The griddle was invented back in 2005 and was meant to be used in restaurants and in domestic households.
Those were for people who wanted to cook their steaks and burgers, but with a little less smoke, heat, and grease.
An old-fashioned grill definitely has its place in a quintessential American household. And there’s no denying its charm, especially the smoky, juicy flavor and the grill marks seared deep into the steak.
However, it does emit a lot of heat and there is always a chance of an accident.
A griddle on the other hand, because of it’s flat-top cooking surface (instead of steel bars), is much safer and emits considerably less smoke and heat. You don’t even need to clear the area near the stove while cooking.
A griddle also uses less heat, cooks faster and most importantly, cooks much more evenly.
So, if you want to try something new, or just add to your outdoor cooking arsenal, here’s a review of the Blackstone 28-inch, 2 burner griddle station.
Blackstone Griddle Review - What makes it worth buying?
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1. LARGE COOKING SPACE
The 28-inch griddle has dimensions of 28.5″ x 16.5, allowing for a net 470 sq inches of total cooking space. That’s more than enough space to entertain all of your friends and cook them up a whole large batch of burgers.
It’s not just burger patties though. The large cooking space ensures you can cook anything from eggs to pancakes to quesadillas and plenty more. Cook up a large serving of food all at once.
2. DUAL PROPANE BURNERS
This griddle is equipped with two separate burners with a max heat of 15,000 BTU. The dual burners divide the cooking space into two separate areas.
Thus, you can cook steaks on one side on maximum heat while you broil potatoes and eggs on a much lower flame right beside it. This functionality lets you cook multiple types of food at once.
3. UNIFORM QUICK COOKING
The primary reason, you want to get a griddle burner is that it cooks uniformly and it cooks fast. The single flat surface means heat is evenly distributed and not concentrated on grill bars.
The cooking surface is made of non-stick black powder steel which cooks the meat on top of the fat without the fat sticking to the surface. The cold-rolled steel construction is great at retaining heat and then distributing it evenly.
In fact, if you cook on high flame, there is no way your food will take more than 15 mins to cook. Just make sure you turn your steaks every now and then.
4. AUTOMATIC IGNITION
Most accidents while cooking on a grill occur when you’re loading up the charcoal, dousing it in kerosene and then tossing matches into it. And then if there’s wind, which is highly likely because you’re outdoors, the grill might never startup.
With this griddle, you don’t need to worry about all that as you get an automatic ignition system. Simply push a button and it turns the burner on. No flammables, no matches, just a battery that powers the switch. All you have to do is connect a propane tank to the griddle and that’s it.
5. PLENTY OF USEFUL ACCESSORIES
This griddle burner comes with plenty of accessories, the most useful of which is a side table. You can use this side table to chop up vegetables or cut your meat. Or you can just use it to keep the mayo and barbecue sauce.
It also has a bottom shelf which is just as wide as the cooktop above. You can use this bottom shelf to store plated for all your friends. Or if you’re cooking multiple rounds, you can use the bottom shelf to store the yet-to-be-cooked steaks and patties.
There’s another compartment on the other side where you can hang paper towels as well. All these accessories let you cook in peace without having to bring the whole kitchen outside.
6. DURABILITY
The second you unbox and start assembling this griddle, you’ll get to see how durable it is. Accidents may happen and if they do, the robust black steel frame will ensure that no harm comes to the frame. It’s also rust-proof, which means you get to use the griddle for a large number of summers.
The cooktop itself is made of super high-quality steel which is welded in place, so no matter how hot the fire underneath it gets, the steel surface will not warp or melt.
7. EASY TO TRANSPORT
Another great feature about this cooktop is that it is very easy to assemble and move around. It has 2 wheels below it, foldable legs and a removable griddle top.
This means you can dismantle it in your backyard, put it in the car, take it to the campsite and then assemble it again. The whole process is incredibly simple.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER?
1. Grease Disposal
The grease generated during cooking is channeled through a trough at the back, into a grease trap. However, a common problem people face with this grill is that the cooktop is totally flat and doesn’t have the angular elevation necessary to direct the grease into the trap. Thus, the grease sometimes falls outside of the grease trap.
This isn’t a problem during cooking though, and afterward, you can just use some paper towels to clean it up. In the newer models, however, this problem has been fixed.
2. Oil Splatter in the Back
The oil can splatter at the back while cooking at high heat. So if you have a wall right behind the griddle, it might get stained with oil and fat.
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FINAL THOUGHTS
Well, there you have it. That’s our review of the 28-inch Blackstone Griddle. There’s a 36-inch model available as well, which has 4 instead of 2 propane burners. However, for most households, that’s a bit overkill unless you have a huge party planned.
As you can see from our review above, as far as griddles go, it doesn’t get much better than Blackstone and purchasing this model is a very safe bet. However, if you’re the kind who likes the smoky flavor and grill marks on a well-cooked steak, this product is not for you.
But if you value uniform cooking and perfectly juicy patties and steaks, you could definitely give this griddle a shot.