Blackstone E-Series 22 Inch Electric Griddle Review: Heat, Cleanup and Flaws

The short version: a good-looking, well-featured electric griddle whose weak spot is temperature control. Even heat across the plate at a steady setting is fine. Heavy loads and high heat are where it struggles.

Key Specs

Listings disagree on wattage and cooking area, so check the rating plate on your unit. Prices move week to week and the bundle with nylon tools costs more than the griddle alone.

The griddle has a cooking plate that slides into brackets on the base, a glass hood, and a rear grease cup. The bundle we link includes nylon tools, which you need, because the E-Series is not compatible with metal utensils.

Setup of the griddle alone is simple. The optional cart is another story. It is poorly made, its assembly instructions are unreliable, and the griddle by itself is the better buy. Some units also arrive dented or scuffed, so inspect yours on day one.

The ceramic titanium plate is the best part of this griddle. Eggs release without a spray of oil, and the surface stays slick.

The glass hood rotates and lifts off, which makes it easy to steam vegetables or melt cheese on a burger. It is not perfect. The hood rests in half-open brackets without locking down, and the domed shape lets runny eggs slide around underneath it.

Over time the plate can crown or warp in the middle with heat cycles. Oil and runny batter then drift to the edges, and egg rings stop sealing. It is the flaw we would watch most closely on a griddle at this price.

Blackstone's copy claims room for up to 12 pancakes, 12 eggs, or 12 hamburgers at once. That is a ceiling, not a weeknight reality, because the heat struggles when the plate is packed.

17-Inch vs 22-Inch E-Series

The smaller 17-inch E-Series has a single heat zone, while the 22 inch has two independent zones. That second dial is the main reason to step up, since you can keep one side hot for pancakes and the other warm for eggs. We could not verify the 17-inch model's wattage or dimensions, so we are not building a spec table around it.

We do not have a timed heat-up figure to share, and we would rather say so than guess. What we can describe is how the heat behaves once the plate is going.

The dial had to stay at its top setting (500) through bacon and burgers, though the heat was fairly even across the plate. The maker does not publish a maximum temperature, so treat 500 as the dial's top mark rather than a measured surface temperature.

Two-Zone Dual Controls

Each of the two EZ-Touch dials runs its own zone, which is handy on a family morning. Pancakes can cook on one side while bacon crisps on the other, and the LCD display keeps you roughly oriented.

Cold Spots and Max Temperature

With the dial at 325, the center read about 415 and the edges about 260. That is a big gap between center and edges, and it means the dial setting is a rough guide, not a promise.

Smash burgers are the clearest weak spot. The plate does not get hot enough, and it drops once the patty lands and struggles to recover. A cast iron pan or a propane griddle does that job better.

This griddle shines at the gentle stuff: eggs, pancakes, French toast, bacon, and steamed vegetables under the hood. Bacon and standard burgers worked at the top dial setting, and the heat was fairly even across the plate.

This griddle is best suited to weekend breakfasts for a family of five or six. For fast weeknight burgers, a loaded plate is where the griddle falls behind.

The nonstick plate is the reason to buy this model. Food releases easily, and the surface otherwise needs no spray or oil.

The coating's real test is the long haul, and the warping issue is the thing to watch. Stay with nylon tools, keep heat moderate, and treat the plate gently. The warranty is one-year, so register your purchase and check the plate in the first few months.

Despite its heating problems, the griddle is easy to clean. Easy cleanup is the other big win. Let the plate cool slightly, push the grease into the rear cup, and wipe the plate with paper towels while it is still warm. Line the cup with foil and the whole job takes a couple of minutes.

Stuck-on char lifts with a little water and the scraper while the plate is still warm. Wipe the lid with mild soap and water. Only the grease cup is stated to be dishwasher safe, so wash the plate by hand.

Those heat limits make it worth comparing the electric E-Series with a propane griddle. We have no head-to-head test against a propane tabletop, so we will stick to the differences that come from how each is built. The electric E-Series needs an outlet and runs inside the heat limits of its element. A propane model is not tied to power and is generally built for high-heat searing, which is exactly where this griddle is weakest.

Choose electric for convenience, indoor breakfasts, and easy cleanup. Choose propane if smash burgers and big outdoor cooks are the plan.

Yes to all three, with an outlet. Blackstone designed it for smokeless indoor use or outdoor electric use. It is light enough to live in a lower cabinet and come out for breakfast, and it works well in a cabin or at a campsite that has power.

With the strengths and flaws laid out, here is who the E-Series suits.

Buy it if you cook breakfast for a crowd, want a hood, and care more about cleanup than searing. It suits a family that makes pancakes, eggs, and bacon on weekends.

Skip it if you want a hot, fast sear, if you hate babying nonstick, or if you plan to use metal utensils. Skip the cart too.

The Presto 22-Inch Electric Ceramic Griddle has no hood, but it is far simpler and usually much cheaper. It handles eight pancakes at a time for five kids in about 20 minutes and cooks evenly. Its removable handles let it fit most standard 18-inch cabinets.

It has its own flaws. It runs cooler in the center, so cold fridge food stalls in the middle, and the plastic catch tray can chip. If you do not need a hood or two zones, it is the budget route.

The E-Series is the better pick when a hood and two zones matter. If they do not, the Presto 22-Inch is the budget runner-up, with simpler controls and a lower price.