I have been looking to get a new cooking station for camping. For the longest time I used an old Colman single burner propane cook station that is not efficient anymore to cook for my family size while camping. I saw a Blackstone griddle in action at a family camping event and I was impressed. So I started to look into getting an upgraded cooking station for myself. 

 

 I looked at Members Mark griddle, a few blackstone models and some Colman models. I ended up with the Blackstone Omnivore 2 22inch, let me tell you why.

 

Why did I go with the Omnivore 2 22 inch?

  • Cost
  • Drainage hole location
  • Sides of griddle
  • Surface area heating

 

Cost

I picked up a bundle with the griddle, 3 foot adaptor propane hose, plus soft cover from Camping World which had a sale at the time that beat Amazon, Walmart at the time.

I believe after my experience I would pay full price for the Blackstone Omnivore 2 but I didn’t pay MSRP for it, it was on sale.

Cost wise compared to its competitors I believe the features I am about to go over with you set the Blackstone omnivore 2 apart from its competitors in the mobile cook stations. 

 

Drainage hole location

An important feature for me was the location of the drainage hole. The other models I was looking at had the hole in the middle of the gridle… which for me is the last place I would want it to be. Sure if you plan on using utensils to block the run off from the middle it’s fine?… for me the cost one has to pay for a portable griddle fine was not good enough for me.


The Omnivore 2’s drainage hole is at the back in the middle, for me there is plenty of surface area to work with that does not interact with the drainage hole. The only time I had a problem with the drainage hole was with very liquidy items like scrambled eggs. 

Keeping the griddle level is key here but that’s the case for any cooking station. One thing you can say about Blackstone (good or bad you decide) is that they don’t lack accessories. You can buy a “tripod like” attachment for the griddle base or buy what I did from my local Walmart extenders for the leg pegs of the griddle, you usually can pick these accessories up at a discount during “off season” times for camping.

 

Sides of the griddle

A feature that made the omnivore 2 stand out for me was the fact that the sides of the griddle specifically are made to be a wind breaker for the flames that heat the griddle. 

The other griddles i was looking at did not have that feature in the mobile cooking station models I looked at, Omnivor 2 was the only one.

This feature ended up being key because a few of the days while camping ended up being windy and I was able to cook with little to no problems.

 

Surface area heating

Another feature that sold me on the Omnivor 2 was how it heated the griddle.

The Omnivor 2 has Dual Stainless Steel H-burners with 24, 000 BTU’s, this allows 2 independent cooking areas which I utilized a lot but the biggest selling point for me is the griddle is tested for and manufactured to not warp. Prior to buying the griddle I delved into youtube for comparisons and videos from those who bought the Omnivore 2 and the fact that the griddle doesn’t warp was a commonly mentioned feature from those videos. Now I am sure the griddle can warp, there are ways to get it too but per my experience and from what I can find, if you take care of the griddle its doesn’t warp over time like other griddles.

 

In closing I have been very satisfied with my purchase and look forward to chances to use my Omnivor 2.

Blackstone Omnivore 2 Specs

  • Cooking Area: 361 sq. inches (22″ x 16″).
  • Burners: 2 Stainless Steel H-Burners.
  • BTUs: Around 21,000 – 24,000 BTUs total (optimized for efficiency).
  • Heat Zones: 2 independently controlled.
  • Ignition: Electronic ignition (on some models).
  • Griddle Plate: Rolled Steel with Omnivore technology for even heating and wind guards.
  • Grease Management: Patented Rear Grease Management System.
  • Fuel: Liquid Propane (adapter hose often included for 20lb tanks).
  • Portability: Common in “On-The-Go,” “Adventure Ready,” or “Tabletop” versions with features like Flex-Fold legs.