The 6 Best Flat-Top Grills To Upgrade Your Outdoor Cooking Game

Forbes

14-05-2025

If you're intimidated by open-flame cooking but want to host barbecues this summer, a flat-top grill could be the way to go. From pancakes and fried eggs to smash burgers and charred veggies, outdoor griddles can churn out delicious, flavorful meals—and you don't have to worry about your food falling through grates. Out of the best flat-top grills on the market, our top pick overall is the Blackstone 2-Burner 28-Inch Propane Griddle. This top-rated grilling powerhouse is an intuitive, sturdy model that supplies over 500 square inches of cooking space.
The best flat-top grills are intuitive for all users and feature high-quality materials.
What sets flat-top grilling apart from open-fire cooking is that it doesn't come with much of a learning curve, so it's one of the most beginner-friendly ways to cook outside. 'Anyone who has ever cooked on a stove is 100% qualified to cook on a griddle,' says Paul Sidoriak of Grilling Montana. 'It really levels the playing field and allows people to have fun with cooking outdoors.' If you're thinking of adding one to your outdoor grilling setup, you'll want to keep a few things in mind—namely, how much space you're willing to spare and how many people you typically cook for. (But your budget matters, too.) Here are our picks for the best flat-top grills on the market to bring more mealtimes outside.
Blackstone
Dimensions: 59 x 26 x 37 inches | Weight: 86 pounds | Total cooking area: 524 square inches | Cooking power: 24,000 BTUs
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In the flat-top grill space, one highly regarded brand stands out from the rest. 'Blackstone is the king of flat-top grills," say barbecue experts Maddie and Kiki Longo. 'Many brands have followed suit and developed copycats to add to their fleet of products.'
And one of the most popular models—which is our top recommendation—is the Original Omnivore 28-Inch Griddle. Featuring two separately controlled cook zones and the brand's signature Omnivore Plate, this model is designed to preheat quickly and distribute heat evenly. It also comes with a built-in hinged lid, which Sidoriak emphasizes as a must-have feature. 'It lets moisture and rain run off, and it keeps leaf pollen and other things from hitting the griddle surface,' he says. 'It makes such a difference.'
There a few other helpful features, including wind guards to retain hot air, two side shelves with built-in hooks for convenient storage and two caster wheels for easy portability. Just make sure to season the surface regularly—especially before the first use—since it doesn't come pre-seasoned.
The Home Depot
Dimensions: 45.2 x 24.5 x 37.3 inches | Weight: 73.2 pounds | Total cooking area: 532 square inches | Cooking power: 34,000 BTUsBest for:
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A reliable flat-top grill doesn't have to be a major investment. This Nexgrill model offers two burners and over 500 square inches of cooking space to whip up hearty servings of breakfast, lunch or dinner. It features an oversized shelf with built-in hooks on one side and a handy towel rack on the other, plus a shelf underneath for extra storage.
Despite its low price, this grill is made from high-quality materials. The griddle is crafted from hot rolled steel—a material Sidoriak recommends for longevity. The hinged lid is also made of heavy-duty steel to protect the grill from outdoor elements. Still, some owners report wobbliness with this model, so it may not be the best choice for someone who expects to use it heavily.
Blackstone Products
Dimensions: 42.1 x 34.7 x 27.2 inches | Weight: 249 pounds | Total cooking area: 768 square inches | Cooking power: 60,000 BTUsBest for:
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If your backyard is the go-to spot in your neighborhood for big gatherings and barbecues, you probably need something versatile enough to suit any occasion. This Blackstone with built-in air fryers is 'just a blast to use," according to Sidoriak, who praises it as his favorite flat-top grill.
It features two 4-quart air fryer drawers and a warming drawer to stretch its functionality and make it suitable for long days spent outdoors. 'Whether it's hot dogs or burgers, [the warming drawers] hold at temperature in the drawer,' Sidoriak says. 'And with the air fryer, you can make tots, you can make fries, you can roast vegetables—it's really great.'
This grill is designed for entertaining, with four independently controlled heat zones and enough griddle space to cook 30 burgers at once. There's also plenty of built-in storage, including two side shelves, a magnetic toolbar for grilling utensils, two drawers and an enclosed cabinet. Everything sits on a base with four locking caster wheels, making this mammoth appliance easy to move around if needed. This model also features an electric push-button ignition to make the experience even more user-friendly (and non-intimidating).
Weber
Dimensions: 39.5 x 77 x 26.4 inches | Weight: 198 pounds | Total cooking area: 756 square inches | Cooking power: 48,000 BTUs
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This sleek Weber grill is designed with easy entertaining in mind. The spacious griddle is large enough to cook 30 burgers or 29 steaks at one time, and there are two roomy side tables, including one extendable one for extra counter space. There are also four independent heat sources that are easy to control with the knobs and a digital temperature display (the griddle can reach up to 500 degrees).
The cooktop on this grill is made from rust-resistant carbon steel that the brand claims has been altered with extreme heat and pressure—not coatings—to naturally resist rust forming. The material is also pre-seasoned with food-safe oils, so you can get grilling as soon as the Weber is set up in your yard.
There are a few other handy features, including wind guards and closed cabinet storage. Just keep in mind that although this model does include a hinged lid, the brand advises against closing it while the grill is hot—it's designed for storage only.
Walmart
Dimensions: 24.7 x 47 x 37.7 inches | Weight: 86.6 pounds | Total cooking area: 520 square inches | Cooking power: 36,000 BTUs
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This compact griddle is smaller than our other top picks, but it's also mighty. It features three separate burners to fuel its 520 square-inch steel cooktop, which is surrounded by wind guards to maintain high temperatures. Each cooking zone is suited to either low, medium or high cooking, so you can whip up anything from delicate white fish to seared steaks. This grill also has an electric ignition button and intuitive burner controls to make for a user-friendly experience.
There are a few handy extra features, like a removable grease tray, built-in lid and a side and bottom shelf for storage. The 520 square inches of cooking space may seem small, but it is still big enough to cook around 20 burgers at once, making it well suited to most backyard gatherings.
Blackstone
Dimensions: 27 x 13 x 24.5 inches | Weight: 37.5 pounds | Total cooking area: 361 square inches | Cooking power: 21,000 BTUsBest for:
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You don't need a huge backyard to take advantage of outdoor cooking. This compact, portable griddle is a great match for small outdoor spaces and apartment balconies, since it brings the same lauded Blackstone features in a small package. It features the brand's signature omnivore griddle with two independent heat zones and corresponding control knobs, so you can cook foods at two different temperatures at once. Although the cooking area is petite, it's still large enough to cook up to 14 burgers at once.
Since this griddle is portable, it's great for bringing to tailgates and camping trips. But just because it's portable doesn't mean it's lightweight and easy to carry around. This model weighs over 37 pounds, thanks to its heavy-duty stainless steel makeup—so you'd have to plan ahead if packing it for a trip.
The home team at Forbes Vetted is committed to offering the best recommendations for products both inside and outside of the home—including the best grills—to suit your specific needs.
We dug into hours of research for this article, consulting experts and firsthand reviews in order to provide the most helpful information for shoppers.
There are plenty of reliable flat-top grill brands out there, but experts often rally behind one popular name when prompted. 'It's really hard to be objective and and not just get behind Blackstone wholeheartedly,' Sidoriak says. 'They continue to innovate with their products.'
Blackstone offers a wide variety of different flat-top grills to choose from—from small portable models to basic and affordable grills to splurge-worthy models with a dizzying array of special features.
As long as you have the outdoor space for it, there's a strong argument to be made for the flat-top grill—especially if you like spending time outdoors.
'The flat-top is arguably more versatile than an open-fire grill,' Sidoriak says. 'You just can't cook pancakes on an open-fire grill—unless you have a pan or a griddle on there. But you can still cook steaks and burgers and chicken, and all kinds of classic grill-ables, on a flat-top.' That means if you're willing to put in the effort, you'll definitely get your money's worth out of this appliance.
Plus, flat-top grills come in a variety of sizes and price points to suit virtually any outdoor space.
There are a lot of similarities between open-fire grilling and flat-top grilling, but there are also a couple of notable differences. For example, the Longos highlight the unique resulting flavor that comes solely from charcoal grilling. 'That legendary nostalgic smoky flavor is the hallmark of that style of grill,' they say. 'Since flat-tops are just big outdoor frying pans, the unit itself does not impart any unique flavor.'