You’re browsing Blackstone griddles and you notice two versions of the same model — one with a hood and one without.
The hooded version costs a little more. And you’re wondering — is it actually worth it? Or is the hood just a marketing add-on you’ll never really use?
Here’s the direct answer: Always get the hood. Every single time.
A Blackstone griddle with hood isn’t just a better purchase — it’s a fundamentally different and superior cooking and ownership experience. And in this guide, we’ll show you exactly why — with real data, honest owner experiences, and the specific models worth buying in 2025.
Table of Contents
What Is the Hood on a Blackstone Griddle?
The hood on a Blackstone griddle is a large hinged lid that sits over the cooking surface. It’s made from reinforced steel and attaches to the rear of the griddle frame with a hinge — allowing it to lift up and lock open while cooking, or close down to cover the entire griddle surface.
The Reinforced ‘X’ brace hood protects your griddle surface between uses and adds strength and stability while shielding your griddle surface from the elements. Blackstone Products
But the hood isn’t just a cover — it’s an active cooking tool that changes how you cook, what you can cook, and how well your griddle holds up over time.
7 Reasons You Should Always Buy a Blackstone Griddle with Hood
1. Melts Cheese Perfectly — Every Single Time
This is the most immediate, practical benefit of a Blackstone griddle with hood — and once you experience it, you’ll wonder how you ever cooked without it.
Close the hood over your smash burgers for 30–45 seconds and the trapped heat creates a mini-oven environment that melts cheese completely and evenly — no more partially melted cheese or cold centers.
One of the most obvious benefits is that it helps speed cooking by trapping heat from the griddle. It’s great for melting cheese on burgers and other dishes like nachos and pizza. AmazingRibs
2. Traps Heat for Faster, More Even Cooking
The hood helps trap heat, making it ideal for cooking in colder temperatures. The hood helps the griddle cook faster and more evenly as well — this is great if you are worried about fuel efficiency. CleverHiker
In cold weather — wind, rain, or low temperatures — an open griddle loses significant heat to the environment. The hood keeps that heat contained, maintaining consistent cooking temperatures even when conditions aren’t ideal.
Heat retention technology in the hood proved exceptional during winter cooking sessions, maintaining consistent temperatures even when the mercury dropped below 40°F. Gadget Gourmets
3. Protects Against Rust — The Biggest Long-Term Benefit
This is arguably the most important reason to get a Blackstone griddle with hood — and it’s the one most people don’t fully appreciate until it’s too late.
Your Blackstone’s cold-rolled steel surface rusts when exposed to moisture. Without a hood — rain, morning dew, humidity, and condensation all reach the cooking surface directly. This accelerates rust formation and damages your seasoning.
A Blackstone griddle with hood creates a physical barrier between your cooking surface and the elements — keeping moisture off the steel every time the griddle is not in use.
One owner with a 17″ griddle without a hood said: “If you’ve got a Blackstone flat top with no hood and feel like you’re in a toxic relationship with rust — I’ve scraped it down, deep-cleaned it, re-seasoned it multiple times, and even use a hard cover plus cloth cover to keep moisture out — yet it still acts up.” TikTok
That owner’s struggle is almost entirely avoided with a built-in hood.
4. Steam Cooking Capability
The hood transforms your Blackstone into a steamer — opening up entirely new cooking techniques.
Add a small amount of water next to your food, close the hood, and the steam created inside cooks the food faster, keeps it moist, and finishes thick proteins through without burning the exterior.
The commercial-grade hood created an enclosed cooking environment essential for everything from melting cheese to steaming vegetables. Gadget Gourmets
Thick chicken breasts, whole fish fillets, and vegetables all cook dramatically better when you can close the hood and let steam do the work.
Blackstone Griddle and Air Fryer – Is the Combo Worth It?
5. Wind Protection During Cooking
Wind is one of the biggest practical challenges of outdoor cooking on a Blackstone. Flames get blown out, heat drops unevenly, and cooking times become unpredictable.
The hood also helps block wind gusts that can affect your cooking. AmazingRibs
Even with the hood open — the physical structure of the hood itself creates a windbreak effect that reduces direct wind impact on the burner flames beneath the griddle. With the hood partially closed, wind protection becomes even more significant.
6. Winter Cooking Becomes Practical
Living in New England, one owner still uses their Blackstone in winter. The hood is great for keeping heat in and the snow off food while cooking. BBC Boards
Without a hood — cooking on a Blackstone in cold weather is a frustrating battle against heat loss. With a hood — you close it between flips, trap the heat, and maintain consistent cooking temperatures even in near-freezing conditions.
7. Protects Your Investment Between Cooks
Even when you’re not cooking — the hood protects your griddle surface from debris, insects, bird droppings, pollen, and whatever else the outdoor environment throws at it.
An integrated hood protects your griddle top during storage and transport, preventing scratches and keeping debris off the cooking surface. BBQ Report
Every time you approach your griddle to cook — a hooded model is clean, protected, and ready to go. A griddle without a hood requires wiping down and inspecting the surface before every single cook.
Hood vs Hard Cover — What’s the Difference?
Many new Blackstone owners confuse the hood with a hard cover. They’re different products:
| Feature | Built-In Hood | Separate Hard Cover |
|---|---|---|
| Attached | ✅ Permanently hinged | ❌ Removed before cooking |
| Used During Cooking | ✅ Yes — close while food cooks | ❌ No — removed before cooking |
| Melts Cheese | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Steam Cooking | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Heat Retention | ✅ Excellent | ❌ Not applicable |
| Wind Protection | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Rust Protection | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Good |
| Price | Included in model | Purchased separately |
The hood is great for keeping heat in and can be closed for a few minutes at a time to hold heat in during cooking. That’s the key advantage over a flat hard cover. BBC Boards
A hard cover is a reasonable budget option for rust protection between cooks — but it offers zero cooking benefits. The built-in hood does both.
Blackstone Griddle with Hood — Available Models in 2025
Blackstone offers the hood option across all their main griddle sizes:
17-inch with Hood
The standard 17″ propane model with no hood costs $169. The version with a hood adds protection and cooking versatility at a slightly higher price point. RTA Outdoor Living
Best for: Solo cooks, camping, tailgating, ultra-portable flat top cooking.
22-inch with Hood
The standard Blackstone 2-burner flat top grill with no hood costs $249.99. With the hood, it costs $299. The 22″ griddles come with two H-style burners with a 24,000 BTU capacity and two heat zones. RTA Outdoor Living
The Blackstone 22″ Tabletop Griddle with Hood delivers impressive cooking capability in a compact, portable package. Perfect for camping trips, tailgating, or small outdoor spaces — it fits on any sturdy table or countertop surface with 361 square inches of cooking space handling up to 14 burgers. BBQ Report
Best for: Small families, camping, apartment balconies, portable use.
Blackstone Griddle and Air Fryer – Is the Combo Worth It?
28-inch with Hood
The 28-inch with hood is the most popular size for families — big enough to feed 4–6 people comfortably, small enough to fit most patio spaces.
The Blackstone 28″ Griddle with Air Fryer features a 524 square inch griddle cooktop made of rolled steel. The hood not only protects your griddle when not in use but can also help cook certain dishes and reduce grease splatters. Griddle Sizzle
Best for: Families of 2–6, backyard cooking, everyday use.
36-inch with Hood — The Gold Standard
The 36″ Griddle with Hood includes Omnivore Griddle Plate Technology with enhanced efficiency, built-in wind guards, a Reinforced ‘X’ brace hood, extendable side shelf, four independently controlled heat zones, and the BAR system for accessory customization. Blackstone Products
Best for: Large families, entertaining, serious outdoor cooks who want maximum cooking power.
What to Cook on a Blackstone Griddle with Hood
With a hood — your cooking options expand significantly beyond what you can do on an open flat top:
With hood OPEN:
- Pancakes, eggs, bacon, hash browns
- Smash burgers (cook without hood until crust forms)
- Stir fry, fried rice, fajitas
- Shrimp, fish fillets, vegetables
With hood CLOSED or partially closed:
- Melt cheese on burgers, cheesesteaks, sandwiches
- Steam-finish thick chicken breasts and pork chops
- Steam vegetables for crisp-tender texture
- Trap heat for pizza-like results on flatbreads
- Speed up cooking in cold or windy weather
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Hood
Don’t close it too early on smash burgers. Let the crust form fully on the first side before adding cheese and closing the hood. Closing too early traps steam and prevents proper crust formation.
Use it to finish thick proteins. After searing a chicken breast on both sides, close the hood for 3–4 minutes to let the interior reach safe temperature without burning the exterior.
Partial close is often better than full close. You don’t always need to close the hood completely — a partial close at an angle traps heat while still letting some steam escape, preventing your food from becoming waterlogged.
Clean the underside regularly. The inside of the hood accumulates grease and residue over time. Wipe it down with a paper towel after every few cooks to prevent buildup from dripping onto your food.
Use it as a wind shield. Even during outdoor cooks on breezy days — having the hood propped partially open acts as a wind barrier that significantly stabilizes your cooking temperatures.
Blackstone Griddle with Hood vs Without Hood — Final Verdict
| Factor | With Hood | Without Hood |
|---|---|---|
| Rust Protection | ✅ Superior | ❌ Needs separate cover |
| Cooking Versatility | ✅ Steaming, melting, heat trapping | ❌ Limited |
| Winter Cooking | ✅ Practical | ❌ Challenging |
| Cheese Melting | ✅ Perfect every time | ❌ Inconsistent |
| Wind Protection | ✅ Built-in | ❌ None |
| Price | Slightly more | ✅ Less expensive |
| Long-Term Value | ✅ Better investment | ❌ More rust, more maintenance |
The price difference between a Blackstone with and without hood is typically $30–$50. The value difference — in cooking capability, rust prevention, and long-term griddle health — is enormous.
Always get the hood. You will never regret it.
