Weber
Weber Slate 30
The Slate 30 is Weber's answer to the mid-size Blackstone, and its whole pitch is lower maintenance: the carbon-steel cooktop is case-hardened and pre-seasoned at the factory, and owners consistently report it shrugs off the surface rust that plagues bare-steel Blackstones left outside. Reviewers and r/grilling owners also praise how evenly it heats edge to edge — three burners under 540 sq in with far fewer cold corners than the 4-burner Blackstone 36 — and the front-corner grease trap is easier to manage than rear-scrape systems. The build is classic Weber: heavy, rigid cart, good casters, and a 5-year warranty versus Blackstone's 1 year. The honest trade-offs: at $649 it costs roughly twice as much as a Blackstone 28 with similar cooking area, the digital temp display is reserved for the $799 premium trim, rust resistance is explicitly excluded from the cooktop warranty, and you still need to season and oil it like any griddle. If you griddle weekly and hate rust babysitting, the Slate is worth the premium; occasional smash-burger cooks will get 90% of the experience from a Blackstone for half the price.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓Rust-resistant hardened cooktop genuinely reduces upkeep vs bare rolled steel
- ✓Very even heat across all 540 sq in - fewer hot/cold zones than Blackstone
- ✓36,000 BTU across 3 burners preheats fast and holds sear temps over 500F
- ✓Front-corner grease trap is simple and mess-free
- ✓Heavy, rigid cart with side tables, wind guards, and locking casters
- ✓5-year warranty is the best in the griddle category
Cons
- ✗Twice the price of a similar-size Blackstone
- ✗Base 1500014 trim lacks the premium model's digital temp display
- ✗Cooktop rust is excluded from the warranty despite the rust-resistant pitch
- ✗Weber Works accessories add up quickly
- ✗Still requires seasoning and oiling like any carbon-steel griddle
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