Tabletop gas griddles are versatile cooking tools that allow you to cook up a huge variety of tasty dishes. You can cook bacon, eggs, hash browns, and pancakes for breakfast or delicious lunch and dinner items like smash burgers, sandwiches, or stir fry.
There are plenty of full-size flat top grills like the Blackstone 28 or Blackstone 36; however, these may be too big for your needs, and a smaller tabletop griddle may be exactly what you’re looking for.
Not only do they cost considerably less, but they also take up much less space and have excellent portability. If you are going camping or have an R/V, then these tend to be the gas griddle of choice over the more cumbersome full-size models.
Top 5 Tabletop Gas Griddles:
Want to get right to it? Here are the top 5 tabletop gas griddles available. If you want more details on these, keep reading for full reviews on each, including the pros and cons to be aware of.
Blackstone 1650 17-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Blackstone 1666 22-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Royal Gourmet PD1202S 18-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Royal Gourmet PD1300 24-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Pit Boss PB336GS Tabletop Gas Griddle
Top 5 Tabletop Gas Griddles:
Want to get right to it? Here are the top 5 tabletop gas griddles available. If you want more details on these, keep reading for full reviews on each, including the pros and cons to be aware of.
Blackstone 1650 17-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Blackstone 1666 22-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Royal Gourmet PD1202S 18-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Royal Gourmet PD1300 24-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Pit Boss PB336GS Tabletop Gas Griddle
What to Look for in a Tabletop Griddle
If you’re in the market for a tabletop griddle, there’s a handful of things you should be aware of and consider before making your selection. Let’s take a look at what you need to factor in when choosing the best tabletop griddle for you.
Size
An important factor to consider is the size of the griddle and its cooktop. Smaller tabletop griddles start around 17 inches, and larger ones can reach 24 inches. This impacts how much food can be cooked at any given time.
A smaller one may be sufficient for your needs, or a larger one may be what you’re looking for. For reference, a 17-inch griddle can accommodate about 9 hamburgers, 9 pancakes, or 12 eggs at a time.
The size also affects how portable the griddle is. All tabletop griddles inherently provide excellent portability, but a smaller single burner griddle takes up less space and weighs less, so it’ll be easier to take on the go than one of the larger offerings.
Think about how many people you’ll typically be cooking for and how much food you’ll be making when choosing what size tabletop griddle to purchase. Also, be sure to factor in how mobile you’d like the device based on how often you plan on traveling with it.
Burner Count
The number of burners can vary between different models. Tabletop griddles range from 1 to 3 individual burners. This is important because more burners give you more heat control and additional heating zones.
If you have 1 burner, the entire griddle surface has to be at 1 temperature. If you have 3 burners, you have the ability to have part of the griddle at a higher temperature while keeping other parts of the griddle at lower temperatures.
This is very helpful when cooking different foods at the same time that require different cooking temperatures. A perfect example of this would be eggs (lower temperature) and bacon (higher temperature.)
Cooktop Material
Different tabletop flat top grill models come with different cooktop surfaces. Cold rolled steel tends to be most common, but there are porcelain enamel and cast iron options. Each come with their own advantages and disadvantages, so it just depends which works best for you.
Materials like rolled steel and cast iron require more maintenance but tend to hold and distribute heat evenly. All the surfaces do a good job, so if you have a preference for one material over another, that’ll matter when selecting your griddle. Blackstone utilizes cold-rolled steel, Royal Gourmet uses porcelain enamel, and PIT BOSS uses cast iron.
Natural Gas Option
Every gas griddle model comes ready to be powered via propane rather than natural gas, but many people prefer natural gas instead.
If this is important to you, you need to know which models can be converted to natural gas and whatnot. Out of our top 5 griddles, only the Blackstone models have this capability.
You also need to know a natural gas conversion kit that needs to be purchased and installed. If you would like to have a natural gas heat source, make sure you select a Blackstone model that supports this functionality.
Price
With any purchase you make, the cost is always a factor. Some tabletop griddle models are under $100, and others can approach $150.
A cheaper model may not have all the functionality you’re looking for, and conversely, a more expensive model may have more functionality than you need.
Determine your budget and what your “must-have” items are (size, burners, cooktop material, etc…), and then narrow down the list of options to the ideal tabletop griddle for you.
Top 5 Tabletop Griddle Reviews
Now that you know what to look for when selecting a tabletop griddle, here’s a review of the top 5 models, including the pros and cons for each. We really liked all of these, so it’s more about which one fits your needs the best. Take a look at each option to determine which model will work best for you.
Blackstone 1650 17-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Blackstone is a well-respected and popular griddle producer, and the Blackstone 1650 is their smallest model. The cooktop is 260 square inches and made of cold-rolled steel.
This single burner tabletop griddle is a great option for someone who doesn’t need tons of cooking space or is looking for maximum portability.
Because there’s only one burner, you can only set the griddle to one temperature, but this also helps reduce the footprint and cost of the device. The cooking quality is excellent, and you can still make a decent amount of food at once despite the smaller size. If you are cooking for larger groups, this may not be a great option, however.
The griddle operates fueled by a 1 pound propane bottle; however, it can be converted to run-off natural gas or a larger 20 lb. propane tank if you purchase the necessary conversion kits. If you’re looking for an inexpensive and highly portable flat top grill, then this would be a great choice.
Pros:
- Lightweight and highly portable
- It can be converted to natural gas
- Costs less than other models
Cons:
- Only one burner/cooking zone
- Smaller 260 square inch cooktop
Blackstone 1666 22-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
The Blackstone 1666 is a larger tabletop griddle with 2 burners and quite a bit more cooking space. The dual burners provide 2 individual cooking zones and boast a 330 square inch cooktop made of cold-rolled steel.
Just like the Blackstone 1650, this griddle is powered by a 1 pound propane tank but can be converted to natural gas or a 20 lb. propane tank with the correct kit. This flat top grill is a bit heavier and bulkier because of its larger size, so there’s a trade-off for the extra cooking space and additional burner.
The cooking quality is great, and you can cook for a larger crowd of people because of its size. If you are interested in a Blackstone tabletop griddle and the smaller single burner model isn’t large enough, then the Blackstone 1666 is the way to go.
Pros:
- Large 330 square inch cooktop
- Two burners/cooking zones
- It can be converted to natural gas.
- Excellent cooking quality
Cons:
- Pricier than the smaller model
- It does not come with a cover or lid.
Royal Gourmet PD1202S 18-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
Just like the Blackstone 1650, Royal Gourmet also offers a single burner flat top grill. The glossy porcelain-enameled cooktop offers 221 square inches of cooking space. It’s powered by a 1 lb. propane bottle, but unfortunately, this model can’t be converted to natural gas.
If that’s important to you, then pick one of the Blackstone models instead. If you purchase the proper hose, you can connect it to a 20 lb. propane tank instead of using a 1 lb. tank.
This model is extremely portable, so if that’s a high priority for you, this may be a good choice. It’s smaller and lighter than other available options out there, so it makes bringing to a tailgate or camping much easier.
This compact griddle does a good job maintaining heat and cooks evenly across the cooktop. Royal Gourmet’s smallest gas griddle is an excellent choice if you’re looking for something straightforward to transport and want something that comes with a non-stick surface and doesn’t require seasoning like a Blackstone.
Pros:
- High-quality porcelain enamel griddle top
- Low cost
- Excellent portability
- It does not need to be seasoned.
Cons:
- Only one burner/cooking zone
- Smaller cooktop than Blackstone 1650
Royal Gourmet PD1300 24-Inch Tabletop Gas Griddle
The PD1300 has a glossy porcelain-enameled cooktop just like the smaller PD1202S model; however, it comes with a much larger 316 square inch cooking area.
Not only is the cooking space much larger, but it also has 3 individual burners, which is the most of any tabletop griddle available on the market.
If having the maximum amount of cooking zones available is important to you, take a close look at this model. Unlike many other tabletop griddles that utilize a 1 lb. propane tank, the Royal Gourmet PD1300’s regulator connects to a standard 20 lb. propane tank.
The larger tank means you get many more cooks before needing a propane refill; however, this means it’s not quite as portable as the models that use the smaller tank.
The cooking quality is excellent, and because of the cooktop material, no seasoning is required, which is nice. If you’re looking for a large tabletop griddle with the most cooking zones possible, then you can’t go wrong with the PD1300.
Pros:
- Three burners/cooking zones
- Huge cooking area for a tabletop griddle
- High-quality porcelain enamel griddle top
- Non-stick top for a variety of foods
Cons:
- It can take a while for the griddle to heat evenly.
- Temperature can run too hot or not hot enough.
PIT BOSS PB336GS Tabletop Gas Griddle
PIT BOSS is already well known for its great grills and smokers, and now they offer griddles as well. The PIT Boss PB336GS is a great tabletop griddle that offers a lot for a great price.
The cast iron cooktop boasts 289 square inches of cooking space and is powered by a 1 lb. propane bottle. This can be converted to use a 20 lb. tank if desired.
It comes with 2 burners, so you have 2 cooking zones to work with instead of just one on, like on some smaller griddle offerings. The cast iron cooktop holds and distributes heat well resulting in some tasty food.
The cooktop size is a nice balance right in the middle of larger and smaller models. PIT BOSS griddles may not have the same name recognition as Blackstone; however, the PB336GS certainly handles the challenge and is a great option to consider.
Pros:
- Easy to store and set up
- Nice balance between size and portability
- Soft cover is included
- Priced well
- 5-year warranty
Cons:
- Propane tank is not included
- Adapter required to use 20 lb. propane tank
- It can’t be converted to natural gas
Final Thoughts
Tabletop griddles allow for amazing cooking possibilities while providing maximum portability compared to the larger griddle models that come on a built-in cart. They are perfect for camping, tailgating, the park, and R/V owners and convenient for home use.
Blackstone, Royal Gourmet, and PIT BOSS have some great offerings to you can’t go wrong with any of these, which is why they made our top 5 list. I’ll also put in an honorable mention for the Camp Chef FTG250, another nice alternative. Hopefully, we’ve helped you identify the best option, and you’ll be whipping up some tasty dishes in no time.
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