Not Blackstone, Not Weber: This Is Consumer Reports' Highest-Rated Flat-Top Grill

If you've been paying attention to internet grilling trends, you may have noticed that the market for flat-top grills has become synonymous with one brand: Blackstone. There's a good reason for this. Reasonably priced and incredibly versatile, Blackstone griddles are so easy to use that they can turn you into an instant backyard barbecue master. You can make everything from pancakes and bacon to burgers and hotdogs on them, too. And yet, for 2026, Consumer Reports says that the best flat-top grill isn't a Blackstone at all — it's a LoCo.

Consumer Reports is a 90-year-old nonprofit company that publishes unbiased product reviews based on data collected from thousands of verified product users and tests performed by industry experts. The company recently released its Grill Ratings List for 2026, which was based on over 35,000 consumers who purchased flat-top girls over a 10-year period from 2014 to 2024, as well as expert lab tests. In the flat-top category, the LoCo 36-inch griddle came in with the highest score, at 79. The Blackstone 28-inch (74) and the Weber 28-inch (72) rounded out the top three. While there has been no data collected for owner satisfaction with the LoCo as of yet, the expert lab tests did give it a score of five (out of five) for even performance, a three for preheat performance, and a five for temperature range.

Based out of Columbus, Georgia, LoCo produces a wide array of outdoor cooking tools, including boiling carts, pots and stands, and fryers, allowing you to build the ultimate outdoor grilling setup. It also offers a griddle line, which ranges from a 16-inch table top model to the 36-inch griddle that earned top marks from Consumer Reports. 

The detailed Consumer Reports review stated that there were "no stand-outs" and "no discernible flaws" in the LoCo's performance. A straightforward enough review, but it also means that nothing made the LoCo really excel when compared to its competitors. As previously mentioned, this review is based solely on expert lab tests. It is notably lacking any owner satisfaction or reliability scores, which opens up potential for discrepancy between the CR report and real-world users looking to build their dream outdoor kitchen.

Reviews of the LoCo on the r/grilling Reddit page suggest the model does have some flaws. For example, there are apparently some issues with the smart temperature control systems and burner errors. There were also comments made on the construction of the griddle itself — specifically, the handles coming loose and the cabinets shelves being flimsy. However, commenters noted that the performance of the grill, which was the primary focus of the CR review, was generally good. Whether the LoCo grill will really suit you better than a Blackstone, though? For now, the jury's still out on that one.