Blackstone Grills

[femurphy77]

Been thinking about a griddle type grill lately and looking at Blackstones but there seems to be a lot of used ones out there. Are they worth it? Is there an inherent problem with them? I love griddle cooking outside because there's less mess to clean up. Some of the best food we've ever had was cooked outside on our tiny little Thermos brand Fire and Ice grill.



It's meant more for camping and has a very limited cooking area and due to the compactness of everything and the smallish burner it doesn't take much to keep it from heating up sufficiently if the wind is blowing.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Paging @Mgderf

 

[Rookie]

@phylodog

 

[jagee]

My neighbors have one and love it. I take food over for them to cook occasionally and it always turns out tasty.

 

[nucular]

I know it's not directly what you are asking about but I have the small electric Blackstone griddle and I use it several times per day, almost every single day. It has been great.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

My neighbors have one and love it. I take food over for them to cook occasionally and it always turns out tasty.

Wait, you can do that? Just take food to your neighbors and make them cook for you? I think I need better neighbors.

 

[rob63]

I have a brother-in-law that has one and he loves it. He cooked for us once and I was impressed with it. I don't have one because we rarely entertain, so no real reason to have a giant griddle.

 

[El Conquistador]

I have had on for a couple of years now and have never had a problem with it. I love cooking on it, for breakfast i can cook a entire meal for 10 people on it. I don’t think i will ever go back to a gas grill.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I have a brother-in-law that has one and he loves it. He cooked for us once and I was impressed with it. I don't have one because we rarely entertain, so no real reason to have a giant griddle.

I assume they're propane-fueled? There have been several times that I wished I had a griddle in the kitchen for making multiple grilled sammiches like Reubens, or maybe a batch of French toast or pancakes for the grand kids. I could probably get by with an electric griddle for that, but I just don't have a lot of counter space or storage space for one.

 

[rob63]

I assume they're propane-fueled? There have been several times that I wished I had a griddle in the kitchen for making multiple grilled sammiches like Reubens, or maybe a batch of French toast or pancakes for the grand kids. I could probably get by with an electric griddle for that, but I just don't have a lot of counter space or storage space for one.

Yes, propane. Imagine something just like a gas grill like you normally use outside, but the cooking surface is a flat griddle instead of a grill.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Yes, propane. Imagine something just like a gas grill like you normally use outside, but the cooking surface is a flat griddle instead of a grill.

Thanks! I've seen the commercials for them, but didn't pay close enough attention to how they were fueled (propane vs. pellets, etc.). When I worked for TGI Fridays, we would have called that a "flat top".

 

[COOPADUP]

Used one to cook on just this week. A friend of mine has one he packs in his camper.
I grilled up potatoes and onions and zucchini wheels. Just a little oil on it and seasoning and things brown up nicely.
My friend did smash burgers last night and they were fantastic.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

Yes, similar to a flattop but not up to commercial standards. I have a 36" for home and a 22" for camping. They are nice for what they do and can cook a lot of food at once, but I'm not getting rid of my charcoal grill any time soon. I have been happy with mine, though.

 

[target64]

I assume they're propane-fueled? There have been several times that I wished I had a griddle in the kitchen for making multiple grilled sammiches like Reubens, or maybe a batch of French toast or pancakes for the grand kids. I could probably get by with an electric griddle for that, but I just don't have a lot of counter space or storage space for one.

Actually you can also get a version in electric. But they are $329, lol
The kids have a propane version and enjoy it.

 

[rooster]

I’ve got a 4 burner cabelas brand and I love it. Best money I’ve spent in a long time. Also since all the heat of cooking is outside it’s really helped the AC in the evenings this summer, not to mention how easy cleanup is.

 

[jagee]

Wait, you can do that? Just take food to your neighbors and make them cook for you? I think I need better neighbors.

Yes. Yes, i can. They also bring me stuff to smoke on the big green egg (that belongs to my grandpa but lives at my house).

During 2020 when you couldn't do anything else, we'd hang out in their garage bar almost daily. Now, it's once or twice a week but still a good time! Pic is from when we lost power in the neighborhood, so we turned on all of the battery lights and kept drinking!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Yes. Yes, i can. They also bring me stuff to smoke on the big green egg (that belongs to my grandpa but lives at my house).

During 2020 when you couldn't do anything else, we'd hang out in their garage bar almost daily. Now, it's once or twice a week but still a good time! Pic is from when we lost power in the neighborhood, so we turned on all of the battery lights and kept drinking!

View attachment 224610

I've basically got "The Waltons" on one side (excellent people) and a couple on the other side that I get along with, but DoggyMama doesn't like the wife because of a conflict that happened shortly after we moved in in 2006. It was silly. But she (the next door wife) can be kinda bitchy. But so can DoggyMama.

 

[Mgderf]

Been thinking about a griddle type grill lately and looking at Blackstones but there seems to be a lot of used ones out there. Are they worth it? Is there an inherent problem with them? I love griddle cooking outside because there's less mess to clean up. Some of the best food we've ever had was cooked outside on our tiny little Thermos brand Fire and Ice grill.

View attachment 224596

It's meant more for camping and has a very limited cooking area and due to the compactness of everything and the smallish burner it doesn't take much to keep it from heating up sufficiently if the wind is blowing.

Here you go.
Small one is a Blackstone (225 sq/ in), the larger is a Flatiron(775sq/ in)
I would rate them as equal in quality.
Both propane.
Are they worth the money?
A definitive YES!

I bought both of mine a few years ago, and prices have risen.
The small Blackstone now runs about $129.
The larger Flatiron is now about $350.

The small Blackstone has a single burner.
It cooks well, but can struggle in high winds.
The larger Flatiron has 4 independent burners and it doesn't struggle at all.
I can cook steaks at high temp, hash browns at medium temp, and eggs at low temp, all at the same time, on the same griddle.

I still think the two are some of the best purchases I've ever made.

 

[NyleRN]

They're definitely worth it. I have the 36" Blackstone. Use it a lot. There's so much stuff you can do on it. I've seared steaks, made breakfast, made quesadillas, smash burgers, sausage peppers onions mushrooms, Chinese/Japanese rice, whole salmon filets, patty melts and probably other things I'm forgetting

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Here you go.
Small one is a Blackstone (225 sq/ in), the larger is a Flatiron(775sq/ in)
I would rate them as equal in quality.
Both propane.
Are they worth the money?
A definitive YES!

I bought both of mine a few years ago, and prices have risen.
The small Blackstone now runs about $129.
The larger Flatiron is now about $350.

The small Blackstone has a single burner.
It cooks well, but can struggle in high winds.
The larger Flatiron has 4 independent burners and it doesn't struggle at all.
I can cook steaks at high temp, hash browns at medium temp, and eggs at low temp, all at the same time, on the same griddle.

I still think the two are some of the best purchases I've ever made.

I'd want the bigger one for sure. So how do you clean them? Do you use the old "griddle block" like back in the restaurant days?