Anyone use a griddle NOT made by Blackstone?

[jimmarako]

Next year I'm thinking it could be time to upgrade the grill to a griddle. It might work better for us, especially for breakfast an the such. Like all things I do, I'll have to complicate it some. Below I'll explain why/how but does anyone have experience with other griddles?

First off, I'd like to reuse the old grill's method of hanging the griddle off the trailer. I don't have a portable table, and don't really need/want one. And its convenient. From other posts I see that the 17" griddle is like 2+ inches narrower than the old grill. So the 22" would be 2+ inches wider. So something like a 19 or 20" griddle would probably be perfect. I found this one:
https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/o...illing/cgg-501
I know nothing about the brand. Its on an Amazon page with 15 other versions of a grill so the 1000+ reviews are tough to filter through.

Then since this would be hanging on the trailer it would be nice to have a lid/cover for grease/heat protection. Would also be nice while cooking as well. The Blackstones have hoods available (the cuisinart doesn't) but for $30-$50 for the hood, that seems pricey.

Then while researching this, I found that Walmart sells the 22" with hood, table, and 20lb propane tank hose for $147. Thats more than I would like to spend, but is a good deal. I could grab this and use the table next to the trailer since it "free" in this case, and small enough it might be easy to transport. And who knows, when my $99 Home depot special dies in a few years I could use the griddle at home.

Anyway, let me know what you got.
Thanks
Jim M.

[Dupesy]

My GeoPro came with what appears to be a rebranded Balckstone 17" griddle, along the mount to fit the track on the side of the trailer and the LP hose. Assuming you have that same mounting track, i would think you can find the brackets to fit the folding mount that goes on that rail. Or, you could probably mount those brackets on that griddle you posted a link to.

[67L48]

I don't like cooking fixtures hanging on the side of my trailer, but that might work better for you. Stand-alone stoves are better for me ...

Camp Chef. Absolutely love using my stove for its griddle and for the grill. Super convenient. 2-burner is large enough for a family of 6. Versatile. Mobile. Quick connect to the trailer propane.

I've since updated to a Pro 60X model, but this gives you the general idea.

[NJKris]

I use a Lodge cast iron griddle. Straddling two burners on my old green Coleman liquid fuel stove that I converted to LP. Also got a cast iron bacon press. Perfect for making crispy hash browns on it.

When I griddle, I griddle. I have a grill for BBQ. Gotta have both for my cooking needs.

[NJKris]

Originally Posted by Dupesy

My GeoPro came with what appears to be a rebranded Balckstone 17" griddle, along the mount to fit the track on the side of the trailer and the LP hose. Assuming you have that same mounting track, i would think you can find the brackets to fit the folding mount that goes on that rail. Or, you could probably mount those brackets on that griddle you posted a link to.

My GeoPro came with the biggest POS grill in the world. A Coleman embarrassment to the Coleman name. Here is my review of this fine POS:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ll-197842.html

[Tapex]

Originally Posted by 67L48

I don't like cooking fixtures hanging on the side of my trailer, but that might work better for you. Stand-alone stoves are better for me ...

Camp Chef. Absolutely love using my stove for its griddle and for the grill. Super convenient. 2-burner is large enough for a family of 6. Versatile. Mobile. Quick connect to the trailer propane.

I've since updated to a Pro 60X model, but this gives you the general idea.

Man that food cooking, looks like it's a happening at your site....
What time do you start serving... lol

[corocky1998]

We like our Little Griddle, works on our Brinkman table top grill and our home grill too. My friend has a Blackstone and I really like it, but for me it is trying to get multiple uses out of one item. I pull out the grill and griddle in the morning remove the grate and deflector from the grill to cook breakfast, then at night put the grill parts back on for steaks!

[jimmarako]

Originally Posted by corocky1998

We like our Little Griddle, works on our Brinkman table top grill and our home grill too. My friend has a Blackstone and I really like it, but for me it is trying to get multiple uses out of one item. I pull out the grill and griddle in the morning remove the grate and deflector from the grill to cook breakfast, then at night put the grill parts back on for steaks!

Interesting, I never thought of something simple like this. So you remove the grate and place the griddle on top of the burners? Do you do this for better heat control? Also how do you find cooking on the thinner top vs a cast iron griddle like the Blackstone?

Thanks
Jim M.

[Funengineer]

Originally Posted by jimmarako

Interesting, I never thought of something simple like this. So you remove the grate and place the griddle on top of the burners? Do you do this for better heat control? Also how do you find cooking on the thinner top vs a cast iron griddle like the Blackstone?



Thanks

Jim M.

Hi Jim M.
I like the idea of utilizing my existing Webber 1200 but wonder if I can find a griddle small enough to fit it that is also large enough to cook several items on at once.
By the way the Blackstone griddle is steel not cast iron. Cast iron in a 17” or 22” would be extremely heavy.

[5picker]

We use this Camp Chef reversible cast iron griddle on our gas grill and our outdoor cooker/fryer.

It works great for the stuff you need a griddle for and we still have use of the grill and the cooker when needed.

We like the built in drip tray for bacon and the ribbed side seers stakes to perfection.

Mummm... good!

[old40ford]

I like the griddle insert on my strok (spelling) grill. But, if I am honest with you, what I really like is going to Mel's Diner in Pigeon Forge and getting the extra crispy thick bacon and a few other tasty items.

[Sloopie1]

We also have the Camp Chef from Sports Authority. What really prompted us to choose this over the Blackstone was you can “personalize” it to your liking. We chose the double model and have the grill (perfect for steaks, chops, burgers, or chicken). We also have the lid so you can “close it off” to melt the cheese, etc., on the burgers.The other side is the griddle which is perfect for breakfast items, pizza, or grilled cheese sammiches - whatever is your liking! Yes, it’s heavy but it’s also heavy duty - the burners are cast iron - and it’s built to last. Every single part of the Camp Chef is top notch and DH really likes it. You’ve got lots of opinions/suggestions here but YOU are the one that’s going to use it. We looked at several different brands, read reviews, compared the different configurations before we made our final decision. I’m sure you’ll make the decision that’s right for you and how you like to cook.

[jimmarako]

Those Camp Chefs seem really nice. And it would be nicer than my home grill. But its only the two of us and so far we've been keeping the meals simple (first camping season). The griddle thought popped up when we realized it wasn't easy to cook hash browns, bacon etc. Tried using the cheap aluminum foil turkey pans. They worked, but...

Our basic RV grill while a bit dirty and beat up is only 2 years old, and I would assume has a few more years in it. Based on what people have suggested I think I'm leaning towards getting some type of griddle insert or square pan to use on/in the existing grill. Maybe see how that goes and then decide what to graduate to down the road.

But then spring is months away and I'll probably change my mind a few more times.

Thanks
Jim M.

[GulfHusker]

Originally Posted by jimmarako

Next year I'm thinking it could be time to upgrade the grill to a griddle. It might work better for us, especially for breakfast an the such. Like all things I do, I'll have to complicate it some. Below I'll explain why/how but does anyone have experience with other griddles?

First off, I'd like to reuse the old grill's method of hanging the griddle off the trailer. I don't have a portable table, and don't really need/want one. And its convenient. From other posts I see that the 17" griddle is like 2+ inches narrower than the old grill. So the 22" would be 2+ inches wider. So something like a 19 or 20" griddle would probably be perfect. I found this one:
https://www.cuisinart.com/shopping/o...illing/cgg-501
I know nothing about the brand. Its on an Amazon page with 15 other versions of a grill so the 1000+ reviews are tough to filter through.

Then since this would be hanging on the trailer it would be nice to have a lid/cover for grease/heat protection. Would also be nice while cooking as well. The Blackstones have hoods available (the cuisinart doesn't) but for $30-$50 for the hood, that seems pricey.

Then while researching this, I found that Walmart sells the 22" with hood, table, and 20lb propane tank hose for $147. Thats more than I would like to spend, but is a good deal. I could grab this and use the table next to the trailer since it "free" in this case, and small enough it might be easy to transport. And who knows, when my $99 Home depot special dies in a few years I could use the griddle at home.

Anyway, let me know what you got.
Thanks
Jim M.

Jim, we have the Cuisinart two burner grill as you linked. I love it! The two burners is what convinced me to try it over a Blackstone. At the time, I don't believe Blackstone had a multi-burner in a smaller size.

However, it certainly is too heavy, in my opinion, to hang on the side of the trailer. I didn't even consider doing that. We bought a lightweight aluminum table to set it up, right next to the standard BBQ grill that came with the camper. The table takes up little room when folded and comes in very handy.

I did go to a metal fabrication shop and had a top made of stainless steel for around $30. We use it to cover the grill when not in use and also turn it over to use as a tray for bringing items in and out of the camper when time to cook. Very handy!

Don't hesitate on the brand. We've had several of their products over the years and it's all been of good quality.

Hope this helps!
Jim Walker

[Old codger]

Originally Posted by 67L48

I don't like cooking fixtures hanging on the side of my trailer, but that might work better for you. Stand-alone stoves are better for me ...

Camp Chef. Absolutely love using my stove for its griddle and for the grill. Super convenient. 2-burner is large enough for a family of 6. Versatile. Mobile. Quick connect to the trailer propane.

I've since updated to a Pro 60X model, but this gives you the general idea.

X2 100%

[jimmarako]

Originally Posted by GulfHusker

Jim, we have the Cuisinart two burner grill as you linked. I love it! The two burners is what convinced me to try it over a Blackstone. At the time, I don't believe Blackstone had a multi-burner in a smaller size.

This is good to know, thanks.
Jim M.

[dward51]

I have a "Sizzle-Q" griddle plate that fits on a regular grill. I've used it a few times and was not overly fond of it. Ultimately I bought a Blackstone 28" for the house, which I love. I need a smaller one for the trailer now as the 28" does not fit in my storage.

My main complaint about the retrofit griddle was the lack of a grease run-off other than that small area at the front. It does not take long for that area to start to fill up and cleaning it out once the system cools. With the true griddles like Blackstone, Camp Chef, etc... they have a channel or port that routes the grease to a container which holds a lot more and I line my blackstone catch cup with a disposable foil container or a empty soup can. When done, I just toss that out. Also that add on unit did not get as hot as the purpose made griddles.

I have a friend who has a Camp Chef and their removable griddle does much better than the Sizzle-Q, but the flame is a different setup and that griddle is made for that grill, not a generic add on like the Sizzle-Q. I would go with a dedicated griddle for sure, whatever brand you like.

This is the type of add on griddle top I have and replaced with a blackstone 28" (the Sizzle-Q). This is a stock photo not mine:

[CNYCamper]

We use a Coleman Grillin' Griddle that I bought 25-30 years ago. Has had heavy use and the original igniter even works. The griddle itself is, I think, thick aluminum as there is no rust, and its never warped. Great for eggs and french toast. Also used for toasting English muffins and bagels and occasional hotdogs. I've looked, but never seen another one.

[NCBBA11043]

Originally Posted by NJKris

I use a Lodge cast iron griddle. Straddling two burners on my old green Coleman liquid fuel stove that I converted to LP. Also got a cast iron bacon press. Perfect for making crispy hash browns on it.

When I griddle, I griddle. I have a grill for BBQ. Gotta have both for my cooking needs.

Been using my Coleman fuel powered stove forever - why change a good thing! I too have a separate grill - I finally splurged and got a Weber Q. I find this MUCH more versatile, especially when compared to built-in outdoor kitchens. I can set up wherever I want to.

The places we normally camp at have a drop off right of the side of the parking pad. It's funny watching people trying to use the outdoor kitchen when it is four feet off the ground!
Might work out west where it's nice and flat, but here in the Great Lakes / East Coast it just doesn't seem feasible.

[The Newsoms]

Originally Posted by 67L48

Camp Chef. Absolutely love using my stove for its griddle and for the grill. Super convenient. 2-burner is large enough for a family of 6. Versatile. Mobile. Quick connect.

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