Like with all gas grills, there’s nothing worse than getting everything ready to grill, opening your propane tank only to realize it’s empty. In terms of warranty, Pit Boss offers a longer warranty period of 2 years, while Blackstone offers a standard 1-year warranty. Regarding grease management, the Blackstone griddle has a rear grease management system, while the Pit Boss griddle has a front grease management system. Regarding reliability, both Pit Boss and Blackstone have created high-quality griddles with durable materials. Pit Boss manufactures their griddles with cast iron and stainless steel, while Blackstone relies on stainless steel.
The reason for this is the heat of a griddle is more evenly applied to the food and easier to control than on a grill. Nothing beats cooking outside, but traditional grills aren’t ideal for every culinary situation. But there is an alternative to traditional backyard grilling that’s rapidly gaining in popularity, and that’s flat top grills and griddles. All three outdoor griddles, the Blackstone, the Camp Chef, and the Pit Boss, have grease traps that are easy to remove and replace for cleaning. And from my experience, all 3 grease traps are equally easy to clean because they all have a non-stick coating.
The built-in ignition button allows you to fire them up in seconds for extra convenience. The size difference isn’t super huge, but it’s in the favor of Blackstone. Similarly, the Pit Boss PB336GS has 4 non-slip legs to boost stability while cooking. As such, both griddles should last many years, effectively resist high temperatures, and withstand corrosion and rust.
The grease trap is pretty small, so you’ll have to empty it more than you’d like. And the Daytona is only compatible with a 1-lb liquid propane cylinder, so don’t expect to be able to cook for hours. You really have to select the features that you want MOST in an outdoor griddle, and then go from there. I actually think of my different outdoor griddles as my kids… You would never be able to pick a favorite child.
On the other hand, Pit Boss griddles use a slightly thicker plate that is made from cast iron. While cast iron is known for its excellent heat retention, it may take longer to heat up compared to cold-rolled steel. On the other hand, the Pit Boss Griddle has a grease management system in the front, while the Blackstone Griddle has a rear grease management system. As for tabletop griddles, the Blackstone 1666 Tabletop Griddle is hooded, while the Pit Boss PB336GS Tabletop Gas Griddle is not.
Both the Blackstone and the Pit Boss tabletop griddles are built to support great portability. Both the Blackstone and the Pit Boss tabletop griddles are easy to get the hang of. As we discussed above, both the Blackstone 1666 and the Pit Boss PB336GS are equipped with two burners and medium-sized cooking pit boss flat top areas. What’s more, the included grease trap is featured at the back of the Blackstone unit but on the side of the Pit Boss unit. On the other hand, if you have the Ultimate Lift-off series, that ceramic coating cannot withstand metal utensils and will require you to buy ceramic safe utensils.
In fact, I often tell people, if you can cook it inside on your stovetop, then you can cook it outside on your gas griddle. Just think of your Blackstone, Pit Boss, or Camp Chef as a giant skillet. Cooking smash burgers is all about technique, and a lot of the debate over the new Pit Boss griddle was “Can you get a crust?
Regardless of the brand you choose, you have to maintain and clean your griddle for the best results and taste. You will notice that the Blackstone and Pit Boss griddle have a grease catcher and hole on the surface. You can use a metal scraper to clean the grease and let the hole catch the dirt.