Although grills are our first love, the invention of a griddle has quickly become the second. Griddles are an easy way to make grilled food without having to worry about losing your dinner to the flame, and Blackstone griddles are known to be the best of the best.
But is buying a Blackstone griddle worth it? Read on to learn the 10 things you should know before buying a Blackstone griddle and whether or not it's the right choice for you.
1. You Have Multiple Buying Options
Unlike some of the fancier grill brands, Blackstone griddles can be purchased almost everywhere. Whether you are making a trip to the hardware store, kitchen store, or checking out an online retailer, almost every store that carries appliances will have some type of Blackstone Griddle available for purchase.
This means that you absolutely should shop around before buying. You never know when one store may carry a discount on the exact Blackstone model you’ve been looking for. Look for end-of-season sales, as well as stores that are running special deals. We especially recommend checking out online retailers as they often have sales on last year's models that you can get for a steal.
2. Buy the Right Size Griddle
The Blackstone 28" and 36"
Just like with grills, Blackstone griddles come in a variety of sizes. You’ll want to ensure that you buy one that is large enough cooking space to feed your whole family but not so large that you can’t fit it in your yard or on your patio.
For griddles, you don’t need quite as much space as a grill (because you won’t be making large cuts like a brisket), but we still recommend planning for some extra space. You’ll want to choose a griddle that has at least 50 inches of cooking space per person in your family, plus 50 inches as a buffer.
Using this measurement, a family of 6 could consider the 22” Blackstone griddle, which has 361 inches of cooking space. This is enough space for 12 burgers or 8 steaks if you're cooking dinner and 18 pancakes or eggs when cooking breakfast.
3. Decide What Type of Griddle You Want
Griddles come in many varieties, from those with wheels to ones that can be set on a picnic table. Before buying your griddle, you need to decide when and where you will use your griddle most, as this will help you to make the right decision when choosing your Blackstone model.
For example, if you want a Blackstone griddle solely for camping purposes and you don’t have a large truck, a tabletop model will suit your purposes best as you can put it in the car with all your supplies and set it up easily when you arrive.
But for those who want a Blackstone griddle for everyday home use and have a large yard, a model on wheels is probably the best choice so you can use it on your patio and wheel it in the garage during the cold winter months.
4. Blackstone Griddles Have a Unique Cooking Surface
As you shop for griddles, you may notice that Blackstone is a more expensive brand than other griddles, and this is for a reason. While most griddles have cast iron surfaces, Blackstone griddles have a cold rolled steel surface.
Cold-rolled steel is more durable and easier to clean than cast iron. This means that although you’ll have to pay a higher initial price tag, you are likely to be able to use your Blackstone griddle for much longer than any other brand.
5. You Need to Season Your Blackstone Griddle
Just like with pellet grills, Blackstone griddles should be seasoned before use. The seasoning process, which is basically turning on the griddle and running it without food, helps to burn off any chemicals left on the surface during the manufacturing process.
Additionally, seasoning your griddle can help preserve the cooking surface for years to come and prolong the life of your griddle. So when you buy, be prepared to run the grill once before your first cook.
6. Blackstone Griddles Have Heat Zones
While we love our Blackstone griddle, it is important to know that they aren’t perfect. Blackstone griddles are heated via a variety of burners that run beneath the cold-rolled steel surface. Therefore, while Blackstone tries their best to evenly distribute the heating element, there will be parts of your griddle that are hotter than others.
We recommend that when you first get your griddle, perform a few practice cooks before volunteering to cook for guests or an event. This will allow you to get an idea of what parts of your griddle run hot and which ones run a little cooler so you can adjust accordingly.
7. You Don’t Need As Much Seasoning While Cooking
When grilling, you are probably used to adding a lot of spices to your recipes to ensure they still taste good, even if some of the coating falls between the grates during the cooking process. With a griddle, all spices and flavorings will stay on the surface of the grill–meaning you don’t need to add nearly as much as you would when you grill.
While this might seem weird to think of in advance, it is a good idea to keep in mind that not all grill recipes are suited for your griddle. If you aren’t sure if a specific grill recipe will work for your griddle, it is a good idea to go easy on the spices at first and add more after you have tasted the dish.
Want a recipe that is perfect for your griddle? Check out our Smash Burger Recipe.
8. Buy Accessories In Advance
Blackstone has several brand-name accessories which go with their line of griddles. While you don’t always need the brand-name accessory, some are specially built to prolong the life of your griddle.
For example, Blackstone sells a Blackstone Griddle Accessories Kit, which contains spatulas and tongs that are specifically designed for use with Blackstone griddles. Buying this when you purchase your griddle can ensure you have the best tools on hand to keep your griddle in tip-top shape from the start.
Other accessories you can consider purchasing are things like basting covers, a cover for your griddle if you are storing it outside, and a griddle press.
9. You Can Cook Almost Anything on a Blackstone
One of the major selling points of a griddle is that you can cook almost anything. While a grill will keep you restricted to large pieces of meat and veggies that won’t fall through the grate, the same can’t be said for a Blackstone.
Rather, with a Blackstone griddle, you can make many of the meats (such as burgers and steaks) you can on a grill, plus breakfast items like eggs and pancakes. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to make big cuts of meat like a brisket or ribs on the surface of the griddle, but chances are you aren’t eating these on a daily basis anyway.
So when you get your griddle, don’t be afraid to try new things that you couldn’t try on your grill. You never know when you might find your new favorite recipe.
10. Cleaning a Blackstone is Simple
The best part of owning a Blackstone griddle is the insanely easy cleaning process. All Blackstones come with a grease management system where the grease will flow to an area of the griddle to be collected, such as a drawer or a cup. Then, this drawer or cup can easily be cleaned after cooking and placed back in the griddle.
Of course, you should also plan to have a surface cleaner on hand, as well as a scraper–just make sure that it is designed for use with Blackstone griddles so as not to damage the griddle surface. We recommend purchasing this Blackstone branded kit for this reason, as the last thing you want to do is damage your new griddle.
Final Verdict: Is a Blackstone Griddle Worth it?
Overall, we think buying a Blackstone griddle is absolutely worth it, especially if you take the time to buy one that is a good fit for your family. Whether you buy a travel one for those family camping excursions or a large one for your backyard, you won’t be disappointed.
We hope this has answered your questions about Blackstone griddles before you head shopping for one. If you’ve decided that maybe a grill is better for you, check out our 9 Things to Know Before Buying a Traeger to see if a Traeger is the right fit.
