There are many foods one can cook on a griddle that a grill…
…cannot such as burgers, steaks, and chicken, in addition to…
…some foods one cannot cook on a grill such as bacon, eggs…
…and pancakes.
A propane tank powers the gas burners on the cooking surface.
The following guide examines the attributes to look at…
…for when shopping for a gas griddle, as well as some of the top…
…models.
Here are a few words from Danny before we get started…
The grill I have set up outside my kitchen balcony allows me to cook…
…in most weather conditions, and I also keep my kitchen clean largely…
…because of the natural gas connection, I have outside.
I have used it for cooking a lot, and I would definitely recommend it to…
…my friends!
Now let’s get started…
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Outdoor Griddle
A griddle’s cooking surface size is an important consideration…
…when shopping for an outdoor griddle…
…but other features matter as well, including the number of burners…
…the material of the cooking surface, and portability.
Find out more about these and other features…
…of outdoor griddles in the following sections.
Size and Number of Burners
A griddle’s size determines how many burgers…
…grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, or other…
…foods one can cook on it at one time.
Midsize and small griddles measure 200 to 300 square…
…inches which are sufficient for cooking a meal for two to…
…four people.
Larger griddles can reach up to 750 square inches, which is…
…sufficient for cooking a meal for eight or more people.
A griddle needs an adequate number of burners to heat its…
…surface area.
Material
If you are shopping for a griddle, you need to pay attention to the…
…griddle surface.
In addition to being durable, rolled steel and stainless steel won’t rust…
…or corrode making them ideal for outdoor use.
Cast iron is another great option. One of the most durable surfaces, it gets…
…seasoned as it is used adding flavor to the food as it cooks.
However, cast iron requires more care to avoid rusting.
Although this makes them easier to use, they are less durable than other…
…materials.
Keep reading…
Design
As well as providing a large cooking space many griddles have…
…features that make cooking or transporting easier.
Shelf space below the griddle is ideal for storing grill tools…
…plates, spices, and other cooking needs.
In addition to providing space for prepping the food before it’s…
…placed on the griddle, stand-alone griddles have side tables…
…for settling the food when it’s finished cooking.
Go on…
Griddles lack the open slats that allow meat juices to drain off…
…so they have drain holes on the cooking surface that lead to a…
…removable drip tray to catch grease.
Campers and tailgaters often use griddles on camping trips…
…for cookouts in parks, or for tailgating; many are designed to…
…be portable.
Folding legs make them easy to pack, while wheels allow the chef…
…to move them to a deck or patio.
Temperature Control and Ease of Use
A gas griddle has controls similar to a gas grill or even a gas range.
With these controls, the user can set the flame height by turning…
…round knobs.
A four-burner griddle will have four control knobs, one for each burner.
With the multi-burner design, the chef can create different cooking zones…
…on the surface of the griddle. To make the griddle easier to use, most come…
…with electric or piezo ignitions that ignite the griddle with a spark, eliminating…
…the need to use a match or lighter.
“It’s important to remember that one BTU will increase the heat of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit, and a domestic stove produces about 7,000 BTUs per burner.”
James Curtis – Writer at Little Grill
Maintenance
It is important to clean a griddle regularly in order to ensure…
…that it is cooking evenly and that food does not stick.
Griddles need to be wiped down with paper towels…
…after scraping the surface clean with a metal spatula, scraper…
…or scouring pad.
Griddles with nonstick surfaces should be handled more carefully…
…to prevent scratching and damaging the coating.
To protect a grill or griddle from the elements, it’s a good idea to…
…buy a cover for it if it’ll live outside.
Portability
Griddles are popular cooking appliances to take to a campsite…
…park cookout or tailgate event, so many have been designed…
…to be portable.
Gas griddles that are portable either consist of freestanding models…
…with legs that fold into the body or tabletop models that are compact…
…and lightweight.
Griddles that weigh 100 pounds or more may not be portable but many…
…feature sturdy casters that make them easy…
…to maneuver around a deck or patio.
Here’s the main part…
Our Top Picks for Outdoor Griddles
Blackstone 28″ Flat Top Gas Grill Griddle
- RESTAURANT STYLE COOKING - With 470sq inches of flat top grilling, This griddle is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cook eggs, pancakes, Quesadillas, grilled cheese, steak, Potatoes, Teppanyaki style foods and more. Also enjoy a bottom shelf and two side shelves for food storage and prep
After seasoning the griddle/grill, I’ve only had a few opportunities to use it…
…but I must say I’m very impressed. The cook is even and has excellent…
…temperature control. The surface temperature was within 35 degrees edge…
…to edge on a very windy day (gusts to 25mph) with it set on medium-high.
The only other concern I had was that the steel would warp, but Blackstone…
…uses high-grade, well-tempered steel, and there was no evidence of warping…
…at any temperature. I had read in many reviews that oil ran down the leg from…
…the drip rail, but Blackstone has fixed that because the oil still drips into the oil…
…cup even though my patio floor tilts slightly to the left.
Product Specs
- Cooking Surface: 470 square inches
- Burners: Four 12,000 BTU
- Type: Freestanding
Pros
- Room for storage
- Broad cooking surface
- Interchangeable grates convert it into a grill
Cons
- 12,000 BTU burners are not as powerful as other top models
- Nonstick cooking surface versus rolled steel or stainless steel
Blackstone 1984 Original 36 Inch Griddle
- BE THE ULTIMATE ENTERTAINER with Blackstone Original 36 Large Griddle Station. It is large enough to handle most meals and allows you to create greasy-spoon staples like pancakes, bacon and other foods in your next outdoor cooking parties and get to gathers.
Assembly took about 10 minutes, and I’m impressed with the quality…
…of the materials; it’s very sturdy, and the wheels make it very easy…
…to move around. Before cooking, I followed the seasoning instructions…
…and applied about 5 layers of seasoning until the grilling surface turned…
…black. The food was delicious, and cleanup was a breeze. I much prefer…
…cleaning this to cleaning my old gas grill, which took an hour.
People who complain about rust are failing to follow instructions and take…
…precautions to protect their grill.
Product Specs
- Cooking Surface: 768 square inches
- Burners: Four 15,000 BTU
- Type: Freestanding
Pros
- A total of 60,000 BTUs of cooking power
- Ample 768 square inches of cooking space
- Durable steel construction
Cons
- Pricey compared to other outdoor griddles
- Large size and heavy weight make it harder to move
Royal Gourmet Propane Gas Grill and Griddle Combo
- Combination of gas grill and griddle with two individual cooking zones | Easy assembly required
What is better, a gas griddle or a grill? Would both be better?
Royal Gourmet’s propane combination model has two cooking…
…surfaces that can be used simultaneously: a griddle and a grill.
The grill works perfectly as intended, and the griddle is fantastic as well. The combination of grill and griddle allows for a plethora of additional food preparation and cooking ideas. I’m probably going to get another one for the house. The heat distribution is excellent, and it adjusts easily. It heats up quickly and is ready to use much faster than our previous grills.
Product Specs
- Cooking Surface: 292 square inches each
- Burners: Four 12,000 BTU burners
- Type: Standalone
Pros
- Grill and griddle combo adds versatility
- Foldable legs for transport
- Ample cooking space
Cons
- Burners not as powerful as other models
- No storage tray under the grill
Go on…
Cuisinart CGG-0036 4-Burner Gas Griddle
- COOKING SPACE: The griddle features a cold-rolled steel cooking surface that provides 760 square inches of cooking space
So far, it’s been very simple to put together; the instructions were clear…
…and it took me about 28 minutes. Seasoning the griddle proved difficult…
…because the instructions state to wash with soapy water before heating…
…(with oil) to remove the shipping oil. However, this was not an easy task…
…because the oil was tacky and did not come off easily with soap or a sponge…
…additionally, the instructions state not to use Dawn liquid soap (too late).
Product Specs
- Cooking Surface: 760 square inches each
- Burners: Four 15,000 BTU burners
- Type: Standalone or tabletop
Pros
- Foldable legs add versatility
- 60,000 BTUs of cooking power
- Large side tables and an under-griddle shelf
Cons
- There are a few issues with heating
- Plastic as opposed to metal control knobs
Country Smokers The Highland Portable Griddle
Fantastic griddle for the price. The only odd thing is that the grease drain…
…occasionally clogs.
This griddle from Country Smokers offers ample cooking space…
…at a budget price that’s just a fraction of other similar sizes griddles.
With a heavy-gauge stainless steel top that resists rust and corrosion…
…the griddle can be taken on the road for tailgating or camping.
There are no side tables or shelves for prep and storage.
Additionally, it lacks a holder for the propane tank which makes it…
…more challenging to move around.
Product Specs
- Cooking Surface: 597 square inches
- Burners: Four 11,000 BTU
- Type: Freestanding
Pros
- A lot of cooking space for a low price
- Pre-seasoned stainless steel cooktop
- Foldable legs for portability
Cons
- No side tables or shelf
- No wheels or holder for the propane tank
Take A Closer Look! Find Your Best One!
| Image | Brand | Price | More |
|---|---|---|---|
Top | Camp Chef Flat Top Grill, True Seasoned Griddle Surface, Four 12,000 BTUs/Hr. stainless steel Burners | Continue On Amazon | |
Top | Blackstone 1984 Original 36 Inch Front Shelf, Side Shelf & Magnetic Strip Heavy Duty Flat Top Griddle Grill Station for Kitchen, Camping, Outdoor, Tailgating, Black | Continue On Amazon | |
Top | Royal Gourmet GD401 Portable Propane Gas Grill and Griddle Combo with Side Table | 4-Burner, Folding Legs,Versatile, Outdoor | Black | Continue On Amazon | |
Top | Cuisinart CGG-0036 4-Burner, 36" Gas Griddle, Black | Continue On Amazon | |
Top | Country Smokers CSGDL0590 The Highland 4-Burner Portable Griddle, Large, Black | Continue On Amazon |
Sum Up!
We selected the products on our list by taking into account…
…three of the most crucial factors for outdoor griddles…
…including the size of the cooking surface, heat output, and construction.
We also considered other features, such as side tables, storage shelves…
…and wheels.
In addition to portability, we looked at the heat output of the burners and…
…cooking surface.
The stainless steel plates ranked higher than any other material…
…when it comes to cooking plates.
Conclusion
Due to its high burner output, large cooking surface, and durable…
…steel construction the Camp Chef Flat Top Grill is a great choice for…
…home or professional kitchens.
In case you’re looking for an affordable model the Highland Portable…
…Griddle by Country Smokers is also a top choice.
Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
