New grill time and you’re a bit torn between the trusty Weber grills and the new hype around Blackstone Griddles? 

I get it, these are not cheap cooking devices and you want something that’s going to last. So, as an owner of both for years, there are some important factors to consider, so let’s clear this up now. 

Quick Answer: Between the versatility of a griddle and the reduced cancer-risks of non-grilling outdoor cooking outlined below, the Blackstone Griddle remains king.

I thought it was an excellent time to take a look at a comparison between a griddle and a grill. Not just any griddle or grill either. The Blackstone Griddle and the Weber Grill.

Oh yes, I think it’ll be pretty interesting to see the two compared. If you’ve yet to make up your mind definitively on whether you’d prefer a griddle or a grill, then this is probably the post you want to read until the end.

I want to think of myself as somewhat of a voice of authority in all matters related to griddles and grills. Also, it’s worth noting that a lot of what I’ll say in this post will be more based on the factual differences between the two rather than my personal opinion!

I’m sure a slight bias might creep its way in if I’m not careful, but hey, where would the fun be if I didn’t let that happen now and again?

First off, the basics, if you haven’t read this, you may want to read up on the general differences between a grill and griddle.

The Obvious Difference

Well, I’m happy to specify the most apparent difference between the two. One is a griddle. The other is a grill. However, I can understand that the differences might not be nearly noticeable to some more novice grillers. Don’t worry if you’re unsure of them.

That’s what I’m here for. Let’s start with the Blackstone griddle. The griddle is a flat top surface, which allows you to spread your food out across the whole area.

It’s a great way to get an entire meal cooked at once and offers plenty of room to spare. It’s also a brilliant addition to your backyard if you host many parties or events that require a hefty amount of food to be cooked.

A grill, on the other hand, isn’t a flat surface at all. The Weber grill (as my example) has gaps and ridges between them, which allow for the fire and smoke to climb up them while also creating those stereotypical grilling lines you probably know about.

They operate most traditionally with woodsmoke and are a great way to cook your food with a bit of extra taste and authenticity.

Cleaning Process

I thought it’d be fun for you to see a bit of reverse bias from me. I’m definitely more inclined to a griddle. I have a Blackstone griddle myself and couldn’t imagine cooking with anything else!

However, the flat surface makes it much harder to clean after use. I’ve got to do a lot of scraping to try and get the grease away from it, which can be a time-consuming task and one that I’m not always the most thrilled to do.

You might be thinking: “how can it be harder to clean a flat surface?” Well, a grill has gaps between each of the ridges, meaning that most of the grease that comes from cooking your meals will drop down between them.

They’ll fall to the fire below, meaning that you’ll rarely have to clean up any excess grease from your Weber grill. You will have to clean the ridges still, but it won’t take nearly as long as the entire surface of a griddle would.

What About Cooking Options?

Okay, as much as I love my Blackstone, it’s worth mentioning one major fault compared to a grill. A grill is perfectly designed for smoking food.

Smoked meats are some of the most incredible things I’ve had in my lifetime, and the exposure to woodfire underneath a grill is a brilliant way to do it.

Given the meats that mouth-watering smokey texture where they fall off the bone cannot be compared to. The Weber grill can absolutely do that justice.

However, the Blackstone griddle isn’t nearly as good at smoking. In fact, you’d almost say it’s impossible to smoke food on a griddle.

Luckily for me, though, I’ve done my research and found out a few hacks that help you smoke meals just as well on a griddle. Sure, the process is a lot harder than it would be on a grill, but that’s not to say it’s impossible.

The best way to recreate that fantastic smoked taste is to get an aluminum foil pan and fill it with wood chips. It would help if you placed the pan on top of the griddle next to the food that you want to smoke and then cover the whole thing over while it cooks.

It might not be the easiest thing to do and can take a little more time, but it’s well worth it if, like me, you love smoked meats.

Health Problems

Okay, this one brings me to the primary point I wanted to raise about the differences between the two. The Blackstone griddle is perfectly safe to use, no matter what kind of health problems you might already have.

It won’t aggravate anything and is a perfectly healthy way to cook your food. The Weber grill, though, can have its own share of problems. The smoke and fire used for cooking most food on a grill will ultimately be detrimental to your health.

I’ve found plenty of sources online that indicate that cooking meat on grills (meats that produce char marks) produces cancer-causing chemicals. Read more about reducing cancer risks with grilling here from the experts at the American Institute For Cancer Research.

If that’s not bad enough, I’ve also found that the fat that drips down into the fire can be just as problematic if consumed.

The resulting flames from the fat drips can lead to the production of another cancer-causing chemical being cooked into your meat. Who knew that grilling could be potentially life-threatening?!

Summary

So, there’s my two cents on the Blackstone griddle and the Weber grill. I personally prefer the Blackstone griddle and will always pick it for its versatility over the grill any day.

You might find that you’re comfortable ignoring them, and I won’t judge you for that, but I can’t look past it! That’s not to say that grilling doesn’t have its perks, but I find the health problems associated with it to be a pretty big deal-breaker.

You’re free to make your own decisions, though! I merely wanted to create a post to highlight the differences between the two products!