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Old 02-09-2019, 11:31 AM   #1
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Griddle Users - Do you miss your grill?

Hey all, there's a long thread here about the virtues of the Blacksone Griddle. It seems very tempting to me.

I currently use a Coleman Roadtrip with both griddle plates and grill plates. It has served me well for 15 years but it's tempting to try something new.

My question here is to people that have swapped out their grill to griddle only solution?

Are you happy with the switch?
Are there things you really miss about a grill?

Thanks and happy camping!
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Old 02-09-2019, 05:13 PM   #2
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Really like our Blackstone Griddle. IMHO it's so much more versatile and I don't miss the grill marks on meat.
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Old 02-09-2019, 06:25 PM   #3
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I have had my 17" Blackstone for about two years. Really like cooking on it. Liked it so much I bought a 36" for the house.
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Old 02-09-2019, 06:32 PM   #4
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Very interesting, I've eyed those up but never thought of it as an alternative to a grill, more of an additional cooking implement.
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Old 02-09-2019, 07:01 PM   #5
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Grilling does have a place in our coach, but the blackstone is a true flat top. Eggs to Fajitas, easy to clean. We use it prob 10 to 1 over the grill.
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Old 02-09-2019, 07:33 PM   #6
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I carry two grills but I cook mostly on my Blackstone griddle. I have a 17in and a 22in griddle, I’m probably going to leave the 22in at home. I’ll probably leave one grill at home too. DW really likes a steak cooked on a griddle
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Old 02-09-2019, 08:33 PM   #7
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Very interesting, I've eyed those up but never thought of it as an alternative to a grill, more of an additional cooking implement.
x2 Ive got a 17" Blackstone and I still use my Weber grill as well.


Just depends on what Im cooking and what I feel like doing.


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Old 02-09-2019, 08:33 PM   #8
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We absolutely love the Blackstone. It has cut the charcoal usage in half. With that said burger's, steak, sausage ext. Is still cooked on charcoal but mostly everything else on the Blackstone. It is just so versatile.
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Old 02-09-2019, 08:44 PM   #9
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Looks tempting at times but I have a decent BBQ Propane and GMG Pellet Smoker. I have a 2 Burner propane stove and cast iron pans that more less look after the flat top part.
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Old 02-09-2019, 09:05 PM   #10
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We made the official switch not long ago and haven't looked back.

Backstory:
At the house, we started with a charcoal Weber, switched to a Traeger and found it's limits pretty quick. For searing burgers, steaks and dogs, the Traeger was without. I really don't smoke with it so it's essentially an outdoor, smoky oven. We still used the Weber quiet often. And, if I'm cooking over flames, I want it burning something other than a liquid fuel.

When we purchased our trailer in '17 it was the only brand that came with an actual grill (Aussie RV grill) built in the outdoor kitchen. It served us well the first season or two but I found our usage dictated carrying a cast iron griddle to use on the grill to cook things like bacon, hash browns and even burgers and chicken wasn't outstanding. The burner essentially was on high at all times with very direct cooking.

Enter the Blackstone 17":
I got this for Christmas and haven't stopped using it. It has a place on our deck next to the Traeger. it lights easy, comes to heat and cooks everything well. As others have said, it cooks everything. Hash browns, bacon, eggs, SPAM, english muffins, heating buns, burgers, fajitas and even 1+" flank steak....it just works and works extremely well. The cooking surface is also 268 sq inches as opposed to the Aussie's 205 sq inches = Bigger cooking surface with more heat control.

We've taken it in the trailer a couple times so far and I haven't missed the Aussie grill at all...especially the simplistic clean up of the Blackstone. Scrape everything to the hole, hit the cooktop with a paper towel and empty the grease drawer....it's really that easy and fast.

I was impressed enough that I removed the Aussie and drilled the metal drawer slide to house the Blackstone while we travel. I also got a quick-connect adapter to use the Blackstone with the travel trailer low pressure propane tanks. The spae saved by the Blackstone and being able to flip the cooking surface over for storage also allowed enough room for my Camp Chef Everest 2 burner stove to be stored in there as well.

BEFORE:


AFTER:


Blackstone 17" with cooking surface flipped and Camp Chef Everest stove stored on top.
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Old 02-09-2019, 09:34 PM   #11
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We have a Blackstone and love it, but will never give up our Weber Q. It’s just a matter of personal preferance. If I had to choose only one I’d pick the Grill over the griddle, but that’s just me , and luckily we have room for both, so no need to choose .
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Old 02-09-2019, 09:48 PM   #12
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Sadly I have a thing for grills and have many.

I just got the blackstone but cooked on flat tops for years in restaurants so I am comfortable with them. The Blackstone was the first flattop that actually came close to restaurant grills. Very simple and easy to clean and keep seasoned. I have used it a few times now not camping but planning to moving forward. I have been very impressed with it for grilling. I have the 22". You dont want to leave this out in rain. I cook on truck tailgate and push it under the tonneau cover to cool. Not a great idea with bears around but no bears in ks yet...I have used it for breakfast lunch and dinner and it works great. I did get a weight and a few other accessories but not the lid. They don't make a bag for just the 22" grill yet but their site said spring of this year. The current one will hold the legs lid and grill. I hate storing it without a case because the grill keeps falling off so I bungied it to it.

I have the coleman roadtrip with all the plates as well as the bag. The blackstone is lighter and easier as well as taking up less space. This gets hot but the cooking surface is not as good as the seasond blackstone. I liked that I could use a burner but was a bit disappointed once it came time to clean it up. It took a lot more time than I thought due to all the layers (lid top and bottom, grill, burner). If you leave it out in the rain even with the cover closed you get water and grease everywhere. This was the biggest complaint. The flattop is better than the grill plates because cleanup is easier but you still spend more time cleaning the lid.

I really like the camp chef burners with their griddle that can flip over to provide the lines or a flattop. The only issue here is grease as there is no trap which the blackstone does much better. Clean up is a bit easier than the roadtrip but they are bigger and heavier (assumes dual burner). Leaving these in the rain has not really been an issue. You need to buy a bag to put it in and still store the grill attachment somewhere. I use these for scouts and not with my trailer but feedback applies the same. These are the most versital but require lots of accessories.

Nothing will ever replace my GMG Davy Crockett as I smoke a lot, but it will not do eggs. I use it as an oven and smoker with the blackstone or coleman as the grill as these are my new go to combinations. Before I used the GMG and the roadtrip. The gmg can sear but I find that fires start at higher (above 350 once you smoke on it a few times) temps from grease drippings so I stick to the grill for that mostly. Rain here is also not an issue but no bag for storage and you have to get it clean to put away. Cooking on the tailgate means you have no grease trap.

I have used the weber and it is also really good. It is fairly easy to clean but if you get lazy the burner does clog. A bit of soapy water and compressed air resolved the problem. The nice thing here is once cool you can put it in the bag and into storage like the roadtrip. They work well as ovens as well. Rain was not an issue with the lid closed.

I have conversions for all to hook to the trailer propane as well and I have not had major issues with them.

If smoking I take the GMG and will take the blackstone. If not smoking I will take the blackstone only. I have not missed anything yet but I have only been using it for 6wks.

They all have their pros and cons so pick what works for you. Happy camping!
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Old 02-09-2019, 11:57 PM   #13
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We just bought our Blackstone but plan on carrying both. I wish we could bring our Rec Tec smoker with us but its too big.
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Old 02-10-2019, 02:47 PM   #14
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Wow! Great answers, as I too have been struggling with giving up the Road Trip, bag and the 1 'Ton' of extra griddle, grill and burner tops since 2011. It is not a big deal with the MH but it just seems to get heavier with less utility. Been looking at the 17" Blackstone forever and/or just taking a cheap portable grill from my PUP days. I don't think I "need" the 22" Blackstone. As it is, I carry two crock pots, electric griddle and fry pan and now an Instant Pot and a sous vie. Yeah, I like to cook.
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Old 02-10-2019, 02:50 PM   #15
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count me in as another satisfied Balckstone 17 owner. i bring the blackstone on every trip, and alternate between my lodge charcoal grill and my solaire anywhere infrared grill - all of which are very portable.
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Old 02-10-2019, 03:04 PM   #16
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We made the official switch not long ago and haven't looked back.....................

................


I was impressed enough that I removed the Aussie and drilled the metal drawer slide to house the Blackstone while we travel. I also got a quick-connect adapter to use the Blackstone with the travel trailer low pressure propane tanks. The spae saved by the Blackstone and being able to flip the cooking surface over for storage also allowed enough room for my Camp Chef Everest 2 burner stove to be stored in there as well.
Where did you get the hose to connect direct to the RV propane system?
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Old 02-10-2019, 03:05 PM   #17
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Grill days are over. There's basically nothing I can't cook on the griddle that I used to grill. I have a VERY nice Weber at home and if it ever dies I will replace it with a larger (I have 22" for home now) griddle. Wife prefers her steak and burgers on the griddle so that settles that.
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Old 02-10-2019, 03:10 PM   #18
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Where did you get the hose to connect direct to the RV propane system?
i got mine here

https://propanegear.com

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Old 02-10-2019, 03:11 PM   #19
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Where did you get the hose to connect direct to the RV propane system?
Try here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Converta-B-....c100005.m1851

edit...Primo is faster than me...
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Old 02-10-2019, 03:33 PM   #20
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All the hoopla surrounding the Blackstone grills has me puzzled. I fail to see the difference between a cast iron frying pan and a Blackstone flattop.

We have a Coleman Roadtrip which we tend not to haul with us now because of weight and space. For meats and superb taste, nothing beats a charcoal grill. However, a good charcoal grill is both bulky and limited in function, and compared to propane devices, is a general PITA. Accepting that leads to propane devices and the puzzlement stated above.
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