Unlike freestanding grills, which you can wheel around to avoid a downdraft if the wind changes while you are cooking, built-in grills are in a fixed position. From a design standpoint, the message they send says “outdoor kitchen” instead of “last-minute plan.”
If you have sufficient space, an outdoor kitchen with a built-in grill can be configured with a generous countertop space for food prep and (and under-the-counter storage for other built-in appliances, such as a refrigerator). In the photograph below, New York City landscape architect Robin Key (a member of our Architect and Designer Directory) created a comfortable outdoor kitchen workspace in a Manhattan garden.
Another benefit is that a built-in grill powered by natural gas can connect to a dedicated fuel line—and never run out of gas again. (With a propane-powered grill, you’ll still have to swap out empty tanks.)
For more design tips for configuring an outdoor cooking space, see Hardscaping 101: Built-in Barbecues.
![A built-in gas grill by Robin Key Landscape Architecture.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-gas-grills-robin-key-landscapes-733x488.jpg)
![From Fisher & Paykel, a DCS Series 7 collection of built-in grills is available in 30-, 36-, or 48-inch widths. A 36-Inch Built-In Propane Gas Grill with Rotisserie delivers 75,000 BTUs and is \$\2,999 from BBQ Guys.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-gas-grill-fisher-paykel-dcs-series-9-733x463.png)
![Artisan\2\17;s Professional line of built-in grills (available in both 3\2- and 36-inch sizes) have infrared rotisseries, halogen work lights, and electronic ignitors. A 3\2-inch, three-burner Propane Grill is\$\2,\240 from Discount BBQ.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-gas-grill-barbecue-artisan-733x463.png)
$2,240 from Discount BBQ.
See how Artisan’s built-in grill looks in an outdoor kitchen (paired with a Broan exhaust hood) in our recent post Sleekness in Seattle: Modern Garden, Midcentury House.
![From Napoleon, a LEX 485 Built-in Grill Head with four burners (with a total of 48,000 BTUs) and a stainless steel finish is \$999 at Woodland Direct.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-grill-head-napoleon-733x457.png)
![Wolf\2\17;s Outdoor Grills come in three sizes and can be configured for either built-in or freestanding use. A 36-inch Built-In Wolf Grill is available as a propane or natural gas model at AJ Madison. For more information and prices, see AJ Madison.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-grill-wolf-733x479.jpg)
![From Viking, the Professional 5 Series of outdoor grills are available in four sizes (from 30 to 54 inches) have temperature gauges, stainless steel burners, and ceramic briquettes. A 36-inch Built-In Viking Grill with three burners (and a total of 73,000 BTUs) is \$5,089 from AJ Madison.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-outdoor-grill-viking-733x451.png)
![Artisan\2\17;s Professional line of built-in grills (available in both 3\2- and 36-inch sizes) have infrared rotisseries, halogen work lights, and electronic ignitors. A 3\2-inch, three-burner Propane Grill is\$\2,\240 from Discount BBQ.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-gas-grill-barbecue-artisan-733x463.png)
$2,240 from Discount BBQ.
![Weber\2\17;s Summit series of built-in gas grills come in two sizes (34 and 4\2 inches wide, both with an infrared rotisserie burner) and are configured for use with either propane or natural gas; \$\2,399 to \$\2,999 at Weber.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-gas-grill-weber-summit-733x448.png)
![A 34-inch Built-In Natural Gas Grill With Rear Infrared Burner by Blaze Professional (54,000 BTUs) is powered by natural gas; \$\2,799.99 from BBQ Guys.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-grill-blaze-34-inch-733x469.png)
![A good choice for a small space, a \28-inch Coyote C-Series Built-in Propane Gas Grill has two burners and is \$\1,049 from Amazon.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-grill-coyote-28-inch-733x477.png)
![The KitchenAid Built-in Propane Gas Grill has main stainless steel burners (6\1,000 BTUs) and a ceramic rotisserie burner and is 30 inches wide; \$799 at Amazon.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/built-in-grill-barbecue-propane-gas-kitchen-aid-733x448.png)
If you’re designing an outdoor kitchen for any size space, start with our Design Guide to Outdoor Kitchens in our Hardscape 101 series of guides. For more outdoor kitchen ideas, read:
- Designer Visit: An Indoor-Outdoor LA Garden by Judy Kameon
- 10 Easy Pieces: Under-Counter Refrigerators for Outdoor Kitchens
- Hardscaping 101: Built-In Barbecues
- Outdoor Kitchen Workstations
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