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.



$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.




$2,240 from Discount BBQ.




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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