We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. What to Buy Grilling & BBQ The 8 Best Built-In Grills, According to Pitmasters Get ready to build the outdoor kitchen of your dreams with these pro picks. By Alyssa Longobucco Alyssa Longobucco Alyssa Longobucco is a freelance writer, editor, and stylist living in New York with over a decade of experience in the food, home, and lifestyle categories. When she's not diving into the latest trends and products, she's restoring an 1820s farmhouse in the Hudson Valley alongside her husband and children. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 14, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Factors to Consider FAQ Our Expertise Photo: Food & Wine / BBQ Guys If you want to create the outdoor kitchen of your dreams, a built-in grill is just as important as the perfect pair of grilling gloves or a go-to barbecue sauce recipe. For serious pitmasters ready to upgrade from a standalone grill, there’s no beating the convenience of a built-in grill that flows seamlessly into the rest of an outdoor kitchen setup. The best built-in grills provide plenty of extra space for meal prep, plus streamlined storage. “One of the biggest considerations when shopping for a built-in grill is size,” says Melissa Cookston, a world barbecue champion. “Consider how many people you’ll be cooking for regularly. I see a lot of people buying a bigger grill than they need, which leads to wasted space in their outdoor kitchen. You need a surface large enough to have a hot searing zone, plus a cooler cooking zone, but nothing so big that it becomes unmanageable.” With the help of Cookston and a few other experts, we've rounded up the best built-in grills. From traditional natural-gas cooktops to options powered by charcoal and wood pellets, each of the designs that made our list will help you achieve memorable meals — think succulent burgers and perfectly seared steaks — not to mention a gorgeous outdoor kitchen. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Blaze Prelude 4-Burner Built-In Gas Grill at Amazon $1,570 Jump to Review Best Value: SALE Bull Outdoor Products Outlaw Drop-In Natural Gas Grill Head at Amazon $1,748 $1,469 Jump to Review Best Splurge: DCS Series 9 36-Inch Built-In Natural Gas Grill at Amazon $4,999 Jump to Review Best Compact: Coyote C-Series 28-Inch 2-Burner Built-In Grill at Amazon $1,349 Jump to Review Best Customizable: NewAge Products Performance Series 36-Inch Insert Grill at Amazon $1,800 Jump to Review Best Infrared: TEC Sterling Patio FR 44-Inch Built-In Infrared Natural Gas Grill at Amazon $5,270 Jump to Review Best Charcoal: Blaze Grills 32-Inch Built-In Charcoal Grill at Amazon $1,458 Jump to Review Best Pellet Grill: Coyote 36-Inch Built-In Pellet Grill at Amazon $3,499 Jump to Review Best Overall Blaze Prelude 4-Burner Built-In Gas Grill PHOTO: Amazon $1,570 at Amazon $1,570 at Walmart View on Bbqguys.com Pros This powerful built-in grill can use your home natural gas line or simpler-to-install propane tanks. Cons It doesn't have much in the way of bells and whistles for more advanced grillers. For a built-in grill that's powerful, reliable, and versatile, you can’t go wrong with Blaze’s Prelude model. Aimed at novice grillers and those who don’t take their barbecue too seriously, this do-it-all appliance has four commercial-grade stainless steel tube burners producing an impressive 14,000 BTUs of cooking power each. The roomy cooktop has heat-zone separators, so you can easily create the different temperature zones necessary to grill multi-part meals. There are other modest upgrades too, like a removable wire rack that can act as a serving dish or place to hold one item hot while another finishes cooking, and a full-width drip tray that makes post-dinner cleanup a breeze. “While it may not be the flashiest grill out there, the Blaze is a solid performer that will help you make some great meals,” Cookston says. Dimensions: 32.5 x 25.75 x 21.25 inches | Total Cooking Area: 715 square inches | Burners: 4 | Total Heat Output: 56,000 BTUs Best Value Bull Outdoor Products Outlaw Drop-In Natural Gas Grill Head PHOTO: Amazon $1,748 $1,469 at Amazon $1,763 $1,400 at Target $1,469 at Wayfair Pros Huge power and huge cooking space — plus a bonus warming rack — make this a good value in a built-in. Cons Even the cheapest built-in grills are still pretty pricy. Budget-conscious outdoor kitchen–builders will appreciate the modest price point and huge cooking area of the Bull Outlaw, especially knowing that its quality far exceeds its price tag. It has four basic burners and no fancy upgrades besides a thermometer built into the lid, but those burners are very powerful. They put out 15,000 BTUs each, enough for a quick and even cook on everything from juicy chicken breasts to thick porterhouse steak. The heat is more than enough to cover every bit of the 810-square-inch main grates, but there's a bonus 210 square inches of space in the warming rack a few inches above. Solid stainless steel cooking grates provide durability and a touch of nonstick, ensuring your delicate fish fillets and hand-packed burgers stay in one piece. On the exterior, the lid is formed from a single piece of steel, which makes it more durable and also keeps heat from escaping through seams. Just keep in mind that even a budget built-in grill is still a major investment; this model is more expensive than most standalone grills. Dimensions: 32.25 x 24.125 x 21.25 inches | Total Cooking Area: 1,020 square inches | Burners: 4 | Total Heat Output: 60,000 BTUs Best Splurge DCS Series 9 36-Inch Built-In Natural Gas Grill PHOTO: P C Richard $4,999 at Amazon View on Bbqguys.com Pros This grill offers huge power, tons of space, and lots of accessories, including a rotisserie and smoker. Cons It's a serious investment. Grill masters looking for a versatile heavy hitter should add the DCS Series 9 to their wishlists. The three hefty main burners each boast an impressive 25,000 BTUs, allowing this grill to get up to a scorching 1,100°F, while a 14,000-BTU infrared burner in the back lets you slow-roast, too. What elevates the Series 9 is its load of useful included grilling accessories. The motorized rotisserie supports up to 50 pounds, enough for any chicken, turkey, or even a whole suckling pig. The smoker box can be filled with charcoal or wood and placed over a burner to add smoky flavor and make real-deal barbecue recipes. Above the 630-square-inch main grate, there are two levels of warming rack, with grates and a broiler pan you can configure however you like. The attention to detail on the DCS is top-notch, with further bespoke additions like LED lighting under the hood and ceramic flame tamers that create a more steady, even heat. This grill can do almost anything, but it has a price to match. If you love to grill and are willing to invest, it'll be the centerpiece of your outdoor kitchen. Dimensions: 35.938 x 26.875 x 27.25 inches | Total Cooking Area: 1,164 square inches | Burners: 4 | Total Heat Output: 89,000 BTUs Best Compact Coyote C-Series 28-Inch 2-Burner Built-In Grill PHOTO: Amazon $1,349 at Amazon $1,349 at Wayfair $1,349 at Walmart Pros This compact but powerful grill could be the perfect fit for a small space. Cons With only two burners, its capacity is smaller than most built-in grills. If your outdoor kitchen is more petite than palatial, or if you're trying to fit a built-in grill into an awkward space, you may want to consider a smaller option. Coyote's compact C-Series is the best we’ve found that combines powerful heat with a small footprint. Its pair of burners each offer 20,000 BTUs of cooking power in a modest 497-square-inch main grate. That's small for a built-in grill, but it leaves enough room for a few steaks or at least a few chicken breasts. The Coyote has a set of control grids to distribute heat evenly across the grate while also minimizing the likelihood of flare-ups. It's too small to set up different temperature zones, but a removable warming rack adds space and offers up a spot to stash ears of grilled corn, grilled baby potatoes, or burger buns while you prep the rest of the meal. Dimensions: 28 x 25.5 x 23 inches | Total Cooking Area: 640 square inches | Burners: 2 | Total Heat Output: 40,000 BTUs Best Customizable NewAge Products Performance Series 36-Inch Insert Grill PHOTO: Amazon $1,800 $1,700 at Amazon $1,350 at Walmart View on Lowe's Pros This reasonably priced grill has a full selection of matching cabinets, counters, and more. Cons If offers comparably small cooking space for its size. Joe Kindred is a five-time James Beard Award semifinalist who owns Kindred and four other restaurants in North Carolina with his wife and business partner, Katy. They love to entertain at home, and when they set out to build the ultimate outdoor kitchen — complete with a fireplace and an outdoor pizza oven in addition to a grill — they chose a NewAge model. "NewAge is great because, in addition to grills, they have a full selection of outdoor kitchen products, including cabinets to complete an outdoor space, so it fits in effortlessly," Kindred says. The brand's weatherproof collection includes countertops, refrigerators, sinks, lighting, and even furniture, all of which will match this grill and make it easy to install. Its Performance Series pairs a comparably reasonable price with quality construction and plenty of power. This four-burner 36-inch model has a fairly small 562 square inches of main grate space, though its warming rack is quite roomy. One of Kindred's favorite uses for this grill is to turn it into an easy meat smoker. "I put a Weber Smoker Box full of hickory pellets on the burner when I preheat the grill – in about 10 minutes the grill is hot and the pellets have caught." You can use this setup to slow-cook items on the warming rack or to add extra flavor while searing. "This allows me to get smoke on the items I am grilling while not having to set up a smoker, and all the time that goes into that," he says. "It's a great hack for getting smoke on things quickly and efficiently while feeding a growing family of six." Dimensions: 36 x 24 x 23 inches | Total Cooking Area: 829 square inches | Burners: 4 | Total Heat Output: 48,000 BTUs Best Infrared TEC Sterling Patio FR 44-Inch Built-In Infrared Natural Gas Grill PHOTO: Amazon $5,270 at Amazon View on Bbqguys.com Pros This grill's unique heating system offers accurate control and great searing. Cons It's very expensive, and in a wide rectangular shape that might not fit in all setups. TEC's Sterling Patio grill is powered by natural gas like most built-ins, but its two burners are covered with a glass panel designed to radiate the heat as infrared, far more evenly than open flame. You'll never get cold or hot spots, and you can get pinpoint temperature accuracy for everything from a crusty seared steak to slow-roasted ribs. You can even get as low as 200°F with the optional smoker accessory. As a side benefit, the panels also protect the burners from drippings, ensuring you'll never get a flare-up. This is a technologically advanced grill, and it comes at an extremely high price. Another potential issue is that the TEC Sterling is shaped like a wide, shallow rectangle, with a different orientation than a typical grill. This isn't a bad thing, but the unusual size might require custom work to install. Dimensions: 44.25 x 26.5 x 17 inches | Total Cooking Area: 592 square inches | Burners: 2 | Total Heat Output: 60,000 BTUs Best Charcoal Blaze Grills 32-Inch Built-In Charcoal Grill PHOTO: Amazon $1,458 at Amazon $1,520 at Walmart View on Bbqguys.com Pros This charcoal grill lets you build the outdoor kitchen of your dreams, no natural gas line required. Cons It's a lot more expensive than a freestanding charcoal grill. Grilling with charcoal lends a nuanced depth and flavor to food, and those who swear by it are truly die-hard fans. This Blaze model lets you build a custom outdoor kitchen without giving up your love of charcoal. Since this grill doesn't have to hook up to a natural gas line, it's easier and cheaper to install in general. There's ample cooking space (550 square inches, to be exact) and a simple crank to adjust the temperature by raising or lowering the charcoal tray. As part of an outdoor kitchen setup for the charcoal fanatic, this grill could be a great choice. But you'll pay a lot to install this grill. It costs more than twice as much as even the fanciest of our top freestanding charcoal grills. Dimensions: 32.5 x 28 x 21.25 inches | Total Cooking Area: 550 square inches Best Pellet Grill Coyote 36-Inch Built-In Pellet Grill PHOTO: Amazon $3,499 at Amazon $3,499 at Walmart View on Bbqguys.com Pros A digital control panel and trio of temperature probes give you easy temperature control and deep smoky flavor. Cons The pellet hopper is on the small side, so you'll have to refill it during longer cooks. The beauty of pellet grills is that they provide the best of both charcoal and gas grills, with accurate and automatic temperature control alongside delicious smoky flavor. Coyote's built-in pellet model can manage anywhere from 175°F to 700°F, with three swappable burn pot grates for going from smoking to roasting to searing. There are also three built-in probe thermometers to monitor meat. Intuitive digital controls take care of the fan and auger settings, so all you have to worry about is picking a temperature. It's easy to load more pellets into the Coyote thanks to a hopper that pulls out from the front. It holds 15 pounds of pellets, which is somewhat undersized for this kind of grill. If you plan to smoke a big cut of beef or pork all night long, you might have to wake up for refills. Dimensions: 36 x 27 x 31 inches | Total Cooking Area: 594 square inches Factors to Consider Setup and Installation If there's one message you get from this story, allow it to be this: Do not buy a built-in grill until you’ve finalized the layout and plans for your outdoor kitchen setup. The two decisions need to go hand-in-hand, ensuring all the pieces you need fit correctly in the space you have. “Your contractor will need the exact specs on your appliance selection before starting work,” explains Cookston. “All of this is a bit different than shopping for a standalone grill, where you will be looking for the features that you want. I have seen people put the cart before the horse, so to speak, by buying appliances without a real plan. This leads to changes in contractor plans, and sometimes replacing components.” As for how to set up an outdoor kitchen, “think about the energy of hosting people when designing your space,” says chef, author, and Alchemy Grills founder Matt Basille. “Quite often, everything is directed to the rear end of an outdoor kitchen which means your back is turned to people. Find a way to balance accommodating the cooking part with the hosting part, and never underestimate the power and function of a great island countertop. The counter space, cook space, storage, and refrigeration should all work together aesthetically and functionally.” Size and Capacity Like standalone models, built-in grills come in a variety of different widths, with the majority ranging from 24 inches to 48 inches wide. You want ample room for all the ribs and chicken wings your family desires while also ensuring you leave room for prepping veggies or mixing up dinner cocktails. A width of 32 to 36 inches is a "normal" size and should be good for a small family, while someone who loves to entertain might want an extra-large grill. Another thing to consider is whether your grill offers a warming rack or other secondary area above the main grates. This adds cooking space and versatility. However, a rack farther from the flames can't get as hot. Fuel Type Most built-in grills are made to connect to a home natural gas line and use the same fuel that powers gas stoves. It's convenient and never needs a change of tank, but installation is complicated and will likely require a professional. It's also possible for a built-in to use propane in swappable tanks like standalone gas grills. Propane and natural gas deliver similar cooking results, with powerful and easily controllable heat, but they require different connections and tubing. A few built-in models can use either one, and others sell conversion kits to switch back and forth. For fans of wood smoke, there are also built-in grills that use charcoal or wood pellets, and that can employ multiple fuel sources. It comes down to personal preference. “There are many schools of thought when it comes to the best fuel for a grill,” says Basille. “Gas is easier to get going and easier to maintain, but my preference from a style and taste perspective will always be charcoal and live-fire wood cooking. The taste is unmatchable.” Heating Power For gas grills, power is measured in British thermal units or BTUs. One BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise one pound of water by 1°F. Simply put, more BTUs means more ability to sear, char, and blacken. The most powerful individual gas burners can put out 30,000 BTUs or more, while a burner under about 10,000 BTUs won't get great results. Some grills also have burners of different power levels, with an extra-hot one for searing or a smaller one to maintain slow-smoking temperatures. With wood and charcoal, the grill itself doesn't determine the level of power. It depends on how much fuel you add and how it's positioned in the firebox. A full layer of glowing coals close to the grate is good for fast cooking, while a few coals set lower and off to one side give you a cooler, steadier temperature. Extra Features While we’ve covered many of the basics above, there are some extra bells and whistles you may encounter while shopping for the best built-in grill that can add up to a better user experience. Look for smart add-ons like a warming grate, integrated storage, automatic LED lights in the hood, and thermometers on the exterior — these features will add value and make your time spent grilling more enjoyable. Frequently Asked Questions How do you install a built-in grill? For the most part, you won't be installing a built-in grill yourself. It's designed to fit into a base, cabinet, or countertop as part of a larger outdoor kitchen setup, and for that, you'll likely need the expertise of a contractor. There are many safety requirements to consider, not to mention rules and regulations set by local governments. “You’ll need to work hand-in-hand with your contractor or professional grill dealer to ensure you get the outdoor kitchen and grill that you want,” says Cookston.“Modular outdoor kitchens, made of preformed concrete or metal, are gaining popularity and can be customized for size, color, and appearance, and can be placed on a patio, ready to cook within a few hours," Cookston adds. But you can also go fully customized. "Contractor-built kitchens are generally framed in wood and then an exterior surface (such as stacked stone) is applied. As they have wood in them, they need insulated jackets around any heat-producing appliances, such as burners, griddles, or grills.” How do you clean a built-in grill? Cleaning a built-in grill is the same as cleaning a standalone model, and your best bet is consistency. Remove burnt-on debris from the grates after each use with a grill brush, and periodically clean around the burners to rid the space of any fallen chunks of food. If you’re relying on an alternative fuel method like charcoal or wood pellets, it’s important to empty the hopper of ash after every cook. Never use any chemicals or cleaning solution on your grill without first reading the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure it's safe. What accessories do you need for a built-in grill? Grilling accessories are pretty standard across all types of grills, so feel free to utilize whatever grill tools you normally would. At a minimum, Cookston recommends stocking your space with an instant-read thermometer, quality grill spatula, and tongs. Are built-in grills safe? As long as they are installed properly, built-in grills are as safe as any others. Problems can come if you try to put one in yourself without using the right parts or following the requirements for materials and ventilation laid out in the instructions. At best you could damage your grill or void your warranty, and at worst you could cause injury or a fire. Our Expertise Alyssa Longobucco is a freelance writer, editor, and stylist living in New York with over a decade of experience in the food, home, and lifestyle categories. When she's not diving into the latest trends and products, she's restoring an 1820s farmhouse in the Hudson Valley alongside her husband and children. Jason Horn is the Senior Updates Writer at Food & Wine and has nearly 20 years of writing experience. He's contributed to publications including Serious Eats, Liquor.com, Travel Channel, Playboy, and more. He lives in Los Angeles, where he loves to grill year-round. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit