Blackstone 22 Tabletop Griddle Review: Long-Term Use

If you do most of your cooking on a backyard grill, you already know the problem: burgers and dogs are easy, but breakfast is a pain. Eggs fall through the grates. Pancakes stick. Bacon makes a mess. I cooked like that for years before I bought the Blackstone 22 tabletop griddle, and I wish I had made the switch sooner.

I am Hank Dorsey. I am 61, I live in Lee's Summit, Missouri, and I have been cooking outside on this concrete patio for most of my adult life. I still own my Weber kettle and I added a Z Grills pellet smoker about two years ago. The Blackstone tabletop griddle came into the house around the same time, and it gets used more than both of them combined.

How I've Used It

I have had this griddle for about two years. It lives on the fold-out prep table on my covered patio. Carol uses it for breakfast sometimes, and I use it for just about everything else. I have cooked on it at home, taken it camping, and used it for tailgating with the grandkids. It has been rained on once, knocked around in the back of my truck, and scrubbed hard after nearly every cook. It still works like the day I brought it home.

The cooking surface is 361 square inches. That is enough for 10 pancakes, 14 burgers, or 60 hot dogs at once. For a tabletop unit, that is a lot of space. I set it up on the prep table, turn the burners on high, and let it heat for about ten minutes before I put any food down. The two independently controlled H-shaped burners spread the heat evenly, so I do not have to shuffle food around to find the hot spot.

The first cook was a learning experience. I had read about seasoning the carbon steel surface, so I spent an evening heating it up, letting it cool, and wiping on a thin layer of oil. I did that three times before I ever put food on it. That sounds like a lot of work, but it is the same routine I use for my cast iron skillet, and it paid off. By the second cook, eggs were sliding around like they were on glass.

I bought this griddle about two years ago from Amazon, and it was one of those purchases I was not sure about at first. I already had a grill and a smoker. What did I need a flat top for? The answer turned out to be everything. It is the tool I reach for when I want dinner fast, when I want breakfast without a mess, and when I want to cook outside without babysitting charcoal.

What 361 Square Inches Actually Means

When I first read the box, I did not believe the numbers. 361 square inches on a tabletop griddle? But it is true. The cooking surface is about 22.44 inches deep and 22.87 inches wide, and the whole unit weighs 25.3 pounds. That weight is the tradeoff: it is light enough to carry to the truck, but heavy enough to stay put while you cook.

The real difference shows up on a Sunday morning. I can put eight strips of bacon on one side, pour six pancakes on the other, and still have room to warm the tortillas. By the time the pancakes are ready, the bacon is done and the whole kitchen smells like breakfast. On a regular grill, that same meal takes three batches and a lot of patience.

The best test I have is the burger test. I can fit 14 quarter-pound patties on this surface with room to spare. I lay them down, press them flat with a spatula, and let them cook. When they are ready, I move them to the warm side and toast the buns in the same spot. On my old grill, I was doing burgers in two batches and the first batch was cold by the time the second was done.

I have also learned to use the griddle for things I never expected. Quesadillas, grilled cheese, even a batch of fried rice on a camping trip. The flat surface does not limit you to breakfast food. Once you have it out, you start finding reasons to use it.

The Two Burners and Heat Control

The two independently controlled H-shaped burners are the reason this griddle works as well as it does. I can run one side on medium for bacon and keep the other side on low for pancakes. The H shape spreads heat across the whole surface, so I do not get a hot spot in the middle and cold edges. That has been the biggest difference between this and a cheap flat top I cooked on at a cookout years ago.

For someone who spent his working life around HVAC systems, heat control matters. I like being able to turn one side down while the other stays hot. It means I can cook a full breakfast and keep everything warm without burning anything. The burners light easily and they hold a steady temperature once they are going.

I use the controls the same way I used to set a thermostat. I think about what I am cooking and where it needs to be. Bacon goes on the hot side. Pancakes go on the cooler side. If I am cooking for the grandkids, I turn the whole thing down a little and let the food take its time. The H-shaped burners make that easy because the heat is spread across the whole surface instead of concentrated in one spot.

Cleanup and Care

The cooking surface is carbon steel, which means it needs to be seasoned like a cast iron skillet. After it cools, I scrape it with a metal spatula, wipe it down with a paper towel, and put on a thin coat of oil. The stainless steel faceplate wipes clean with a damp cloth, and the powder coated steel body has held up well through two years of use.

I use a GRILLART bristle-free brush for the final pass, because I stopped using wire bristles after reading about loose bristles ending up in food. The griddle is not hard to clean, but it is not self-cleaning either. You have to stay on top of it. If you let grease sit overnight, the next cook starts with a sticky surface.

The seasoning routine is simple once you get into the habit. After the griddle cools, I scrape off the big bits with the spatula. Then I wipe the surface with a paper towel to get the grease off. Then I put on a very thin coat of oil and let it sit until the next cook. That coat is what keeps the eggs from sticking. It takes about five minutes, and it is the difference between a griddle that gets better with age and one that rusts in the garage.

Taking It Camping and Tailgating

This griddle has been on every camping trip since I bought it. It fits on a picnic table, which is more than I can say for most of my cooking gear. I set it up, let it heat, and cook for the whole group. The compact size is the reason I chose it over a full-size griddle. For tailgating, I set it on the tailgate of my truck and cook burgers while the game is on.

The 25.3 pound weight is a small price to pay for the portability. I can carry it with one hand, and it takes up less room in the truck than a cooler. It has survived being packed and unpacked more times than I can count. That is the kind of durability I look for in outdoor gear.

Breakfast at the campsite is the best part. I set the griddle on the picnic table, fire up the burners, and cook eggs, bacon, and hash browns for the whole group. The clean flat surface catches everything that a grill would lose between the grates. When breakfast is over, I scrape it down, let it cool, and pack it back in the truck. The whole routine takes less time than it used to take me to set up the old grill.

What I Would Change

It is not a smoker. You will not get barbecue flavor from a flat top, and you should not try. I still use my Weber kettle and my Z Grills pellet smoker for low and slow cooking. The Blackstone is for the food that used to fall through the grates. It does that job better than anything else I have used.

The learning curve is real. You have to season the surface before the first cook, and you have to learn how the burners respond to the controls. It took me a few cooks to get eggs to slide instead of stick. Once I figured it out, it became second nature. But if you expect it to work perfectly on day one, you will be disappointed.

The other thing I would mention is the warranty. Blackstone offers a one-year warranty on most of their products, and that is short for something I use every week. I have not needed to use it, but I wish it covered more ground. If you buy one, keep the receipt and register it as soon as you open the box.

I also wish the surface were a little larger for the rare times I cook for a big crowd. But that is me being greedy. The 22-inch size is the reason it is portable, and portability is the reason it gets used. If I need more space, I can always use the Weber kettle for part of the meal.

The other honest note is that the first few cooks will test your patience. Carbon steel needs to be seasoned, and the burners take a minute to learn. Stick with it. Once the surface is seasoned and you know where the heat lands, this griddle becomes the easiest tool on the patio.

At the end of the day, this griddle earns its spot because it gets used. It is not the fanciest piece of gear on the patio, but it is the one I reach for when I want to feed people without a lot of fuss. If that sounds like what you need, it is worth a close look.

I cooked 14 burgers on that 361 square inches and still had room to toast the buns. That is the whole point of a flat top.

Who This Is For

If you cook breakfast on the weekends, feed a family, camp, tailgate, or want a second cooking surface that does not require charcoal or pellets, this griddle is for you. It is especially good for people who are tired of eggs falling through grill grates. If you want to cook more food in less time without buying a bigger grill, the Blackstone 22 tabletop griddle is a smart addition to your patio.

Who Should Skip It

If you only cook low and slow barbecue, skip it. A flat top will not give you smoke flavor, and you will be disappointed. If you have no place to store a 25.3 pound griddle, or if you want a full-size outdoor kitchen station, this tabletop model will feel small. The Blackstone is a tool, not a hobby. It earns its place by being used, and it will not replace your smoker.