The Fish Weight
Josh's first book, The Whole Fish Cookbook, won the James Beard Book of the Year.
Holds your fillet flat so the skin crisps evenly and the flesh cooks through gently, all on the stovetop. No flipping. No oven.
You know how it goes.
The fillet hits the pan, the skin seizes, and the whole thing curls up like it's trying to leave. You press it down with a spatula, it fights back, and you end up with rubbery skin and a half-raw middle.
Curled fillets, patchy skin
Only part of the skin touches the pan, so it cooks unevenly. Lighter presses and makeshift weights don't have enough mass to hold the fish flat, and heavy cast iron presses are bulky and rough on delicate skin.
Full contact, even pressure
The carefully calculated 1.6 kg mass keeps the entire fillet in contact with the pan. The skin crisps and turns golden while the heat travels up through the flesh, cooking it through without a flip.
The Saint Peter method, at home
This is how Josh cooks fish in the restaurant. Three steps, one pan.
Place skin-side down
Start your fillet in a hot pan, skin-side down, and set the Fish Weight on top. The mirror-polished base sits gently on the flesh without tearing or sticking.
Let the pan do the work
Even pressure means even contact. The skin crisps and caramelises against the pan while heat moves gently up through the fillet. Adjust the weight as needed.
Rest and serve
No oven, no flipping. Rest the fish skin-side up on a warm plate, season with sea salt, and serve crisp skin that crackles.
Rated 4.96 from 153 verified reviews
As seen on BBC Saturday Kitchen“I saw Matt Tebbutt talking about it on my favourite cook programme, Saturday Kitchen. It's a great addition to my kitchen.”Wendy, United Kingdom, verified buyer
“Best purchase I have ever made. I don't know how I coped without my fish weight. The skin on my fish is crispy and the fish is evenly cooked.”
“There is nothing exactly like this. It does exactly what it claims to do, and that is create a perfectly cooked piece of fish without turning.”
“Beautiful to look at and great to handle. It's brilliant for getting an even, glassy crust on the skin, and because the weight itself heats up, the fish cooks gently from the top as well.”
Carla Lalli, cookbook author and former Bon Appétit food director, on everything else the weight does.
Not just for fish
One solid disc of stainless steel earns its place on the stove, on the barbecue and in the sandwich press you never bought. Carla found eleven uses in one afternoon.
Over fire, it replaces the oven
On a barbecue or over coals there's no oven to finish in. The weight heats up and sends that heat back down through the food, so thick fillets, big steaks and whole butterflied chickens cook through on the grill without burning the outside first.
From the Saint Peter kitchen to yours
The Fish Weight comes from the kitchen at Saint Peter in Sydney, where crisp skin fish is the whole point. Josh designed it because the tool the restaurant needed didn't exist, and it has been in service there for a decade.
It's a solid piece of food-grade stainless steel with a mirror-polished base, built to last a lifetime, and sold only through Mr Niland.
Questions, answered
Does it work on induction, gas and electric?
Yes. The weight sits on the fish, not the hob, so it works with whatever your pan works with.
Is it heavy enough to actually work?
Yes. Lighter presses, like most burger presses, don't push down hard enough, which is why fillets still curl. At 1.6 kg the Fish Weight holds the fish completely flat and is still easy to lift and move.
Can't I just use a saucepan or something heavy from the shed?
You can try, and most people have. Makeshift weights are bulky, press unevenly or react with food. The Fish Weight is purpose-built: compact, smooth, evenly weighted and stainless, so it won't rust, react or tear delicate skin, and it goes in the dishwasher.
Can I use it in a non-stick or cast iron pan?
Yes, either is fine. Josh prefers cast iron, which is why we make the Fish Pan.
Can I use it on the barbecue?
Yes, and that's where it earns its keep. Over fire there's no oven to finish in, so the weight does that job: it heats up and recirculates heat down through the food, cooking thick fillets, large steaks and whole chickens through without scorching the outside.
What size fillet does it suit?
The base is 16 cm across, which covers a standard single portion. For larger fillets, move the weight along the fish as it cooks, or use two.
How hot, and for how long?
A medium-high pan with a little neutral oil, skin-side down, roughly 3 to 4 minutes for a 2 cm fillet. The skin tells you when it's ready: it releases on its own.
Is salmon any different?
Salmon skin carries more fat and crisps faster, so pull the heat back a touch and watch the edge of the fillet.
Do I need to flip the fish?
No. You cook the fish entirely skin-side down on the stovetop. The even pressure and heat let the skin crisp while the flesh cooks through gently, so there's no flipping and no risk of damaging the fillet.
Will it stick to or damage the skin?
No. The smooth mirror-polished stainless surface is designed to be gentle on fish skin, preventing tearing and sticking while promoting even caramelisation.
How do I clean it?
It's dishwasher safe, or wipe it over with hot soapy water. There's a small dimple on the base where the handle has been welded on, which is normal.
When will it arrive?
We ship within 1 business day. Australian orders go from Sydney, US orders from our Indiana warehouse, and everywhere else from Sydney with duties paid at checkout.
What if it isn't for me?
Change your mind within 30 days and we'll take it back, as long as it's unused and in its box.
All reviews
Absolutely love using my fish weight, which I've had for less than a month. I’ve used it not only for two different fish meals – salmon and barramundi – but also for steaks. The finished products have been excellent; cooked to, perfection. Am eagerly awaiting delivery of the cast iron big fish pan next month.
Great product, done my first crispy skin snapper
Excellent quality and does the job!!!
Crispy skin perfection. One of the best kitchen items I have purchased in a long time is Mr Niland Fish weight. Beautifully cooked fish every time.
Have just bought this as a package with the St Peter's book. Pleasure to receive such a wonderful combo and looking forward to working our way through the delicious recipes
Amazing tool
I love the fish weight. I use it every time I pan sear fillets. I've also butterflied a whole branzino and pan seared it skin-side down. It always results in perfectly cooked, very moist flesh and crispy skin. I can't wait to use it again tonight.
Really enjoying my fish weight in Rose Gold. Have now cooked Barramundi tail fillets on the bbq a couple of times and the results have been outstanding. Its not so much about crispy skin for me, but properly cooked flesh, cooked just enough, which is exactly what I have been achieving
I procrastinated about buying one of these as I love cooking a cook steak but hate the meat not making great contact with the pan/grill.
This weight adds enough pressure to get a great outcome!
I was travelling to Sydney and saw the ad. Ordered right away and delivered to my friend’s address in Sydney. Used it when i arrived to cook salmon and it just works as intended. Im bringing it home to Philippines
There is nothing exactly like this. It deserves its place in culinary history as much as the siphon or peppermill. It does exactly what it claims to do, and that is create a perfectly cooked piece of fish without turning… what we used to call unilateral fillet cooking, but better.
What an exceptional piece of art that has its function in the kitchen as a very good fish and meat weight yet easily takes its pride of place as a beautiful accent piece that would compliment any contemporary design.
Bravo Josh. This will be my go to present for all my foodie friends
Cheers Angelo Gatz
After travelling more than 17,400 km, the long wait has been worth it. It's really impressive. I can't explain the happiness I have right now, I look like a little child.
It’s weight is gold.
Thank you very much
I love my new Fish Weight, all the way from OZ. I saw Matt Tebbit talking about it on my fav cook programme Saturday Kitchen Live. It's a great addition to my kitchen. Beautifully boxed and presented and a quality product. Very happy with my purchase
Perfect gift
Beautiful to look at and great to handle – this is a seriously well-made tool. It's brilliant for getting an even, glassy crust on the skin, and because the weight itself heats up, the fish cooks gently from the top as well and comes out spot on. By the way: it's not just for fish!
Must have for anything pan fried
I purchased the fish weight as a gift for my son who has been working overseas for 2 1/2 years. I know it going to be a welcome addition to his kitchen.
Great!
Perfect! Works like a charm on fish but so many other uses such as chicken, steak, and thick slices of a sourdough boule. Fine craftsmanship and easy to clean.
Excellent customer service with a problem I had with the color of the weight. I can't enthuse enough about Julie Niland who assisted me. The fish weight is fantastic; all the dishes that I have used it for have cooked perfectly.
Wow! I'm absolutely gobsmacked at the result using the fishweight and pan purchased from Mr Niland. I was sceptical but I thought my husband was keen. We were so, so wrong... it turned out to be the most sublime fish dinner we've cooked at home. Truly splendid. Do yourself a favour and get one… you won't be disappointed!
Firstly, Mr Niland's packaging and the gorgeous fish weight are a gift in itself. Beautifully presented. The fish weight is heavy and belongs displayed in a kitchen.
I am working on achieving crispy skin with cast iron pans and induction stove. Thus far, it hasn't happened. I've been working with salmon and the skin becomes too crisp (overdone) and unappealing. However, the salmon is perfectly cooked.
Excellent product
super useful tool, can be used for fish, chicken, meat. works very well, perfect weight. highly recommend
Crisp skin fish, every time.
One tool, designed by a chef who has spent his career cooking fish, that you'll use for the rest of yours.