Your Complete Guide to Evo Grills vs. Blackstone Griddles
When it comes to outfitting your outdoor cooking space with a high-performance grill, the Evo Grill and the Blackstone Griddle both make compelling cases. But with some key differences between these two premium options, how do you decide which heavy-duty unit will best meet your needs?
Read on for the complete breakdown before you make your purchase.
Overview of Evo Grills
Evo Grills are professional-grade stainless steel beauties designed and constructed in the USA. They are built to last a lifetime and offer unmatched temperature control and cooking performance to satisfy both home cooks with discerning tastes and working chefs.
The Evo Grill product line includes the Evo Single Cart Grill, Evo Double Cart Grill, and Evo Onyx Oven model. Prices range from around $3,000 up to $10,000+ for the high-end builds.
Key Features
- Commercial quality 304 stainless steel construction
- Integrated precision temperature gauge
- Rapid 15,000 BTU burner ignition
- Removable drip tray surrounding grill
- Limited lifetime warranty covering rust and defects on all metal surfaces
Overview of Blackstone Griddles
Blackstone Griddles offer a more budget-friendly line of outdoor cooking equipment focused on portability and flexibility. Units like the Blackstone 22" Griddle provide an easy-to-use and versatile flat top grill paired with handy accessories.
Blackstone griddle prices range from $200 to $500 making them considerably more affordable than the Evo Grills. They come equipped with side tables, hooks, and storage space to create a complete outdoor cooking station.
Key Features
- Cold rolled steel griddle surface
- Rear removable grease management tray
- Four caster wheels for portability
- Side tables and bottom shelf storage
- One-year limited warranty
Cooking Performance
When it comes to actually grilling up meal after meal, the cooking experience can vary significantly between the Evo and Blackstone. From the temperature range to the responsiveness of the heating elements, understanding performance differences is key.
Temperature Range
The Evo Grill touts an unmatched temperature range from a low of 225degF for smoking all the way up to a blistering 550degF for searing steaks with the best grill marks. Comparatively, the maximum temperature on Blackstone griddles taps out at around 600degF -- still hot but with less room for low and slow smoking.
For the dedicated grillmaster, Evo's precision heat control across its entire cook surface makes it the superior choice. You can perfectly calibrate temperatures for proper cooking technique regardless of your menu.
Build Quality
When you buy an outdoor grill or griddle, understanding its expected lifespan gives great insight into long-term value. Here the heavy-duty stainless steel construction of the Evo Grill shines through.
Assembled by hand in the USA from top-grade components, Evo Grills come with a lifetime warranty against rust and other manufacturing defects on their metal surfaces. Though pricey upfront, you can expect to hand one down to your kids with proper care.
The Blackstone griddles feature imported steel components that may require some seasoning out of the box. With more limited lifespans, Blackstone's 1-year warranty reflects the value pricing of their full griddle stations.
Feature Comparison
Beyond core cooking functionality, important features like portability, grease management, and included accessories can make a big difference in lifestyle fit.
Portability
For tailgaters or folks needing maximum mobility, the Blackstone griddle pulls ahead. Even larger models include four caster wheels that allow you to move the cooking station easily. Evo Grills have a fixed footprint relying on the built-in or cart configuration.
Of course with portability comes a tradeoff in weight capacity. The Evo Grill is a beast, with even portable cart models weighing upwards of 165 pounds. Blackstone griddles are designed to be relatively lightweight and easy to maneuver into storage.
Grease Management
Keeping grease under control is crucial both for safety and ease of cleaning. Here the approaches differ quite a bit.
The built-in slope of Blackstone griddles allows grease and other cooking runoff to make its way to the rear trough and into a removable catch tray. It's an intuitive system that also simplifies cleanup after dinner.
Evo Grills take a surround approach -- integrating a removable grease tray that fully encapsulates the grilling surface. The tray stays cool while cooking but leaves less room for accessory placement.
Included Accessories
One of the Blackstone griddle's big advantages lies in its comprehensive accessory offerings right out of the box. Side tables provide expansive prep space while hooks, paper towel racks, and lower storage shelves give you everything you need to kickstart your outdoor kitchen.
Evo Grills focus purely on delivering best-in-class grilling performance. Any accessories like side tables or storage carts need to be purchased separately. This a la carte approach certainly adds to cost but also allows you to fully customize your setup.
Cleaning and Maintenance
To keep your grill or griddle firing on all cylinders season after season, proper maintenance practices are essential. Let's compare how the Evo and Blackstone models stack up when it comes to cleanability.
Grease Management
The rear-mounted grease management system on Blackstone griddles simplifies the cleaning process. Just pull out the tray, dump and wipe down with ease. Grease buildup is also less likely given the angled cook surface directing drippings to the back drain.
On Evo Grills, having the grease tray wrap around the cook area makes removing and cleaning below the grill a bit trickier. You also have to take care to avoid debris buildup in the channel surrounding the cooking surface.
Seasoning and Upkeep
To achieve that slick, non-stick performance, both griddles and grill tops need occasional seasoning. Evo Grills come pre-seasoned so they can be used out of the box.
Blackstone griddles often arrive without any protective layer, requiring the use of vegetable oil, salt scrubbing and high heat to build up seasoning prior to cooking. This makes the break-in process slightly more involved to keep food from sticking initially.
Accessories & Extras
Outfitting your outdoor cooking setup with accessories can make all the difference in creating an efficient and eye-catching grilling station.
Side Tables & Storage
Right off the bat, the inclusion of dual side tables on all Blackstone griddle models makes prepping ingredients and plating finished dishes a breeze. Built-in paper towel holders, tool hooks, and spacious bottom shelf provide everything needed for an outdoor kitchen.
Evo Grills come as standalone products allowing you to accessorize as needed. From prep carts to custom covers, the expandability is there but adds investment on top of the already premium grill.
Carts and Covers
Turning your grill or griddle into a built-in backyard fixture often requires cart mounting or customized covers to protect from weathering.
For Evo Grills, stainless steel carts must be purchased separately though they allow for seamless integration as a unified built-in. Weatherproof grill covers sized for each Evo model are also sold individually.
BlackstoneGriddles include a lower storage shelf with any stand-alone purchases. Though covers must be bought additionally, the angled legs and caster wheels simplify movement for storage during harsh weather or off-season months.
When weighing Evo Grills vs. Blackstone Griddles, the right choice ultimately comes down to budget and cooking requirements.
For the serious backyard chef ready to invest in a grill built to last a lifetime, Evo is the clear premium option. With commercial-grade stainless steel construction and unmatched temperature control, you simply can't beat Evo for performance and durability.
For large-batch cooking and groups, the built-in Blackstone accessories like side tables and oil management create an unrivaled outdoor cooking station. And with comparably budget-friendly pricing, Blackstone gives you more for less.
So put your cooking vision first -- factoring in needs like portability, cleanup effort and group sizes. Identify must-have features vs. nice-to-haves. And weigh cost considerations like long-term warranty coverage and accessory add-ons.