Blackstone 17 vs 22
One burner or two. That is the whole comparison, and it is bigger than the size difference.
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Quick picks
Ranked on published specifications using our scoring rubric. Tap a row for the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackstone 17" Tabletop GriddleCamping and tailgating | Camping and tailgating | 7.2 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 | Blackstone 22" Tabletop GriddleTwo zones you can carry | Two zones you can carry | 7.8 | Check price on Amazon |
#ad We publish no prices: there is no verified price feed on this site, so the retailer’s page is the only price. How this is funded
Side by side
Same fields on both sides. Heat density is computed from the published BTU and cooking area, not quoted from a manufacturer.
| Specification | Blackstone 17" Tabletop Griddle | Blackstone 22" Tabletop Griddle |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking area | 267 sq in | 339 sq in |
| Burners | 1 | 2 |
| Total output | 12,500 BTU | 21,000 BTU |
| Heat density | 46.8 BTU / sq in | 61.9 BTU / sq in |
| Cooktop | Not published | Carbon steel |
| Best for | Camping and tailgating | Two zones you can carry |
| Our score | 7.2 / 10 | 7.8 / 10 |
Blackstone 22" Tabletop Griddle: Listed at 21,000 BTU on some retailers and 24,000 BTU on others, both at 339 sq in.
The second burner is the whole thing
339 against 267 square inches is 27% more food, which is useful. But the decisive difference is that the 17 has one burner and the 22 has two.
One burner means one temperature across the entire plate. You cannot sear at one end and hold at the other, toast buns while patties finish, or render bacon gently next to eggs going fast. Everything is cooked in sequence.
Two independently controlled zones restores all of that. That is a categorical change in what the appliance can do, not an incremental one. Why zones matter more than burners.
Heat: the 22, substantially
61.9 against 46.8 BTU per square inch is a 32% difference, and the 17’s figure is the lowest in our entire guide.
That matters disproportionately on small plates, which lose more heat to the surrounding air because they have more edge relative to their area. In practice the 17 struggles when you put a full load of cold food down: the surface drops and the food steams. Cook in smaller batches than the plate appears to allow.
Fuel: genuinely different use cases
The 17 is designed around 1 lb propane bottles. No tank, no hose, nothing to secure in a vehicle — genuinely grab-and-go. The cost is that bottles are expensive per cook.
The 22 works on bottles or, with an adapter hose, a 20 lb tank — which is much cheaper to run but means transporting a cylinder.
That difference shapes what each griddle is for more than the specs do.
Portability: the 17, clearly
Lighter, smaller, carryable one-handed with the hood latched, and with an electric igniter that works in wind. If the griddle is going somewhere on foot or in a packed car, the 17 is the one.
Which to buy
17 if portability is the point and you accept cooking in sequence — campsite breakfast, tailgating, a griddle that lives in a vehicle.
22 for essentially everything else. Two zones is the line between a griddle and a hot plate, and 339 square inches at 32% more heat density is a meaningfully more capable appliance.
If the 22 appeals but it will be stored damp between trips, consider the rust-resistant Weber Slate 22 instead — less heat, far less likely to corrode. The full portable roundup.
The picks in detail
Specifications are linked to their source on every card. Scores are ours, derived from those specifications.
#1 · Camping and tailgating
Blackstone 17" Tabletop Griddle
A single-burner 267-square-inch plate that runs off 1 lb propane bottles — the one to take somewhere, not the one to cook a family dinner on.
#ad We publish no prices: there is no verified price feed on this site, so the retailer’s page is the only price. How this is funded
Key specifications
- Cooking area
- 267 sq in
- Burners
- 1 H-burner
- Total output
- 12,500 BTU
- Fuel
- 1 lb propane bottles
- Ignition
- Electric igniter
- Grease system
- Rear
Specifications from BBQGuys spec sheet.
Scores
- Cooking area3.5
- Heat output4.0
- Zone control2.0
- Surface care6.5
- Portability9.5
What works
- Runs on 1 lb bottles, so there is no tank to transport or secure
- Light enough to carry one-handed with the hood latched
- Electric igniter, which matters when you are cooking somewhere windy
What to know
- One burner means one temperature across the whole plate — no hot side and cool side
- 46.8 BTU per square inch is the lowest heat density in this guide; it struggles when cold food goes down
- 1 lb bottles are expensive per cook if you use it as your main griddle
#2 · Two zones you can carry
Blackstone 22" Tabletop Griddle
The smallest Blackstone that still gives you two independent zones, which is what separates a real griddle from a camping plate.
#ad We publish no prices: there is no verified price feed on this site, so the retailer’s page is the only price. How this is funded
Key specifications
- Cooking area
- 339 sq in
- Burners
- 2, stainless H-burners
- Total output
- 21,000 BTU (some variants listed at 24,000)
- Cooktop
- Carbon steel
- Format
- Tabletop; stand and cabinet options sold
- Zones
- 2, independently controlled
Specifications from ShoppersChoice listing.
Listings disagree: Listed at 21,000 BTU on some retailers and 24,000 BTU on others, both at 339 sq in.
Scores
- Cooking area5.0
- Heat output6.0
- Zone control7.0
- Surface care6.5
- Portability8.0
What works
- Two zones in a tabletop is rare and it is the whole reason to pick this over the 17
- Small enough to store on a shelf, big enough to cook four burgers and the onions at once
- Works on a 20 lb tank with an adapter hose rather than only 1 lb bottles
What to know
- 339 sq in fills up fast once you add anything beyond the protein
- BTU rating differs between listings (21,000 vs 24,000) even though the surface area does not
- Tabletop means you need a table — and a heat-safe one
Common questions
Blackstone 17 or 22?
Can you cook two things at once on a Blackstone 17?
Why does the Blackstone 17 struggle to stay hot?
Sources
Every specification on this page came from one of these. If you find one of them has changed, tell us and we will correct it.
Read next
Blackstone 17" Tabletop
267 square inches, single burner, runs on 1 lb bottles. Properly portable — and limited to one temperature across the plate.
Blackstone 22" Tabletop
339 square inches, two independent zones, tabletop. The smallest Blackstone that still cooks like a real griddle.
The best portable griddles
Tabletop and portable griddles compared. Fuel type, weight and whether you get one zone or two.
How many burners do you need?
What one, two, three and four zones actually buy you, why insulation matters, and the picks at each burner count.
Weber Slate 22" Tabletop
352 square inches, two zones, rust-resistant pre-seasoned top. The low-maintenance answer in the portable class.
Blackstone 22 vs 28
Tabletop against cart: 186 square inches, side shelves, a tank holder and somewhere to put food down.