Tailgating can be fun, until it’s not. With any outdoor experience, you need all your equipment and gadgets working for you to make your life easier, so you can focus on having a hell of a time with the crew. Nothing beats beers, burgers and balling than a good grill to go along with that. So maybe you landed here at Simply Tailgating while searching for Blackstone 36” Griddle Reviews to know whether it’s a worthy buy.

Well, feel free to end your probe here, because we have the good, the bad and the ugly in our unbiased Blackstone 36” Griddle review.

 

About the Blackstone Products Griddle

• Company Name: Blackstone Products, LLC
• URL: BlackstoneProducts.com
• Address: 513 W 2500 N. Logan, UT 84341
• Business Management: Family Owned

Blackstone Products, LLC found at BlackStoneProducts.com is a Utah-based company founded in 2005. They are currently headquartered at 513 W 2500 N. Logan, UT 84341. They’re known for selling various griddles, grills, ovens, accessories, apparel and replacement parts.

But in this article we’re focused on the Blackstone 36” Griddle.

 

Blackstone 36” Griddle Features

• Fuel Source: Propane
• Cooking Capacity: 720 Sq. In.
• Burners: 4; 15,000 BTUs Each
• Construction: Powder Coated Steel
• Elevation: Standup
• Size & Weight: 36”W x 20”L, 20lbs
• Assembly: Required

The Blackstone 36” Griddle combines utility in construction with powerful combustion for a truly impressive grilling experience. But is this grill really that special? Let’s look at some of its features.

60,000 BTUs of heat from four burners

Each steel burner carries 15,000 BTUs of heat with the far-left burner acting as the igniter for the other three burners.

720 sq. inch cooking surface

I hate having to grill in batches, I prefer laying everything on the table. So with the Blackstone 36” Griddle, you get 720 square inches of cooking surface featuring a cold-rolled 7-gauge steel griddle top. That is more or less enough space to feed a small party of tailgaters.

4 adjustable heat controls with a built-in igniter

The four heat control knobs and a built-in igniter make it easier to control the heat without much effort.

Powder-coated steel frame with commercial caster wheels

A powder-coated steel frame sums up this griddle’s features, with wheels to support portability.

 

Other features to note

• Rear Grease Management System
• Propane Tank Fasteners
• Side Shelf and Tray for serving meals and storing goods
• A Bottom Utility Shelf
• A Propane Tank

 

Blackstone 36” Griddle Cleaning & Maintenance

When you’re tailgating the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time cleaning and you want your grill to last for many seasons. So how does the Blackstone 36” griddle stack up in terms of cleaning and maintenance?

Before using a new griddle

Use soap and water to give the entire grill a thorough shower. Then, wipe off the water with a towel and let it dry completely.

Cleaning the griddle after use

While the griddle is still warm, pour some water on the cooktop to make it easier to scrape off food residue. Wipe it down with paper towel, and season with vegetable oil to avoid rust.

Maintenance

Maintaining your griddle is all about seasoning it with vegetable oil, it’s that easy guys! When you’re ready to store it away, apply a generous amount of vegetable oil after cleaning it. Then, cover it with a griddle cover. You can get these on Amazon.com for as little as $20 if you don’t already have one. Always cover your griddle after every use, especially while out tailgating to protect it against extreme weather. You can read more on cleaning and maintenance here.

 

Blackstone 36” Griddle Portability

When fully assembled the Blackstone 36” griddle measures 36” x 20” weighing roughly 20 pounds when packed. It folds into a 40” x 28” box, so it’s tailgate-friendly.

The commercial caster wheels make moving the assembled grill a one-person job. To assemble it, just unfold the legs, insert the cross bar, attach the thumb screws and set the griddle on top.

 

Blackstone 36” Griddle Warranty

They claim you get a full year warranty on your Blackstone griddle, with a 30-day money-back guarantee against any manufacturer and workmanship defect. But you’ll have to pay for return shipping if you’re just not feeling convinced with your purchase. However this may not be the case if you purchase this grill from Amazon.com.

 

Blackstone 36” Griddle Accessories

There’s always something extra you can add to your griddle to make your experience with it even more worthwhile. Well, here’s what inside the Blackstone griddle accessory toolkit if you feel like stepping up your barbecuing game.

• 2 Commercial grade spatulas, one with fancy-looking perforation styling
• 2 Commercial grade dispensers for any liquid of your choice
• 1 Chopper/scraper to dice foods or scrape griddle clean
• A custom cookbook sampling 34 popular Blackstone recipes

You may want to consider adding the carry bag and cover if you’re a heavy tailgater. Besides protecting your valued purchase, you can always cover it overnight instead of dismantling.

 

Blackstone 36” Griddle Replacement Parts

Just like any other piece of machinery, wear and tear is normal. Some units of the griddle may need to be replaced at some point to ensure continued use, including:

• The regulator
• Cooktop
• Igniter wires
• Side shelves
• Burner tube
• Gas rail and more…

With the Blackstone Griddle, they made it as portable as possible, making almost every other part replaceable. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it the tender love and care it deserves.

 

Blackstone 36” Griddle Cost

Depending on where you’re buying, this unit may set you back $250-$300 on average. You can get it straight off the manufacturer’s website. But in comparison, Amazon.com is clearly the better option for the best price and the advantage of FREE 2-3 day shipping if you’re a prime member.

 

What Do We Like?

There are a few outstanding features that make the Blackstone Griddle special. Take a look and let us know if you agree on the comments section at the end of this review!

It’s truly portable and lightweight

I don’t think an extra 20lbs in the trunk would make much difference. Foldable legs also means it can fit in tiny spaces, making it one of the most portable griddles around.

Spacious cooktop

A 720 sq. in. cooktop is enough to fit close to 30 hamburgers, over 15 steaks and 70+ hot dogs. That means you can easily grease up a party of 20 tailgating revelers.

 

Blackstone 36” Griddle Complaints

In a perfect world you would expect your grill to work like a dream. But this is no perfect world people. So here are a couple of complaints we thought you should know about.

The frame dents easily

Some customers have complained that the frame of the griddle could be a little stronger, especially where the knobs are attached. There’s just too much flex making the knobs feel loosely attached to the unit. But maybe a stronger frame would mean a heavier griddle.

It becomes difficult to use when it’s windy outside

Another issue with this grill is that when it’s windy outside, the fire goes out too easily, especially when cooking on low heat. Customers feel that the wind cover shouldn’t be sold separately. It should have been included.

Near non-existent customer support

Several customers who ran into problems with their purchase pointed out that they had to struggle to get some type of response from customer service. This is another reason why you are probably better off buying this grill from Amazon.com. They don’t give you the run around when it comes to issues with your purchases.

 

Should you buy the Blackstone 36” Griddle?

This griddle deserves a medal for portability. It may suffer a few dents in its lifetime, but that’s just because it was built for the road. The parts are easy to assemble and you can replace almost every other component. You may want to buy the wind guard though. All the same, I would certainly tailgate with the Blackstone 36” Griddle. You can buy it on Amazon.com and get 2-3 day Free shipping if you’re a Prime member. If you have more questions about the product, you can find answers on the product’s Amazon page.

What’s Hot

• Lightweight – 20lbs
• Fold up legs with commercial-grade wheels
• Removable everything
• 60,000 BTUs heating up a 720 sq. in. cooktop

What’s Not

• Unreliable customer service
• Fragile griddle frame

So that’s about it from me about the Blackstone 36″ Griddle. Do you have an experience with this or any other tailgating grill out there? Feel free to share your thoughts on the comments section below!

Chris