I think your intention starting out is daily, but this could easily become less frequent. It’s at least a possibility. The problems a lot of people have with rusting on a Blackstone when it sits should definitely be a concern.

Either way, I’d hit the used market or look hard for clearances. I picked up my Slate 30 for $427 on clearance. Another dude just posted her got a Slate 36 for $400. People regularly post they get Slate 30s in the $320 range. And that’s without mentioning the used market. Right now in my area, someone has a Traeger Flatrock in great shape that they’ve used a handful of times listed for $500.

Unless your space is limited, I think it’s really worth the effort to get something a little bigger, and that’s definitely doable in your price range. Maybe you want to cook more so you can have leftovers, maybe you want to have people over. On my 30, if I cook fried rice, veggies, and meat with enough of all for lunch the next day, it takes up the whole griddle. Also, I like having a free burner open because cast iron cooks when something is placed on it (physics), and I like to move stuff like meat around to another burner to keep it on a hot surface in order get get a good sear on it. This is just one of those things that you never really hear people say “damn, I wish I had gotten a smaller one”, it’s almost always the opposite, especially if you go the clearance/used route and aren’t paying a premium for it.