Costco Wholesale appears to have once again created a debate among shoppers as the membership warehouse is selling a griddle that first went viral on TikTok in 2021.
The Blackstone 36 inch Griddle with foldable shelves and magnetic tool hooks is grabbing attention on a Costco fan’s social media accounts with some raising the following question: Is it worth the price?
The public TikTok and Instagram user @costcohotfinds recently featured the griddle, calling the product, “the nicest Blackstone I have ever seen” and highlighting the “amazing price,” according to the now-viral video posted on both accounts.
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The “Blackstone 36 in. Griddle with Hood & Front Shelf” is priced at $399.99 in store with a Costco membership card, but the cost of the item increases to $499.99 when purchased online, according to Costco.com.
The warehouse has recently been “cracking down” on shoppers by requesting for proof of membership cards at checkout, so that nonmembers are not receiving the same benefits as official Costco members, FOX Business previously reported.
The Blackstone Griddle video was posted by @costcohotfinds two days ago, garnering 1.4 million views on TikTok and more than 18,000 comments at the time of publication. The Instagram Reel has been viewed 2.3 million times, and liked by over 42,000 users.
The hashtag #blackstonegriddle has 978.7 million views with different users sharing their tips and hacks on how to best care for and use the griddle, according to TikTok data search results.
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Commenters on the @costcohotfinds video offered both positive and negative reviews on the Blackstone Griddle, mainly focusing on its price point.
“These were $130 less last week at other retailers,” one person wrote on TikTok.
“I love to cook on mine but hate cleaning it,” another user commented. “Not worth the hassle.”
Several commenters agreed that the griddle can be “a pain to clean,” while others were quick to compare the griddle to a Blackstone alternative at Walmart, which is priced at $297.
The Blackstone Griddle at Costco vs. the lower-costing model at Walmart appears to have the same amount of burners but different style lids.
FOX Business reached out to Walmart for comment.
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“On every post about the Costco blackstones, there’s always the people saying ‘it’s cheaper at Walmart,'” one person wrote on Instagram. “It’s a different model y’all I bought mine from Costco a couple weeks ago and love it!”
“I have a 22″ blackstone I bought after I sold my 6 burner 6 month old propane grill. I’ll NEVER go back to a regular propane grill,” another user wrote. “If you actually take time to learn to cook on it and clean it properly you’ll have no issues and be a happy camper! Great deal!!”
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FOX Business reached out to Costco and the creator of @costcohotfinds for comment.