If you’re shopping for a griddle, you may be wondering if a griddle comes with a lid? In short, the answer is, yes, some Blackstone griddles do come with a lid, however, some models do not.
Based on the model you’ve purchased, you may have a griddle hood included, but if not, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a custom one to fit it, or cover it well enough without a lid. After all, I bought my blackstone griddle with lid.
Why Does A Griddle Need A Hood?
Lids on griddles are actually referred to as a griddle hood, so from this point in the article, we will refer to it as a hood.
But before we get into Blackstone griddles and the hoods they may or may not have, let’s first look at why we might need a hood on a griddle to begin with.
Protects Against Weather
The most obvious reason is to protect the griddle against weather, and this includes all kinds of weather. If it’s windy outdoors on the day you wanted to grill, then the griddle hood (or lid) can come in handy as a barrier against the weather.
Likewise, summer sunshine isn’t always guaranteed and the hood can protect against light drizzles if a shower should start in the middle of your backyard barbecue.
But it isn’t only during the cooking process that the hood comes in handy. Most people don’t have the convenience of a shed or outbuilding to store their Blackstone griddle, and some of them in the range are simply too large to store anywhere indoors too.
That’s where a hood comes in handy. It’ll protect against all weather year-round, including snow in winter, or icy breezes in the fall. No matter what, a hood is a great thing to have from a simple storage perspective to avoid any weather damage.
Read more here about whether or not your griddle needs a hood.
Protects Against Rust
Talking of weather damage, rust is every griddle’s arch-nemesis, and most times will be the death of your beloved griddle.
Simply put, rust will occur on griddles when the oxygen in water (can be from rain, but also indirect sources of moisture too) mixes with atoms of iron in the metal. When this occurs, iron oxide is formed.
This iron oxide is more commonly known as rust – the reddish-brown substance that not only ruins the look of a griddle but can ruin its effectiveness too.
A hood is a great solution, because not only does it keep out rain if you are storing the griddle outside, but it also locks tight to prevent the buildup of any moisture if you’re storing it in a shed or other non-heated outbuilding too.
Preventing rust is important on a Blackstone griddle, so make sure you make use of the griddle hood if you have one. If rust does find its way to your griddle surface, dont worry, follow these steps to bring it back to life!
Protects Against Rodents
It’s not nice to think about, but wherever you store your griddle, a rodent is likely going to come into contact with it at some point. Don’t think that just because you have stored it safely in a locked shed that a rodent can’t find its way to it.
They are crafty and will squeeze through the smallest of gaps in an attempt to get to a food source. To them, any missed crumbs, fat spillages, or sauce drippings on a griddle is a luxury meal, and they won’t hesitate to climb all over your nice new griddle to get a taste.
Thankfully, a hood (or lid) prevents this issue. It might not stop the rodents from trying to get to it entirely, because their sense of smell is devilishly good, but at least you’ll have peace of mind knowing that they haven’t been able to walk along the surface that you cook your food on.
It’s important that they can’t too, as rodents might leave droppings or urine on the cooking surface, and if you don’t notice it before cooking your next meal, well… you get the idea.
To protect yourself against rodents and potential illness, always use your hood when storing your griddle, no matter where it is.
If you do come across rodents near your griddle, dont panic, it can be solved with a few easy steps, check out our resource here to Dealing With Rodents Around Your Griddle.
Controls Heat And Temperatures When Cooking
Away from the idea of the hood being a great protector against many things, it’s actually just a useful thing to have whilst cooking.
Grilling food on an open griddle without a lid (or hood) is fine, but it leads to temperature and heat fluctuations that can cause uneven cooking if you aren’t being especially vigilant.
Think of a griddle hood like an oven door. Closing it will keep the temperature at a constant level and will result in a more even, better cook on the food.
When you leave an oven door open, you might be able to cook something, but it’ll take longer and there will be no guarantee of a thoroughly cooked, edible meal at the end of it.
You might argue that some meats simply cook better with the hood off, and we’d absolutely agree with you.
Thinner meats are much easier to cook on an open griddle because the temperatures will be lower and you’ll be less likely to burn it.
But that’s sort of our point. With a hood, you at least have the option of putting it up or down.
Thicker cuts of meat can be cooked with the hood down to guarantee an even finish, so a hood on a griddle is a brilliant way to ensure you can cook everything perfectly, no matter what it is.
So, can you cook with the lid down on a blackstone griddle? Absolutely, and it helps in most cases!
Does The Blackstone Griddle Come With A Lid (Hood)?
Yes, there are several models of the Blackstone Griddle that come with hoods.
Specifically, my Blackstone 28″ came with a hood, my Blackstone E-Series comes standard with a lid and several other models do as well. Conversely, my Blackstone Adventure 17 did not come with a griddle lid.
As we’ve already said, it depends. Blackstone griddles are many and varied, and some have griddle hoods whilst others don’t.
If you haven’t actually picked up a Blackstone griddle yet and you’re in the market for one, then head to the product section on the website to take a closer look at what’s on offer here. You should be able to find something to your liking.
For a quick overview of some popular products from Blackstone that do have a griddle hood, read on below. Keep in mind though, that there are more besides the ones listed here.
If you’re looking for a slightly more portable option for your Blackstone griddle, then take a look at the ’17” Tabletop Air Fryer Griddle Combo’ – an excellent choice for those wanting to use a griddle on camping trips and other days out.
You can find the product here. In fact, it’s almost a necessity to have a griddle with a hood for more portable options, as you’re unlikely to have a weatherproof area to store the griddle on these sorts of trips.
Some more great portable options with a hood are the ‘Adventure Ready 17″ With Hood & Side Burner’ which can be found here, or the ’17” On The Go Cart Griddle With Hood’ here.
🚨 For more info about compact, portable griddles to take camping, the park, or tailgating, check out our Buyers Guide To Adventure Griddles.
A more permanent one that you might like for your backyard is the ’28” Air Fryer Griddle Combo’ which can be found here.
There are plenty of other Blackstone griddles available with hoods that can be found on the website, most of which aren’t designed to be portable like the three above.
Deciding which is best for you will depend on what you hope to use the griddle for. Our best advice would be to check out all the products on the website by following the link at the top of this section, so you can find out more for yourself.
Blackstone Hard Cover vs Hood
But what if you’ve already purchased a Blackstone griddle without a hood? Don’t worry, all is not lost. There are alternatives to a griddle lid that can be used for various reasons.
First, let’s look at options that will help keep your griddle protected against weather and rust.
One option is to find a reliable 3rd party seller that provides hoods for Blackstone griddles that don’t already have them.
This can be an excellent option, as you have all the benefits of a griddle with lid without needing to pay for a new griddle entirely.
Besides, we learn to love our griddles, so being able to keep the griddle you’re already using is a bonus. I
‘m leaning on buying a griddle hood Griddle Guard as they are American made and look great online, if I do, I’ll update here and review it!
Failing that, you can also just pick up general weatherproof griddle covers that will prevent rain and other weather from damaging the griddle when it is not in use, and most no-name covers will work as a blackstone griddle cover.
Storing a griddle without a or lid under a weatherproof cover is a good idea, even if it is inside a shed or outbuilding, as it can help keep rodents off the cooking surface too.
Although it should be noted that rodents might find their way under a cover if it is not properly secured, so keep this in mind before purchasing a product.
Griddle Hoods Are Not Required
In terms of cooking, there are several things you can do to ensure your meat is cooked thoroughly without the use of a griddle hood. One trick is to use tin foil over the meat while cooking.
This creates a space in which the temperature is more reliable and consistent, and will result in even cooking. Likewise, a basting cover will do the same thing.
If you’re looking for the same benefits of a griddle hood without purchasing one, then these are great ways to cut corners to make your open-top griddle work for you.
In short, there are plenty of Blackstone griddles with hoods, and if you’re looking for a griddle with a hood, you’ll be able to find something that suits your needs with a Blackstone grill.
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
Remember, the benefits of a griddle hood can’t be replaced completely, as the methods above are simply less reliable.
But if you can make the most of the griddle you have now, then at least you won’t need to buy another griddle for a while.
But when you do, make sure you check out the Blackstone griddle options that come with a hood too.
After all, your griddle should always be suited to you for a more enjoyable experience!