Heavy-Duty Stainless Smash Burger Press
A flat, weighty press is the difference between a real lacy-edged smash burger and a sad steamed puck. Round, broad face for full patty contact.
Check price →📏 Patty Size Calculator
Get the exact raw patty weight, total meat to buy, and the right diameter and thickness for the burger you want to make — with shrinkage built in. All results are practical estimates to plan from.
🥩 Shopping & shaping
💡 Tips for this style
All figures are practical estimates — real shrinkage varies with fat content, heat, and cooking time.
Understanding patty sizes
| Style | Typical raw weight | Thickness | Best bun | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smash | 2 oz (57 g) | ~¼ in | 4 in / 10 cm | Crispy lacy edges, maximum crust |
| Standard | 5.3 oz (150 g) | ~¾ in | 4–4.5 in | The everyday cheeseburger |
| Thick | 8 oz (227 g) | 1–1¼ in | 4.5–5 in | Steakhouse-style, juicy middle |
| Slider | 1.5 oz (43 g) | ~½ in | 2.5–3 in | Party batches, two or three per person |
Raw vs. cooked weight & shrinkage
Ground beef loses roughly 15–25% of its weight while cooking as fat renders and water evaporates — so a 5.3 oz (150 g) raw patty finishes closer to 4.2 oz (120 g). We plan by raw weight because that is what you buy and portion. Leaner beef (90/10) and hotter, longer cooking both increase shrinkage; an 80/20 blend cooked to a safe 160°F sits near the 20% default.
Single vs. double
A double stacks two thinner patties rather than one thick one — more crust, faster cooking, and the classic fast-food texture. Two 2 oz smash patties beat one 4 oz patty for exactly this reason. Doubling here simply doubles the patty count and total meat.
Patty-to-bun sizing
Patties shrink in diameter as well as weight, so form them wider than the bun: about ½ inch for standard patties, and a full inch for smash burgers, which contract the most. A patty that matches the raw bun size will look shrunken and "lost" once cooked.
Burger HQ Picks Tools for even, well-sized patties
Thin Flexible Stainless Turner (Smash Spatula)
A stiff, thin, bevelled edge slides under the crust and scrapes up every bit of the browned fond instead of tearing the patty.
Check price →Adjustable Burger Patty Press Mold
For thick, even, restaurant-uniform patties (great for grilling). Adjustable thickness, non-stick, dishwasher safe.
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Frequently asked questions
How much meat per burger patty?
It depends on the style. Smash burgers use about 2 oz (57 g) of raw beef per thin patty, standard burgers around 5.3 oz (150 g, a third of a pound), thick steakhouse patties about 8 oz (227 g, half a pound), and sliders roughly 1.5 oz (43 g). The calculator adjusts totals for single or double patties.
How much do burgers shrink when cooked?
Ground beef typically loses about 15–25% of its weight to rendered fat and water, so a good default is 20%. Leaner beef and higher heat shrink more. The calculator uses 20% by default and lets you change it.
How much wider than the bun should a raw patty be?
Patties shrink in diameter as they cook, so form standard patties about ½ inch (1–1.5 cm) wider than the bun. Smash burgers are pressed even wider — about an inch past the bun — because they contract the most.
Raw weight versus cooked weight — which should I use?
Recipes and shopping are almost always by raw weight, because that is what you buy and portion. Cooked weight matters mainly for nutrition tracking. The calculator shows both and clearly labels which is which.