Blackstone yay or nah?

[txsmkmstr]

Searched high and low for a 28" on sale earlier in the year. Drove LOTS of miles only to find out the "stock available" was wrong. I finally figured out how to dovetail the 36" into my outdoor kitchen and don't regret having the extra real estate one bit. Even if I only use two burners the rest gets just warm enough to stop cooking but still keeping food hot while cooking other items. Very glad I made the leap to the 36".

 

[Sid Post]

I dont know what tractor supply your talking about, but Their website doesnt list Blackstone at all.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/

For some reason, when I searched all I got was some radiator hose! :crazy:

I was in the store a few days ago and the 36" was still on the floor and I was told they had a few in back. While I can't speak for all TSC's, I can vouch for my local one. I have run into this issue in the past with ATWOODS where I could buy a 40# propane tank online but, not in the store even as a special order though they apparently stock them in other regions.

I guess the Ag supply dot com's need to hire some web engineers to update their websites.

 

[JacksBBQ]

I picked up the 36 about a month ago and I'm thinking I should have bought one of these sooner. Mostly done burgers on it so far but they are by far the best burgers I've ever made. I had about 25 people over at the house last Saturday and cooking burgers for everybody wasn't an issue at all.

 

[cowgirl]

Just me here and I went for the 36". Picked it up when they were on sale for around 240., with free shipping.
Sometimes I wish it had more room! I love the thing. Bought one for my best friend for Christmas and bought another one as a wedding gift.

I just received a hard cover for mine. It sits on my deck and is not protected from rain. I use the soft, Blackstone cover but it's not water proof. Hoping this hard cover will help keep the griddle dry.

 

[NKSmoke]

Bought my 36" off of Amazon in May for about $260. Not a deal I realize but I didn't want to wait! I knew I was going to take mine camping so I bought the carry bag for the griddle and also the cover. The legs fold up and the side shelves also come off and back on easily for transport. The carry bag for the griddle is a must if you are going to transport it very often. It has nice heavy duty handles and keeps it from getting scratched up or dirty. I would recommend the cover for sure as well, I have heard it’s not waterproof but I keep it under the patio cover anyway. I spray the griddle surface with a light coat of Pam or other spray cooking oil between uses and have had zero rust trouble. The regulator had a small leak the first time I used it though. I emailed support and they shipped me out a new one in a few days. They were very easy to work with. I do get a little bit of a grease drip down the leg if too much grease flows to fast. Need to find a fix!

Honestly the 28” wasn’t even an option for me. I knew it would be better to have the extra room and not need it then to need it and kick myself for not spending the extra. Plus I didn’t think the 28” would heat as fast or as well with only two burners. Once I started using it I was very glad I bought the 36”. I have cooked for just my wife and for 10 people and I find that I use the majority of the surface each time. Sometimes I wish it was bigger! It’s always nice to use the extra space to keep food warm as well. Good luck with whatever you decide. You will love it!

 

[ncmoose]

I got the 36. It was on sale and only $5 more than the 28. You run out of room quicker than you'd think.

 

[ssv3]

I remember you retrofitting the 28. Where exactly does the grease go now?

It drips into my gasser's grease drain

Then I pull out the drip pan at the bottom and dump it out

 

[WareZdaBeef]

https://www.tractorsupply.com/

For some reason, when I searched all I got was some radiator hose! :crazy:

I was in the store a few days ago and the 36" was still on the floor and I was told they had a few in back. While I can't speak for all TSC's, I can vouch for my local one. I have run into this issue in the past with ATWOODS where I could buy a 40# propane tank online but, not in the store even as a special order though they apparently stock them in other regions.

I guess the Ag supply dot com's need to hire some web engineers to update their websites.

Called my local TSC, they said they have never carried them. Maybe you dreamed you bought yours from TSC?

 

[Smokie185]

What are your likes/dislikes on the Blackstone griddle. Trying to decide on the 36" or the 28". I currently have a gasser weber genesis, 22" kettle and a 22" performer. I mostly cook for my wife and two kids but on the weekends we usually have her parents and sister over. I often find myself using 2 or maybe three grills. I really want to get a larger charcoal grill but until that time comes I thought one of these would help out alot. Any of you leave them outside? My grills sit under a large overhang on my screen room. Figured I would need to still cover it though. How are they on keeping them seasoned? Anyone get the smaller and wish they got the bigger? Or vice versa? Any feedback will be helpful. Thanks!

I do not have the Blackstone, but I do have the 36 inch Camp Chef and I will say I like the larger cook surface. I can set half on high and the other half on a lower temp for keeping food warm or for slower cooking.

Of course the most fun is high heat and fried rice across the full cook top!

I keep mine on a covered back porch and it does get rained on some but that has not been a problem. The bigger problem is the dust that seems to blow around. I did finally get a cover which solves the problem of dust and rain.

 

[LYU370]

My concern is that the 28 doesnt get hot enough. There is a 8 inch difference in length and double the BTU's on the 36.

I get huge temp drops on the 28" when putting on meat. 200 degrees plus.

 

[unixadm]

I have a bunch of griddles. It's my favorite method of cooking things and the most fun IMO. If you want one you can use year round, look at the Waring Pro 18" 110V. It has a 3/8" thick griddle plate (good for searing, since it won't wick heat nearly as fast) and will cook better than an outdoor griddle IMO. With that said, I've had three Blackstone products:

- Blackstone 36" (rarely used)
- Blackstone 22" (HSN.com Only, use it every couple of days)
- Blackstone 17" (gave it to my parents)

My go-to is the 22" I got about a month ago connected to a regular propane tank. It heats up much faster than the 36", has plenty of room to cook for 3-4 people and the reverse grease trap actually works pretty nicely.

The 17" was a bit small but it sure would be great for camping or cooking for two people. The 36" works great, but the grease trough is too small IMO. It also liked to drip grease on the ground, so I welded a 1" nipple onto the drip hole to ensure grease was directed into the grease tray.

Bigger isn't always better if you want to cook quickly and cleanup more easily. I think the 22" is the most versatile for an average evening cook. If you have a really big family or like to cook really large volumes of food, I'd go with a 30-36" griddle. If I had to compare Camp Chef's offering or Blackstone today, I'd buy the Camp Chef (which is out of stock everywhere right now). If anyone has a outdoor stove, the dual burner Camp Chef griddle top is awesome. I have one of those too and it's my go-to camping setup on my four burner outdoor stove.

Butcher's BBQ butter oils (regular and chipotle) are great to cook with, as is House of Tsang Stir Fry Oil.

Happy Griddling!

 

[AZRaptor]

Just me here and I went for the 36". Picked it up when they were on sale for around 240., with free shipping.
Sometimes I wish it had more room! I love the thing. Bought one for my best friend for Christmas and bought another one as a wedding gift.

I just received a hard cover for mine. It sits on my deck and is not protected from rain. I use the soft, Blackstone cover but it's not water proof. Hoping this hard cover will help keep the griddle dry.

I like the hard top Cowgirl, looking forward to hearing how it does. I found out the hard way the Blackstone cover is waterproof. Just picked up some grill stones to clean the cooktop up, now I just need to find the time.

 

[WareZdaBeef]

I get huge temp drops on the 28" when putting on meat. 200 degrees plus.

Ahh, thanks, thats a huge deal breaker. If i do get one, its going to be the 36 if i can only find a good sale.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Thanks, this thread has been very educational.

I'm probably going to opt for the 36 as well, since one of the main uses will be for taco's and I'll definitely be able to warm up a boatload of tortillas to serve all at one time, instead of my present method with a skillet where I need to warm tortillas for 10 minutes of continuous warming, in which I never am able to sit down and eat with anyone else.

Thanks,

 

[Bill-Chicago]

I just received a hard cover for mine. It sits on my deck and is not protected from rain. I use the soft, Blackstone cover but it's not water proof. Hoping this hard cover will help keep the griddle dry.

Can these be purchased, or is this a custom job?

 

[EricD]

Can these be purchased, or is this a custom job?

There is a "Blackstone Griddle Owners" Facebook group that one of the members is currently taking orders (I believe) for custom made hard covers. I think he is doing all sizes too.

 

[cowgirl]

Can these be purchased, or is this a custom job?

This one came from Backyard Life Gear.
https://backyardlifegear.com/
I like it ok and think it's going to work out well. There are burn marks and divots on the top where the brackets were welded to the stainless top. I know stainless is a pain to work with, but if you're wanting the cover to be blemish- free, it's not.
Also it was shipped, wrapped in cardboard...no protection on the stainless top, so there are other surface marks that won't come out.
I'm ok with it. Just a heads up!
Most stainless cookers or gear that I've received in the past were wrapped to protect the surface ... plastic, bubble wrap, etc..

There is a "Blackstone Griddle Owners" Facebook group that one of the members is currently taking orders (I believe) for custom made hard covers. I think he is doing all sizes too.

I haven't checked out that Facebook page yet. Just the Blackstone Facebook page. I need to do that!

 

[WareZdaBeef]

This one came from Backyard Life Gear.
https://backyardlifegear.com/
I like it ok and think it's going to work out well. There are burn marks and divots on the top where the brackets were welded to the stainless top. I know stainless is a pain to work with, but if you're wanting the cover to be blemish- free, it's not.
Also it was shipped, wrapped in cardboard...no protection on the stainless top, so there are other surface marks that won't come out.
I'm ok with it. Just a heads up!
Most stainless cookers or gear that I've received in the past were wrapped to protect the surface ... plastic, bubble wrap, etc..

I haven't checked out that Facebook page yet. Just the Blackstone Facebook page. I need to do that!

Holy cow, those covers cost almost the same as the 28 inch model. I think i will use a leaf bag!

 

[txsmkmstr]

Holy cow, those covers cost almost the same as the 28 inch model. I think i will use a leaf bag!

:clap: That's what I'm currently using - along with 9 or 10 binder clips. Still on the sniff for a more permanent cover of some sort.

 

[WareZdaBeef]

:clap: That's what I'm currently using - along with 9 or 10 binder clips. Still on the sniff for a more permanent cover of some sort.

Wife bought me the 36 for my bday tommorow. Just got done putting it together. The leaf bag worked great. Only cost me about 10 cents for a waterproof cover!