Blackstone 22 vs 28
The square inches are the smaller difference. Tabletop versus cart changes how the cooking goes.
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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 22" Tabletop GriddleTwo zones you can carry | Two zones you can carry | 7.8 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 |  Blackstone 28" Original GriddleMost households | Most households | 8.4 | 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 22" Tabletop Griddle | Blackstone 28" Original Griddle |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking area | 339 sq in | 525 sq in |
| Burners | 2 | 2 |
| Total output | 21,000 BTU | 34,000 BTU |
| Heat density | 61.9 BTU / sq in | 64.8 BTU / sq in |
| Cooktop | Carbon steel | 10-gauge rolled carbon steel |
| Best for | Two zones you can carry | Most households |
| Our score | 7.8 / 10 | 8.4 / 10 |
Blackstone 22" Tabletop Griddle: Listed at 21,000 BTU on some retailers and 24,000 BTU on others, both at 339 sq in.
Format matters more than area
525 against 339 square inches is a real difference — the 28 holds roughly 55% more food. But the thing that changes day to day is that one is a tabletop and the other is a cart.
A cart brings side shelves, a bottom shelf, a propane tank holder and wheels. Those sound like conveniences and they are structural: griddle cooking is fast, and having nowhere to put a plate of raw patties or a tray of cooked food genuinely changes how the cook goes.
With a tabletop you supply the table, and you supply somewhere for everything else.
Heat: close, with a caveat
61.9 against 64.8 BTU per square inch is a small gap — these two behave similarly under load, with the 28 slightly ahead.
The caveat: the 22 is sold at both 21,000 and 24,000 BTU at the same 339 square inches. The 24,000 version works out at 70.8 BTU per square inch, which would put it comfortably ahead of the 28. Check the listing.
Plate thickness favors the 28
The 28 uses 10-gauge rolled carbon steel, thicker than most cooktops in its class. More thermal mass means less temperature drop when food lands, which is a real cooking advantage independent of burner output.
Fuel
The 28 has a 20 lb tank holder built into the cart. The 22 runs on 1 lb bottles out of the box and on a 20 lb tank with an adapter hose — but then you have a tank sitting next to a tabletop griddle with nowhere designed to put it.
That is the practical reason tabletops tend to stay on bottles, and bottles are expensive per cook if the griddle is your main one.
When the 22 is actually right
- It will travel — camping, tailgating, a second home.
- You cook for one or two people.
- You have no space for a permanent cart.
- It is a second griddle.
The portable roundup covers the first case properly.
When the 28 is right
Essentially any time it is your main griddle and it will live in one place. 525 square inches, two zones, a thick plate, shelves and a tank holder is the standard recommendation in our 28-inch roundup for good reason.
A useful rule: if you are choosing between them for a patio, you want the 28. If you are choosing between them for a truck, you want the 22.
The picks in detail
Specifications are linked to their source on every card. Scores are ours, derived from those specifications.
#1 · 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
#2 · Most households
Blackstone 28" Original Griddle
The size most people should actually buy: 525 square inches and two zones covers a family of four with headroom, on a footprint that fits a normal patio.
#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
- 525 sq in (28¾ × 18¼ in)
- Burners
- 2, stainless H-burners
- Total output
- 34,000 BTU
- Cooktop
- 10-gauge rolled carbon steel
- Ignition
- Piezo
- Zones
- 2, independently controlled
Specifications from BBQGuys spec sheet.
Scores
- Cooking area7.5
- Heat output7.0
- Zone control7.0
- Surface care6.5
- Portability5.0
What works
- The 10-gauge plate is thicker than most griddles at this size, which is what keeps temperature steady when cold food hits it
- Two zones is genuinely enough: one hot side for searing, one moderate side for holding
- Fits a standard patio and a standard cover, which the 36 often does not
What to know
- Only two zones — you cannot run a dedicated warming zone and two cooking temperatures at once
- 34,000 BTU over 525 sq in is modest heat density; recovery after a big load is slower than the 36
- Bare carbon steel needs seasoning and a cover, same as every Blackstone
Common questions
Blackstone 22 or 28?
Is the cart worth it over a tabletop griddle?
Which has more heat, the Blackstone 22 or 28?
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 22" Tabletop
339 square inches, two independent zones, tabletop. The smallest Blackstone that still cooks like a real griddle.
Blackstone 28" Original
525 square inches, two zones, 10-gauge rolled carbon steel. The default recommendation for most households.
Blackstone 17 vs 22
The portable class's defining step: a single temperature across the plate, or two independent zones.
The best portable griddles
Tabletop and portable griddles compared. Fuel type, weight and whether you get one zone or two.
What size griddle do I need?
Square inches per person, what each size class holds in practice, and the picks for each — plus why the 36 is usually a mistake.
The best 28-inch griddles
The 28 to 30-inch class compared. Two zones or three, bare steel or rust-resistant, and why this is the right size for most people.