smokers grills
Blackstone Griddle vs Gas Grill: Flat-Top vs Open Grate Compared
Mike Ross · How we research · Updated 2026-08-30 · 3 min read
The picks
Product image pending
Best for smash burgers, breakfast, stir-fries, and edge-to-edge crust
Blackstone Original 36” Griddle with Hood
Four independent heat zones on an Omnivore flat-top steel griddle plate with a protective hood.
- Cooking surface
- 36-inch Omnivore Griddle Plate
- Burners
- Four independently controlled heat zones
- Hood
- Included painted steel hood
Product image pending
Best for traditional grilling, steaks, chicken, and high-heat convection
Weber Spirit E-310
Three burners, porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates, and instant Snap-Jet ignition. The baseline backyard gas grill.
- Burner output
- 24,000 BTU-per-hour input across 3 stainless steel burners
- Cooking area
- 450 sq in total (360 sq in primary, 90 sq in warming rack)
- Dimensions
- 46.20" H x 48.30" W x 26.60" D (lid closed)
Compared
| Spec | BlackstoneOriginal 36” Griddle with Hood | WeberSpirit E-310 |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking surface | 36-inch Omnivore Griddle Plate | — |
| Burners | Four independently controlled heat zones | — |
| Hood | Included painted steel hood | — |
| Features | Dual folding side shelves, BAR accessory system, and paper towel holder | — |
| Burner output | — | 24,000 BTU-per-hour input across 3 stainless steel burners |
| Cooking area | — | 450 sq in total (360 sq in primary, 90 sq in warming rack) |
| Dimensions | — | 46.20" H x 48.30" W x 26.60" D (lid closed) |
| Weight | — | 98 lb |
| Cooking grates | — | Porcelain-enameled, cast-iron cooking grates |
| Warranty | — | 10 years cookbox, lid assembly, and burner tubes; 5 years grates and Flavorizer bars |
| Where to buy | Find Blackstone Original 36” Griddle with Hood on Amazon | Find Weber Spirit E-310 on Amazon |
The difference between a flat-top griddle like the Blackstone 36” Omnivore and an open-grate gas grill like the Weber Spirit E-310 is a fundamental choice between contact conduction in fat and radiant heat over open burners.
A flat top gives you a continuous cooking surface that prevents food from falling through and holds onto rendered juices. An open-grate gas grill allows fats to drip away while circulating convective heat beneath a closed hood.
Technical Specifications Comparison
| Metric | Blackstone 36” Omnivore Griddle | Weber Spirit E-310 Gas Grill |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Surface | Solid Omnivore steel griddle plate | Porcelain-enameled cast-iron open grates |
| Burner Configuration | 4 independently controlled zones | 3 stainless steel burner tubes |
| Total Heat Input | Multi-zone burner matrix | 24,000 BTU-per-hour input |
| Cooking Area | 36-inch continuous flat plate | 450 sq in (360 sq in primary + 90 sq in warming rack) |
| Food Suitability | Eggs, pancakes, smash burgers, fajitas, rice | Steaks, chicken halves, sausages, roasts |
| Fat Management | Rear grease discharge chute into cup | Flavorizer bars & slide-out catch pan |
| Price Tier | $$ | $$ |
1. Surface Physics: Full Surface Contact vs Grate Marks
SOLID FLAT TOP (Conductive Sear in Fat)
[ Steel Griddle Plate ] ─────────────────────────> [ 100% Surface Maillard Contact ]
(Meat juices and fat pool on surface, crisping entire patty)
OPEN GRATE GRILL (Convective & Radiant Sear)
[ Flame Tubes ] ─> [ Flavorizer Bars ] ─> [ Grate ] ─> [ 25% Grate Contact / 75% Open Air ]
(Dripping fat vaporizes into aromatic steam; excess drains away)
On a flat top, 100% of the meat surface touches hot seasoned steel. When pressing smash burgers or searing scallops, moisture vaporizes while rendered fat stays on the plate, frying the exterior into a uniform, crispy brown crust.
On an open gas grill, only 20% to 30% of the meat surface touches the cast-iron bars. The rest cooks via hot rising air and radiant heat from the flavorizer bars. This produces distinct diagonal grill marks and allows excess melted fats to drain away from the food.
2. Cooking Versatility and Menu Range
- What a Griddle Does Best: Handles high-volume diner breakfasts (pancakes, bacon, eggs simultaneously), smash burgers with paper-thin crispy edges, cheesesteaks, fried rice, and delicate vegetables that would slip through grill grates.
- What a Gas Grill Does Best: Excels at thick-cut bone-in steaks, whole spatchcocked chickens, pork loins, and foods requiring indirect roasting heat with the lid closed.
3. Maintenance, Seasoning, and Weather Resistance
- Blackstone Maintenance: The steel plate must be seasoned with high-smoke-point oil to maintain a natural non-stick polymer coating. After each cook, scrape food debris into the rear grease cup, apply a thin coat of oil, and keep the hood closed to protect against atmospheric rust.
- Weber Gas Grill Maintenance: Porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates resist rust without extensive seasoning routines. Post-cook cleanup requires pre-heating the grill on high for five minutes and scrubbing the grates with a wire grill brush.
Which Cooker Should You Buy?
- Choose the Blackstone 36” Omnivore Griddle if: You want to cook weekend breakfasts outdoors, love diner-style smash burgers and stir-fries, and want a versatile solid surface for crowd cooking.
- Choose the Weber Spirit E-310 Gas Grill if: You want classic flame-grilled burgers and steaks, prefer minimal seasoning maintenance, and prioritize closed-lid indirect roasting.
Common questions
- Can you cook steaks effectively on a flat-top griddle?
- Yes, a solid steel flat top cooks steaks in their own rendered fats, creating a continuous edge-to-edge Maillard sear crust rather than isolated grate lines.
- Is maintaining a flat-top griddle more work than a gas grill?
- A flat-top griddle requires seasoning with high-smoke-point oil similar to cast iron cookware, whereas a gas grill only requires brushing the grates and emptying the drip tray.
Sources
Every figure on this page came from one of these. We have not tested these products ourselves — how we research.