With warmer days ahead and springtime calling our names, outdoor kitchen season will soon be in full swing. If you haven’t joined in on the summer kitchen craze, now is a great time to start. Hosting can be a hassle when you don’t have enough room inside your home, but an outdoor kitchen can help change that. Invite your friends to the cookout in your backyard with an outdoor kitchen where you can cook, grill, bake, sear, and BBQ on your built-in grill while chatting with your guests over delicious drinks on those fun and hot summer days.
Make your springtime unforgettable BBQing on the built-in grill of your gorgeous outdoor kitchen by checking out our guide that outlines multiple built-in grill ideas and answers the questions you’ve been dying to know.
Take a Look:
Before You Build a Built-in BBQ Grill
Benefits of a Built-in Outdoor Grill
Types of Built-in Outdoor Grills
Before You Build a Built-In BBQ Grill
If you are ready to take the plunge of incorporating a built-in grill for your backyard entertainment, here’s what you need to know before you start spending.
Cost, location, needs
Before you jump into the construction of your ideal outdoor kitchen with a built-in grill, it’s essential to research contractors, budget, and must-haves before starting. For instance, an outdoor kitchen designer or landscape contractor would be perfect for helping you add or update your current outdoor cooking setup. They’ll be able to help guide you in the right direction for your grill, add-ons, accessories, and any plans for future outdoor kitchen expansion.
On average, a homeowner can spend as little as $10,000 on a standard outdoor built-in grill kitchen, or over $60,000 for all the bells and whistles, depending on the layout, style, and features you choose, so it’s important to determine how much you are willing to spend before hiring a contractor. If you are struggling to put a price tag on your built-in grill ideas, we suggest checking out your local outdoor living showrooms to help you gauge the cost of their available options.
Along with your must-haves, you will also need the necessary permits and inspections since your dream outdoor kitchen and built-in grill will require water, electricity, gas, and sewer. If you are a homeowner with a homeowner's association (HOA), before you start construction, check your HOA guidelines for any restrictions on outdoor kitchens to avoid violations and fees. Once you get the green light for your permits, inspections, and with your HOA, imagine your dream built-in grill and kitchen, and write down all of its features. Is your list short or long? To prevent overspending, we suggest creating a must-have list of all the essential features of an outdoor kitchen like built-in gas grills, storage, refrigeration, sinks, lighting, and electrical outlets. Now that you’ve budgeted for your basics, add as many features as you want from your wish list to avoid the regret of not getting the side burners and outdoor fryer you really wanted.
Style, Configuration, Size
When choosing your outdoor kitchen style, make sure that it blends with your home’s existing landscape. Contemporary styling focuses on a clean and polished appearance with sleek stainless-steel appliances, which would match well with a natural gas built-in grill for a more modern theme. While rustic uses more earthy tones, distressed wood, stucco, or stone materials make for a worn yet lived-in look. And if you prefer a more traditional style, a standard built-in charcoal grill in an outdoor kitchen built with brick, stone, or stucco materials would work beautifully for a simple, symmetric, and functional space.
Your outdoor kitchen layout will determine how your appliances, additional amenities, and cooking surfaces are arranged. If you choose to go with a single island, you can incorporate burners, countertop space, an outdoor under-cabinet fridge, and a small 23”–28” built-in grill, which is perfect for smaller patios and short guests lists. An L-shaped layout consists of two sides; one is where you can place everything you need for your cooking space, including a 30”–36” built-in grill for a large cooking area, while guests and family chat on the other side where the wine cooler and storage are located. Lastly, with the U-shaped configuration for your outdoor kitchen, you’ll have tons of cooking areas, food prep space, and room for friends and family to sit without being on top of each other. With this layout, you can look into larger appliances, more storage, a beverage center, and a 42”–60” built-in grill with plenty of space and burning elements to cook for a family reunion’s worth of people. Plus, you can include that pizza oven you’ve been eyeing since the beginning with the amount of space a U-shaped outdoor kitchen provides.
Benefits of a Built-In Outdoor Grill
As you are debating whether you really want a built-in grill for your outdoor kitchen, check out some of the advantages of incorporating one into your new outdoor cooking setup.
Customizable
Grilling is a fun experience to be shared with friends and family. You can maximize your outdoor grilling experience by customizing your built-in grill for maximum benefits. Consider adding designs or color, Wi-Fi capabilities, extra drawers, more burners, or other outdoor kitchen accessories for the ultimate grilling environment tailored just for you.
Convenience
Once you have the customized built-in grill of your dreams, everything you need will be within arm’s reach, including your specially engraved spatula, thanks to the additional storage for your cooking utensils. With a built-in grill, you can practically have a mini-outdoor kitchen with storage, refrigeration, and even an outdoor bar center. This saves you time and improves your cooking because you won’t have to take time away from your burgers and dogs to grab something in the house.
Increases Home Value
Whether you are planning to stay in your current space or planning to move later to your forever home, you should always consider how any changes you make to your home can affect its value. If you are thinking about making some home improvements that are a guarantee to gain in value, a built-in grill in your outdoor kitchen patio is a great option. This eliminates the need for future home buyers to purchase a grill themselves or construct an outdoor space for entertainment, relaxation, and dining. Plus, since most built-in grills are stainless steel, they can withstand all four seasons.
Types of Built-in Outdoor Grills
Before you purchase your built-in grill, it’s crucial to know what fuel types match your preferred cooking style. Take a look below at how our experts broke down the fuel types, flavor profiles, and cooking methods.
Natural Gas
Best for: Shoppers that like convenient and tankless grills that’ll put a nice char on their salmon, short ribs, or hot dogs.
Liquid Propane
Best for: Grill masters that like a clean-burning fuel grill to cook and sear that delicious steak, kabobs, or fruits.
Charcoal
Best for: Grill enthusiasts that love the taste of a rich, smoky flavor and the smell of flavor-packed steam wafting from a high-heat charcoal grill.
Wood Pellets
Best for: Versatile cooks looking for a grill that cooks low and slow using indirect heat for a smokey flavor, whether you smoke, roast, bake, barbecue, or grill your favorite chicken, burger, rib, fish, or kabob recipes.
Best Built-In Grill Brands
As you search for your perfect built-in grill, you’ll find that grills from each brand have their own advantages. If you are unsure, we researched and listed some of the top brands below for built-in grills with quality design, top-tier performance, and signature features.
Lynx
In 1996, Lynx had its moment of truth when a small group of visionaries decided to apply their high standards, premier materials, skilled craftsmanship, and never-ending innovations to more than just commercial-quality stainless steel appliances in the restaurant industry. Branching out into the world of outdoor cooking, Lynx combined the simplicity of outdoor kitchens with the luxury of well-crafted and high-quality equipment to take outdoor entertainment to the next level. With two gorgeous top-of-the-line collections (Professional and Sedona) with signature features, Lynx grills have more than earned its title of greatest grill.
Napoleon
Built around the idea of “enhancing life’s memorable moments”, Napoleon is dedicated to their users’ total home comfort. Committed to being the aspirational choice for today and tomorrow, it’s no wonder Napoleon has been recognized multiple times as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies as they consistently challenge the status quo to perfect their products, ensuring they deliver sustainable, quality, and innovative appliances to their customers. Being experts in gas and infrared grilling, Napoleon offers several premium built grill series (Prestige PRO, Phantom, Prestige, Rogue SE, Built-In 700, and Freestyle) that not only ups a grill master’s cooking game, these beautifully engineered masterpieces are also corrosion resistant! It’s no wonder Napoleon grills have won several Vesta Awards for their products three years in a row by Heart & Home magazine.
Coyote
Coyote is passionate about fulfilling their customers’ outdoor living aspirations, designing products and appliances made of premium-grade 304 stainless steel for durability and high-performing features, including a specially crafted firebox combined with their professional burner system for a perfect, even cooking experience every single time. Coyote provides their users with multiple options for coyote grills ranging from the classic charcoal and gas to pellet and specialty to offer diverse and unique cooking quality that give each griller a different and delicious experience each time.
FAQs
Q: Can you turn a regular grill into a built-in?
A: You’ll be happy to know that you can use your freestanding grill as a built-in. Check your grill manual to see the recommended clearances around your grill before inserting it into your outdoor kitchen’s alcove. Also, remove the folding sides to avoid creating big unsightly gaps between your grill and its surroundings.
Additionally, if your outdoor kitchen is built with non-combustible materials like stone or block, we suggest allowing space to create airflow so your grill can work efficiently.
Q: How far should a built-in grill be from the house?
A: Grill safety is of the utmost importance. A grill needs the proper amount of air space to ventilate; otherwise, you run the risk of gas, carbon monoxide, or smoke building up to dangerous levels near your home. Although most grill manufacturers have their own guidelines suggesting a minimum of three feet away from your home, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that users place their grills at least ten feet away from any house walls or siding.
Q: Is it okay to grill under a covered porch?
A: We wouldn’t suggest grilling, specifically with a built-in charcoal grill under a covered porch or any enclosed area since there is a risk of excessive smoke or a fire breaking out from the flyaway embers. However, you could use a built-in natural gas grill as long as there is sufficient ventilation and high ceilings ten feet or higher. You can also cook with a built-in pellet grill under a covered porch or patio as long as the area is fully ventilated to blow the smoke out.
But no matter the grill type, we highly advise using a grill in an open area to minimize any unnecessary risks or dangers.
Why Trust Friedmans Appliance?
Established in 1922, Friedmans Appliance has been the most trusted name in the Bay Area for over 100 years. What started as a small appliance store in Oakland has expanded to include every appliance you need for your home. Our commitment to value, inspiration, and character has only grown, creating an unbeatable reputation for top-notch appliances. At Friedmans, we strive to give our customers the best of the best, including our selection of top appliance brands and our exceptional customer service. Speaking of which, we offer a 100-day price guarantee on all our products — the longest in the industry!
Our wide selection of appliances is just one of the reasons we’re the best Bay Area appliance store. We carry refrigerators in every style, every cooking appliance to show off your chef skills, and every dish care and laundry appliance you need for cleanup.
Shop Grills at Friedmans
See for yourself why Friedmans is a trusted name in the Bay Area and shop outdoor kitchen products online. While we are located in Pleasant Hill, we deliver to all of Northern California — even Reno! If you have any questions, our team is always happy to help you turn your dream built-in grill ideas into reality, whether you call us at 925-808-2950, email us, or use our online chat feature. Better yet, stop by our appliance store in Pleasant Hill to experience the quality in person. Visit us today!
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