Walmart is STILL Clearing out Blackstones (Follow up)

[BBillFleet]

After reading /1764412-walmart-is-clearing-out-blackstones#post1764523 and thinking about it, I went to look-see for myself over a week later, and wow:



These are both Omnivore models, and there were several others outside in the seasonal area. The 36-inchers were looking a bit banged up, but it only seemed to be box damage. I could live with a dent or two at this price.

But wait! There's more. This appears to be system-wide for Walmart, since I saw these prices without having logged in:



A closer look in the seasonal dept revealed a lot of empty shelves, marked "SET FOR CHRISTMAS". So Walmart is dumping these, FYI.

[BBillFleet]

So now I'm a Blackstone owner.

Upon getting the unit home, I opened the box to see if there was damage beyond what was visible outside. There was some, but not to the grill or its parts or frame, just the crushable cardboard honeycomb board that encased it. So hurray! I will have some fun with that this weekend.

Comparison with the similar unit at Lowe's: these are both 'merchant custom' units, meaning they have slight variances in features to make them exclusive to each retailer. Both have what matters:

• 36" wide, 768 sq inches cooking surface
• Hinged hood
• 4 burners, 38000 BTU output
• Omnivore design platen
• Paper towel holder
• Cheesy caster wheels.

The Lowe's unit has:

• A Trash Bag Holder (a thin rod bracket for hanging a garbage bag around)
• A 'belly bin' (a long narrow shelf across the front, below the knobs)
• A perforated shelf just below and behind the belly bin

The Walmart unit has:

• A magnet strip along the left side shelf to hold your lower-quality stainless tools
• A cutting board integrated into the right side shelf
• A Storage Bin on the front right side, big enough to hold two squirt bottles
• A shelf like the Lowe's unit, but non-perforated, instead it has underside brackets to hold (hopefully) standard storage tubs
• A bottle cap opener

After posting the above, I realized I couldn't let this one go. I already have the Cuisinart 360XL, but I rarely use it. Why? it's TOO big. It's design seems clever until one has to use it, and using it means pulling it fully out into the open, so that one can walk around all sides of it to avoid reaching across and scorching one's belly. This would be like using a 36" Blackstone, but only from one of the narrow sides. It's also a little anemic: it takes a long time to heat up, and does so rather unevenly.

Same with cleaning it; the grease drip tray goes all the way around its perimeter, and so will you if you want it clean.

But enough about that. I will sell it gently used.

EDIT: grayed out features that were advertised, but not included

[BBillFleet]

Yeah, not having that wall... It was always a matter of everything going just fine, and then one (or many) tidbits go running off the opposite side of the griddle into the grease tray. The you have to go all the way around it to retrieve them.

[fillirican]

Thanks for the insights BBillFleet & jfmorris. I was in the market for the Cuisineart but now will probably go with the Blackstone.

[jfmorris]

fillirican on the Cuisinart, another point is that the drip tray ain't catching a burger or dog - just saying! That foods gonna bounce off the skinny circular drip tray and on to the ground and the dogs...

Don't get me wrong - I've made stir fries on my SIL's round griddle, and just had to use one spatula as the backstop to push against with the other, to keep the veggies or fried rice on the griddle. It was much more 2 handed griddling than on a conventional griddle.

[Andrrr]

Congrats! $200 for that is a great deal,.

[Panhead John]

Congrats Bill! That’s a good deal. Good descriptions of the griddles. Without having ever used a round griddle, I just knew I wouldn’t like it either. As Jim mentioned, no back or side walls to push against? Round ain’t for me either. And I can imagine that the circular grease trap would be a pain also.

[BBillFleet]

I imagine the small 360 griddle might have better heating performance, but I have the big one. (it was only about $200 at the time.) But yes, the innovative design has costs I didn't anticipate. When seasoning it, I could actually see the underframe as a grid of cooler metal. Also, I found I really wanted a back wall to push against.

[Sid P]

Those are really great deals. I was delighted to get a 36”/4 burner for $199 at Tractor Supply, but my lid isn’t hinged.

[Alan Brice]

28" two burner is $197.00. Closest numbers on a 36" are still $297.00. In Cincy.
$249 for the two burner n $399.99 for the 4 burner 36" at TSC.
Thanks for the heads up.

[dpearce]

Yeah, I'm seeing the same thing here in Columbus, OH. Neither Lowe's Tractor Supply, nor Walmart has discount prices around me. I'm definitely going to keep looking though. They may just be taking their time before getting around to get rid of the extra inventory.

[BBillFleet]

You're right, and this is my bad, I guess. I'm still seeing the massive markdowns in Charlotte area, but other areas don't have them.

Still, if you're only a state or so away, might be worth the trip? :P

[Huskee]

I think there are better quality griddles out there, but $200 for that Blackstone biggun is a steal! Nice score!

[jfmorris]

I checked online, and at least here, the Walmart website lists no clearance deals like you are seeing for the local locations. I was gonna find out and send my SIL after one if they were $200 here.

[RickyBobby]

Well…… looks like I’m heading to the local Walmart tomorrow to see what is available in this neck of the woods. Thanks for the heads up!

[bbqLuv]

Son-in-law cook up some chicken thighs and shrimp on a grilled. I was impressed.
Besides a grill is home to the smash burgers.

[Finster]

I was at Walmart today. No BBQ supplies of any kind on clearance.
I did get the lawnmower I went for on clearance though.

[BBillFleet]

Well, that's a win as well! Electric or gas?

[barelfly]

Winner winner griddle cooking dinner!!! I checked out the prices last week at the lake, looking to see if I could score a 4 burner for the lake house, but they weren’t discounted much at the time.

I love my 4 burner Blackstone! So versatile and useful for any type of cook! Have fun!