Weber griddle or Weber Slate?

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

Hey everyone! I finally gave up on the Char Griller Flat Iron and tree-lawned it. But now, I need to replace it. I had thought about getting an insert for my Genesis, but I want to be able to take the griddle to church for pancake breakfasts and such. So, my wife is telling me to get a freestanding unit.

Had a Blackstone years ago. Hated it. The Char Griller Flat Iron was complete junk. So, I'm looking at Weber, because they haven't let me down yet and I want something that's going to last.

Has anyone used the Weber Griddle? I see Ace Hardware has the 36 inch version for around $600. But now I also see Weber has come out with a Slate model, which supposedly won't rust and doesn't need seasoned. Has anyone had experience with either the original griddle or the new Slate? Any opinions or recommendations between the two?

[Huskee]

We're testing the Slate as we speak. Stay tuned!

The Slate is pre-seasoned, but they still recommend, or at least state in the manual, that re-seasoning 1-2 more times will be helpful. The carbon steel cooktop comes very smooth, when others are rough almost like sandpaper. The Slate has other perks above the rust-resistant cooktop too. Worth the extra ~$400+ above their standard 36" griddle? Individual choice as always.

Also, have you considered the Traeger Flatrock? It is a wonderful machine.

EDIT I missed the part about you wanting to take it on the go. The Slate and Flatrock are both quite sturdy and therefore heavy. You may want to look at lighter units for that. Unless you have a trailer.

[Huskee]

TheAmazingJohnJ Hopefully before Memorial Day

[RichieB]

I'll attest for carbon steel. My weber insert for the 3 burner Spirt is flawless as a cooker and rust proof is a nice plus

[BBQandLove]

real happy to hear this… am in the market for a griddle… hate that the shelves don’t fold on the regular Weber. Got my sights set on the Slate, but just not sure.

[jfmorris]

If you are looking for something portable - i.e. to pack up to take to church, camping, etc, you may want to also consider some of the designs that are made to fold up, rather than being on a standard cart with wheels.

I am thinking things like the Camp Chef portable flat top 600:

https://www.campchef.com/shop-flat-top-grills/portable-flat-top-600/CC-FTG600P.html

Or even the Camp Chef 16 inch stove system (3 burner):

https://www.campchef.com/camp-chef-pro-90x-three-burner-cooking-system/CC-PRO90X.html

combined with the 3 burner griddle top:

https://www.campchef.com/professional-flat-top-griddle-16-x-37/CC-SG100.html

I am sure others make portable options as well, but those two give you folding legs, and easier portability. But they may not be as ideal as a cart mounted one for full time backyard use. Also, they don't have a hinged lid, like the cart mounted versions.

I've got a Camp Chef Flat top 900, and it's a huge griddle, but is not "rust proof". Mine stays rust free because I keep it seasoned and protected. It did come preseasoned, and I season it as needed once or twice a year.

What caused you to hate the Blackstone? I have never owned one, as I prefer the front grease trough and catch pan on the Camp Chef to the rear grease management on the newer Blackstones myself.

[jfmorris]

TheAmazingJohnJ also, I will say that Camp Chef (or Blackstone) don't use as good a finish as Weber does, at least on their Genesis and Spirit gas grills. My Camp Chef griddle sits out in the weather, and rain blowing up under the cover and pooling on that shelf has bubbled up and messed up the paint on the lower shelf of the cart, leading to patches of rust. I'll be painting that shelf with a can of black grill paint this summer, after just 4 years.

[Panhead John]

If you’re considering a Pit Boss, the grease hole is in the front left corner and drains into a decent sized cup which slides in and out of a shelf it sits on. I like having the grease hole in the front myself, I don’t have to worry too much about food falling into it…vs one in the rear.

[TripleB]

That's basically the setup I have and the grease cup management is a bit of a pain. The half griddle I have too and I like it better. One flat top for whatever and then a burner for a pot of whatever.

[Panhead John]

The Pit Boss ceramic griddles come in 2,3,4 and 5 burner options. All of them, except the 5 burner, have the lift off and take with you capabilities.

[Panhead John]

https://www.campingworld.com/pit-boss-4-burner-ultimate-lift-off-griddle-743990.html

[jfmorris]

That's pretty cool - I didn't know they had the ability to just lift off the cart. That would make it ideal as long as you have a sturdy table to set it on at the destination.

[Uncle Bob]

Here's a video worth watching: The NEW Weber Slate 30" Griddle HIGHLY Requested REVIEW! (youtube.com) At this time the 36" Slate isn't available, so the 30" is the largest you can lay hands on. Personally I wouldn't pay the extra for the temp indicator as it only registers at a single point on the surface, so for experienced gridlers, it's mostly pointless. The extra flip up side shelf might have value, but not at $200ish to me.

[Huskee]

We're gonna test that!

[barelfly]

You mention a 2013 Blackstone - I just purchased one a few weeks ago and the grease/disposal is on the backside in the middle and latches over the back. It’s on there and out of the way. It is really nice to work with and push towards as you are cooking and cleaning. As for stability, it is solid - has nice caster wheels that lock, I have the model that has a bottom shelf that keeps everything locked in. Just a thought since that is something you mentioned.

Here’s the model I have - https://blackstoneproducts.com/produ...ves-hard-cover

however, I did not spend that $. I purchased mine at Tractor Supply for $250. I got it on sale from $399, so maybe check out a Tractor Supply and see if they have one in stock and on sale?

either way, have fun shopping and enjoy whichever griddle you find!

[Santamarina]

Saw the Weber griddle at Ace not long ago. Took a quick glance and it seemed pretty sturdy. Price was a little steep for me…but prices for any of them have risen considerably since I bought my griddle in 2019.

My 36” Blackstone has rear grease drain. It was a new feature when I got mine and I had to search a bit to find it vs the older front grease model.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I was hopeful the Weber griddle was going to be a major step up in the griddle game.


But...


You can't close the lid while cooking???? WTF is this ish??? You're kidding me, right, Weber?? The metal lid is not heat rated or anything??

Dude, I'm out, sorry. That's a big deal, honestly. Maybe not the BIGGEST deal, but it's pretty big for some of us. I am curious how well that top surface holds up - I'm not holding my breath it is perfect, but maybe it's better than the typical cold-rolled steel top. I don't find my Blackstone to be all the bad, though in terms of rust. Hell, I left it covered up over the winter, pulled it out a few weeks ago, it had been... I dunno, 4 months, 5 months? I was really surprised. No reseasoning at all, I just heated it up, wiped it down with some oil and cleaned it with some paper towels and cooked on it. If you do a decent job seasoning it and keep it covered, it seems to do fine.

Not exactly a loss for Weber in my book, but definitely isn't the big homerun swing I'd hoped for.

And I agree the temperature monitoring thing is a gimmick. Pretty useless, honestly. Supposed edge to edge even cooking, didn't look like it to me, either. I haven't watched that whole review from the Flat Top King yet, I prolly will later, but overall... it just looks like another griddle to me, with a side shelf that doesn't fold down and one that extends out if you need it. Some decent things, some useless things, some really really stupid things.

Overall, nothing to make me go out and spend $600 - not when I've already got one I'm decently happy with.

[Uncle Bob]

Your 4-5 month storage result not rusting is probably a testament to how well you seasoned the surface. Seasoning seems to be a real problem for way too many folk. They all believe they know how to do it, but outcomes show they don't..................and of course, it's almost always the fault of the manufacturer in their eyes.

[jfmorris]

I find that an odd limitation as well. That lid ought to act like one giant basting dome, and be usable during cooking.

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

Thanks everyone for your input. I decided to bite the bullet and get the Weber 36. Just seemed to have better reviews, consistently, than most anything else. A little more than I wanted to spend, but I promised my wife that this year's purchases would be the last for a few years. I certainly couldn't even talk to her about the price for the Slate or Flatrock with a straight face. 😂

[jfmorris]

Great choice. As you say - a little pricier than most griddles, but I think it will hold up better than most as well, based on my experience with two Weber gas grills.

[TheAmazingJohnJ]

jfmorris no doubt! I was tearing through cheaper propane grills every year or two for 8 years. I finally broke down and bought a Weber Genesis in 2018, and have had no issues since (knock on stainless, er, I mean wood. 😁).

[jfmorris]

Hey - I've got a 2002 Genesis 2 burner, which I used until 2019, and rehomed to my youngest daughter's backyard after she got married in 2020. It works as good as the day I got it, and is in great shape. I think the cart steel started to rust once, and I sprayed it with some black grill paint, but the grill itself is still going strong, 22 years later!

They aren't grillers sadly. When I was over there Friday looking at the neglected Genesis, I told them to let me know if I need to haul it off.

[radiodome21]

Nice. Can’t wait to see your cooks in the future. I got a griddle insert for Father’s Day last year that’s collecting rust in my garage. If I decide I want to use it again I’ll recondition it. As for a standalone griddle in my future the only requirement would be one with an NG unit.

[jfmorris]

Is that the Weber insert? I thought ti was porcelain coated and couldn't rust?

[radiodome21]

I was gifted a Steelmade griddle by my wife. While I did like it when I used it, ultimately I find the negatives outweigh the positives.

[STEbbq]

My biggest hangup with the current set of griddles is the lack of a good wind guard especially as my driveway is pretty windy. Next, the challenge of shelves being unusable due to heat. I think Traeger’s Flatrock is the only one that has solved those issues though I haven’t read too many comments from folks here on the success of installing third-party wind shields.

[STEbbq]

Panhead John probably best to stick with the handy inserts and GriddleGrates I have as the smoker itself provides a proper wind shield and the shelves stay usable.

[barelfly]

I haven’t had issue with shelf heat with my Blackstone. I was worried about that reading some of the comments on the board but I’m using the side shelves for tools, dishes, bowls and such. Haven’t felt any heat at this point.

And the wind guards, I’ve looked at those as well but havent purchased yet. The reviews on Amazon seem to be ok for the few I have marked in my list. If I do get them, I’ll put up some notes about them. My patio area is pretty shielded and i have the lid on the backside.

[jfmorris]

I've not had wind bother me on the Camp Chef, but the side shelves get super hot for several inches near the griddle, as all the heat comes out on the ends and back. I need some kind of heat shield there for sure, as I've melted a couple of spatula handles. That said, I take advantage of it to keep foil pans of food warm after it comes off the griddle...

[STEbbq]

As as aside, can I just say kudos to the Weber marketing team for naming its newest griddle “Slate”? What a great and cool name for a griddle, and very apt too.