Is the Blackstone Griddle Worth it for Camping? (honest review)
The Blackstone Griddle is taking over the camping food world. As someone who loves to camp and cook delicious camping meals, I wanted to give it a try and see what all the hype was about. Let’s dive in!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclaimer here.
Just a heads up – this blog post is NOT sponsored and this Blackstone grill was NOT sent to me for free to try. These are my honest opinions as someone who bought and tried the Blackstone for camping.
Different Blackstone Models for Camping
I wanted to try the classic Blackstone griddle. They offer many models. Some even resemble a traditional propane camp stove with a “ceramic titanium coating”, which I did not want.
I wanted to try the real-deal Blackstone cook surface that they’ve become known for.
I purchased a 22″ Blackstone from the On The Go Series.
This isn’t the smallest or lightest option they offer, but I wanted to buy a classic griddle with their “Omnivore Griddle plate.”
I thought the 22″ was a nice size while still being somewhat portable. (More on portability later.)
The first Blackstone I bought was a 22″ tabletop griddle that I saw on sale at Costco. It looked like a great deal. But when I got it home, I realized that I also needed to buy a stand to put it on.
Not wanting to buy anything else, I returned the Costco one and purchased the On The Go 22″ Blackstone instead. This seemed like a better all-in-one solution.
It’s attached to a stand that breaks down and can be wheeled to and from the campsite. (See how it works in the video above.)
Keep in mind that there are many other griddle options!
Blackstone Griddle for Camping Pros and Cons
Let’s start with the cons.
The first thing I noticed about the Blackstone is how heavy and large it is.
The model I have is about 80 pounds. That’s heavy, and not something that I’ll be lifting in and out of the car by myself!
You also need a good amount of space in your vehicle to transport it. If you have a smaller car filled with your other camping gear, the Blackstone may not fit.
If your Blackstone model doesn’t come with a stand, you’ll need to buy a table as well to put it on. I did read that the bottom of the griddle can get hot, so you might need to be careful with what surface you set it on.
As I mentioned in the video above, another con is that boiling water or cooking a meal that requires a pot is more difficult. In the comments over on my YouTube channel, people have pointed out that you can cook with a pot over the griddle… I have not tried this yet.
Trying to boil water and cook pasta on the griddle seems very inefficient to me. But apparently it works, so maybe this isn’t as big a con as I originally thought? I’ll let you know if I ever try it.
On our latest trip, I packed my small backpacking stove as well. It helped me quickly boil water for simple tasks, like making coffee and cleaning dishes while camping.
The last con that we came across is how the Blackstone performed in the wind. The wind (even a moderate breeze at the right angle) stole heat from the griddle, making it harder to cook on.
Blackstone sells wind guards, but I didn’t want to spend more on extra gadgets. So, I haven’t tried them.
Cons Overview:
- very heavy and bulky
- need room in your vehicle to transport it
- depending on the model, you might also need to buy and transport a stand
- boiling water or cooking with a pot is more challenging and less efficient (although, apparently, it is possible)
- does not perform well in the wind
Now let’s get to the pros.
The biggest pro, in my opinion, is the large cooking surface. That’s one of the reasons that I went with the 22″ and not the 17″.
If I wanted something smaller, I would much rather cook in my antique cast iron pan.
The large cooking surface is great for cooking an entire camping meal all at once! This can be especially nice for big families or large groups of campers.
Related >> 20 Easy Camping Lunch Ideas
You can make many different camping meals on the Blackstone Griddle. From breakfast to lunch to dinner, it never feels boring or limiting.
If you enjoy cooking with cast iron, you’ll likely appreciate the Blackstone for similar reasons. It has great heat retention and it’s very easy to clean and maintain.
In fact, after using it for almost a month straight, we never actually cleaned it. We just scraped any extra grease or food bits into the rear grease catcher. That was pretty much it.
I also like that each side of the griddle has its own temperature control. I could have one side on high, and one side on low. This control is great for cooking an entire meal all at one time!
Pros Overview:
- large cook surface, can cook an entire meal all at once
- can be great for big families or big groups of campers
- easy to clean and maintain
- lots of different meals that you can make on it
- 2 temperature control knobs for different temps on each side if needed
Blackstone Camping Griddle Review
So we’ve discussed what I think the pros and cons of the Blackstone griddle for camping are. The question still remains – should you get one?
My answer—it depends.
A classic 2-burner propane camp stove is hard to beat. (This is the one I use.) They’re small, lightweight, easy to transport, and cheaper. If you pack a cast-iron pan and a pot, you can cook almost anything with that simple setup.
If you’re new to camping, or you only camp a few times a year, I don’t think the Blackstone is the best camp cooking setup out there.
Don’t get me wrong, the Blackstone is very fun to cook with. I loved cooking on it and plan to use it more, but you should definitely consider the weight, size, and price.
On the other hand, if you have a big group of campers, having the Blackstone’s large cook surface to pump out meals might be a great fit.
Last year, I camped with my husband and all three of his brothers. The Blackstone would have been awesome for that trip. I could not cook pancakes on my cast-iron pan fast enough!
So after all this, I find myself somewhere in the middle when it comes to the Blackstone griddle for camping.
I would think of it as more of a novelty item, not a camping essential.
There are so many things to consider when buying camping gear. Not every piece of gear is perfect for everyone, but hopefully this review helps you make the right choice for you and your situation!
Blackstone Camping Meals
At this point, you might be wondering what to cook on the Blackstone. Right now, one of my favorite things to cook is a simple Blackstone Beef Fried Rice recipe.
It’s so easy and quick to make – perfect for a large group of campers!
Other Blackstone Camping Meal Ideas:
- Breakfast Burritos
- French Toast
- Pancakes
- Blackstone Chicken Fajitas
- Quesadillas
- Grilled Cheese
- Smashburgers
- MORE IDEAS >> 17 Quick Blackstone Camping Meals
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