Alfresco

What is Alfresco, and is it a good grill?

Alfresco is a luxury built-in grill brand, not a style of dining. The grills are made by Alfresco Open Air Culinary Systems, part of Superior Equipment Solutions (SES Brands) in City of Industry, California. Alfresco sits at the top of the built-in gas grill market alongside brands like Lynx and Fire Magic: heavy 304 stainless construction, high-output burners, integrated smokers, and infrared rotisserie systems as standard equipment rather than upgrades. If you are building a permanent outdoor kitchen and want a grill that behaves like commercial equipment, Alfresco is one of the strongest choices on the market. If you want a grill you will move around the patio or replace in five years, it is more grill than you need. You can browse everything we stock in the Alfresco collection.

Where are Alfresco grills made?

In the USA. The manufacturer states that "All products are made and manufactured in the USA," at its factory in City of Industry, California. That is Alfresco's own claim about its own factory, and it is one of the few genuine domestic-manufacturing stories left in the built-in grill category. NorthwoodsGrills is a retailer in Charleston, South Carolina — we are an authorized Alfresco dealer, not the manufacturer.

What is the difference between the ALXE and AIPG series?

ALXE is the core luxury line and covers the widest range of sizes. AIPG — the Intelligent Professional Grill Series — is the newer, more technology-forward platform. Practically speaking:

• Choose ALXE if you want the widest choice of widths, cart versions, and configurations. See the Alfresco built-in grills.
• Choose AIPG if you want the newest control platform in a 42-inch footprint. We stock the Alfresco AIPG-42 built-in grill with 987 square inches of cooking surface and a rotisserie.

Both platforms share the same 304 stainless construction and the same warranty terms. The decision is usually driven by size availability and by whether you want the AIPG control system.

What sizes does Alfresco make, and which one should I buy?

The ALXE line runs 30, 36, 42 and 56 inches, with Sear Zone ("SZ") and cart ("C") variants of several models. Our practical guidance:

• 30-inch — right for compact islands and for households cooking for two to four. See the Alfresco ALXE-30 built-in grill (2 burners, 36,000 BTU, integrated rotisserie and smoker).
• 36-inch — the size most outdoor kitchens should default to. The Alfresco ALXE-36 built-in grill adds a third Accufire burner and the EZ-Lift hood, and is the better choice for buyers who regularly cook for six or more.
• 42-inch — for entertaining and for anyone who wants to run the rotisserie while still grilling. The Alfresco ALXE-42 built-in grill is the volume seller in this width.
• 56-inch — a full outdoor cooking suite in one cutout. The Alfresco ALXE-56 with Sear Zone combines main burners, a sear zone, a rear infrared burner and a side burner.

If you are still deciding on width generally, our 36-inch built-in grills and 42-inch built-in grills pages let you compare Alfresco against every other brand we carry in the same cutout size.

Should I buy the built-in or the cart version?

Buy the built-in if you have an island or are building one — it is the cleaner installation and the reason most people buy Alfresco. Buy the cart if you want the same grill without masonry work. We list cart configurations in the Alfresco cart grill collection, including the ALXE-30C freestanding cart grill. A third option is to buy the built-in head now and add a cart later: the Alfresco 30-inch standard cart XE-30C converts a 30-inch built-in head into a freestanding unit. For a broader comparison, see all cart grills.

What fuel types are available?

Alfresco grills are gas — natural gas or liquid propane, specified when you order. Fuel type is a build configuration, not a field swap, so choose it correctly at checkout. If you are unsure which line your house has, or you are running a new gas line for the island, call us at 843-212-7209 before ordering. Our natural gas and propane grills FAQ covers the differences in more detail.

What is the Sear Zone, and do I need it?

The Sear Zone is a ceramic infrared burner that reaches far higher surface temperatures than a standard tube burner. It matters if you cook thick steaks and want a hard crust; it matters much less if you mostly cook chicken, vegetables and burgers. It is available three ways: built into certain ALXE models, as the standalone Alfresco Sear Zone side burner AXESZ, or as the Sear Zone insert kit AIPG-SZK-42 for AIPG-42 grills. Buying it as a side burner is the flexible route if you have the island space.

What is the Alfresco warranty?

These are the manufacturer's terms, not ours. Alfresco warrants, to the original purchaser only and non-transferably:

• Limited Lifetime on stainless steel parts made by Alfresco and on stainless steel grill burners.
• Limited Five-Year on the structural integrity of stainless steel briquette trays, grill grates and drip pans.
• Limited Two-Year on all other components, including igniters.

Alfresco excludes warranty coverage on products purchased from unauthorized online dealers. NorthwoodsGrills is an authorized Alfresco dealer, so a grill bought here carries the factory warranty. That exclusion is a real risk when shopping grey-market listings, and it is worth confirming dealer authorization anywhere you buy.

What else does Alfresco make besides grills?

Alfresco builds a full outdoor kitchen line. We stock the Alfresco Pizza Oven Plus, the 24-inch Versa Power burner AXEVP (65,000 BTU dual burners, for stockpots, woks and low-country boils), the double side burner AXESB-2, and the 14-inch built-in food warmer. Alfresco also makes refrigeration, sinks, and a large range of doors and drawers.

What Alfresco accessories and island components fit my grill?

Alfresco's storage components are sized to match the grills, so an all-Alfresco island lines up cleanly. Commonly paired items include the 17-inch single access door AXE-17, the 17-inch door and drawer combo AXE-DDR, the 17-inch triple storage drawers AXE-3DR-SC, the 15-inch trash center drawer AXE-TC-SC, and the 10-inch cutting board prep and waste chute. Browse all grill doors and grill drawers to plan the rest of the island.

Two accessories are worth buying with the grill rather than later: a cover and, on breezy sites, a wind guard. See the vinyl cover for the 36-inch built-in AGV-36 or the heavier premium cover for the 42-inch built-in AGV-42-PREM, and the 42-inch wind guard AWS-42 for AIPG-42 and ALXE-42 grills. All fitted covers are in the grill covers collection.

How much should I budget for an Alfresco?

Alfresco sits in the top price tier of built-in gas grills — plan for the range covered by our highest tier of built-in grills, with the smaller 30-inch models reaching down into the tier below it. Budget separately for the island, the gas line, and an insulating liner if the grill is going into a combustible enclosure — see grill liners. Shipping is free on our orders and we do not add credit card surcharges, so the listed price is the price.

Which brands should I cross-shop against Alfresco?

At the same level, look at American Made Grills and Coyote. If Alfresco is more grill than the project needs, TrueFlame, RCS and Summerset deliver 304 stainless built-ins at lower price tiers. Within the same family, Artisan is made by the same parent company and is the step-down alternative worth comparing directly.

How do I get help choosing or check availability?

Call NorthwoodsGrills at 843-212-7209. We are a family-owned retailer in Charleston, South Carolina and an authorized Alfresco dealer. Tell us your island cutout dimensions and your gas type and we will confirm the right model, the right liner, and whether the configuration you want is in stock before you order.

Related resources

• Alfresco collection
• Alfresco built-in grills
• Alfresco cart grills
• Alfresco Built-In Grills FAQs
• Built-In Grills FAQs
• Freestanding Cart Grills FAQs
• Side Burner FAQs
• Insulating Grill Liners FAQs
• Grill Covers FAQs
• Artisan FAQs