The thickness of the metal is great, not more than you need, and not flimsy by any margin. I added a bit of oil to it before cooking and gave it a slight wiggle when lifting it off the patties and no sticking. Clean up was super easy. The rubber grip worked perfectly, no heat transfer to my hand. The diameter was just right. The construction is sturdy, it's actually welded instead of screwed or pinned, so it will likely never fail.