Look, I’m no fool. I live in America. I know it’s only a matter of time until literally every device gets either an air fryer or a pizza oven. The world now admits to air fryer toasters, air fryer ranges, air fryer combi ovens, and air fryer microwaves. In the past few months, I’ve tested both a pizza grill and a pizza air fryer.
But I still didn’t expect this new contraption from Blackstone. Their newest four-burner Iron Forged griddle has a fifth propane burner, which heats up a pair of air fryer baskets mounted underneath the 36-inch flat-top. The air flow comes from a loud-ish 75-watt fan you’ve got to plug in. The baskets are perforated stainless steel, burly, and rugged. This is an air fryer built for lovers of big trucks and big dogs and lite beer.
“Why would I ever need a propane air fryer?” I asked my editor. My editor had no answer.
After a few weeks of smashburgers and fries and tacos, I still don’t know why I’d need a propane-heated air fryer mounted to my griddle. But then, most dudes who drive a Hemi don’t need that, either. What I do know is that I like it.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
I have made low-oil breakfast potatoes in the drawer while pancakes and bacon cook above. I’ve air-fried a corn cob to go with my steak, and french fries for my burger. It is perhaps a silly indulgence, at $400 more than the bare-bones Iron Forged model without the fryer drawers and cabinet doors. But like a lot of silly indulgences, it’s a lot of fun.
Sturdy Griddle, with Some Hot Spots
First things first: Blackstone Products is the griddle company more responsible than anybody for the sudden surge of backyard fajitas and smashburgers in America. The company is unrelated to the private equity company of the same name that recently bought a majority stake in Jersey Mike’s—but it’s now very related to Weber grill company: The two backyard behemoths merged this spring in a marriage of griddles and grills whose shape is still unclear.
Both Weber and Blackstone make backyard standup griddles (see our review of a Weber from 2023). But only Blackstone, to my knowledge, makes a rolled-steel griddle with a dual-basket air fryer underneath it.
Assembly is both easy and hard. It depends on whether there are two of you. Nearly every standup griddle maker recommends you assemble with a helper: at one point or another, you’ll have to turn the thing over, or line up a heavy griddle plate. But this Blackstone especially has a couple of steps that really require a spotter or holder, lest you cuss and sweat and wonder about the decisions that led you here. Buy the beer. Call the friend.
The result, after tightening an ungodly number of screws, is that construction is re-assuringly sturdy, on a powder-coated black-steel frame. The dual prep trays fold down, which is a welcome touch when rolling it into or out of a shed. But unlike a Traeger or Weber, there’s no system for gauging the fullness of your propane tank except kinda… hefting the tank.
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