Hurry, Walmart is Offering a Blackstone for Under $100

There are ordinary summer discounts, and then there are deals that make backyard cooks reach for their wallets before finishing the headline. Walmart is currently offering the Blackstone Adventure Ready 17-Inch Outdoor Griddle for just $97, down from $114. That puts a genuine Blackstone propane griddle below the magical $100 markwith three dollars left for a celebratory bottle of barbecue sauce.

This is not a full-size outdoor kitchen with four burners, side shelves, cabinets, and enough cooking space to feed a softball tournament. It is a compact, single-burner flat-top grill designed for smaller households, camping trips, tailgates, RV adventures, and quick backyard meals. For shoppers who want Blackstone versatility without surrendering several hundred dollars or half the patio, however, the deal deserves attention.

Editor’s note: The $97 online price was verified on July 14, 2026. Retail prices, delivery options, inventory, and local pickup availability can change without notice.

What Is Included in Walmart’s Blackstone Deal?

The discounted product is the Blackstone Adventure Ready 17-Inch Single-Burner Portable Flat-Top Grill, model 2488. Walmart lists it with a 267-square-inch cooking surface, one propane burner, 12,500 BTUs of output, Piezo ignition, an Omnivore griddle plate, built-in wind guards, and Blackstone’s rear grease-management system. The retailer also lists a one-year limited warranty.

The Omnivore plate is one of the more interesting features. According to the product description, its design is intended to improve preheating, heat recovery, fuel efficiency, and temperature distribution. Built-in wind guards also help protect the burner when breezes attempt to become an uninvited dinner guest.

Why a Blackstone Under $100 Is Worth Noticing

A $17 discount may not sound like the sort of markdown that requires dramatic music. In percentage terms, however, the reduction is nearly 15 percent, and the final price matters more than the raw savings. Once a recognizable Blackstone propane griddle slips below $100, it enters the territory normally occupied by lesser-known portable cookers and basic camping appliances.

For comparison, Home Depot recently listed a comparable Blackstone 17-inch tabletop model at approximately $125. That product also offered a 267-square-inch cooking surface and 12,500-BTU burner, although model designs and included components can differ. The comparison makes Walmart’s $97 price look especially competitive for shoppers who care more about core cooking performance than bundled stands or covers.

Walmart’s larger Blackstone models remain considerably more expensive. During the same general sale period, 22-inch, 28-inch, and 36-inch configurations were listed well above the price of this portable unit. That is understandable: larger models provide additional burners, more temperature zones, stands, shelves, covers, or substantially greater cooking capacity. Still, those extras can quickly turn a modest griddle purchase into a $200-to-$400 decision.

The 17-inch deal is therefore less about buying the biggest Blackstone and more about buying the smallest practical Blackstone at an unusually approachable price.

How Much Food Can a 17-Inch Blackstone Cook?

Blackstone describes its 17-inch class as suitable for approximately two to four people and estimates that similar models can accommodate roughly nine medium-size hamburger patties at once. Actual capacity depends on patty diameter, spacing, and whether the cook enjoys playing burger Tetris.

Breakfast Is Where the Flat Top Shines

A conventional grill grate is wonderful for steaks but hilariously unhelpful when confronted with scrambled eggs. A solid griddle surface handles eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage links, hash browns, French toast, quesadillas, and toasted English muffins without allowing breakfast to escape through the bars.

On a 17-inch surface, a practical breakfast might include four pancakes on one side and several strips of bacon on the other. Because this model has only one burner, it cannot create two independently controlled zones like a two-burner griddle. Cooks can still manage temperature by moving delicate foods toward cooler edges and placing foods that need stronger browning nearer the hottest section.

Smash Burgers Are an Obvious Match

Flat-top grills excel at producing direct contact between meat and hot steel. That contact encourages fast browning and crisp edgesprecisely what makes a smash burger different from a thick backyard patty. Testing of outdoor griddles by Serious Eats found that Blackstone models could generate intense heat and strong browning on burgers, bacon, and other foods, although some temperature variation across the surface is normal.

The compact Blackstone can also toast buns in the rendered beef fat, which is not a sentence commonly found in medical textbooks but remains excellent cooking advice.

Lunch and Dinner Are Not Left Out

The griddle can tackle cheesesteaks, fajitas, fried rice, chopped chicken, fish fillets, shrimp, grilled cheese sandwiches, vegetables, quesadillas, hot dogs, and thin steaks. It is particularly useful for foods containing small pieces that would normally fall through grill grates.

Its main limitation is volume. Cooking four portions is realistic; preparing a full meal for 12 hungry guests may require several batches. By the time the final burger is ready, the first one may have begun writing a strongly worded complaint.

The Best Features of the $97 Blackstone

It Is Compact Without Being Toy-Sized

With 267 square inches of cooking area, the Blackstone is small enough to transport but large enough to prepare a legitimate meal. It can work on a sturdy outdoor table, purpose-built griddle stand, or another stable, level, heat-safe surface. It should never be placed on plastic furniture, an unstable folding tray, or a surface that can scorch.

Unlike a large wheeled station, the tabletop design can be stored between uses. That is valuable for people who have limited patio space or do not want their outdoor cooker becoming a permanent piece of lawn architecture.

Piezo Ignition Keeps Startup Simple

The integrated Piezo ignition is designed to light the burner without requiring a separate match under normal operating conditions. Turn the control according to the manufacturer’s instructions, activate the igniter, and the griddle can begin preheating.

As with any propane appliance, users should inspect connections, follow the manual, and stop immediately if they smell gas. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends checking hoses and connectors for cracks, holes, brittleness, sharp bends, and leaks before operating gas grills.

The Rear Grease System Reduces Cleanup Drama

Grease and food debris can be scraped toward the opening at the rear of the cooking surface, where they collect in a removable cup. This arrangement is more convenient than chasing bacon grease around the griddle with a paper towel while reconsidering every decision that led to brunch.

The system does not make cleanup automatic. The grease cup still needs to be emptied, and the cooking surface should be scraped, wiped, dried, and lightly oiled after use. Nevertheless, directing residue toward one collection point keeps maintenance reasonably manageable.

It Has Strong Customer Feedback

At the time of verification, Walmart displayed an average score of approximately 4.6 out of five stars from around 1,900 ratings. Reviews and ratings can change, but that volume of feedback suggests the model is not an obscure clearance experiment that appeared online last Tuesday.

What Buyers Should Know Before Ordering

It Has Only One Heat Control

A single burner keeps the griddle compact and affordable, but it limits temperature flexibility. On a two-burner model, bacon can cook over higher heat while pancakes sit over a gentler zone. On this Blackstone, the entire surface responds to one control knob.

Experienced cooks can compensate by learning where the natural hot and cool areas are. Beginners may need a few meals before they stop treating every square inch as though it behaves identically.

This Is a Tabletop Griddle, Not a Complete Cooking Station

The $97 listing is centered on the griddle itself. Shoppers should not assume that a stand, protective cover, carrying bag, bulk-propane hose, food press, utensils, or squeeze bottles are included unless those items are specifically shown in the final product description at checkout.

A heat-safe table or stand is essential. A cover is also a sensible addition for anyone storing the griddle in a garage, shed, RV compartment, or covered outdoor area. Adding accessories raises the real ownership cost, although buyers can begin with basic tools already found in many kitchens.

The Steel Surface Requires Maintenance

A Blackstone cooking plate is not a maintenance-free nonstick skillet. It develops a seasoned layer as thin coats of cooking oil bond to the steel under heat. That layer improves food release and helps protect the surface from moisture.

Blackstone recommends washing a new griddle to remove manufacturing and shipping residue, heating it, and applying very thin coats of oil. After cooking, the company recommends scraping away residue, using water on stubborn spots while the surface is still warm, drying the plate, and applying a light protective layer of oil.

Leaving water, sauce, or food debris on the steel can promote rust. The good news is that surface rust is often recoverable with cleaning and reseasoning. The bad news is that the griddle will not maintain itself through positive thinking.

Is the Walmart Blackstone Deal Right for You?

This deal makes the most sense for:

• Couples, small families, and households cooking for two to four people
• Campers, tailgaters, and RV owners who need portable outdoor cooking equipment
• First-time griddle buyers who do not want to spend several hundred dollars
• People who frequently cook burgers, breakfast foods, sandwiches, fajitas, or fried rice
• Shoppers who already own a suitable outdoor table or portable cooking stand

A larger model may be the wiser purchase for people who regularly entertain crowds, want multiple independent heat zones, or prefer an integrated cart with prep shelves. Walmart’s 22-inch Blackstone models add a second burner and more room, while 28-inch and 36-inch versions move closer to full outdoor cooking stations. They also cost considerably more.

How to Set Up and Season the Griddle

Choose a Safe Location

Use the Blackstone outdoors on a level, noncombustible or heat-resistant surface. The CPSC advises operating propane grills at least 10 feet from a house or other building and never using them inside a home, garage, carport, breezeway, porch, or beneath a combustible overhead surface. Children and pets should remain away from the hot cooking area.

Apartment residents should check building policies, local fire codes, and lease restrictions before using any propane appliance on a patio or balcony.

Clean It Before the First Cook

Wash the new steel cooking surface according to the manufacturer’s instructions, rinse it, and dry it completely. This initial cleaning removes dust and manufacturing residue. Soap is appropriate for this first wash; routine seasoned-surface care generally relies on scraping, warm water when necessary, thorough drying, and a light coat of oil.

Build Thin Layers of Seasoning

Preheat the griddle and spread a very thin film of high-smoke-point cooking oil over the surface using tongs and a folded paper towel or cotton cloth. Continue heating until the oil smokes off, allow the surface to change color, and repeat as directed by Blackstone. Thick layers become sticky; thin layers create a smoother protective finish.

Five Easy First Meals to Try

1. Classic smash burgers: Press seasoned beef balls onto the hot steel, scrape cleanly beneath the crust, flip, add cheese, and toast the buns beside them.
2. All-in-one breakfast: Cook bacon first, then use a controlled amount of the rendered fat for hash browns, eggs, and pancakes.
3. Chicken fajitas: Brown thin chicken strips, peppers, and onions before combining them with seasoning and warming tortillas.
4. Restaurant-style fried rice: Use chilled rice, vegetables, egg, soy sauce, and small pieces of chicken or shrimp.
5. Griddled sandwiches: Prepare grilled cheese, patty melts, Reubens, or breakfast sandwiches with broad, even browning.

Use a food thermometer rather than judging meat by color alone. The USDA recommends cooking ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to 160°F and poultry to 165°F.

The Real-World Experience: What Owning This $97 Blackstone Is Actually Like

Although this article is not presented as a personal hands-on laboratory test, the specifications, manufacturer guidance, retailer feedback, and common behavior of 17-inch steel griddles create a clear picture of the ownership experience.

The First Day Feels More Like Preparing Cookware Than Assembling a Grill

The first surprise is how little this resembles setting up a giant backyard grill. There are no enormous side shelves to bolt into place and no wheeled cabinet that requires an engineering degree. The important work is choosing a sturdy surface, connecting the propane supply correctly, checking stability, and seasoning the plate.

Seasoning is the point where impatient owners may be tempted to skip ahead. The griddle is sitting there. The bacon is waiting. Everyone is hungry. Nevertheless, a careful first seasoning can determine whether the first batch of eggs glides across the steel or clings to it like it has signed a long-term lease.

The surface gradually darkens as thin oil layers polymerize. It may look blotchy during the process, especially around the edges. That is normal. A perfectly uniform black finish usually develops through repeated cooking rather than one heroic afternoon of seasoning.

The First Cook Reveals Both the Strength and the Limitation

Breakfast is an ideal introduction. The flat surface immediately makes sense when bacon, eggs, pancakes, and hash browns can share the same cooker without falling through grates. There is enough space for a satisfying meal, but the cook must think about timing. Bacon may need to come off before the pancakes go down, or finished food may need to rest on a tray while the next batch cooks.

The single burner also becomes noticeable. Turning the knob changes the entire cooking surface rather than one zone. Eggs and pancakes prefer restraint; smash burgers want aggressive heat. The owner soon learns to cook similar-temperature foods together and use the edges for items that need a gentler finish.

After several meals, this stops feeling restrictive and begins to feel like learning a compact instrument. It has fewer keys, but a capable player can still make dinner.

Cleanup Is FastProvided It Happens Immediately

The easiest cleanup begins while the plate is still warm. Food particles scrape toward the rear opening, a small amount of water loosens stubborn residue, and paper towels remove the remaining moisture. Once dry, a whisper-thin coat of oil prepares the surface for storage.

Ignoring cleanup until the next morning changes the mood considerably. Hardened cheese, sugary sauce, and dried grease turn a three-minute wipe-down into a scraping session. The griddle rewards small, consistent habits and punishes the phrase “I’ll deal with it later.”

Portability Is Real, but It Is Not Weightless

A 17-inch Blackstone is much easier to transport than a cart-mounted 36-inch station. It can travel to a campsite, tailgate, cabin, or picnic area without requiring a trailer. Still, the steel plate has substance, and the unit must be completely cool before moving.

Transport also requires planning. Residual oil can migrate, the grease cup should be emptied, and the cooking surface should be protected from dirt and moisture. A carrying bag or fitted cover is not merely decorative when the griddle is sharing a vehicle with sleeping bags, coolers, or clothing.

It Gradually Becomes the “Quick Meal” Cooker

The most appealing part of ownership may not be the occasional giant cookout. It may be the ordinary Tuesday meal. The griddle preheats quickly, keeps cooking odors outdoors, and handles several ingredients on one surface. Instead of dirtying a skillet, sauté pan, sheet pan, and toaster, an owner can prepare chopped chicken, vegetables, and tortillas in one place.

That convenience encourages experimentation. Leftover rice becomes fried rice. A package of ground beef becomes diner-style burgers. Potatoes become crisp breakfast hash. Sandwiches receive the golden crust that an indoor toaster can only dream about.

Long-Term Satisfaction Depends on Expectations

A buyer expecting a portable griddle for a few people is likely to appreciate the compact footprint and low sale price. A buyer expecting the capacity, temperature control, and workspace of a 36-inch four-burner station will feel cramped.

The $97 Blackstone is best understood as a focused cooking tool. It is not intended to replace every grill, smoker, stove, or outdoor kitchen. It is designed to make flat-top cooking affordable, portable, and approachable. Viewed that way, its limitations are reasonable and its strengths are easy to enjoy.

Final Verdict: Should You Hurry?

Walmart’s sub-$100 Blackstone deal is compelling because it combines a recognizable brand, a practical 267-square-inch steel cooking surface, 12,500 BTUs of heat, portable construction, straightforward ignition, and grease management for $97. Comparable Blackstone tabletop models are often listed above $100, while larger cooking stations can cost two to four times as much.

It is not the right choice for every cook. The single burner limits heat-zone control, the tabletop format requires a safe stand or surface, and seasoned steel demands routine maintenance. Accessories and propane can also increase the final cost.

For campers, tailgaters, couples, small families, and curious first-time griddle owners, though, this is an unusually affordable entrance into Blackstone cooking. At $97, the griddle costs less than many premium countertop appliancesand unlike a countertop appliance, it can cook smash burgers without turning the kitchen into a beef-scented sauna.

Deal inventory can disappear, return, or change price quickly. Shoppers interested in this model should confirm the current price, seller, included components, shipping terms, and local availability before completing the order.