HI Doggiemom,
I am on the second home with a griddle and planning for a new build. One of my non-negotiables is that I am planning for a range with a double griddle. I use mine all the time. Yes, I use it for pancakes and sandwiches, but I also use it of reheating (leftover pizza slices crisp up on the bottom and get melty on the top), for prepping omelet ingredients (onion sauté, meat sauté), for quick sauté of veggies (asparagus spears, green beans, carrots) and on low it functions as a french top for small sauce pans (mostly one a year for holiday chocolate dipping). Once it is properly seasoned, it's a tremendous asset in the kitchen. HTH!

I think it depends on how good you clean things and how clean you like things to be. I have one and never use it - but we make pancakes every week - just in a regular large fry pan. I think they are just really hard to keep clean and work better when they are seasoned (which means they are not shiny new looking). I prefer its shinyness to its use factor. In my new house I will probably not get one.

Twobelles, That sounds very useful. I saute veggies all the time for my cooking, besides doing large batches of pancakes, french toast. I will be getting one on my stove, which will be installed soon I hope. How do you recommend seasoning it?

It's like a casrt iron skillet. When it gets that black burned on coating, that's when it works. If you can't deal with having a giant permanent black cast iron skilet on display, then a separate cast iron griddle that you place on top of 2 burners is probably more practical for you.

I would look to see how big/wide is the built-in griddle - I think not very so I would be concerned about its usefulness when making breakfast for a crowd. I prefer a separate stovetop griddle. Easy to clean, and when you do not need it, you will have all the 6 burners to use. Save you some money too. I would not get the cast iron version cause they are too heavy. I'll link to a stovetop griddle that gets top reviews on Amazon.

Alternatively, a separate electric griddle, which you can use anywhere in your kitchen that has an outlet, or even outdoors. Again, easy to clean, portable, and allows you the use of all 6 burners on your rangetop.

Here is a link that might be useful: Anolon Stovetop Griddle

I HAVE a giant black iron skillet on display* but I just don't get how the built in griddles work better. Do they really?

I do agree that cast iron makes a great griddle. You get that perfect crispiness when it's seasoned. But my spouse still uses nonstick for griddle stuff. Some people just won't adopt old technology!

*Okay, it's just hanging because I don't have anywhere to store it. It's not a design decision.

I have a griddle and have not loved it. It takes a good twenty minutes to heat up and to the point others have made....cleaning it ain't easy. I have typically left the grill cover on when I cook but I have noticed it appears to warp when I have all the burners going. But after it cools, it settles back. But full disclosure, others love their griddles here on kitchen web. I have bluestar range.

A guy gave me 48" Viking as final payment on a top job a decade ago. It had a griddle and made the best fried eggs and pancakes ever. Can't duplicate 'em in a pan, no matter how hard I try and sorry I left that thing in Michigan.

Thanks so much to everyone for your replies. This has helped me VERY much in making my decision.
Appreciate you all!

Maybe a little late since you seem to have already made a decision, but I'll add that I love my built in griddle!
I use it daily, and sometimes two or more times...
I actually use my skillets and burners less because everything seems better on the griddle :) super easy to clean once seasoned, just scrape with a flat spatula and wipe with a paper towel...
here's a short video on first time seasoning, and they just get better with age...

Here is a link that might be useful: seasoning griddle first time