Blackstone 36 Griddle Cooking Station

If you are in the market for a new flat top grill, the Blackstone 1554 36-inch griddle provides exceptional cooking quality, convenience, and reliability.

Blackstone is one of the biggest players in outdoor gas griddles, and though they make many different models, this is their signature offering.

The Blackstone griddle 36 has the capacity and the cooking versatility that allows you to prepare and cook a variety of foods all at the same time.

That's because the Blackstone griddle 36 has a huge cooktop with four individual cooking zones. This allows you to cook all kinds of foods not only at once but also at different temperatures, so they all cook properly.

You can cook almost anything on a flat top grill—burgers, sandwiches, chicken, seafood, vegetables, and of course tons of breakfast foods. Cook up a big batch of pancakes or French toast on one side while cooking a bunch of eggs on the other side simultaneously.

Check out the rest of this Blackstone grill review. As covered in our gas griddle buyers guide, we go over the grill's design and construction, its cooking performance, and the pros/cons of the Blackstone 36-inch model.

You'll then better understand the difference between the Blackstone 36 and other offerings like the Blackstone 36 Griddle with Air Fryer and the Blackstone 28-inch.

If you're looking for a direct comparison between the 28-inch and 36-inch models, we've got you covered in with our Blackstone 28" vs. 36" griddle article.

Blackstone 1554 Design and Construction

The Blackstone Griddle 36-inch griddle starts with a solid steel frame. The frame mounts on four industrial-quality casters, two of which are lockable, so the grill stays firmly in place while you're cooking.

The design includes a propane tank hook-up and regulator, a large grease catch on the back of the cooktop, and side handles to help you move the grill.

Attached to the frame are two shelves, one on either side of the griddle's cooktop and another shelf on the bottom. These are convenient places for plates, barbecue tools, food, and hot mitts.

Blackstone 36 inch assembly

Blackstone 1554 36-Inch Griddle Cooking Station

The steel frame is attractively powder-coated in black. This coating protects against rust and corrosion while enabling easy cleanup of grease, dirt, and grime using mild soap and water.

It does not come preassembled, so you will have to put it together first. Assembly is straightforward and relatively easy with the instructions the manufacturer provides.

It will also be necessary to clean and season the griddle cooktop before using it the first time. Cleaning it is quick and easy, and then the initial seasoning process will take about an hour.

A well-seasoned griddle not only protects the cooktop but also creates a non-stick cooking surface which is key.

Blackstone 1554 Cooking Performance

The Blackstone 1554 36-inch griddle has a seven gauge (3/16th inch), heavy rolled-steel cook surface that provides superior heat distribution and retention.

The result is more thorough and even grilling of meats, vegetables, burgers, and other favorite items like shrimp and your favorite stir fry recipe.

You can even cook a massive breakfast of bacon, eggs, hash browns, and pancakes. The cooktop's heavy steel construction means the grill will last a long time, and the cooktop is simple to remove if needed.

Blackstone 36 inch griddle

The grill has four tubular burners made from durable stainless steel. They put out 15,000 BTUs each, for a total of 60,000 BTUs of reliable heat. You regulate the burners with independent controls, from low to high.

The four independent controls also give you four cook zones that allow you to cook the food items you need at different temperatures and different durations. A quick ignition button safely lights the propane and gets the griddle heating up fast.

Blackstone 1554 Cooking Surface

The cooking surface of the Blackstone 1554 36 inch griddle is spacious and evenly heated 756 square inches. This cooking surface is 286 square inches more than the two-burner Blackstone 28-inch griddle. The Blackstone 36 provides plenty of room for cooking various foods for a large family or group.

You can't cook items like eggs and pancakes on a standard slotted grill — they'd fall right through! On the other hand, the Blackstone Griddle 36 makes it easy. You can fry your eggs and flip your pancakes on the broad, flat surface.

Seasoned Blackstone 36" Griddle

A flat surface also means you are not limited to lunch and dinner on the grill, but you can now include breakfast. Make plans to invite the family, friends, your church group, or your social club for breakfast and show off Blackstone's breakfast preparation capabilities. An outdoor breakfast can be a unique experience.

Cleaning the Griddle

To clean the Blackstone Griddle's cooktop, you do not need any specialty tools. Just a few household items:

A scraper or spatula
Water
Cooking oil
A rag or paper towels

Rubbing Oil On A Blackstone griddle

When done cooking, scrape the surface using a scraper or spatula to remove any bits of remaining grease and food leftover into the grease trap. Add a bit of water if needed to loosen any stuck-on food.

After removing the remaining food particles, add a thin layer of cooking oil to the cooktop to protect it. Spread the oil out evenly across the cooktop surface with your paper towels or rag, and you're ready to cook your next meal. (Make sure you use tongs or wear heat-resistant gloves!)

For a more in-depth look at this process, please look at our post on how to clean a flat top grill.

Portability and Size

The Blackstone 36 grill griddle is 68 inches long, 27.5 inches wide, 41 inches high, and weighs 192.5 pounds. At 41 inches, it is high enough, so you don't have to bend down while performing your cooking chores.

The 27.5 width provides plenty of cooking area but does not make you stretch to reach. And the grill is hefty enough at 192.5 pounds, so you don't have to worry about the grill moving around or someone accidentally knocking it over.

Blackstone 1554 36-Inch Griddle Cooking Station Cover

It's certainly not the most portable ofBlackstone's griddle models. You can transport the Blackstone 36 grill fairly easily around your backyard or patio because of the wheels and handle. Taking it with you to go camping is a bit tougher as it does not have folding legs like other models, and it's also quite heavy.

If you're looking for something with better portability, you'll be better off with the Blackstone atabletop griddle or Blackstone Tailgater model.

Pros and Cons

We'll go over some pros and cons of the Blackstone 36 to help you get a balanced view of the product.

Specs:

36" by 21" inch cooking surface (756 square inches)
192.5 pounds total weight (does not include propane tank)
Measures 68" x 27.5" x 41"
60,000 BTUs of cooking heat
Four burners, independently controlled

Pros:

Sturdy, all-steel construction
Attractive black-powdered finish
Heavy-gauge cooktop for even, reliable heat
Large cooking surface
Four independently-controlled cook zones

Cons:

A little heavy to move
Grease catch may spill grease
The regulator may not work as well as it should

Final Thoughts

The Blackstone Griddle 36 provides a top-notch addition to your outdoor cooking area.If you're looking to purchase your first gas griddle or upgrade to a larger model, the Blackstone griddle 36-inch model offers versatility, unique cooking capabilities, and excellent durability.

Blackstone 36" Griddle with hard cover