Buying guide
Blackstone Select Omnivore
vs Omnivore Max
Two Blackstone 36-inch built-ins. Compare the lighting, controls and ownership benefits that can earn the upgrade.
The decision
The upgrade is about the station, not a bigger plate.
Both Blackstone Select models put a nominal 36-inch flat top into your outdoor kitchen, with separately controlled cooking zones, a protective hood and ambient puddle lighting. The Omnivore Max adds a more elaborate lighting and control arrangement, including lights inside the hood, along with its Max plate specification and 304-grade stainless construction.
Start with how you will use that station. If your main aim is a built-in flat top beside permanent preparation space, the Select Omnivore already gives you that format. If you cook after dark regularly, the Max’s hood lighting and illuminated controls deserve a closer look. The current Max manual also gives the body and non-electrical components a longer warranty term than the one-year warranty advertised for the Select Omnivore.
Choose Select Omnivore if…
You want the built-in 36-inch cooking format and would rather keep more of the budget for the island, fuel connection and preparation space. Ambient lighting and a hood are already part of this model.
Choose Select Omnivore Max if…
You will use the hood lighting and control display regularly, value its specified stainless construction, and want the longer published non-electrical warranty. Those are clearer reasons to upgrade than expecting a larger cooking station.
Look under the hood
Lighting above the plate changes evening cooking.
Ambient puddle lighting is shared. On the Max, the hood lights serve a different job: lighting the plate itself. If your island already has effective task lighting, decide how much those additional lights will improve the way you cook. If the griddle is in a darker part of the patio, that difference may matter every evening.
The Max manual separates its power, puddle-light and hood-light controls. It also describes color changes on the control knobs during operation. The colors help you read the control state. Check the flame as the instructions require; the color alone is not a flame check.
Side by side
Compare the extras you will use.
| Decision | Select Omnivore | Select Omnivore Max |
|---|---|---|
| Plate specification | 36-inch Omnivore | 36-inch Omnivore Max |
| Lighting to compare | Ambient puddle lighting | Ambient puddle lighting plus integrated hood lighting |
| Published warranty | 1-year limited warranty | 3 years on body/non-electrical; 1 year electrical |
| Selected propane price | $2,499.00 | $3,499.00 |
Four separately controlled zones are useful when you want different burner settings across one cooking surface. They are not four insulated compartments: the plate is continuous. For a breakfast with pancakes, eggs and bacon, plan where each item goes and adjust as you cook. This shared workflow is a reason to buy the built-in format, rather than a feature you only gain by choosing Max.
Blackstone’s current Select Omnivore listing describes a pre-seasoned Omnivore Blackout plate, and the Max manual includes care for its pre-seasoned surface. Do not justify the Max premium on the assumption that it alone arrives pre-seasoned. Both still need the proper cleaning, drying and surface-care routine.
For this comparison, we would put the added equipment and ownership terms ahead of the plate names. Those are the differences you can connect to your own kitchen plan; the names alone do not tell you how much faster a meal will cook or how much fuel you will save.
The Hearth Outpost view
Pay for the parts of the upgrade you will notice.
We would start with the Select Omnivore for a straightforward built-in flat-top station. A good island layout, useful counter space and accessible grease collection can make a bigger difference to everyday cooking than a more elaborate control panel. The Max becomes easier to justify when you know you will use its hood lights and you value the longer non-electrical warranty.
The question we would ask is simple: when you picture cooking here on a normal evening, which added feature changes the job? If the answer is lighting the food clearly after sunset, that is a practical reason to look at Max. If the answer is simply “more room,” both models are in the same nominal 36-inch class.
Ratings cover the Blackstone Select gas built-in griddles family.
What owners say
Owners of the built-in griddles describe quick warmup, satisfying cooking and a clean fit within their outdoor islands. Those are useful benefits for someone who wants the flat top to feel like a permanent part of the kitchen. Earlier built-in owners also report ignition trouble, grease that does not drain as expected, surface rust and difficulty obtaining service parts. We would leave generous access for maintenance and check ignition and drainage as part of the installer’s handover, rather than discovering an access problem after the island is finished.
What you are buying
The griddle head is part of an island project.
Shared equipment
Both models include the cooking plate, built-in hood and ambient puddle lighting. Both offer factory propane and natural-gas configurations. Choose the fuel configuration that matches the project rather than assuming an on-site conversion is included.
Max equipment to value
The Max specification adds its Omnivore Max plate, 304-grade stainless construction, illuminated status knobs and integrated hood lights. Its manual states that the appliance cannot be used without power, so the electrical connection belongs in the installation budget.
These are built-in griddle heads, not complete freestanding carts. Cabinetry, a countertop, fuel work and any required insulating jacket are separate parts of the project. Do not treat a protective hood as a weatherproof cover or a substitute for cleaning and drying the plate.
Before the countertop
Plan access, not just the opening.
Have the installer check the exact model and fuel configuration, enclosure materials, ventilation, hood movement, grease access and electrical needs before construction. The listed overall dimensions are not the cutout dimensions. Nor should a shared nominal 36-inch plate size be taken to mean that the two appliances have interchangeable openings.
An insulating jacket is required for installation in combustible environments, as specified for these models, and is sold separately. Match the jacket and the resulting opening to the exact griddle. Leave a practical way to empty the rear grease collection and reach serviceable components after the countertop is finished.
For the Max, plan the power supply before treating ignition and lighting as ready to use. Follow its current manual for the connection and clearances. For the Select Omnivore, obtain the instructions for the actual unit before finalizing construction; do not transfer dimensions or operating steps from another Select model.
At handover, have the installer demonstrate ignition, the controls, lighting and grease access. That is particularly useful given the earlier built-in owner reports of ignition, drainage and service-access frustrations. Those reports do not establish a failure rate for either current model, but they point to checks worth making before the island is closed up.
Shop the ranges
Continue with the exact configuration.
Compare the exact propane griddle heads, then select the fuel and enclosure components for your project.
Blackstone
Blackstone Select 36-inch Omnivore — propane
Blackstone Select gas built-in griddles family rating
$2,499.00 $2,799.00
Factory propane built-in griddle head selected. Natural gas is also offered. Island, installation and required enclosure components are separate.
Blackstone
Blackstone Select 36-inch Omnivore Max — propane
Blackstone Select gas built-in griddles family rating
$3,499.00
Factory propane built-in griddle head selected. Natural gas is also offered. Island, power connection and required enclosure components are separate.
Ownership support
The Max adds a longer non-electrical term.
Select Omnivore
Blackstone’s current product page advertises a one-year warranty for the Select Omnivore. Its limited warranty addresses qualifying manufacturing defects under the written terms. Keep the receipt and registration details with the exact model information.
- Limited coverage
- 1 year
Select Omnivore Max
The current model-specific Max manual provides three years on the main body and non-electrical components, and one year on electrical components. The extra term applies to the body and non-electrical components. Electrical coverage remains one year.
- Body/non-electrical
- 3 years
- Electrical
- 1 year
Coverage is subject to the original-purchaser, normal-use and written conditions. Rust, corrosion, cosmetic changes, improper care or installation and other exclusions need to be read in the full terms. Do not assume a parts warranty includes every installation, removal or service cost. Keep the exact model and serial number available when requesting support.
Before ordering
Choose the griddle and the island together.
Let’s make the built-in station work.
Tell us which fuel you have, how you cook and what your island will be made from. We can help compare the two Blackstone Select configurations and identify the fit details to confirm before you order.
Speak to an Expert
Good questions
Before choosing Max.
Is Max a larger griddle?
Both compared appliances are in the nominal 36-inch cooking class. Choose Max for its verified specification and equipment differences, not an assumption of a larger plate.
Is pre-seasoning exclusive to Max?
No. The current Select Omnivore product listing also describes a pre-seasoned plate. Both surfaces still require the appropriate cleaning, drying and care.
Do both have ambient lighting?
Yes. Ambient puddle lighting is shared. The Max also has integrated lights inside the hood to illuminate the cooking surface.
Do the Max’s knob colors prove the burner is lit?
Follow the manual and check the flame. The manual describes control-state colors and warns that an orange indicator can also occur if the knob magnet is disconnected.
Can I choose natural gas instead of propane?
Both models have separately offered factory natural-gas and propane configurations. Select the fuel that matches your project and confirm the connection before ordering.