Might be worth waiting for black friday deals.
Check walmart online too for deals and mistakes. They had a 22" model on sale for $99 a couple years ago.
If i was in the market again i would start watching youtube videos. You can pick up a lot of good info just watching them use the griddle. Doesnt have to be a review or comparison. Can also pick up random cooking tips. Lot of these guys who make omelets will fold it over and pull it off still wet. To me it looks gross. But they say it continues to cook. Im not really a big fan of omelets its just an example of a cooking tip i picked up watching griddle cooks on youtube. The guy Brian who cooks at glamis a lot posted a video once of him making an omelet. Sure enough he flipped it over wet, pulled it off and onto a paper plate. I think he worked in a restaurant for years and must be a breakfast pro on the griddle.
Im a lefty. I dont think i personally would enjoy the drip tray being on the left side. My blackstone has a tiny drip tray hole in the back. Could be a tad bit bigger. I use wet blue shop towels to clean the steaming hot griddle. You sorta have to poke it a few times to exit the drip hole. If it was just 1/4" taller it would help. Some of the dirty water kind of gets pushed off the towel and you poke it through the hole.
Biggest negative to the 22" Blackstone:
1. No wind blocks. (as mentioned above)
2. Rear trip tray is a bit small.
3. Side shelf could have been built stronger.
4. Perfect size for me cooking for 1-3 people. Like you mentioned a larger size would be better for your family.
22" blackstone.....used to be $99 at walmart....i think its discontinued and the price is way off
Once you buy one, make a new post about seasoning. I have some ideas and techniques. You pretty much use a propane or butane torch to help heat the corners and sides during seasoning. It would take a long time for the far edges and sides to reach 500F. The center only takes a couple minutes to reach 500F.
