Blackstone vs Pit Boss
Pit Boss sells two completely different answers, and only one of them is really competing with Blackstone.
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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 |  Pit Boss Deluxe 4-Burner GriddleRaw heat per square inch | Raw heat per square inch | 8.5 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 | Blackstone 36" Original GriddleLarge families and crowd cooking | Large families and crowd cooking | 8.6 | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 | Pit Boss Ultimate Lift-Off 4-Burner GriddleSkipping the seasoning routine entirely | Skipping the seasoning routine entirely | 8.1 | 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 | Pit Boss Deluxe 4-Burner Griddle | Blackstone 36" Original Griddle |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking area | 753 sq in | 769 sq in |
| Burners | 4 | 4 |
| Total output | 62,000 BTU | 60,000 BTU |
| Heat density | 82.3 BTU / sq in | 78 BTU / sq in |
| Cooktop | 4.7 mm steel, pre-seasoned with organic oil | Carbon steel |
| Best for | Raw heat per square inch | Large families and crowd cooking |
| Our score | 8.5 / 10 | 8.6 / 10 |
Pit Boss Deluxe 4-Burner Griddle: Sold as 753 sq in (model 10963) and 748 sq in (model 10942), both at 62,000 BTU.
Pit Boss sells two different propositions
This comparison is unusual because the brand offers two griddles that answer opposite questions.
The Deluxe is a conventional steel griddle taken seriously: 62,000 BTU across 753 square inches on a 4.7 mm plate — the highest heat density in our entire guide at 82.3 BTU per square inch.
The Ultimate is a non-stick armored ceramic surface that never needs seasoning and cannot rust, at 71.1 BTU per square inch.
Only the Deluxe is really competing with a Blackstone 36 on its own terms.
Deluxe against Blackstone 36: Pit Boss wins on paper
82.3 against 78.0 BTU per square inch, and 62,000 against 60,000 total BTU over 16 fewer square inches. The plate is 4.7 mm against the Blackstone’s rolled carbon steel, and it arrives pre-seasoned with organic oil so it is usable sooner.
On the specifications that predict cooking, the Deluxe is the better griddle. That is why it leads our smash-burger roundup.
Where Blackstone wins anyway
Stability. The Deluxe uses fold-and-go legs, which make a 753-square-inch griddle transportable but are inherently less rigid than a welded cart under a fully loaded plate. On uneven ground you notice it, both in feel and in how evenly grease drains.
Ecosystem. Blackstone’s parts and accessory availability is the best in the category. Pit Boss’s is reasonable but not comparable.
Variant clarity. Pit Boss sells the Deluxe at 753 and 748 square inches under close model numbers. Minor, but it is one more thing to check.
The Ultimate is a different question entirely
Ask yourself one thing: will you actually oil the plate after every cook and keep it covered?
If yes, buy steel — either brand. Steel cooks better, develops fond, sears harder, and can be restored indefinitely even after serious rust.
If no, the Ultimate deletes the entire problem. The honest cost is that a coating is a wear item with a finite life, where steel is not. You are trading maintenance now for surface lifespan later, and for many people that is a perfectly rational trade. The full material comparison.
Which to buy
| If you want | Buy |
|---|---|
| The most heat per square inch | Pit Boss Deluxe |
| No maintenance routine at all | Pit Boss Ultimate |
| Parts available in a decade | Blackstone 36 |
| A rigid welded cart | Blackstone 36 |
| Hard smash-burger crust | Pit Boss Deluxe |
| Easy eggs and delicate food | Pit Boss Ultimate |
The picks in detail
Specifications are linked to their source on every card. Scores are ours, derived from those specifications.
#1 · Raw heat per square inch
Pit Boss Deluxe 4-Burner Griddle
62,000 BTU across 753 square inches — 82.3 BTU per square inch, the highest heat density of any griddle in this guide.
#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
- 753 sq in (top 37 × 20 in)
- Burners
- 4, separately controlled stainless
- Total output
- 62,000 BTU
- Cooktop
- 4.7 mm steel, pre-seasoned with organic oil
- Portability
- Fold-and-go
- Includes
- Side shelves and lid
Specifications from Pit Boss product page.
Listings disagree: Sold as 753 sq in (model 10963) and 748 sq in (model 10942), both at 62,000 BTU.
Scores
- Cooking area9.5
- Heat output10.0
- Zone control9.5
- Surface care7.0
- Portability4.5
What works
- 82.3 BTU per square inch is the highest here — it recovers fastest when a full load of cold food goes down
- A 4.7 mm plate is thick for this price class, which is what buys you stable temperature
- Pre-seasoned with organic oil, so it is usable sooner than a bare plate
What to know
- Fold-and-go legs are less stable than a fixed cart under a loaded 753 sq in top
- The sibling SKU is listed at 748 sq in with a slightly different top — check which you are buying
- Still a steel top: seasoning and covering are on you
#2 · Large families and crowd cooking
Blackstone 36" Original Griddle
The default large griddle: four burners over 769 square inches, with the highest burner count in its size class and the deepest accessory ecosystem of any brand here.
#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
- 769 sq in (35¾ × 21½ in)
- Burners
- 4, stainless steel
- Total output
- 60,000 BTU
- Cooktop
- Carbon steel
- Ignition
- Single spark
- Grease system
- Rear
Specifications from BBQGuys spec sheet.
Scores
- Cooking area9.5
- Heat output9.0
- Zone control9.5
- Surface care6.5
- Portability3.0
What works
- Four independent zones is the real argument for this size — you can hold a warm zone and still sear
- 769 sq in is enough to cook a full breakfast for eight without staging
- The widest accessory and spare-parts availability of any brand in this guide
What to know
- Bare carbon steel: it will rust if you leave it uncovered and unseasoned
- Needs real patio footprint — this is not a griddle you put away each week
- Rear grease management means the drain is behind the unit, which is awkward against a wall
#3 · Skipping the seasoning routine entirely
Pit Boss Ultimate Lift-Off 4-Burner Griddle
The only griddle here with a non-stick armored ceramic surface rather than steel — no seasoning, no rust, and a different set of trade-offs.
#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
- 647 sq in
- Burners
- 4, stainless steel
- Total output
- 46,000 BTU
- Cooktop
- Non-stick armored ceramic
- Lift-off top
- 89 lb
- Grease
- Removable tray
Specifications from Pit Boss product page.
Scores
- Cooking area8.5
- Heat output8.0
- Zone control9.5
- Surface care8.0
- Portability3.0
What works
- No seasoning and no rust — this is a genuinely different ownership experience from every steel top here
- Four zones across 647 sq in, and the top lifts off for cleaning
- Folding shelves with built-in tool hooks
What to know
- A ceramic coating is a wear item — steel can be restored indefinitely, a coating cannot
- The lift-off top weighs 89 lb; 'removable for cleaning' is a two-person job
- Non-stick surfaces do not develop the fond that makes a seasoned steel top sear the way it does
Common questions
Is Pit Boss or Blackstone better?
Should I get the Pit Boss Ultimate or the Deluxe?
What is the catch with the Pit Boss Deluxe?
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
Pit Boss Deluxe 4-Burner
753 square inches, 62,000 BTU, a 4.7 mm pre-seasoned steel plate. The highest heat density in the guide.
Pit Boss Ultimate Lift-Off 4-Burner
647 square inches, four zones, non-stick armored ceramic. No seasoning, no rust, and a surface that wears rather than restores.
Blackstone 36" Original
769 square inches, four burners, 60,000 BTU. The large-griddle default — and an honest look at who actually needs it.
Griddle cooktop materials
Bare steel, rust-resistant steel, ceramic coating and porcelain enamel compared on cooking, maintenance and lifespan.
The best griddles for smash burgers
Griddles ranked for smash burgers by heat density — the spec that decides whether a cold patty sears or steams.
The best 4-burner griddles
Four-burner griddles compared. What the fourth zone actually buys, and the 29% heat-density spread hiding inside this class.