The short answer
Best for the crowd
Blackstone 36" Griddle with HoodSee itPrice tier 3 of 4:$500–$1,500Families and entertainers who cook breakfast, burgers and fajitas outdoors.Best for small spaces
Blackstone 22" Tabletop Griddle with HoodSee itPrice tier 2 of 4:$150–$500Small households, balconies and camping.Best for flexibility
Camp Chef Flat Top GrillSee itPrice tier 3 of 4:$500–$1,500Cooks who want a griddle but also want grill marks sometimes.Best low-maintenance alternative
Weber Slate GriddleSee itPrice tier 3 of 4:$500–$1,500People who want a griddle that looks and feels premium and is easier to maintain.
A flat-top griddle is the outdoor cooker for smash burgers, breakfast for a crowd and fajitas. Blackstone is the best-known name, and Camp Chef takes a different approach. Weber's Slate is the choice if you hate maintenance.
The short answer
- A big griddle for a crowd: Blackstone 36-inch with hood.
- A small-space or tailgate griddle: Blackstone 22-inch tabletop.
- You want a griddle that can also grill: Camp Chef Flat Top Grill.
- You want less upkeep and will pay for it: Weber Slate.
At a glance
| Blackstone 36" | Blackstone 22" | Camp Chef | Weber Slate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price tier | $500–$1,500 | $150–$500 | $500–$1,500 | $500–$1,500 |
| Best for | Families and entertainers | Small households, balconies, camping | Cooks who want grill marks sometimes | People who want a premium, easier-to-maintain griddle |
| Standout | Hood, big surface, huge community | Compact and low-cost | Interchangeable griddle and grill grates | Rust-resistant surface |
| Trade-off | Needs seasoning; takes patio space and a propane tank | Limited area beyond 3–4 people; needs a table | Needs seasoning; assembly takes patience | Costs more than Blackstone; smaller accessory range |
| Skip it if | You want grill marks or smoke flavor | You regularly cook for 6+ | You don't want to season steel or dread assembly | You want the lowest cost or biggest accessory ecosystem |
Size and where it goes
We cover two Blackstone sizes: a 22-inch tabletop for small spaces and a 36-inch with a hood for families. A large griddle takes real patio space and a propane tank, so measure before you buy. A tabletop griddle needs a table or stand.
Griddle only, or griddle and grill?
If you want the option of grill marks, Camp Chef's interchangeable griddle and grill grates are the draw. A pure griddle will not give you grill marks or smoke flavor, which is the main reason people skip Blackstone.
Upkeep
Bare steel needs seasoning and regular care to prevent rust, on Blackstone and Camp Chef alike. If maintenance is the thing you want to avoid, Weber's rust-resistant surface cuts down on upkeep, but it costs more than a Blackstone for similar cooking area.
Accessories and community
Blackstone has a huge community of recipes, accessories and replacement parts. Camp Chef has strong accessory support. Weber's ecosystem is smaller.
Which should you buy?
- Family breakfasts and burgers: Blackstone 36-inch.
- Balcony, tailgate or a first griddle: Blackstone 22-inch.
- You also want to grill: Camp Chef Flat Top Grill.
- You hate maintenance: Weber Slate.
- You want smoke flavor: consider a pellet grill or gas grill instead.
The contenders
Best for the crowd
Blackstone 36" Griddle with Hood
The griddle that launched a thousand smash burgers.
A large 36-inch propane griddle with a hood that lets you steam, melt cheese and keep food warm, plus a huge community of recipes, accessories and replacement parts. Bare steel needs seasoning and regular care to prevent rust, and it takes real patio space and a propane tank.
What we like
- Large cooking surface that handles breakfast for a crowd
- Hood lets you steam, melt cheese and keep food warm
- Huge community of recipes, accessories and replacement parts
Trade-offs
- Bare steel needs seasoning and regular care to prevent rust
- Takes up real patio space — and a propane tank
- Best for
- Families and entertainers who cook breakfast, burgers and fajitas outdoors.
- Skip it if
- You want grill marks or smoke flavor.
- Size: 36 in
- Fuel: Propane
Best for small spaces
Blackstone 22" Tabletop Griddle with Hood
The small-space griddle that's easy to tuck away.
A 22-inch propane tabletop griddle with a hood, compact enough for a balcony, tailgate or small patio and one of the lowest-cost ways to try griddle cooking. It limits you when feeding more than three or four people, and it needs a table or stand.
What we like
- Compact enough for a balcony, tailgate or small patio
- Hood adds versatility, and propane canister fuel keeps it portable
- One of the lowest-cost ways to try griddle cooking
Trade-offs
- Limited cooking area when feeding more than 3–4 people
- Needs a table or stand
- Best for
- Small households, balconies and camping.
- Skip it if
- You regularly cook for 6+.
- Size: 22 in
- Fuel: Propane
Best for flexibility
Camp Chef Flat Top Grill
A flat-top with a grill-box option for the best of both.
A flat-top with interchangeable griddle and grill grates in many configurations, a heavy-duty steel build, a roomy cooking area and strong accessory support. The steel surface still needs seasoning and care, and assembly takes patience.
What we like
- Interchangeable griddle and grill grates in many configurations
- Heavy-duty steel construction and a roomy cooking area
- Strong accessory support
Trade-offs
- Steel surface still needs seasoning and care
- Assembly takes patience
- Best for
- Cooks who want a griddle but also want grill marks sometimes.
- Skip it if
- You don't want to season and maintain a steel surface, or you dread a long assembly.
Best low-maintenance alternative
Weber Slate Griddle
A premium-feeling griddle with a rust-resistant surface.
A premium-feeling griddle with a rust-resistant cooking surface that cuts upkeep compared with bare steel, plus Weber build quality and even heat. It costs more than Blackstone for similar cooking area and has a smaller accessory ecosystem.
What we like
- Rust-resistant cooking surface cuts down on upkeep compared with bare steel
- Weber build quality and a hinged, lid-friendly design
- Even heat across the surface
Trade-offs
- More expensive than Blackstone for similar cooking area
- Smaller accessory ecosystem
- Best for
- People who want a griddle that looks and feels premium and is easier to maintain.
- Skip it if
- You want the lowest-cost griddle or the biggest accessory ecosystem.
How we compared
Blackstone's current lineup and sizes were checked against its own product pages in October 2026, and its cards show the month. For Camp Chef and Weber we describe the product line from the details in our catalog and do not quote numbers we have not confirmed on the makers' pages. We did not test any of these ourselves. Models and prices change, so confirm current details before you buy. See our methodology and the full best flat-top griddles guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Blackstone or Camp Chef better?
Blackstone has a huge community of recipes, accessories and replacement parts. Camp Chef's selling point is flexibility, with interchangeable griddle and grill grates so you can get grill marks as well. Both need seasoning and care, so choose on size and how you cook.
Do I have to season a griddle?
Bare steel surfaces need seasoning and regular care to prevent rust, and that applies to both Blackstone and Camp Chef. A rust-resistant surface, like the Weber Slate's, reduces upkeep, at a higher price.
What size griddle do I need?
A 22-inch tabletop suits small households, balconies and camping. A 36-inch griddle handles breakfast for a crowd. If you regularly cook for six or more, go bigger and plan the patio space and a propane tank.
