Blue Air BLGM12-20D 12" Heavy Duty Gas Countertop Griddle, 3/4" Plate, 29,000 BTU

It is a 3/4" thick stainless steel plate, the heavy duty specification rather than the 3/8" or 1/2" plate common on light-duty countertop griddles. A thicker plate stores more heat, so surface temperature recovers faster when a cold load hits it and stays more even across the cooking area. On a single-burner 12" griddle that thermal mass is what lets one 29,000 BTU/H burner keep up with a continuous run of patties or eggs.

It is a manual control griddle. The knob opens and closes the gas valve directly, so the cook sets the flame rather than dialing in a plate temperature that a thermostat then holds. Manual units are less expensive and have fewer components to fail, which is why they dominate general line work. If your menu requires hitting a repeatable exact plate temperature, look at a thermostatically controlled griddle instead — the trade is precision against simplicity and price.

Yes, after conversion. Blue Air sets every BLGM griddle up for natural gas at the factory and includes an LP conversion kit in the carton at no extra cost. Natural gas operation is 4" WC with a 37# nozzle; propane is 10" WC with a 51# nozzle. Have the conversion done by a qualified gas technician, and confirm your regulator delivers the correct manifold pressure before firing the unit.

The plate drains into a full length seamless drip pan that spans the front of the unit and pulls straight out to be emptied and washed. Because the pan is seamless there are no joints for carbonized grease to collect in or leak from. A separate waste tray and oil tray are supplied, so heavy rendered fat can be removed during service rather than left to fill the pan. Level the unit on its adjustable legs so grease drains toward the trough instead of pooling.

The BLGM12-20D connects at a 3/4" NPT gas inlet. Total input is 29,000 BTU/H from its single burner, which is modest, but the supply line still has to deliver the rated manifold pressure — 4" WC on natural gas or 10" WC on propane — with everything else on the line running. Check that pressure at the appliance during a busy period rather than at the meter, and use a listed connector with a quick-disconnect if the griddle will be pulled forward for cleaning.

The cabinet is 12" wide, 30" deep and 15-1/4" tall on its adjustable stainless steel legs, so it needs a 12" gap in the line and a counter deep enough to carry a full 30". Depth is the number people miss — the cooking surface alone is 20-1/2" front to back, with the burner box and drip pan accounting for the rest. Leave the clearance your local code requires from combustible surfaces on all sides.