x 18cm and 35 x 21cm mean in a small oven
The roasting pan's 25 x 18cm base suits a small oven or a two-person meal where you want depth rather than spread. The grill plate's 35 x 21cm surface is longer and wider, so it uses more shelf space but gives you room to spread vegetables in a single layer.
If your oven is tight, measure the shelf before you buy. A wider plate can crowd the sides and block heat circulation, while a smaller pan leaves room for a second tray.
Draining and fat: the grill plate's spout versus the roasting pan's closed base
The grill plate has a handy drain spout, which lets you tip off fat or juices as you cook. That is useful for vegetables that release water or for cuts you want to keep out of their own fat.
The roasting pan has no supplied drain feature, so it keeps juices in the pan. That suits gravies and moist roasts, but you may need to spoon off excess fat afterward.
Browning and ridges: when a flat base beats a grill surface
A ridged grill plate lifts food off the base, which can give striped marks and let fat fall away, but ridges reduce contact with the surface. A flat roasting pan gives more direct contact, which helps even browning on potatoes and traybakes.
Both products are made in Italy and use a nonstick coating, so neither needs heavy oil. The trade-off is surface shape, not material quality.
Trade-offs to weigh before you choose
- Space versus spread: The grill plate's 35 x 21cm surface spreads food wider for even exposure, but it takes more shelf room than the 25 x 18cm roasting pan. Measure your oven shelf and leave clearance at the sides. If your oven fits only one tray, the wider plate may limit a second dish.
- Draining versus keeping juices: The grill plate's drain spout lets you pour off fat, which helps with watery vegetables or fatty cuts. The roasting pan has no supplied drain, so it keeps juices for gravies but may need fat skimmed later. Pick the spout if you want less fat on the plate; pick the closed pan if you want pan juices.
- Ridges versus flat contact: The grill plate's ridges lift food and can leave marks, while the roasting pan's flat base gives more contact for browning potatoes and traybakes. Neither shape is better for every dish. Ridges suit vegetables and cuts you want marked; a flat base suits even browning.
Product facts at a glance
- Essteele Nonstick Small Grill Plate 35 x 21cm: 35 x 21cm nonstick grill plate with a handy drain spout, designed and made in Italy. The wider ridged surface and spout suit grilling vegetables or cuts when you want fat to run off.
Essteele Nonstick Small Grill Plate 35 x 21cm - Essteele Nonstick Roasting Pan 25 x 18cm: 25 x 18cm nonstick roasting pan, designed and made in Italy for even heat distribution. The compact closed pan holds juices and fits small ovens or two-person roasts.
Essteele Nonstick Roasting Pan 25 x 18cm
Which one fits your cooking?
Best for
- Two-person roasts and traybakes where you want juices kept in the pan
- Small ovens that cannot fit a wider tray
- Vegetables you want browned on a flat surface
Not for
- Cooks who want fat to drain away during cooking
- Large families needing a wider grilling surface
- Anyone who needs a supplied drain spout
