Blackstone 22 Tabletop Griddle vs a Camp Chef Flat Top

If you're trying to decide between the Blackstone 22-inch tabletop griddle and a Camp Chef flat top, I can help you settle it. I've cooked on the Blackstone for two years, and I've used a friend's Camp Chef at a neighborhood cookout. Both of them make a mean smash burger. But they are not the same tool, and the right choice depends on how you actually cook.

The Blackstone 22 is the one I reach for every weekend. It lives on my back patio, and it goes camping with us a few times a year. The Camp Chef is a bigger, heavier machine that's better suited to a permanent spot on a deck or in an outdoor kitchen. Here's the honest breakdown.

	Blackstone 22 Tabletop	Camp Chef Flat Top
Cooking Surface	361 square inches, enough for 14 burgers or 10 pancakes	More cooking space on most models, so you can feed a bigger crowd
Portability	25.3 pounds, tabletop size, fits on a prep table or camp table	Heavier, often needs a stand or cart
Heat Control	Two independently controlled H-shaped burners for even heat	Independent burners on most models, though layouts vary
Cleanup	Smooth carbon steel top scrapes clean in minutes	Same style of cooking surface, same easy cleanup
Best For	Campers, tailgaters, small patios	Home cooks who need maximum surface area

Where Blackstone Wins

The Blackstone 22 wins on portability, and that's not a small thing. At 25.3 pounds, I can carry it with one hand. It fits on my fold-out prep table, and when I'm done, it goes on a shelf in the garage. The dimensions are 22.44 inches deep, 22.87 inches wide, and 9.8 inches high, which means it takes up less room than a large cooler. If you want a griddle that can move from the patio to the campsite to the tailgate, this is the one.

The independent burners are the other big win. The two H-shaped burners let me run the left side hot for bacon while the right side stays low for eggs. That kind of control is what separates a griddle from a fancy hot plate. The carbon steel top distributes heat evenly, and the listed 24,000 watts gives you plenty of power to sear a steak or cook up a batch of onions and peppers. Plus, the 1-year warranty from North Atlantic Imports gives you a little peace of mind.

Where Camp Chef Wins

Camp Chef flat tops earn their keep when you need serious cooking surface. Most of the models I've seen are built on a larger scale, with enough room to cook for a crowd without working in shifts. If you regularly feed a dozen people or more, that extra space is the difference between cooking one batch and three. The Blackstone's 361 square inches is plenty for a family of four, but it gets cozy when the whole neighborhood shows up.

The Camp Chef is also a more permanent piece of gear. It's designed to sit on a stand or cart, so it's stable and ready to go whenever you are. That's a real advantage if you have a dedicated spot on your deck. The tradeoff is that you're not moving it around. It's a destination, not a travel companion. For some people, that's exactly what they want.

How I've Used the Blackstone 22

I've owned the Blackstone 22 for two years, and it has become the most used piece of cooking equipment on my patio. On a typical Sunday, I'll fire it up at 8 a.m. and cook breakfast for Carol and me, and if the kids are over, I'll add a dozen pancakes and a pound of bacon. The 361 square inches of cooking surface is enough for four people without feeling crowded, and the two burners let me keep the bacon on one side and the eggs on the other. By the time breakfast is done, the griddle has already earned its spot on the prep table.

Later in the day, I'll often use it again for lunch or dinner. Smash burgers are the obvious choice, but I've also done Philly cheesesteaks, grilled vegetables, quesadillas, and even a batch of stir fry. The carbon steel top gets hot enough to sear, and the even heat means I don't have to rotate food around to find a hot spot. It's the kind of versatility that makes you wonder why you ever cooked on a regular grill.

The portability is a bigger deal than I expected. We take the Blackstone camping at least three or four times a year, and it rides in the back of the truck without any special packing. It's also easy to bring to a tailgate or a friend's house. I've even used it on a picnic table at a park. The 25.3 pound weight is manageable, and the compact dimensions mean it doesn't take up much room in the truck bed.

Comparing Heat Output and Burner Layout

Heat output is one of those specs that looks good on paper but matters in practice. The Blackstone 22 lists 24,000 watts, which is plenty of power for a griddle this size. What matters more is how that heat is distributed. The two H-shaped burners are designed to spread heat evenly across the entire cooking surface. I've measured the surface with an infrared thermometer, and the temperature variation from one side to the other is minimal. That even heat is what gives you consistent browning on pancakes and a proper sear on burgers.

The Camp Chef flat top, from what I've seen, uses a different burner arrangement. It's not better or worse, just different. The important thing is that you get independent control over different zones. On the Blackstone, I can run one burner on high and the other on low, which gives me a hot zone and a warm zone at the same time. That's the feature I use the most, and it's the reason I'd choose the Blackstone over a single-burner griddle every time.

Cleaning and Maintenance

I'll be the first to admit that I used to hate cleaning grill grates. The Blackstone changed that. The smooth carbon steel surface is remarkably easy to clean. After cooking, I let the griddle cool slightly, then scrape it with a metal spatula to remove any stuck food. A squirt of water from a spray bottle and a quick wipe with a paper towel is usually all it takes. The key is to keep a thin layer of oil on the surface after cleaning, which protects the seasoning and prevents rust.

I also recommend getting a good scraper and a pair of long tongs. The scraper makes short work of burnt-on food, and the tongs keep your hands away from the heat. I've had my Blackstone for two years, and the cooking surface still looks great. The stainless steel faceplate on the front wipes clean with a damp cloth, and the powder coated steel body has held up well to being stored outside under a cover. It's not a maintenance-free tool, but it's close.

Two H-shaped burners let me run the left side hot for bacon while the right side stays low for eggs. That kind of control is what separates a griddle from a fancy hot plate.

What to Know Before You Buy

Before you buy any griddle, there are a few things worth knowing. First, you need a propane tank. The Blackstone 22 connects to a standard 20-pound tank, and it's the same hookup you use for a regular gas grill. Second, you need to season the carbon steel top before the first cook. It's not hard, but it's a step people skip, and then they wonder why their eggs stick. You heat it up, spread a thin layer of oil, let it smoke off, and repeat a couple of times.

Cleanup is easier than you think. The smooth carbon steel surface scrapes clean with a metal spatula, and a quick wipe with a paper towel is usually all it takes. I keep a spray bottle of water and a scraper near the griddle. After it cools, I give it a light coat of oil to keep the seasoning fresh. It takes five minutes, and it's the reason my griddle still looks good after two years.

You also need to think about where you'll store the propane tank. I keep mine on a small cart next to the griddle, and I use a 10-foot hose so the tank can sit off to the side. That keeps the cooking area clear and makes it easier to move the griddle if I need to. It's a small thing, but it makes a difference when you're cooking for a crowd.

Why I Chose the Blackstone for My Patio

I'll be honest, I didn't buy the Blackstone 22 because it was the biggest or the most powerful griddle on the market. I bought it because it fit my life. I cook on a covered concrete patio with a fold-out prep table. I don't have room for a permanent griddle station, and I didn't want to give up a third of my patio to a piece of equipment I'd use a few times a week. The Blackstone gives me a full cooking surface when I need it and disappears when I don't.

I also like that it's not a one-trick pony. I've made breakfast, lunch, and dinner on this thing. Pancakes and eggs in the morning, smash burgers for lunch, and fajitas for dinner. The two independent burners mean I can cook two different things at two different temperatures at the same time. That's a feature I use every single time I cook on it, and it's the reason I'd buy it again.

Who Should Buy Which

If you're a backyard cook who wants a griddle for weekends, camping trips, and the occasional tailgate, the Blackstone 22 is the right call. It's portable, easy to store, and the independent burners give you real control. If you're cooking for a crowd of twenty on a regular basis and you have a permanent spot on your deck, a Camp Chef flat top with a bigger cooking surface is worth the extra space and weight.

There's also a middle path. Some people buy the Blackstone 22 first, then add a bigger griddle later if they find themselves hosting more cookouts. That's a perfectly good plan. The Blackstone is affordable enough to be a second griddle, and it's useful enough to earn its place on the shelf. I've had mine for two years and I still use it almost every weekend.

Alternatives to Consider

If you're shopping for a griddle, the Blackstone 22 and the Camp Chef flat top aren't the only options. There are larger Blackstone models with more burners and more cooking surface, and there are smaller portable griddles from other brands. I chose the 22-inch tabletop because it hits the sweet spot between portability and cooking space. If you need more room, a full-size Blackstone with four burners might be a better fit. If you only cook for one or two, a smaller model could work.

The Camp Chef flat top is a legitimate alternative if you want a bigger cooking surface and don't need portability. It's a well-built griddle that can handle large cooks. But for my money, the Blackstone 22 gives you 90 percent of the cooking capability in a package that's a fraction of the size and weight. That's a tradeoff I'm happy to make, and it's the reason I keep coming back to it.

If you're still on the fence, think about how often you'll actually move the griddle. If the answer is "almost never," the Camp Chef's extra cooking surface might be worth the space. If you're like me and you take it camping, tailgating, and to the lake, the Blackstone's portability wins every time. I'd rather have a griddle I actually use than one that's too heavy to bring along.

The Bottom Line

The Blackstone 22-inch tabletop griddle is the better buy for most people. It's portable, versatile, and the two independent H-shaped burners make it a genuinely useful cooking tool. The Camp Chef flat top is a fine piece of equipment, but it's built for a different job. If you need maximum cooking surface and a permanent home for your griddle, go with Camp Chef. If you want a griddle you can take anywhere and cook anything on, the Blackstone is the one.

At the end of the day, I use my Blackstone more than any other piece of cooking gear I own, including my pellet smoker. It's not the biggest, and it's not the fanciest, but it's the one that makes cooking easy. That's what matters when you're standing over a hot griddle at 7 a.m. with a cup of coffee in one hand and a spatula in the other.