An outdoor kitchen is a permanent investment, and the grill is the centerpiece that has to earn its spot. Unlike a standalone backyard grill you might swap out in a few years, the grill in a built-out kitchen gets surrounded by cabinetry, countertops, and utilities that are far more expensive to redo than the grill itself. That makes the decision worth slowing down for — the right grill sizes correctly, holds up to the elements, and fits the way you actually cook.
This guide walks through the key decisions: built-in vs. freestanding, fuel type, brand tier, and sizing — so you can plan a layout that works for years, not just for the first cookout.
Built-In or Freestanding: Start Here
This is the first fork in the road, and it shapes everything else about the build.
- Built-in grills are designed to be framed into an island or counter run, with only the control panel and hood exposed. They're made from marine-grade stainless steel to handle the heat reflected back from surrounding masonry, and they're the standard choice for a true outdoor kitchen. Browse our built-in marine-grade gas grills to see current sizing and configurations.
- Freestanding grills sit on their own cart or base and can be relocated. Some homeowners use a freestanding unit as a placeholder while the kitchen build is phased in, or prefer the flexibility if plans might change. You'll find both built-in and cart options across our full grill collection.
If the kitchen is being built once and built right, built-in is almost always the better long-term choice — it looks intentional, seals cleanly against the surrounding structure, and avoids the gap and ventilation issues that come from dropping a freestanding cart into an island cutout it wasn't designed for.
Choosing Your Fuel Type
Outdoor kitchens are almost always plumbed for natural gas or run on a dedicated propane line, so gas is the default. But it's worth deciding early if you want a second cooking method built into the layout.
- Gas is the workhorse of an outdoor kitchen — instant heat, precise control, and the easiest to plumb into a permanent island. See our gas grills.
- Charcoal is often added as a second, smaller unit alongside the main gas grill for smoke flavor and searing. Explore charcoal grills if you want that option in the layout.
- Kamado grills (ceramic, egg-style) are a popular third station in larger kitchens — they hold heat exceptionally well and double as a smoker. Check out our kamado grills.
A common high-end layout pairs a built-in gas grill as the primary cooking surface with a kamado or charcoal unit on the side for low-and-slow cooking — giving you both convenience and range without crowding the island with redundant equipment.
Brand Tiers: What You're Actually Paying For
In the built-in category, three names come up constantly, and each is positioned a little differently.
- Fire Magic sits at the top of the market — all-welded 304 stainless construction, made in the USA, and backed by a warranty that reflects that build quality. It's the choice for homeowners who want a grill that outlasts the rest of the kitchen renovation.
- American Outdoor Grill (AOG) offers the same marine-grade stainless approach at a more accessible price point, making it a strong choice when you want built-in quality without the flagship price tag.
- Broilmaster has been building American-made grills for decades and is known for straightforward, durable designs — a solid mid-tier option for kitchens where the grill is one part of a larger budget.
None of these are the "cheap" tier — that's intentional. A grill that's going to live inside a masonry island for the next 15–20 years needs to be built for it, and cutting corners here is the most expensive mistake to fix later.
Sizing the Grill to the Kitchen, Not the Other Way Around
It's tempting to pick the grill first and design the island around it, but it works better in reverse: rough in the layout and cooking zones first, then size the grill to fit.
- Under 30": Good for a secondary station (side burner setup, small charcoal or kamado addition) or a compact outdoor kitchen with limited counter run.
- 30"–36": The sweet spot for most single-family outdoor kitchens — enough cooking surface for a full dinner party without oversizing the island.
- 36"–48"+: For larger islands, frequent entertaining, or layouts with multiple zones (searing station, rotisserie, griddle insert). At this size, confirm your gas line sizing and ventilation clearances before finalizing cabinetry.
Always check the cutout dimensions and required side/rear clearances for the specific model — built-in grills need airflow behind and beneath the unit, and undersizing the cutout is one of the most common (and expensive) outdoor kitchen mistakes.
Sample Outdoor Kitchen Builds
To make this concrete, here's how these pieces typically come together at different budget levels:
- Entry-level built-in kitchen: A 30" AOG built-in gas grill as the primary cooking surface, with a compact side burner and standard counter run.
- Mid-range kitchen: A 36" Broilmaster or AOG built-in grill, paired with a side burner and a small bar/prep area.
- Premium kitchen: A 36"–48" Fire Magic built-in grill as the anchor, with a kamado grill as a secondary smoking station and a full bar setup.
Whatever tier you land on, every grill on Wood Fire Home ships free across the US — no extra line item to factor into the kitchen budget.
Have questions about sizing a specific model to your island cutout, or comparing gas line requirements between brands? Reach out and we'll help you get the specs right before the concrete gets poured.
