Nordic Ware 36520 Perforated Grill Topper: Keep Vegetables and Shrimp Above the Grates

Bell-pepper strips and shrimp cook quickly over a hot grill, but they are also small enough to slip between the grates while you turn them. The Nordic Ware 36520 Perforated Grill Topper adds a flat, holed aluminum surface above the grate, keeping sliced vegetables and seafood together while heat and smoke move through the openings.

This is an open rectangular topper, not a sealed pan or lidded basket. It has a low 0.8-inch rim and lipped side handles. Nordic Ware lists 14.3 by 11.4 inches of interior space, a 2.5-pound weight and a 500°F maximum. That capacity suits a real batch, but it also makes measuring the grill and planning a safe landing place essential before buying.

Small perforations keep cut food from disappearing through the grate

Whole corn and steaks span several bars; chopped onions, asparagus tips, mushrooms, scallops and shrimp do not. Perforations across the 36520 provide continuous support while leaving many routes for heat and smoke. You can spread out a side dish, turn individual pieces with tongs or a spatula, then lift the batch away from the fire without chasing vegetables along the grate. Nordic Ware specifically names vegetables, seafood, shrimp, scallops, asparagus, mushrooms, onions and potato wedges.

The holes do not make the topper identical to bare-grate cooking. Food contacts aluminum rather than grill bars, and liquid marinades or rendered fat can pass through. Very tiny ingredients may still find a hole, while sauces that must stay in the pan need solid cookware. Buy this for supporting pieces, not for retaining every drop.

Natural aluminum spreads heat across a broad cooking surface

Nordic Ware makes the tray from natural aluminum and describes that material as a good heat conductor. Across the 14.3-by-11.4-inch interior, the broad rectangle gives vegetables and seafood room to sit in a shallow layer instead of piling up in a narrow basket. The exposed layout makes turning and checking pieces easier when ingredients finish at different times.

Natural aluminum resists rust but is not visually maintenance-free. Nordic Ware says dishwasher use can discolor it without changing cooking properties; metal utensils and scouring pads may scratch it. Buyers who expect a permanently bright finish should accept hand washing and gentler tools as part of ownership.

Low side handles help with control, but the hot tray still needs a landing place

Lipped handles on the short sides provide defined grip points for lifting or carrying with grill mitts. The 0.8-inch rim lets tongs and spatulas reach food without crossing a deep basket wall, but it gives less protection during movement. This is not a hinged shake basket: a fast or tilted lift can send food over the edge.

The aluminum and handles become hot, so heat-resistant mitts are necessary. Set out a heat-safe sheet pan, trivet or other suitable surface before removing the topper; an ordinary table or plastic tray is not a safe destination for cookware used up to 500°F.

The listed 14.3-by-11.4-inch figure is an interior dimension, not the complete external footprint. Allow room for the handles and a closed grill lid. A compact grill, crowded two-zone setup or low smoker may make a smaller basket the better choice.

Oil before cooking and hand-wash after the tray cools

Nordic Ware instructs users to brush or spray the surface with cooking oil before every use. The 36520 is natural aluminum, not coated nonstick cookware. Oil can improve release, but it cannot guarantee that sugary marinades or delicate fish will lift without attention.

The maker also directs buyers to hand-wash the tray in warm, soapy water before first use. After cooking, let it cool, remove residue without aggressive scouring, wash by hand and dry. Dishwasher discoloration and utensil scratches may not alter cooking performance, yet their changing appearance can still matter to an owner.

Choose the Nordic Ware 36520 when chopped vegetables, shrimp and similar foods regularly fall through your grill and you want a wide, open surface that preserves heat and smoke paths. Skip it if you need a closed basket for vigorous shaking, a solid pan for sauces, a dishwasher-perfect finish, or a no-measuring fit for a small grill. It makes the most sense for cooks willing to oil and hand-wash one 2.5-pound accessory in exchange for better control of a full batch of small grill foods.