Gas Grill vs Griddle: Which Should You Buy?
Gas Grill vs Griddle: Which Should You Buy?
The gas grill is the backyard king, and the griddle is the new hotness. But is a flat top actually a better buy for most home cooks, or is it just a trend that'll leave you with a 60-pound steel slab you use twice a year?
I'm Chef Dom. I spent eight years on a diner flat top pushing out 400 breakfasts a morning, and I've owned my Blackstone 36" for four years now. My backyard setup has both a gas grill and a griddle, and I cook on the griddle three times a week minimum. Bruno, my 70-pound lab mix, has learned that the sound of the propane tank turning on means smash burgers are coming. He's never been wrong.
Here's the honest answer: a gas grill is for char, smoke, and rotisserie chicken. A griddle is for everything else. If you're a family of four that cooks burgers, breakfast, and stir-fry, the griddle wins. If you're a steak-and-kabobs household, stick with the grill. Let me break down what I've learned from years of cooking on both.
| Product | Price | Why it won | Why it lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackstone 36" Griddle | Around $300 | Massive cooking surface, even heat, handles a full breakfast service and 12 smash burgers at once | Grease trap overflows, frame paint flakes, wind kills the flames |
| Camp Chef Flat Top Grill 600 | Around $500 | Better build quality than Blackstone, more solid frame, better grease management | Price is steep for a first griddle |
| Pit Boss Griddle 22" | Around $150 | Budget-friendly, decent build, good entry point | Smaller surface, not as sturdy as the big names |
| Weber Genesis Gas Grill | Around $700 | Classic grill, great for steaks and kabobs, reliable | Can't cook eggs, pancakes, or smash burgers without a cast iron pan |
How I Test
My testing method isn't lab equipment. It's a 100 smash burger cookout, a full breakfast service, and the seasoning test, which is how long the surface holds up before rust starts if you slack off on cleaning. I've done this on my own Blackstone, on a buddy's Camp Chef, and on a cheap Amazon griddle that rusted in 24 hours. I've made every mistake you're about to make, so you get to skip the part where you scrub rust off a $60 piece of steel at 11 PM on a Tuesday.
The Case for the Griddle: Why I Cook on It Three Times a Week
The griddle's biggest advantage is versatility. A gas grill gives you one kind of heat, which is direct radiant heat from below. A griddle gives you a flat, even surface that can sear, sauté, fry, and finish all at once. I can cook bacon, eggs, and pancakes on the same surface without swapping pans. I can smash burgers and get that crust that a grill can never produce.
The Blackstone 36" is the gold standard for a reason. It's got a huge surface, which is 720 square inches of cooking space, and the heat distribution is even across the whole top. No cold spots in the back left corner, which is the enemy of a breakfast service. I've cooked 12 smash burgers at once on mine, and every single one had a perfect crust. The 36" model runs around $300, which is a steal for the cooking capacity.
The downside is the grease trap. It's a design flaw. It overflows if you're cooking anything fatty, and I've learned to empty it mid-cook. The frame paint also flakes off after a year, which is cosmetic but annoying. And if you cook outside in any wind, you need a wind guard, or you'll be standing there with a cardboard shield while your family starves. My brother-in-law still brings up the cookout where I rigged a wind guard out of aluminum foil.
The Case for the Gas Grill: When It's the Right Tool
A gas grill is still the right choice for certain foods. Steaks get a better crust on a grill because of the direct radiant heat and the grill marks. Kabobs, chicken thighs, and anything you want that charred, smoky flavor is better on a grill. I've got a Weber Genesis that I've owned for six years, and it's a workhorse. It runs around $700, which is pricey, but it's built like a tank and has never let me down.
The problem with a gas grill is that it's a one-trick pony. You can't cook eggs on a grill without a cast iron pan. You can't make pancakes. You can't smash a burger and get that crust. You're limited to grilling, which is great, but it's not the same as having a flat top.
If you're a steak-and-kabobs household, a gas grill is the right buy. If you're a breakfast-and-burgers household, the griddle wins. And if you're like me, you end up with both, but the griddle gets used three times more often.
The Size Question: 22" vs 36"
The most common question I get is whether a 22" or 36" griddle is better for a family of four. The answer is: buy the size you'll actually use. A 36" is overkill for a family of four, and buyers on Amazon keep saying that. But I've also seen people buy a 22" and immediately want more space.
If you entertain, if you tailgate, if you cook for more than four people ever, go bigger. A 22" griddle runs around $150 and is plenty for weeknight dinners. The Blackstone 22" is a solid choice for a family of four, and it's easier to store and clean. The 36" is for people who feed crowds.
I've got the 36" because I cook for tailgates of 40 and full breakfast services at 6 AM on Sundays. If you're just cooking for your family, save the money and the propane and get the 22".
The Budget Play: Pit Boss Griddle 22"
If you're on a budget and need a 22" griddle, the Pit Boss is worth a look. It runs around $150 and has decent build quality. It's not going to blow you away, but it won't fall apart either. The heat distribution is decent, and the grease trap is better than the Blackstone's, which is a low bar.
The downside is that the steel is thinner, so it's more prone to warping if you crank the heat too high. I've warped a thin steel top before, and it pools oil and burns food unevenly. That's a $60 lesson I learned the hard way. If you buy a Pit Boss, keep the heat on medium and you'll be fine.
The Premium Option: Camp Chef Flat Top Grill 600
If you're choosing between a comparable Camp Chef and Blackstone, the Camp Chef is the smarter buy if you can stomach the price difference. The Camp Chef Flat Top Grill 600 runs around $500, and it feels more solid than the Blackstone. The frame is sturdier, the grease management is better, and the heat distribution is even.
A buddy of mine swears by his Camp Chef, and after cooking on it a few times, I get it. It's a workhorse. The downside is the price, which is steep for a first griddle. If you're just getting into flat top cooking, start with a cheaper option and upgrade later.
The Stovetop Option: When Space Is Tight
If you don't have room for a standalone unit, a stovetop griddle is a fine option. The EWFEN reversible griddle runs $30 to $60 and is fine for apartment cooking. It's a starter piece, not a forever piece. The pre-seasoning will not hold up, so plan to re-season immediately.
The Lodge cast iron griddle is heavy as hell, but it'll outlive you. It weighs 40+ pounds and has a learning curve, but you can't kill it. If you want to learn how to manage a flat top without spending big, get a Lodge and learn the hard way.
The Made In carbon steel griddle runs $100 to $200, and it's the last griddle you'll buy. It's crafted in Sweden, induction compatible, and the steel takes a seasoning like nothing else I've used. It's expensive, but it's a workhorse. The Onlyfire pre-seasoned cast iron at 23" x 16" fits over grill grates, and the pre-seasoning actually held up, which is rare. Most factory seasoning is a lie.
Seasoning and Cleaning: The Ritual
Seasoning is a ritual, not a one-time event. The factory coating is a head start, not a finish line. You re-oil after every single cook, or you're fighting rust by Tuesday. I use canola oil for everyday and grapeseed when I'm building a fresh seasoning from scratch. Flaxseed creates a beautiful, hard seasoning that flakes if you look at it wrong.
Cleaning is simple: scrape, wipe, oil, repeat. A good scraper makes cleaning a breeze. You don't need soap or water. Scrape off the burnt-on bits, wipe it down with a paper towel, and lay down a thin coat of oil. If you do this every time, you won't get rust. If you slack off, you'll be scrubbing with steel wool and re-seasoning, which is a 20-minute lesson in regret.
The Bottom Line
A gas grill is for char and smoke. A griddle is for everything else. If you're a breakfast-and-burgers household, the griddle wins. If you're a steak-and-kabobs household, stick with the grill. I've got both, and the griddle gets used three times more often. Buy the size you'll actually use, get a wind guard, and re-season after every cook. That's the whole secret.