Quick answer
If your 36-inch Blackstone griddle has a lid, choose the Culinary 36" Griddle Cover. If it doesn't, the Original 36" Griddle Cover gives you a secure, heavy-duty fit for less.
Lid compatibility is the deciding factor
The Culinary 36" cover is cut specifically for Culinary Series 36-inch griddles that have a lid. The Original 36" cover is designed for standard Blackstone 36-inch griddles without that lid profile. Putting a cover made for a lidded griddle on a lidless one can leave slack that catches wind, while a cover made for a lidless griddle may not clear a lid at all. Check your model and whether it has a lid before you compare anything else.
Buckles and material: what the extra cost buys
Both covers use heavy-duty fabric and side buckles, so the core protection is similar. The Culinary cover's side buckles are part of a fit system tuned to the lidded shape, keeping the cover snug around a taller profile. The Original cover's buckles secure a simpler, lower-profile fit. The Culinary cover costs more because of that model-specific tailoring, not because it uses a fundamentally different class of material. If your griddle has no lid, you're paying for fit you can't use.
Where each cover falls short
The Culinary 36" cover is a poor match for older or lidless 36-inch griddles: the extra room around the lid area can flap in strong wind and wear faster. The Original 36" cover, while cheaper, won't fit a Culinary Series griddle with a lid, so don't buy it as a universal 36-inch cover. Neither cover is a hard cover, so if you need rigid impact protection, a soft fabric cover is the wrong category. Also note that exact fabric composition and warranty terms aren't listed in the catalog; if those matter, confirm them before buying.
Trade-offs at a glance
- Fit vs. flexibility: The Culinary 36" cover fits only lidded Culinary Series 36-inch griddles; the Original 36" cover fits standard 36-inch griddles without a lid. Neither is a one-size-fits-all 36-inch cover. Measure your griddle's lid height before ordering.
- Price vs. tailored protection: The Culinary cover costs more because of its lid-specific shape and buckle placement. The Original cover gives you heavy-duty fabric and buckles for less, but only on a lidless griddle. If you don't have a lid, the Original cover is the better value.
- Soft cover vs. hard cover: Both are soft fabric covers with buckles. If you need rigid protection against impacts, neither is the right choice; look for a hard cover instead. Match the cover type to your actual risk, not just the price.
Product facts
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Culinary 36" Griddle Cover: Designed specifically for the Culinary Series 36-inch griddle with lid, with side buckles for a secure fit. The lid-specific cut and buckles keep the cover snug on a taller griddle, so it's the only one of the two that fits a lidded Culinary model properly.
Culinary 36" Griddle Cover
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Original 36" Griddle Cover: Heavy-duty fabric construction with buckles, designed for Blackstone 36-inch griddles. It delivers the same core weather protection and secure tie-down for a standard 36-inch griddle at a lower price, as long as you don't have a lid.
Original 36" Griddle Cover
Which cover should you buy?
Best for
- Owners of a Culinary Series 36-inch griddle with a lid
- Cooks who want a snug, buckle-secured fit around a taller griddle profile
Not for
- Standard 36-inch griddles without a lid (choose the Original 36" cover)
- Anyone who needs rigid impact protection (choose a hard cover)