Blackstone 1984 Stainless Steel Backyard Griddle, 36-Inch

Griddles are an excellent alternative to barbecue grills. They don’t have any slats for food to fall through and they allow you to cook just about any food your heart desires. When searching for the best griddle, you’ll want to take a look at Blackstone’s restaurant-quality line of griddles.

Determine how portable you need the griddle to be. The Blackstone 17-Inch Portable Table Top Gas Griddle weighs approximately 20 pounds, so you shouldn’t have any trouble carrying it to a campsite or picnic area. You can also pack it in an RV or taking it tailgating.

Check the surface area and the number of heating zones the Blackstone griddle has to offer. For example, the Blackstone 1666 22-Inch Tabletop Griddle has a 339-square inch surface and two adjustable heat controls with built-in igniters. Other models offer as much as 720-square inches of surface space and four separate temperature zones.

When opting for a larger griddle with legs, you’ll need to look at how easy the griddle is to move around the yard. The Blackstone 28-Inch Outdoor Flat Top Gas Griddle Station is equipped with two back wheels that allow users to push or pull the unit from one location to another. The griddle’s legs also fold up, so that you can store it in a garage or outdoor shed when not in use.

Consider going with a Blackstone griddle that has a host of accessories. The Blackstone 1825 36-Inch Accessory Griddle & Side Shelf has a bottom shelf to hold your serving tray, a side shelf for resting your utensils, a trash bag holder and a paper towel holder. With this model, you’ll have everything you need within arm’s reach.

• One of the first things you’ll need to do when your new Blackstone griddle arrives is season it. The seasoning process creates an all-natural non-stick surface, so you can cook and serve food with ease. To season your griddle, you need to heat your griddle up using the high heat setting. Once the color of the griddle’s surface changes color, spread a thin layer of oil across the top. Depending on the size of the surface, you should only need between 2 and 3 tablespoons of oil. The oil will begin to smoke. Once the smoking ceases, the seasoning process is complete.
• There are special griddle cleaners on the market that you can purchase to help clean the griddle’s inner parts.
• If you have any trouble assembling your Blackstone griddle, you can head to the company website and watch the “how-to” video that corresponds with the model you purchased.
• Blackstone reports that their griddle surfaces won’t be harmed if you opt to cut your meat directly on the griddle.
• Many of the Blackstone griddles use a 1-pound propane bottle; however, the bottle is not included. You’ll need to factor this additional purchase into the overall price that you’re willing to spend.
• Some Blackstone griddles can be used with a 20-pound propane tank if you purchase a bulk tank adapter accessory separately. 
• Natural gas converter kits are only available for Blackstone’s griddles that measure 28-inches or higher.
• Blackstone griddles use AA batteries for their ignitors, so you may wish to have a spare set on hand for when the batteries run out.
• The biggest factors that affect the price of a Blackstone griddle are size and portability.