Stainless steel plancha 2026: how to choose one and fit it outdoors

By Loris Reale, founder of Nox outdoor kitchens · Updated on 1 October 2026

A stainless steel plancha is a cooking plate made of stainless steel, heated by gas or electricity, that sears food by contact, without a direct flame. Nox outdoor kitchens does not sell a plancha as a stand-alone appliance: its configurable 304 stainless steel models combine a gas barbecue as standard and, depending on the width, an optional cabinet for yours. The Nox Nova M, 308 × 65 × 91.5 cm, is available from 9 900 € incl. VAT with a 36-inch 4-burner barbecue, excluding delivery, installation and crane lifting.

At a glance

• Gas, electric or wood: choose the energy source according to where the plancha will live, in the open air or under a shelter.
• Stainless steel resists rust and needs no seasoning; the thickness of the plate matters as much as the material.
• Size is decided by the number of guests served at the same time and by the landing space around the plate.
• Care: water, a spatula and a cloth; never bleach or steel wool.
• At Nox outdoor kitchens, on the configurable models, an optional cabinet can take your gas or electric plancha, priced according to its width and confirmed on quotation.

What is a stainless steel plancha, and how does it differ from a barbecue?

A plancha cooks by contact on a hot plate, whereas a barbecue grills over a flame or embers: the plancha sears, browns and caramelises, the barbecue marks the food and gives it a light smoky taste.

On the plate, fat runs off into a drip tray instead of falling into the fire. This principle matches two recommendations in the barbecue cooking leaflet from Anses, the French food safety agency: cook with the heat rather than in direct contact with the flames, and keep fat from dripping into the fire.

Stainless steel, steel or cast iron plancha: which material should you choose?

Stainless steel is the peace-of-mind material: it resists rust, needs no seasoning and is easy to clean, at the cost of less even heat than a thick steel or cast iron plate.

• Stainless steel: undemanding. On a thin plate, the heat concentrates above the burners: insist on the thickness in millimetres on the technical data sheet.
• Rolled steel: fierce searing, but seasoning before first use, oiling after every cook, and rust without protection.
• Enamelled cast iron: holds its heat for a long time, but heavy, and its enamel can chip if knocked.

Stainless steel plancha by the sea: which precautions should you take?

Ask for the grade written on the technical data sheet, not just the words “stainless steel”. Near the sea, regular rinsing matters as much as the grade. Nox outdoor kitchens models are made of anti-fingerprint 304 stainless steel, with a marine-grade PVDF coating designed for coastal climates: in Six-Fours-les-Plages, a Nox Pavillon is installed facing the Mediterranean. See our stainless steel summer kitchen guide.

Outdoor stainless steel plancha: gas or electric?

For an outdoor stainless steel plancha, gas offers power and independence far from any socket, electric offers steady heat without a bottle: the right choice depends first on the installation you have planned.

Gas requires a regulator suited to the gas used and a flexible hose whose printed expiry date you check. Propane copes with the cold better than butane.

Electric suits balconies where the building rules forbid gas.

What size of plancha should you choose?

Choose the size according to the number of guests served at the same time and the number of heating zones: two independent burners let you sear on one side and keep food warm on the other.

Measure the overall width, handles included, and the depth: a Nox Nova is 65 cm deep overall. Above all, allow landing space on each side, raw food on one side, cooked food on the other: Anses recommends not serving cooked meat on the dish that carried the raw meat.

Can you build a stainless steel plancha into an outdoor kitchen?

Yes: the plancha sits on the worktop, above a cabinet that houses the gas bottle or near a dedicated socket, next to the sink and the refrigeration.

• Gas runs through an adaptor and a regulator connected to the bottle, stored beneath the appliance.
• Electricity: the kitchen connects to a junction box wired in 3G2.5 mm² cable, prepared in advance; a socket near the plancha is added to the configuration.
• Smoke: under a shelter, an extractor hood draws it away; in the open air, think about the prevailing wind.
• Clearance: keep at least 30 cm between the kitchen and a wall, for access and maintenance.

Anses points out that a barbecue should be used neither in an enclosed space nor in windy conditions. On a covered outdoor kitchen, the shelter therefore stays open while you cook; on a closed or closable outdoor kitchen, wait until the plate is cold before closing it.

At Nox outdoor kitchens: a cabinet for your plancha

Gas plancha: a gas bottle cabinet (one drawer and one door), adjustable from 400 to 900 mm. Electric plancha: a 60 cm 3-drawer cabinet, plus an added socket (25 € excl. VAT, or 55 € excl. VAT with USB-C and USB). Both cabinets are optional, priced according to their width and confirmed on quotation; depending on the space available, they are added to the standard layout or replace one of its elements. The extractor hood (191.67 € excl. VAT) is standard on the Terrace and the Pavillon; on the Studio, the hood and television cannot be combined. To fit everything in without removing anything, the Nova Sur Mesure runs from 200 to 700 cm, price confirmed on quotation.

Not sure where your plancha should go? Book your discovery call: a project manager configures the kitchen with you by video call, with no obligation.

Which cooking equipment goes well with a plancha?

A plancha handles searing and quick cooking; for everything else, a gas barbecue, a kamado for slow cooking or a pizza oven complete the cooking area of an outdoor kitchen.

The kamado takes the place of a drawer cabinet, in addition to or instead of the barbecue depending on the width available.

How much does an outdoor plancha cost, stand-alone or built in?

On 22 September 2026, the OFYR plancha units we noted ranged from 1 995 to 6 495 €, tax not specified; built in, count on a Nox Nova M from 9 900 € incl. VAT, with the cabinet as an option.

Prices noted on 22 September 2026 on ofyr.com and plancha-eno.com, the brands' official websites:

Nox outdoor kitchens prices include the standard equipment and exclude delivery, installation and crane lifting: installation at 690 € excl. VAT, delivery priced by the kilometre with a minimum charge of 190 € excl. VAT, crane lifting on quotation when access requires it. Compare what each price includes, not the figure on display.

Which mistakes should you avoid with a stainless steel plancha?

Most disappointments come from the installation rather than the plate: a poorly planned energy supply, no landing space, smoke that lingers or cleaning with the wrong product.

• Forgetting the worktop. Without landing space or a sink, every cook turns into a round trip to the house.
• Cleaning with bleach or steel wool. Chlorine attacks stainless steel, abrasives scratch it.
• Neglecting the gas. An expired flexible hose or an unsuitable regulator should be replaced before the season starts.
• Forgetting the neighbours. Occasional use is not prohibited, but the co-ownership rules of a building can restrict or ban barbecues, and excessive use can amount to an abnormal neighbourhood nuisance (official Service Public factsheet, page in French).

Gas, electric or built-in plancha: which one should you choose?

Choose an electric plancha for a balcony, a gas plancha if you entertain often far from a socket, and an outdoor kitchen that builds it in if you are equipping your garden for the long term.

• If you cook on a balcony, choose an electric plancha, after rereading the co-ownership rules.
• If you entertain often, far from any socket, choose a gas plancha with at least two heating zones.
• If the fire is part of the experience, choose a brazier plancha, in the open air.
• If you are equipping your garden for the long term, choose an outdoor kitchen where the plancha has its own cabinet, sink and refrigeration.
• If you already love your plancha, keep it: a configurable Nox outdoor kitchens model can give it a cabinet of its own, as an option.

Which Nox outdoor kitchens model will take your plancha?

Three Nox outdoor kitchens models lend themselves to it: the Nova M for an open worktop, the Terrace for cooking under shelter with a hood, the Pavillon for large gatherings.

• Nox Nova M, from 9 900 € incl. VAT: 308 cm, 36″ barbecue, no canopy.
• Nox Terrace, best-seller, from 16 900 € incl. VAT: 285 cm, built-in motorised canopy, 30″ barbecue and extractor hood as standard. For 6 to 8 people.
• Nox Pavillon, from 19 900 € incl. VAT: 359 cm, motorised canopy, extractor hood as standard. For 8 to 12 people.

A 10-year warranty on the structure and 2 years on the kitchen's electrical appliances; a damp cloth is all the cleaning it needs. Compare the Nox range: your quote is sent within 48 to 72 working hours after the configuration is submitted.

Has your plancha found its kitchen? Choose your installation slot as soon as you request your quote, then secure it after your call with a project manager.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to season a stainless steel plancha?

No. Unlike a rolled steel plate, a stainless steel plancha needs no seasoning and does not have to be oiled after every cook to prevent rust. Let it heat up properly, lightly oil the food rather than the plate, then deglaze with water and scrape it while still warm. Always follow your appliance's instructions.

What thickness should you choose for a stainless steel plancha?

No single thickness suits every use. A thick plate spreads heat better and holds its temperature when you put cold food on it, but it heats up more slowly and makes the appliance heavier. A thin plate heats up quickly and concentrates the heat above the burners. Ask for the thickness in millimetres on the technical data sheet and compare models with the same cooking surface.

Can a stainless steel plancha stay outside all year round?

Yes, stainless steel withstands the outdoors, provided it is protected. Out of season, clean the plate, empty the grease tray and cover the appliance with a breathable cover. Unplug an electric plancha, close the bottle valve of a gas plancha. By the sea, rinse more often: salt left by sea spray eventually marks poorly maintained surfaces.

Can you use a plancha under a shelter or a pergola?

Yes, if the air circulates. Anses, the French food safety agency, points out that a barbecue must not be used in an enclosed space, and the same caution applies to a plancha. Cook with the shelter open, ideally under an extractor hood, and wait for the plate to cool before closing it. At Nox outdoor kitchens, the hood is standard on the Terrace and the Pavillon, and optional on the Studio in place of the television.

Plancha or barbecue: do you have to choose?

Not necessarily. A plancha sears by contact and suits fish, vegetables and seafood; a barbecue grills over the fire and marks thick cuts of meat. In an outdoor kitchen, the two live side by side: every Nox outdoor kitchens model comes with a gas barbecue as standard, 30 or 36 inches depending on the model, and on the configurable models, an optional cabinet can carry your plancha.

Which product should you use to clean a stainless steel plancha?

Water, a spatula and a cloth are usually enough: deglaze the warm plate, scrape towards the grease tray, wipe. For stubborn marks, use a mild washing-up liquid or a non-abrasive stainless steel cleaner. Never use bleach, chlorinated products or steel wool, which attack or scratch stainless steel. Empty the drip tray after every use.

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