Best Outdoor Griddle

Yes, there are many people that don’t understand why you would need a griddle in your yard, when you can get a grill instead. The thing is, those people probably haven’t tried cooking on an outdoor griddle. It’s really an enjoyable experience that allows you to experiment with different cooking techniques effortlessly. Nothing else allows for this kind of flexibility. However, it’s definitely important to choose a quality griddle, especially if you are using it outdoors on a regular basis. 

Table of Contents

• Gas Griddles 
• Electric Griddles 
• Final Thoughts 

So how do you choose the right griddle for your yard? This guide is here to help. First, we’ll review 5 of the best outdoor griddles available on the market these days. Under the reviews, you’ll also find a short guide to help you choose the griddle that’s right for you.

This outdoor griddle from Blackstone is one of the all-time favorite gas griddles among grilling enthusiasts worldwide. If you are looking for a versatile griddle that will let you cook like a professional, this might be the right choice. 

The first thing that needs to be said about the Blackstone 1554 4 Burner Outdoor Gas Griddle is that this is a full-sized unit and it takes up a lot of space. The large size brings you a lot of benefits you wouldn’t have otherwise, though. The cooking surface on this griddle is 36 inches wide and 20 inches deep. This is actually huge. You can easily fit 24 burgers on there and still have a bit of space to spare. 

Luckily, you don’t have to use all of this cooking space every time you want to fire up your griddle. This unit is powered by four burners (but not with a side burner). Each of those can be controlled independently and you start them with a simple push of a button thanks to the electronic ignition system featured on this griddle. What this means is that you don’t need to use all of the griddle if you don’t want to. You can easily fire up just one or two burners and cook a dinner for two. On the other hand, when it’s time to party, turn up your griddle to full power and you can easily feed 20 people.

• Large cooking surface
• Features 4 burners with independent controls
• Electronic ignition
• Strong and durable construction
• Easy to use and clean (unlike the charcoal grill)

• Needs to be seasoned before use
• Might be too big if it’s not your main grill

Our first pick was a full-sized outdoor griddle. This one, on the other hand is a portable gas griddle, but one that actually gives you quite a bit of cooking space. The cooking surface measures 325 square inches, to be exact. This is enough to cook for up to 5 people, and to have fun while preparing different foods at the same time. You can even cook at different temperatures on different areas of the griddle, since you can control each burner independently. 

There are three burners in total, which is necessary to cover such a large cooking space. The burners are made of stainless steel and ring-shaped, so that they provide more even heating across the cooking surface. 

At the same time, this griddle is quite compact. It’s easy to take it out and put it back in storage, which is great if you don’t plan on having the griddle in the yard at all times. Speaking of which, we found that this Royal Gourmet griddle looks great on a table in the backyard or on the patio, but you can also take it with you when you go camping! 

• Three separately controlled burners
• 27,00 BTU of grilling power
• Compact and portable .
• Large cooking area

• Users have reported hotspots on the cooking surface where the heat is higher than the rest of the griddle

The Char-Broil 19952085 22-inch 2-Burner Tabletop Gas Griddle is another good choice for people who want their griddle to not be too bulky, but still want it to offer a fair amount of cooking space. This is a tabletop griddle, but also a very portable one. You can have a dedicated table for it in your backyard, or you can take it anywhere you want with you. This griddle will work just fine on any kind of cooking surface. 

The top of the griddle is made of rolled steel which is durable and doesn’t warp. The cooking surface needs to be seasoned before the first use, though. It’s not hard to do this, and you’ll get the best results if you use flaxseed oil, but you can use other natural oils too. 

The cooking surface on this griddle measures 320 square inches in total. This area is heated by two powerful burners, each offering 9,000 BTU of grilling power. You can also control these burners independently, so you can have different temperature zones on your griddle at the same time. 

Another great thing about this griddle from Char-Broil is the grease management system. It’s not really a system, but rather just a grease cup, but it works amazingly. There is a little hole on the edge of the cooking surface through which any excess drippings can fall into the grease cup. The cup feats seamlessly into the side of the griddle and can be securely locked in place. 

• Fairly large cooking surface
• Two independently adjustable burners
• Compact and portable
• Easy maintenance
• Versatile

• Needs to be seasoned before use

This compact outdoor griddle from Blackstone offers most of the benefits of a full-sized model, but in a portable version. With 260 square inches of cooking space, this griddle is still big enough to cook a decent meal for 4, for example. Four patties will fit nicely, for example, but you could probably actually put even more stuff on there. 

At the same time, this Blackstone griddle is really compact and lightweight. It works great as a camping griddle, but there is nothing wrong with using it in your backyard either. This griddle uses 1-pound propane bottles. We actually really like this, as a small propane bottle is much easier to set up than a large propane tank and requires much less space. One of those bottles can last about 2 hours when the griddle is used on medium heat. Replacing it is not a huge hassle, so we think this is a really good setup. However, if you prefer to use a large propane tank, this can be arranged by using a simple adapter. 

This griddle has only one burner. The burner is shaped like the letter “H”. Thanks to this shape, the heat is distributed evenly across the cooking surface even though you are using a single burner. It’s a powerful burner, too, packing as much as 12,000 BTU of grilling power. 

• H-shaped burner distributes heat evenly
• Lightweight and portable
• Easy to use
• Packs neatly for storage

• A bit on the smaller side grill
• Needs to be seasoned before use

This unit from Presto is an electric griddle. This means it’s not technically an outdoor griddle. However, using it outside is perfectly safe and doable, as long as you have a power outlet nearby. With that being said, just like any other electric appliance, you shouldn’t leave this griddle outdoors unprotected. This is not too much of a problem, though, as cleaning this griddle and packing it up for storage is super easy. The handles are removable too, so this griddle doesn’t take up too much space when in storage. 

The Presto 07061 22-inch Electric Griddle With Removable Handles has a durable nonstick surface. This is great, as there is no need for seasoning the griddle or anything like that. All you need to do is wash the surface with warm water and soap once you are done using it. With the heat controls removed, you can fully submerge the griddle with water, so cleaning really shouldn’t give you too much trouble. 

The base of this griddle is made of cast aluminum. It is quite thick, so there is no danger of warping if you use it properly. Finally, this griddle also features a large drip tray that slides out like a little drawer. You can completely remove the tray for cleaning too. Overall, it’s a good choice if you don’t plan on leaving your griddle outside when you’re not using it. 

• Heavy aluminum base doesn’t warp
• Precise heat control
• Nonstick cooking surface
• Easy to use and pack up for storage
• Easy to clean

• This electric griddle shouldn’t be left outside

When it comes to choosing an outdoor griddle, the main thing you need to decide is what kind of heat source you want on your griddle. The most popular are gas griddles and electric griddles. Once you solve this dilemma, all that’s left is choosing a model that you like. So let’s talk about each of these two types of griddles. 

Gas Griddles

Gas griddles are by far the most common when it comes to outdoor use. Not only this, but many professional kitchens also use gas griddles because of their amazing performance and flexibility.

A gas griddle is very similar to a gas grill. It works using the same principle. The only different thing is the top. On a griddle it’s completely flat, while a grill has standard grilling grates. 

Gas griddles can have any number of burners. Which one you get depends on how much space you want. On our list, you’ll find griddles with 1, 2, 3, and 4 burners, so you can choose the one that fits your needs perfectly. 

Electric Griddles

Electric griddles are a viable alternative for those who prefer not to deal with natural gas or liquid propane grills. Electric griddles are super easy to use and usually more compact than gas griddles. 

There are two issues with using electric griddles outdoors. First of all, you obviously need a power outlet nearby. Furthermore, you can’t leave these griddles outdoors all the time. You need to bring them inside when not in use. Still, electric griddles are a good choice for those who’d like to use their griddle in the yard or on the balcony from time to time and keep it stored away the rest of the time. 

Final Thoughts

Outdoor griddles are fun and practical. You can use them to cook an amazingly wide range of dishes. Restaurant-style burgers, stir fry, pancakes, or a whole range of breakfast foods – the griddle can do it. 

What kind of griddle you choose is a matter of your personal style. The Blackstone 1554 4 Burner Outdoor Gas Griddle is a full sized-unit with its own cart for those who want maximum power. The Royal Gourmet PD1300 Portable 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill Griddle, on the other hand, offers a lot of cooking space over three powerful burners while still being a table-top griddle. 

Finally, for those who’d like something more compact, the final 3 picks on our list might be just what they need. Whatever you choose, we hope this guide has helped. 

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