Seems overkill to me. It's also oversized for a residential range, figure you've got about 22" of burner grate and it's going to bump up against the backguard so you'll be hanging off the front.

Either way, I'd skip the griddle unless you are really convinced you're going to get a lot of use out of it. My guess is most people don't.

By the way, I'm happy with my Broil King electric griddle. Sometimes I wish it wasn't non-stick, but I probably use it more because it is. It's large (21x12), heats quite evenly and it's a snap to clean up.

It won't hang off the front of your Bluestar: measuring from the burner (inside) surface of the rear backguard to the front edge of the top trim is 26-1/4 inches. The drip pan/front edge won't protrude past the edge of the stainless front deck of the rangetop. So you should be okay insofar as space goes.

As for the griddle itself, I think it looks pretty snazzy, but it will be heavy to move, store, clean, and the design of the griddle with the raised side and backwalls will mean that it can really only be operated over a range and won't adapt well to such things as barbecue grills, where it would have to be turned sideways with the catch pan sitting over the fire. (That is, of course, unless you have a really deep barbecue)

Still, I think it would be pretty cool to have one, but I would definitely look at alternatives that would allow a bit more versatility and ease of storage. This would be one example.

Although it is missing the fancy drip tray, it could be turned sideways and would nest under cookie sheets and the like for storage when not in use. However, if the model you linked to showed up under my Festivus pole over the holidays, I would not kick it out of bed, so to speak.

I use my griddle EVERY SINGLE DAY.
In fact I use it more than anything else in my kitchen.

I got the one listed in this link.
It is 14X23" and fits perfectly on my range top.

I would buy one like I have, lighter about 10+lbs less, is all one piece for easy storage, is wider which makes a big difference and not quite as long because you really do not need the grease trap unless you are frying up pounds of bacon all the time.

It is heavy duty, 3/16ths thick steel, once seasoned which is quick it is just as nonstick as any nonstick surface plus only gets better with age.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chef King Griddle

mojavean - What we don't know is the depth of the drip pan. If it's greater than 2.25" (which it looks like to me) then it'll hang over.

Also wondering if the support frame would risk scratching up the front trim, which it will sit over. (I'm not sure if it would touch.

Nunya - Do you clean off your griddle in place, or do you carry it over to the sink for a rinse? You don't have an option with a built-in.

Yea, I am torn, I wanted a griddle at first, and the wife was against it, totally. Now she doesn't think we will really use the 6 burners that often and would be better with the 4 burners and a griddle built in. Now that she said that I am torn and I am thinking I might want the 6 burners and then get a removable griddle like the ones discussed here, which is why I posted. I'm totally not sure what to do at this point and keep going back and forth.

Thanks for all the feedback so far.

We have the franklin machine one like in link 2, fits pretty well on 2 burners on the CC the catch tray rests on the front rail. I imagine it would fit on a BS about the same. We store it in the walk in pantry, it is heavy so we have to be making a lot of food in order to make it worth taking it out. It does not heat all that evenly. We also have a Lodge cast iron griddle that covers 2 burners it is a grille pan on the other side. I also got the grille for the franklin machine griddle, came as a set, but I made an extra set of rails to keep the drippings from going between the rails and messing up the stove top. Third we have an old aluminum griddle that covers about 1-1/2 burners, but I think it heats the most evenly. I actually like indoor grilling more than I thought I would. In hindsight I wish I would have got a range with a grill. You can place a large griddle pan on the grille and it will heat more evenly than it would if placed over 2 burners, and it will be easier to clean than a built in.

You can also get similar griddle plates in thick aluminum- or aluminum clad with stainless . Almost all of them have non-stick coatings. The maxi griddle is available from Bridge Kitchen WITHOUT the non-stick coating for about $45. Of course you can find it elsewhere with the non-stick.

The aluminum surface will season just like steel or cast-iron.

I like aluminum because I think it has fewer hot spots than steel or cast iron. I will probably get a non-stick one because I only use it for medium heat- eggs, pancakes etc.

I'm still looking- I like the maxi griddle but I don't need the wide grease channel that surrounds it. Dacor makes several heavy duty non-stick griddles, and American Range has one that I would like to see.

Here is a link that might be useful: aluminum griddle without coating.

I think you have to weigh the griddle vs. grill vs. burners issue. The griddle can serve as a warming area for sauces, but a griddle plate over burners or a grill can be just as fast or faster to heat up for breakfast eggs and pancakes or a melted cheese sandwich.

I know I would not like the heavy add-on griddle. As Caddidaddy said, it's too much of a nuisance to move.

I have a question for alexr and Nunyabiz1.

I'm thinking about getting a griddle to go over two burners. Everytime I use it, should I turn on both burners evenly? Or say, for the meal I'm cooking I only really need half of the griddle, can I only turn on the front one?

I'm worried about potentially warping the griddle pan.

I intend on using the whole surface when I do, but is it okay to occasionally only use half?

I faced a similar decision recently, griddle or grill or 6 burners. I opted for 4 burners + griddle Culinarian. A lot of people here advised against the built-in griddle, similar to what you can read above. But I went with the built-in griddle anyway for a few reasons:

1. More consistent temp compared to griddle pan.
2. Ability to cook an entire meal without using a pan.
3. Able to cook things that can be awkward to do in a single frying pan (pancakes, grilled cheese, burgers, etc...)

I do a lot of outside cooking on a BBQ grill, so thought having one inside would not be as useful as the griddle, but I could go either way.

Now if I had the room for it, I would have gotten 48" with griddle AND grill.

I replied because I've been thinking about griddles myself- and I was so crazy about it that I bought 3 griddles to try out. I guess I'll give the ones I don't want away to friends.

What I didn't want was the steel Chef King like Nunyabiz uses.

Nothing wrong with it per se, I just think for pancakes steel and cast iron isn't as even unless you get 3/8 inch plate like a built-in griddle. And even the built in's are sort of narrow. So I knew I wanted a thick aluminum griddle.

I have one now, the Maxi griddle, and it works quite well. And yes, I often just turn one burner on under it. It doesn't warp, it's fairly thick aluminum with a non stick surface. It's the perfect length and width, but it has a wide grease channel that takes away some of the area I could use for pancakes. But I've been using it all the time for pancakes, eggs, hashbrown potatoes. tortillas etc. and it's been great.

I also order a large Dacor aluminum AG griddle that's 14" x 24" - should have that in a week or so. And I ordered an American Range griddle that's approx. 12"x24. American told me that they are also making an aluminum 24x24 griddle, that's cool but more than I need. They have no pictures, so I ordered it sight unseen.

The Dacor I have seen on a display range and it's pretty cool but expensive. Dacor makes several versions, and I don't know how well it will fit my Bluestar, but I got their largest one. The thickness of the aluminum varies- it's thinner on the edges. I'll repost after I've checked them all out.

Well I have been using this Chef King for 14 months now.
I used to have a built in griddle many years ago in an old O'Keeffe and Merritt with a griddle in the middle.
Loved it, used it often, worked fine.

BUT the one I have now is way better, heats up every bit as good, is WAY larger, insanely easier to clean plus I can easily just slide it into a cabinet when I need 4 burners.
The 3/16ths carbon steel is FAR better than aluminum, is completely non stick, way WAY better than any kind of so called non stick surface.

I use mine every single day for at least breakfast, if having just bacon and eggs I use just the front burner and front half of the griddle, there is no warpage of any kind it's quite thick.
Don't even think about getting an aluminum non stick griddle over the carbon steel, they are not even in the same league.
The best non stick is toast in 5 years or less, the carbon steel is just starting to get good and broken in by then and will only get better with age.
20-30 years from now I will be using this same griddle and it will be better in 30 years than it is now.
Once this is seasoned absolutely nothing sticks to it, it is every bit as non stick as the best non stick ever will be.
and the best non stick starts to lose its properties within a few months and continually gets worse until it disintegrates usually in 5 years or so.

Nunyabiz, you are really going overboard here.

The nonstick will be gone in 4 years, not 5. :-)

I have the Chef King too and everything you say about it is dead on.

Billy

I've never used the Chef King, tho' I've seen them at the commercial kitchen supply stores. So I know they're heavy.

My experience has been using cast-iron skillets, vs. thick aluminum disc fry pans- for griddle type food . And my experience showed me that for most things there was no difference. But for pancakes, the aluminum was notably better- more even cooking. I've just gotten tired of having 3 pans going and so I'm looking for the best griddle for me. I basically agree that cast iron and carbon steel make great skillets.

However, I don't need anything for high heat cooking, I've got the cast iron and even thick copper pans. And I even have a French cast-iron grill pan, if I want the marks, although I normally use the broiler for intense heat.

What I want is a nice large thick surface for griddle cakes, or similar cooking- eggs and potatoes etc. and I'm convinced for now that a nice thick aluminum plate is for me.

I'm not the only one who thinks this way, even Caddydaddy wrote in his post above- "Third we have an old aluminum non-stick griddle that covers about 1-1/2 burners, but I think it heats the most evenly."

Also, Trevor from Eurostoves told me that they use the aluminum non-stick maxi-griddle in their kitchen classes. I only wish it was bigger.

Well I don't know about the aluminum "without" the non stick, but the ones WITH non stick coating are no where near as good as carbon steel.

I have tried about every non stick coating ever made and they are all junk, great for about a year. I have given up on any non stick ever again. All my cookware from now on will be cast iron or carbon steel.
I have 2 pieces of Swiss Diamond left, a large 8qt pot and a 3qt pot and both right now need to be replaced, even though they are "Lifetime guarantee" and they will replace them if I send them back because I have replaced one before, but if I have to keep replacing these pots every 3-6 years at a cost of about $10-$15 per pot shipping then I may as well buy a REAL pot that LAST a lifetime and just get some porcelain coated cast iron. Not quite as non stick but still very easy to clean.

If you like aluminum better then I would suggest the one without the non stick, IF in fact bare aluminum will season like carbon steel and cast iron does, which I kind of have my doubts about that but if everyone says it does then I guess it does.

Carbon steel Vs Aluminum as far "more even cooking" both are the same, only difference is the aluminum gets to even heat quicker.
Whereas the aluminum griddle maybe ready to go in 2-3 minutes the carbon steel will take 4-6 minutes to heat evenly assuming they are the same size. and that is if you are doing pancakes using the whole griddle. Using just the front half like I am about to do right now for cooking bacon then a couple eggs, the first thing I do is turn on the heat to the griddle on the front burner on med-med high and by the time I get the bacon & eggs out of the fridge she is hot and ready to go.
But the carbon steel has the advantage of being able to be used at a much higher heat if needed.

Also I am not all that thrilled with cooking on raw aluminum, the "possible" Alzheimer's connection, the metallic taste when cooking certain foods, it is much more reactive to acidic foods like lemon juice, vinegar, tomatoes etc and also salt. It pits and once it starts pitting in continues at a rapid pace and it will warp far easier than carbon steel.
Personally I have yet to see a single piece of "seasoned" aluminum cookware, restaurants use aluminum pans all the time, they are all warped into a taco shape but never seen one seasoned, they are all just bare metal like stainless steel. So I have my doubts that an aluminum griddle will actually season, of if it does it is probably fragile and will come off easy.

Wow, great info for me here, and I appreciate everyone's input and personal uses for their own devices, whatever they may be.

That being said, if I was to go with the built in griddle, which I think I am actually leaning toward (again and at least for now) does anyone have any idea on the pre-heat time for that on a BS range top? I know it is a thick piece of metal so I don't really have a good idea of how long it will take to pre-heat versus a removable griddle like you guys have been talking about.

Thanks again for all the great info.
Phil

Proper pre-heat on a built in griddle is about 15-20 minutes.
Most built in griddles are also rather small unless you go with a double griddle on the BS.
They are also harder to clean.
I can not think of a single advantage to a built in griddle.

Having said that IF I won the lottery and was able to build my dream home, I would buy a stand alone gas 36" flat top griddle to set next to my 36" gas range.

But since I have to stick to a 30" range only, the best choice by far is 4 burners with a nice carbon steel 14x23" griddle on top. If I had the option of buying a 36" range I would still buy a 6 Burner and then buy 2 griddles, one 14x23 and the other 23x23" and use which ever griddle I needed at the time. To get a 24" built in griddle you have to buy a 48" range, otherwise you are stuck with a rather small 12" wide griddle with a 36" range.
Unless you go with the add on griddles and you can have a 14" wide even on a 30" stove top, on a 36" you can have both 14" and or 23" wide AND have 6 burners when needed.

If I had room for a 48"+ range I would rather have a 30" range with 4 burners and a smaller 24" stand alone separate flat top griddle next to it.
Can buy a NXR range for $2000 or less and a 24" flat top griddle for $800 or less. Under $3000 I could have 4 nice burners and a 24" flat top griddle.
If I had that kind of space.

Thanks Nunyabiz1 but I think my DW is leaning toward the integrated griddle, she doesn't feel we will ever use 6 burners, but I want to upgrade from our current 30" range to the 36" range top. I am still torn on what to do personally, but at least with the built in griddle we can still use it to keep stuff warm on it if we need to, kind of like an extra burner, though I know it is not the same as the burners.

Like I said earlier, a lot of people are against the built-in griddle. There is a lot of talk about it being hard to clean. I went for it anyway. Only time will tell if it was a good choice. I bet there is a learning curve with the built-in griddle just like anything else. I think some people try to use it a few times, make a complete mess, and then never use it again because of that.

I remember years ago when I switched over from all teflon non-stick pans to only cast iron and stainless steel pans. At first I made a lot of mess and thought the pans were unusable. But after learning how to properly use them (temperature, timing, seasoning, etc...) I could NEVER go back to non-stick cookware. I'm thinking my experience with the griddle will be the same.

@nunyabiz1 - which built-ins are $800?

@takkone - how is your built-in experience 4 years later (now)?

I'm building my dream kitchen and really considering a 24" (or larger) flat top built in griddle, to accompany our 4 burner + wok 48" rangetop.