Home & Kitchen
The Best Outdoor Gas Griddles: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)
We compared four outdoor flat-top gas griddles on cooking area, heat control, steel and seasoning, grease management, and portability to pick the best.
The short version
For most patios the Blackstone 28-inch Griddle with Air Fryer is our pick: two strong heat zones, a built-in air fryer, cold-rolled steel that seasons to a slick finish, and the biggest accessory ecosystem anywhere. Step up to the Camp Chef Gridiron 36 if you host often and want a large four-burner with a thick plate reviewers praise for even heat and few cold spots. The Pit Boss 2-Burner Tabletop is worth it only for campers and tailgaters who value portability and a low price over cooking area. Skip the Pit Boss 4-Burner Ultimate Lift-Off: its lift-off cooktop is clever, but owner reports of uneven heating and a less-refined build put it behind similarly priced rivals. Best for: buy the Blackstone for do-everything value, or the Camp Chef if you cook for a crowd.
The verdict in 30 seconds
What mattered most
- Cooking area & size
- Burners, BTU & zones
- Cooktop steel & seasoning
- Grease management
- Lid, tables & storage
- Portability
A good outdoor gas griddle turns a patio into a diner: smash burgers, breakfast for a crowd, fried rice, and searing all on one flat cold-rolled steel surface. But cooktops span a tiny carry-anywhere tabletop to a four-burner beast, and the ones worth buying separate themselves on even heat, honest grease management, and steel that seasons well instead of rusting. We synthesized independent testing and long-term owner reports across several reputable sources; two models stood out, one is a smart pick only for the right buyer, and one large griddle is better left on the shelf.
The most versatile all-rounder here, pairing a roomy two-zone cold-rolled steel top with a built-in air fryer drawer and the biggest accessory ecosystem in griddling.
Best for: Most households that want one do-everything griddle with searing power, air-frying, and the easiest path to accessories.
- Roughly 470 square inches over two independently controlled burners (about 34,000 BTU) cooks for a family with room to spare
- Built-in air fryer drawer adds wings, fries, and reheats without a second appliance
- Cold-rolled steel seasons to a slick, dark nonstick surface and holds heat well for searing
- Rear grease drain, folding side shelves, cabinet storage, and casters make it easy to live with
- Unmatched selection of covers, hoods, and accessories, and parts are easy to find
- Cold-rolled steel needs seasoning and must be oiled and covered or it will rust
- Air fryer cavity adds cleaning and a slightly bulkier cabinet
- Two burners mean less total real estate than a four-burner if you cook for big groups
A large four-burner with a thick, even-heating cold-rolled steel plate and premium build for cooks who host and want fewer hot spots.
Best for: Entertainers and big families who want maximum, evenly heated cooking area and a step up in build quality.
- Four independently controlled burners (about 48,000 BTU) across roughly 600 square inches for true crowd cooking
- Thick cold-rolled steel plate is praised in owner reports for even heat and fewer cold corners
- Solid, sturdy build with folding side shelves and built-in tool hooks
- Full-width grease trough and a hard lid for weather protection and storage
- Four true heat zones make it easy to sear on one side and hold warm on the other
- Premium price and a large, heavy footprint that needs dedicated patio space
- Cold-rolled steel still needs seasoning and rust care like any bare-steel griddle
- Overkill for small households or anyone short on storage room
A cheap, genuinely portable two-burner you can carry to a campsite or tailgate, as long as you accept its small surface.
Best for: Campers, tailgaters, and small-space cooks who prioritize portability and price over cooking area.
- Lightweight and compact at 265 square inches, easy to carry and store
- Two separately controlled burners (18,000 BTU) give real two-zone cooking for the size
- Push-and-turn ignition lights fast with no lighter needed
- Low price makes it an easy entry point or a second griddle for travel
- Small surface fills up quickly and is tight for cooking a full family meal at once
- No side shelves or storage, so prep space is on you
- Cold-rolled top still needs seasoning and rust care
- Owner reports note it is more wind-sensitive than larger, hooded griddles
Feature-packed on paper with a lift-off cooktop and front grease trap, but owner reports of uneven heat and less-refined build keep it behind the leaders.
Best for: Bargain hunters set on Pit Boss features; most buyers are better served by the Blackstone or Camp Chef.
- Large 647 square inches over four burners (46,000 BTU) at a competitive price
- Lift-off cooktop detaches to double as a portable tabletop griddle
- Removable front-side grease trap is convenient to empty and clean
- Folding side shelves with tool hooks and a hard lid come standard
- Owner reports more frequently cite uneven heating and cold spots across the four zones than on the leaders
- Extra seams from the lift-off design add spots for grease to collect and clean
- Build and fit-and-finish are noted as less refined than similarly priced rivals
- Cold-rolled steel needs the same seasoning and rust care with less payoff in evenness
| Criteria | Blackstone 28-inch Griddle with Air Fryer (Airfryer Combo) Top pick | Camp Chef Gridiron 36 | Pit Boss 2-Burner Tabletop Griddle | Pit Boss 4-Burner Ultimate Lift-Off Griddle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Buy it | Buy it | It depends | Skip it |
| Best for | Most households that want one do-everything griddle with searing power, air-frying, and the easiest path to accessories. | Entertainers and big families who want maximum, evenly heated cooking area and a step up in build quality. | Campers, tailgaters, and small-space cooks who prioritize portability and price over cooking area. | Bargain hunters set on Pit Boss features; most buyers are better served by the Blackstone or Camp Chef. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$$ · premium | $ · budget | $$ · mid-range |
| Cooking area & size | ~470 sq in, mid-size 2-burner | ~600 sq in, large 4-burner | 265 sq in, compact tabletop | 647 sq in, large 4-burner |
| Burners, BTU & zones | 2 zones, ~34,000 BTU | 4 zones, ~48,000 BTU | 2 zones, 18,000 BTU | 4 zones, 46,000 BTU |
| Cooktop steel & seasoning | Cold-rolled steel, seasons well, rust care needed | Thick cold-rolled steel, most even heat, rust care needed | Cold-rolled steel, rust care needed | Cold-rolled steel, uneven reports, rust care needed |
| Grease management | Rear drain to catch cup | Full-width front trough | Rear grease cup | Removable front EZ-Access trap |
| Lid, tables & storage | Hard hood, cabinet + air fryer, 2 side shelves | Hard lid, 2 folding shelves + tool hooks | Hard hood, no side shelves | Hard lid, 2 folding shelves + tool hooks |
| Portability | Rolls on casters, not carry-portable | Rolls on casters, large and heavy | Lightweight, carry anywhere | Cart rolls; lift-off top is portable |
| Ignition | Push-button | Push-button electronic | Push-and-turn | Push-button |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$$ · premium | $ · budget | $$ · mid-range |
Which one is right for you?
- Most households that want one do-everything griddle with searing power, air-frying, and the easiest path to accessories. Buy it Blackstone 28-inch Griddle with Air Fryer (Airfryer Combo)
- Entertainers and big families who want maximum, evenly heated cooking area and a step up in build quality. Buy it Camp Chef Gridiron 36
- Campers, tailgaters, and small-space cooks who prioritize portability and price over cooking area. It depends Pit Boss 2-Burner Tabletop Griddle
- Bargain hunters set on Pit Boss features; most buyers are better served by the Blackstone or Camp Chef. Skip it Pit Boss 4-Burner Ultimate Lift-Off Griddle
How we judged the field
We did not run our own lab. Instead we synthesized independent testing with long-term owner reports across several reputable sources, and the same priorities surfaced again and again for outdoor flat-top gas griddles. We weighted the things that actually decide whether you keep using a griddle: how evenly the plate heats across its whole surface, how much usable cooking area you get for the size, how well the cold-rolled steel seasons and resists rust, and how sane the grease management is in daily cleanup. We also looked at the practical stuff owners raise constantly, such as lid and side-table utility, storage, ignition reliability, and how portable the unit really is. Where sources disagreed we say so rather than smoothing it over. Note that all four use bare cold-rolled carbon steel, so every one of them needs seasoning and rust care; the differences are in evenness, real estate, and refinement.
Blackstone 28-inch Griddle with Air Fryer (Airfryer Combo) — buy
This is the do-everything pick. Its roughly 470 square inches spread across two independently controlled burners (about 34,000 BTU) give you enough room to run a hot searing zone and a gentler warming zone at once, which is the whole point of a griddle. Owners consistently report that the cold-rolled steel seasons into a dark, slick, near-nonstick surface and holds heat well for smash burgers. The built-in air fryer drawer is the differentiator here: you can crisp wings or fries while the top handles pancakes and eggs, no second appliance required. A rear grease drain, folding side shelves, cabinet storage, and casters make it livable, and no other brand comes close on the sheer availability of covers, hoods, and accessories. The caveats are the ones common to all bare-steel griddles, plus the air fryer cavity adds a little cleaning. For most households it is the best balance of versatility, searing power, and long-term support.
Camp Chef Gridiron 36 — buy
When you cook for a crowd, area and evenness win, and the Gridiron 36 delivers both. Four independently controlled burners (about 48,000 BTU) heat roughly 600 square inches, and owner reports single out its thick cold-rolled steel plate for even heat with fewer cold corners than thinner cooktops. The build feels a step up: sturdy, with folding side shelves, built-in tool hooks, a full-width grease trough, and a hard lid for weather and storage. Four true heat zones make it easy to sear on one end and hold food warm on the other during a big cook. The trade-offs are price, weight, and footprint, and it still needs seasoning and rust care like any bare-steel griddle. If you host often or feed a large family, it is worth the step up.
Pit Boss 2-Burner Tabletop Griddle — it depends
This one earns its place only for the right buyer. At 265 square inches it is small, but it is genuinely portable: light enough to carry to a campsite, tailgate, or balcony, with two separately controlled burners (18,000 BTU) that still give you real two-zone cooking for the size. The push-and-turn ignition lights fast, and the low price makes it an easy first griddle or a travel companion to a bigger one at home. The downsides are the flip side of portability. The surface fills up fast and is tight for a full family meal, there are no side shelves for prep, and owner reports note it is more wind-sensitive than larger hooded models. Buy it for portability and price; look elsewhere if you want to cook for a group.
Pit Boss 4-Burner Ultimate Lift-Off Griddle — skip
On paper this is the value large griddle: 647 square inches over four burners (46,000 BTU), a removable front-side grease trap, folding side shelves with tool hooks, and a headline lift-off cooktop that detaches to become a portable tabletop griddle. In practice, the recurring theme in owner reports is uneven heating and cold spots across the four zones, which is the one thing a griddle most needs to get right. The lift-off design also adds seams where grease collects and cleanup gets fiddly, and the fit-and-finish reads as less refined than similarly priced rivals. None of that is disastrous, and bargain hunters committed to the feature set can make it work. But when a competing four-burner heats more evenly for similar money, the clever cooktop trick is not enough to recommend it. Most buyers are better served by the Blackstone or the Camp Chef.
Blackstone 28-inch Griddle with Air Fryer vs Camp Chef Gridiron 36: which should you buy?
These are our two winners, and the choice comes down to how you cook. Choose the Blackstone 28-inch with Air Fryer if you want the most versatile single griddle: two strong heat zones cover everyday family cooking, the built-in air fryer adds a whole second cooking mode, and the accessory ecosystem means you can find any cover, hood, or part with ease, all at a friendlier price. Choose the Camp Chef Gridiron 36 if you regularly host: its four burners and roughly 600 square inches give you far more real estate, and owners praise its thick plate for the most even heat of this group, with a sturdier overall build. In short, the Blackstone is the smarter buy for most homes and for value, while the Camp Chef is the one to get if crowd-sized capacity and even heat matter more than price or footprint.
What to look for
- Cooking area and burners: match surface to how many people you feed, and remember more burners means more independent heat zones for searing and holding at the same time.
- Even heating: a thicker cold-rolled steel plate evens out temperature and recovers heat faster, so it is worth prioritizing over a slightly larger but thinner top.
- Seasoning and rust: all bare-steel griddles need seasoning and a cover; a well-seasoned plate becomes naturally nonstick and rust-resistant, so budget the time to build that coating.
- Grease management: check where the grease drains and how easy the trap or cup is to empty, since a poorly placed or undersized system overflows and makes cleanup miserable.
- Lid and side tables: a hard lid protects the surface and enables storage, and side shelves give you prep and landing space you will use every cook.
- Portability versus footprint: a light tabletop travels but cooks small, while a four-burner cart needs dedicated patio space and is not something you carry.
Our final take
For the widest range of patios the Blackstone 28-inch Griddle with Air Fryer is our pick: two capable heat zones, a genuinely useful air fryer, cold-rolled steel that seasons beautifully, and accessory support no rival matches. The Camp Chef Gridiron 36 is the runner-up and the clear choice for anyone who entertains, with a large four-burner cooktop owners praise for even heat and a build that feels a notch above. The Pit Boss 2-Burner Tabletop is a smart, cheap grab-and-go only if portability outranks cooking area for you. And we would skip the Pit Boss 4-Burner Ultimate Lift-Off: the lift-off cooktop is a neat idea, but uneven heating and a less-refined build leave it behind the leaders at similar money. Best for most people: buy the Blackstone for value and versatility, or the Camp Chef to cook for a crowd.
Questions, answered
What size griddle should I buy?
Match burners to how many people you feed. A compact tabletop like the 265-square-inch Pit Boss suits one or two people and travel. A two-burner around 470 square inches, like the Blackstone 28-inch, comfortably feeds a family with room to run different zones. Four-burner models near 600 square inches, like the Camp Chef Gridiron 36, are for entertaining and big batches. Bigger also means heavier and harder to store, so do not buy more surface than you will use.
Do outdoor steel griddles rust, and how do I prevent it?
Yes. Every griddle here uses bare cold-rolled carbon steel, which will rust if left wet or uncovered. The fix is seasoning: heat the plate, wipe on thin layers of high-smoke-point oil, and let each layer bake to a dark, slick coating. After cooking, scrape, wipe, and add a light oil film, then keep it under a cover. Done consistently, the surface becomes naturally nonstick and rust-resistant.
Why does even heating matter so much on a griddle?
Unlike a grill with grates, a griddle is one flat plate, so any cold or hot spot shows up directly in your food. Even heat lets you cook a full surface of pancakes or smash burgers at the same rate. Thicker cold-rolled steel, like the plate owners praise on the Camp Chef Gridiron 36, evens out temperature and recovers heat faster, which is why it is worth paying attention to.
Is a built-in air fryer on a griddle worth it?
It can be. The air fryer drawer on the Blackstone 28-inch lets you crisp wings or fries while the flat top handles the rest, saving a trip to the kitchen and a second appliance. The trade-offs are more parts to clean and a slightly bulkier cabinet. If you would use it regularly it adds real value; if not, a plain griddle is simpler.
How important is grease management?
Very, because a griddle produces a lot of runoff. Look at where the grease goes and how easy it is to empty. Rear-drain systems, like Blackstone's, and removable front traps, like the Pit Boss Ultimate's, both work, but capacity and how often you must empty a small cup matter in daily use. A poorly placed or undersized trap leads to overflow and messy cleanup, so check it before you buy.
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