Very nice video, thank you. I've been window shopping for griddles for a few months now. I actually went to a store yesterday and laid eyes on the Camp Chef Gridiron 36 and I made my decision that this is the one I am going to buy. Once again, thank you for sharing!
Thank you for the review. I too just got my Gridiron 36 this weekend and completed my first cook this afternoon. Your temps surprise me. My lows are similar to yours but I had no trouble getting 525-530 on high. Seared my steak to perfection! Also, I have the same spatulas and YES they did get hot when resting in the trough. Thanks again.
Not sure what's up with my high temps. I will keep an eye on it and see if it gets better. I will have to leave some spatulas sit there while I cook and see how hot they get. I see people say the side shelves get really hot but it did not melt my bottle. I've only used it the one time so far but I like it a lot.
I just finished my first cook on mine. No problem reaching temp 525 to 560 on high. 200 to 240 on low. 350 to 390 on med. It cookks great and i like having a true low temp.
The low temp is pretty impressive. I never thought I would see a griddle stay under 300 degrees besides a Loco griddle. The grease management system is my favorite thing about the griddle.
@@griddlecookeatandmore This will be my first time owning a griddle. I am curious to see how some ribeyes will sear on this griddle. I plant to use it daily for breakfast and possibly meal prepping some food.
@@lega-xyzit's definitely not the hottest griddle and probably has the lowest temps on low for a manual griddle. I think after seeing how it did in my smash burgers I think a ribeye would come out good. I think Camp Chef nailed it in this one with a great price point. I will recommend this over a Blackstone any day. I'm going to make a comparison video against my Blackstone to show how much better this griddle is for the money.
Great detailed review! I think the Camp Chef is an amazing value right now. Checking out lots of reviews and yours is one of the best. Watching your follow up breakfast video too.Thanks again! 👍
I think Camp Chef created this model to specifically attract the Blackstone customer and try to take a piece of that away. I would definitely go with this unit over a Blackstone any day. It's just better quality over all and the biggest thing for me was the grease management system. I have a new 36 Blackstone I use for camping and tailgating. I'm going to do a comparison video of the 2.
I got mine last week but there were no control knobs. I contacted the company and they are on back order! Wish I had gone with the Weber or pit boss. Apparently this is a common occurrence with the grid iron. I think they knew that many were missing but sent them out anyways. Very unprofessional and says a lot about this company. First and last purchase for me. Sorry for the rant.
Well that sucks. Once you get the knobs I think you will enjoy the griddle. I think for the price point it's a great griddle and would totally recommend it over a Blackstone. If you want a great higher end griddle check out Halo.
CC says you can use lid for medium low temps for about 10 mins. I bought couple of the “wind guards” to deflect heat from the side and keep the heat under the griddle. I found hitting 500+ is easier.
Before the wind guards could you reach 500 degrees? The temps make sense to me because of how low the temps are on low. Besides the Loco griddle it has to have the lowest low in the market. I need to test the spatula placement and see how hot it gets. Or is that idea for storage since you can close the lid with the spatula. Overall I love the griddle. Can't wait to cook some more on it.
@@chilic82 just a random one for a blackstone. It isn’t a perfect fit nor did I expect it to. I have the 2 longer deflectors on flipped upside on the sides of my CC. I just needed. a heat deflector/guard. It does the job good enough. It’s relatively cheap and I didn’t need to manufacture anything or spend much time thinking about it. . I can get higher heats now without having it cranked so high. Good luck. If you find a good solution I’d love the input.
@@griddlecookeatandmore I was just getting there. I wish I had one of those surface temp probes. I just have an IR from thermoworks. I hit 500++ easier and I don’t need the burners turned up as high.
My hood the Blackstone lifts off. I can’t shut it for a long time while cooking though. I think it should be a standard on all hoods to have the ability to close it while cooking.
I really didn't need it but that grease management system got me to buy it. I do really like it and for the price point I would definitely get that over a Blackstone comparable model. I do like my basic Blackstone 36" for the portability factor. This Camp Chef model is not made for that. Thanks as always for the great support.
Your burner tubes are on wrong. The holes that are going across the tube are supposed to be facing down, not up. Just a FYI. Also, there is a video on camp chef RUclips page showing the assembly. Thank you for putting out the video, very informative.
So I just watched Flat Top Kings review video because I thought he mentioned the burners on which way they go. He has the holes facing up like mine and he inserted what looked like a Camp Chef promo video showing the flamethrower design. I noticed in that clip the holes were facing up also. After that I watched the assembly video and like you said the holes face down. I also noticed the Flat Top Kings low temps were fairly lower than what I got. So now I'm excited to flip the burners and retest. Stay tuned.
I’m looking forward to more test cooks on this one. I’m curious how the temps will be when the weather is cooler. I definitely like the design of it. The wheels look small. Great job reviewing this Doug.
Good question. Watching other videos and people online say they get a little over 500 degrees. I think the best I read was 470 something. The wheels are small and don't roll the best. I kind of like that because I don't have to lock the casters. The Halo is the opposite and since my patio is sloped for drainage the Halo will roll if not locked. Overall I really like the griddle. What should I do next?
To be fair I have not used the original Weber griddle before. I do hear good things about them. As for Blackstone I have and have had many of their units over the years. Blackstone griddles do the job. I have the Walmart 36" OG model. I have it to use for camping and tailgating and stuff like that. The OG Blackstone folds down and is fairly easy to transport. Now for the Camp Chef the grease management system is what sold me. Besides that the griddle is a better built unit than the Blackstone griddles. This griddle is not portable at all. One thing to consider these griddles do not get as hot as a Blackstone but on low they will stay under 300 degrees whereas the Blackstone will be in the 400 degree range on low. So if high temperature is a concern this may not be the griddle you want. Other than that this thing is great and I would personally recommend this over a Blackstone any day except if you need something portable. The Weber does not have a hinged lid whereas the Blackstone and Camp Chef do. The Camp Chef is a Little more expensive than the Blackstone Costco unit but the same price as the Culinary series at Lowe's. I think Weber 36 is also the same price. To me for that price range I would go Camp Chef all day long. If you want a higher end griddle I would recommend the Halo.
Any concern with the temps holding up? If it’s struggling to hit 500 during summer, might not be great to use in cooler months. That’s my only real hang up with it keeping me from pulling the trigger on it
I've only used it so far for this video. I shot that yesterday morning. The majority of your cooking is done around 350 degrees. If you want a hot griddle look at my Halo griddle vids.
I just got the Camp Chef Gridiron but do love it. The grease management system is what made me get it. It also keeps under 300 degrees on low but only tops out at around 475 on high at least for mine. I hear others say they are getting about 520 degrees on high with theirs. The Halo has the high end heat that I love and had no restrictions on using the hood. I've had the surface temp up to 850 degrees heating it with the lid closed. The top is probably about 20 pounds or so heavier so no concerns about warping and the heat retention is the best in the market. I've cooked several pounds of hamburger just off the heat retention after completely turning the griddle off. The Halo has a lot more versatility. So in the end I do like the Halo the best and then the Camp Chef. It all comes down to how you use it and what you want to spend on the Halo is $999.99 and the Camp Chef is $499.99 regular price.
@@griddlecookeatandmoreyou’re definitely right about halo heat retention. I cooked bacon then turned off the heat and cooked pancakes (16 or so), hasbrowns and eggs perfectly with no additional heat.
Very nice video, thank you. I've been window shopping for griddles for a few months now. I actually went to a store yesterday and laid eyes on the Camp Chef Gridiron 36 and I made my decision that this is the one I am going to buy. Once again, thank you for sharing!
Thank you. You will love the griddle and for the price I would definitely recommend it over a Blackstone.
Thank you for the review. I too just got my Gridiron 36 this weekend and completed my first cook this afternoon. Your temps surprise me. My lows are similar to yours but I had no trouble getting 525-530 on high. Seared my steak to perfection! Also, I have the same spatulas and YES they did get hot when resting in the trough. Thanks again.
Not sure what's up with my high temps. I will keep an eye on it and see if it gets better. I will have to leave some spatulas sit there while I cook and see how hot they get. I see people say the side shelves get really hot but it did not melt my bottle. I've only used it the one time so far but I like it a lot.
I just finished my first cook on mine. No problem reaching temp 525 to 560 on high. 200 to 240 on low. 350 to 390 on med.
It cookks great and i like having a true low temp.
The low temp is pretty impressive. I never thought I would see a griddle stay under 300 degrees besides a Loco griddle. The grease management system is my favorite thing about the griddle.
Great review! Used ours for the first time today. Cooks great!
I'm really digging it. What should I make next?
Great review! I just ordered mine, can't wait.
I'm really digging it. What should I cook next?
@@griddlecookeatandmore This will be my first time owning a griddle. I am curious to see how some ribeyes will sear on this griddle. I plant to use it daily for breakfast and possibly meal prepping some food.
@@lega-xyzit's definitely not the hottest griddle and probably has the lowest temps on low for a manual griddle. I think after seeing how it did in my smash burgers I think a ribeye would come out good. I think Camp Chef nailed it in this one with a great price point. I will recommend this over a Blackstone any day. I'm going to make a comparison video against my Blackstone to show how much better this griddle is for the money.
Great detailed review! I think the Camp Chef is an amazing value right now. Checking out lots of reviews and yours is one of the best. Watching your follow up breakfast video too.Thanks again! 👍
I think Camp Chef created this model to specifically attract the Blackstone customer and try to take a piece of that away. I would definitely go with this unit over a Blackstone any day. It's just better quality over all and the biggest thing for me was the grease management system. I have a new 36 Blackstone I use for camping and tailgating. I'm going to do a comparison video of the 2.
I got mine last week but there were no control knobs. I contacted the company and they are on back order! Wish I had gone with the Weber or pit boss. Apparently this is a common occurrence with the grid iron. I think they knew that many were missing but sent them out anyways. Very unprofessional and says a lot about this company. First and last purchase for me. Sorry for the rant.
Well that sucks. Once you get the knobs I think you will enjoy the griddle. I think for the price point it's a great griddle and would totally recommend it over a Blackstone. If you want a great higher end griddle check out Halo.
@@griddlecookeatandmore Definitely will. Thanks 🤙
CC says you can use lid for medium low temps for about 10 mins.
I bought couple of the “wind guards” to deflect heat from the side and keep the heat under the griddle. I found hitting 500+ is easier.
Before the wind guards could you reach 500 degrees? The temps make sense to me because of how low the temps are on low. Besides the Loco griddle it has to have the lowest low in the market. I need to test the spatula placement and see how hot it gets. Or is that idea for storage since you can close the lid with the spatula. Overall I love the griddle. Can't wait to cook some more on it.
Which wind guards did you buy? Everything I’m seeing is for Blackstone.
@@chilic82 just a random one for a blackstone. It isn’t a perfect fit nor did I expect it to. I have the 2 longer deflectors on flipped upside on the sides of my CC. I just needed. a heat deflector/guard. It does the job good enough. It’s relatively cheap and I didn’t need to manufacture anything or spend much time thinking about it. . I can get higher heats now without having it cranked so high. Good luck. If you find a good solution I’d love the input.
@@griddlecookeatandmore I was just getting there. I wish I had one of those surface temp probes. I just have an IR from thermoworks. I hit 500++ easier and I don’t need the burners turned up as high.
My hood the Blackstone lifts off. I can’t shut it for a long time while cooking though. I think it should be a standard on all hoods to have the ability to close it while cooking.
That is a good idea being able to just lift it off.
Definitely think you got a good griddle there Doug, especially the price! Building your arsenal 😂. Great review , cheers bro 🍻
I really didn't need it but that grease management system got me to buy it. I do really like it and for the price point I would definitely get that over a Blackstone comparable model. I do like my basic Blackstone 36" for the portability factor. This Camp Chef model is not made for that. Thanks as always for the great support.
Any luck on getting higher temps?
No not yet. I need to reach out to Camp Chef and see what they say.
Did you ever find out if you can cook with the lid down?
Yes. From what I have gathered you can cook on low for up to 10 minutes and around medium for about 5 minutes.
How hard was the as assembly. How long did it take?
I guess it took me about hour and a half. It's fairly easy the hardware is separated into bags with the number of each step.
Your burner tubes are on wrong. The holes that are going across the tube are supposed to be facing down, not up. Just a FYI. Also, there is a video on camp chef RUclips page showing the assembly. Thank you for putting out the video, very informative.
I was curious about it. I will get them flipped and retest the top end heat. Thanks for the tip.
So I just watched Flat Top Kings review video because I thought he mentioned the burners on which way they go. He has the holes facing up like mine and he inserted what looked like a Camp Chef promo video showing the flamethrower design. I noticed in that clip the holes were facing up also. After that I watched the assembly video and like you said the holes face down. I also noticed the Flat Top Kings low temps were fairly lower than what I got. So now I'm excited to flip the burners and retest. Stay tuned.
@@griddlecookeatandmore glad I saw this post. I put mine up too. The picture in the instructions shows the holes up. 🤷
I’m looking forward to more test cooks on this one. I’m curious how the temps will be when the weather is cooler. I definitely like the design of it. The wheels look small. Great job reviewing this Doug.
Good question. Watching other videos and people online say they get a little over 500 degrees. I think the best I read was 470 something. The wheels are small and don't roll the best. I kind of like that because I don't have to lock the casters. The Halo is the opposite and since my patio is sloped for drainage the Halo will roll if not locked. Overall I really like the griddle. What should I do next?
Good video! I have been looking at the gridiron online and would love to see one in person. Any idea what stores you can see one? Go Chiefs!
I heard Dicks and Cabela's/Bass Pro sell them. I watched one video and saw the grease management design and ordered one from Home Depot.
@@griddlecookeatandmore thanks!
Also Sportsman's
Debating between this, the costco Blackstone, and the older Webber. Do you prefer one over the other?
To be fair I have not used the original Weber griddle before. I do hear good things about them. As for Blackstone I have and have had many of their units over the years. Blackstone griddles do the job. I have the Walmart 36" OG model. I have it to use for camping and tailgating and stuff like that. The OG Blackstone folds down and is fairly easy to transport. Now for the Camp Chef the grease management system is what sold me. Besides that the griddle is a better built unit than the Blackstone griddles. This griddle is not portable at all. One thing to consider these griddles do not get as hot as a Blackstone but on low they will stay under 300 degrees whereas the Blackstone will be in the 400 degree range on low. So if high temperature is a concern this may not be the griddle you want. Other than that this thing is great and I would personally recommend this over a Blackstone any day except if you need something portable. The Weber does not have a hinged lid whereas the Blackstone and Camp Chef do. The Camp Chef is a Little more expensive than the Blackstone Costco unit but the same price as the Culinary series at Lowe's. I think Weber 36 is also the same price. To me for that price range I would go Camp Chef all day long. If you want a higher end griddle I would recommend the Halo.
@@griddlecookeatandmore thank you.
Any concern with the temps holding up? If it’s struggling to hit 500 during summer, might not be great to use in cooler months. That’s my only real hang up with it keeping me from pulling the trigger on it
I've only used it so far for this video. I shot that yesterday morning. The majority of your cooking is done around 350 degrees. If you want a hot griddle look at my Halo griddle vids.
Do you prefer this Camp Chef over the Halo?
I just got the Camp Chef Gridiron but do love it. The grease management system is what made me get it. It also keeps under 300 degrees on low but only tops out at around 475 on high at least for mine. I hear others say they are getting about 520 degrees on high with theirs. The Halo has the high end heat that I love and had no restrictions on using the hood. I've had the surface temp up to 850 degrees heating it with the lid closed. The top is probably about 20 pounds or so heavier so no concerns about warping and the heat retention is the best in the market. I've cooked several pounds of hamburger just off the heat retention after completely turning the griddle off. The Halo has a lot more versatility. So in the end I do like the Halo the best and then the Camp Chef. It all comes down to how you use it and what you want to spend on the Halo is $999.99 and the Camp Chef is $499.99 regular price.
@@griddlecookeatandmoreyou’re definitely right about halo heat retention. I cooked bacon then turned off the heat and cooked pancakes (16 or so), hasbrowns and eggs perfectly with no additional heat.
That temp is not nearly high enough if it’s the max.
I agree. I going to call Camp Chef and see what they suggest.
Just curious, when would you need the temp to be at the 500-degree mark? That seems awfully hot.
@@gmoney9068 searing steaks, stir fry, fried rice to make a few.
@@gmoney9068 smash burgers, steak.