Blackstone Griddle Sizes Explained: 17", 22", 28" and 36" Compared

The number in the name is the width of the cooking surface, not the width of the cart you have to roll through a gate. Blackstone’s 36-inch griddle with hood lists an assembled width of 64.5 inches — almost two feet of side shelves and hardware beyond the plate itself. If you shop by the number in the model name alone, the unit can be too wide for the pad, and still have less or more cooking space than you expected.

This page is a buyer’s comparison of the four everyday widths — 17, 22, 28, and 36 inches — using figures Blackstone publishes on its buying guide and current product pages. It is not a lab test and not a ranking.

How Blackstone-style griddle sizes are measured

Blackstone measures the familiar 17-, 22-, 28-, and 36-inch sizes as cooking-surface width, not cart width. The 17-inch class is a single burner; 22- and 28-inch models add a second zone; the 36-inch class uses four zones. Compare official overall width and weight for the exact model, because hoods and shelves change the footprint.

That definition comes from Blackstone’s size-and-model buying guide. If you are still deciding whether a flat top belongs in the yard at all, start with what a Blackstone grill is and whether it is right for you, or the broader outdoor griddle guide.

A size-to-household check, in order

Work this list top to bottom before you fall in love with a photo of a 36-inch cart.

1. Count the meals, not the people in the house. A couple who host brunch twice a month may need more plate than a family of four who only smash burgers on Friday.
2. List the foods that have to finish together. Eggs plus bacon plus pancakes need at least two zones so one side can stay gentle.
3. Measure the pad, the gate, and the stored width with shelves up and down, using the overall dimensions on the product page — not the size in the name.
4. Check weight and whether you will move the unit. A tabletop 17-inch model on Blackstone’s current product page is listed at 30.8 pounds; a 36-inch model with hood is listed at 135 pounds.
5. Confirm what is included: hood, hard cover, side shelf, and grease system vary by exact SKU.

When the plate is only part of a larger station, size math changes again. A grills and griddles collection is useful for surface mix; a combo island has a grate and a plate whose widths are specified separately.

17-inch: one burner, built to move

Blackstone’s buying guide describes the 17-inch class as a single burner with around 12,500 BTUs, aimed at camping, RVs, and tight spaces, and says it can handle a small group (the guide cites roughly two to four people). The current 17-inch tabletop griddle with hard cover lists overall dimensions of 17.25" W × 9" H × 21.75" D and 30.8 pounds, with a published capacity of 11 burgers, 17 fried eggs, or 7 pancakes on that specific top.

One burner means one heat setting for the whole plate. You can still work hotter and cooler areas by using the center versus the edge, but you do not get a true second zone. If breakfast and searing have to happen at the same time, step up a size.

22-inch: a second zone in a still-portable top

The 22-inch class adds a second burner, which is the first real split between a low side and a high side. Blackstone’s buying guide calls out that split — pancakes on low, bacon on high — and notes that an electric 22-inch option exists for indoor use. The current 22-inch tabletop griddle with hood lists two independently controlled heat zones, overall dimensions of 27" W × 13" H × 24.5" D, 37.5 pounds, and a published capacity of 14 burgers, 23 fried eggs, or 10 pancakes.

Notice the overall width (27 inches) is already larger than the “22-inch” name. That pattern repeats on every size below.

28-inch: the everyday family cart for many buyers

At 28 inches you usually leave the tabletop format for a cart. Blackstone’s buying guide says a 28-inch top can hold 18 burgers in its example, compared with 9 on its 22-inch example — those are guide-level illustrations, and current product pages publish their own counts. The current 28-inch Omnivore griddle is a two-burner unit with dual heat zones; the page lists 47.25" W × 33.25" H × 23.5" D, 73 pounds, and a capacity of 21 burgers, 33 fried eggs, or 15 pancakes on that top.

Two zones on a wider plate is enough for a weeknight family cook if you are not trying to hold a full brunch line. It is also the size people outgrow first when guests start arriving with extra pans of food, which is why the 28-versus-36 question shows up so often. For a broader “is this style worth it” view, see whether a flat-top griddle is worth it.

36-inch: four zones and a patio-sized footprint

Blackstone’s buying guide describes the 36-inch class as four independently controlled heat zones with a total of 60,000 BTUs and 768 square inches of cooking space. The current 36-inch griddle with hood lists overall dimensions of 64.5" W × 36.5" H × 30" D, 135 pounds, and a capacity of 30 burgers, 47 fried eggs, or 21 pancakes.

Four zones are the point of this width: a holding area, a medium area, and a hard-sear area can run at the same time. The trade is space and weight. Measure the pad, the path in, and the stored width before you assume a “36” will sit where the old grill sat.

Side-by-side figures from current official pages

The table below uses Blackstone’s published figures for four current models, plus the buying-guide notes on burners and, for the 36-inch class, BTU and square inches. Capacities are the maker’s counts for that exact top, not a test we ran. Burger, egg, and pancake counts from the buying guide’s older examples can differ from these product pages; when they disagree, use the product page for that SKU.

When a grill-and-griddle island changes the math

A standalone cart is one plate. An outdoor kitchen combo gives you a grate and a plate whose sizes are specified separately, so “36-inch or 28-inch” is the wrong question. Big Horn’s grill and griddle combo lists a 23.8" × 16.5" grate section and an 18.1" × 15.6" griddle, totaling 675 square inches, with six tubular burners at 65,000 BTU. If your size problem is “I also want marks and a lid-style grill,” compare a combo island rather than jumping another six inches of plate.

After you have a width in mind, run the buyer checklist for grease handling, hoods, fuel, and storage. For grill and tank placement around the pad, use the model manual and the NFPA grilling safety guidance.

FAQ

How are Blackstone griddles measured?

By the width of the cooking surface. A 36-inch model has a 36-inch-wide plate; the assembled cart is often much wider once shelves and a hood are included. Always read the overall width, height, and depth on that model’s specification list.

Which is more practical for most families, 28-inch or 36-inch?

It depends on whether you regularly cook several items at once and have the pad space. A current 28-inch cart example lists two zones and a 47.25-inch overall width; a current 36-inch hooded example lists four zones and a 64.5-inch overall width. Choose four zones if you host mixed menus; choose 28 inches if the wider footprint will not fit.

Is a 17-inch griddle only for camping?

No, but it is sized for that job. Blackstone’s guide points the 17-inch class at camping, RVs, and small spaces, and a current tabletop example weighs 30.8 pounds. It is a single zone, so it is a tight fit for a full family breakfast.

Do official burger counts tell me how many people I can feed?

They tell you how many of that item the maker says will fit on the plate at once, not how many people will leave the table full. Treat them as a spacing guide. Your menu, sides, and timing still set the real headcount.

Blackstone is a trademark of its respective owner. Big Horn Outdoors is not affiliated with or endorsed by Blackstone.