Want to know if Blackstone Griddles are made in the USA? Some think it’s China and some think the US.
I did some digging around and here is what I found about where Blackstone griddles are manufactured…..spoiler, China.
If you want to find griddles and griddle accessories that are Made in The USA, definitely check out Steelmade USA. Designed and manufactured right in Kansas and they include a LIFETIME Warranty, this makes your decision a little bit easier! Oh, and they also make kits to mount a griddle right on your indoor stovetop or traditional outdoor grill! Learn more here.
Capitalism and Consumers
Ahh capitalism, say what you want but runs our world as we know it today. Let’s play a little game. Go look at the 10 nearest products near you (not produce foods, your cheating).
I’m willing to bet, that 9 of the 10 products around you right now are made in China, heck it might even be 10 out of 10.
Some consumers have strong feelings about this and it drives them to try and shop for products strictly made in the USA.
If you are one of those folks, you may be in the market for a new griddle and the name Blackstone keeps popping up in your search and understandably, you might be thinking to yourself “Where are Blackstone Griddles made?”.
Well, the good news here, I’m pretty sure I have the results you want and I’ve also created a list of the griddle options that are made in the USA down below.
PSSST!!: Want to step up your griddling game? Check out Grill Masters Club
Why Does It Matter If Made in The USA?
For some, it’s a huge deal, and for others, it doesn’t matter at all. Like most things, it just depends on your priorities and worldview.
Many people support the idea of keeping manufacturing jobs in the USA and in-turn, supporting those companies with their dollars.
Me being a combat veteran and someone who has seen the impact of outsourcing over the last 20 years, I try to shop American Made but as you know, products are limited.
Keeping Jobs in America
Back in the ’80s and ’90s, certain parts of America were devastated by the loss of manufacturing jobs that were outsourced to China, India, and other countries where the labor and parts were much lower.
Companies could send their engineer-designed product to an overseas manufacturer, get the product made and shipped back to America for selling, and even with the international shipping, companies could still save substantially over choosing to pay a good wage and benefits to American employees in-house.
Many families who saw their parent’s livelihood destroyed by this vowed to try and always buy American. Is it always possible? not really, so many of our daily goods are brought in from foreign countries.
Think I’m lying? prove me wrong, heck even the fruits and veggies in some big chain stores source their produce and sometimes meat from foreign countries.
It’s not new and I’m not faulting, it’s just a matter of what type of business you want to run.
You can maximize profits and keep outsourcing, or, you can decrease profit margins and keep jobs in the USA. Frankly, it’s just a personal decision.
Why Do Companies Send Any Manufacturing Overseas?
Money, that’s why. A business must walk a fine line around maximizing profits and reducing costs.
Because of this, many companies have found that by sending manufacturing overseas, they can drastically reduce manufacturing costs of their products, and effectively increase their profit margin. That’s pretty much all there is to it.
Other companies are willing to pay more to manufacture domestically and as a result, have a higher priced product and the marketing bragging rights of a “Made in the USA” tagline.
I’m not here to take sides, I’m here to deliver information and keep folks riddling, you decide what works for you.
So, Are Blackstone Griddles Made in the USA?
Companies have gotten a bit crafty in their marketing and advertising wording to avoid directly saying where their products are made. Companies are aware that some consumers are driven by manufacturing countries.
Because of this, they want to not give you a reason to not buy their product. Generally, this only happens when it’s made in China.
Conversely, if your product is made in the USA, it’s usually very easy to find out and a bit of a selling point to the company.
I did some digging and noticed that if you google the question, the first result in google is the Blackstone Products website and in bold letters says “in the USA”. Case closed, right?
Not so fast! If you click on that result and read further, you will see the full statement says, their products “are designed and engineered in the USA“.
So “designed” and “engineered” are terms that give the impression they may be made in the USA, however, they could also be “designing and engineering” here in the US, but manufacturing (the actual building of the griddles) over in China, and to be honest, it’s unclear.
After some more digging, I found an article from Chef’sResource.com that Blackstone products are manufactured only in the USA. Clear as mud, right?
Agreed, so, I emailed Blackstone Support for an official response, and this is what they said: “Blackstone Griddles are Manufactured in China, but our Headquarters is in Utah and has hundreds of local employees”.
I get their angle here and I don’t fault them, they need to keep costs low but still give the “American Image” with the Utah-based HQ.
This is not new and chances are, all of the products you love are likely doing something similar.
What Griddle Companies Are Made in the USA?
There are some American griddle grill companies that are manufactured in the USA. With just some easy searching online at the companies websites, you can find that companies like:
- Steelmade USA – LifeTime Warranty!
- Rocky Mountain Steel Griddles
- Broil King
- Viking Grills
- One of Blackstone’s biggest competitors and another popular grill company is Camp Chef. On their website, it states that their products are made in the USA, but manufactured in China. At least they are willing to be upfront about it. If you’re trying to compare Camp Chef to a Blackstone grill, they both make great ones but check out our detailed breakdown and comparison in this article, you might be surprised at the results.
Also, since we are on the topic, here is a list of BBQ Smokers Made In The USA.
Griddle Accessories You WILL ACTUALLY NEED
If you’re new to griddling altogether, I recommend checking out these accessories as they will save you some headaches and some greasy laundry.
This is another big one. While your griddle does come ready to use….it’s missing some really BASIC items you will need.
- Griddle Spade and Spatula: These are the backbone of griddle chefs all over the world. Due to the flat-top design of a griddle, you will need to have metal surfaced griddle spatulas and spades. Something simple like this works great, see it here on Amazon.
- Griddle Hood: This is a bit of a bigger deal than many think initially. A quality griddle hood will help you cook better by controlling heat and creating a “oven” as well as protecting your griddle cover from coming in contact with your griddle surface that can either be dirty or really hot. Something like this works great, see it here on Amazon.
- Griddle Cover: I didn’t think I needed one either. But, I found out very soon how great of a job they did from preventing unnecessary wear and tear from the weather when being stored in my back yard. Its a small investment that pays back big time. Something like this works great here on Amazon.
- Infrared Temperature Gun: See Step 4 above, these are really crucial to fully understand what your griddle can do and what areas are putting out the heat you need, and what areas can be used to just keep the food warm while working on others. This is a great option that won’t t hurt your wallet, check it on Amazon.
- Grease Tins: These are dirt cheap and save you an unnecessary headache when cleaning up. Simply drop them into the grease trap and toss them when you’re done! Check these here on Amazon.
- Griddle Bottles: Another must-have, you really only need two. One for water, and one for your chosen cooking oil. If you are not sure what I mean, check out our Guide to Griddle Bottles here. These on Amazon work great and are cheap, check them out here.
- Griddle King Apron: I know what your thinking “I’m not wearing an apron” and yeah, I get it. But all that changed when I got a griddle and realized how much grease is popping off the griddle surface and landing on my clothes. A simple apron solves that and my signature “Griddle King” or “Griddle Queen” apron is a cheap easy fix for you, grab it here on Etsy.
- 1lb To 5lb or 20lb Propane Adapter: Like mentioned above, just swapping out your tiny 1lb propane bottle will save the world and your trips to find a camping propane bottle every hour. Grab one here on Amazon.
Conclusion
There you have it, politics aside, at least you know where Blackstone grills are made and what companies are manufactured in the USA and which are just a little blurry about their manufacturing locations. Griddle king, out