Before Buying A Blackstone Grill, Be Aware Of Disadvantages With The Paint

Flat-top grills offer plenty of working space across a searing-hot surface, perfect for steaks, burger patties, veggies, and anything else you want to fry up hot and fast. Blackstone is one of the best-known brands making these griddles, and is a common entry-level choice. Unfortunately, home cooks claim online that these griddles aren't perfect, as Tasting Table covered in our roundup of disadvantages of Blackstone grills. One complaint in particular crops up repeatedly. While the cold-rolled steel grilling surface is fairly hardy once properly seasoned, many unhappy customers report that the paint begins peeling off all too quickly after purchase.

On the internet's home-food-discussion superhighway, Reddit, users have voiced their complaints. One Redditor describes their experience: "I literally threw mine in the trash after a little over a year. Kept under a cover AND a covered patio, and most of the paint peeled off and the parts and internals rusted out." After this user sought help, customer service supposedly accused them of not taking proper care of the grill. Another Redditor explains that paint might even peel off while assembling the grill: "Just bought one yesterday and ... the paint on the body is falling off if I just look at it. I would think it's more durable." Another account claims that the paint began to rub off around the knobs after just the first use.

The issues aren't just aesthetic, paint on the grill also acts as a rust-barrier on the grill's body. One Redditor explains how failing paint leads to rusty grills, and that this issue hasn't always been true of Blackstone grills: "The newer ones don't have high heat paint so the paint flakes off pretty quickly and the bare metals starts to rust." DIY-minded individuals online have resorted to taking matters into their own hands by scraping and repainting the peeled surfaces of the grills themselves. Those reportedly in the know recommend Krylon High Heat Spray paint.

Blackstone customer service gets mixed reviews when it comes to replacing parts that have had paint peel off. Some people claim that customer service dealt with their complaint promptly and sent out replacements expediently, while others report waiting for months with no replacement delivered, or receiving no help at all. While there's certainly a range of stories about how long a Blackstone griddle lasts, and how proper maintenance, covering, seasoning, and general upkeep can help to extend its life, some useful advice on using a Blackstone flat-top grill is to season it at least three times before your first use, prevent moisture when storing, and ensure all food and oil are scraped off before you tuck it away for next time.