Artisan FAQs

What is Artisan, and is it a good grill?

Artisan is a built-in gas grill brand, not a description of how a grill was made. Artisan grills are produced by Superior Equipment Solutions (SES Brands) in City of Industry, California — the same parent company behind Alfresco. Artisan has no separate website of its own; artisangrills.com redirects to Alfresco's site. That shared parentage is the single most useful fact about the brand: Artisan is built by a luxury-grill manufacturer, using the same 304 stainless material standard, at price tiers below the Alfresco line. For most outdoor kitchens it is the better value of the two. Browse everything we stock in the Artisan collection.

Where are Artisan grills made?

According to the parent company, Artisan products "are also produced in our state-of-the-art facility" in City of Industry, California. That is the manufacturer's statement about its own plant, and we quote it rather than paraphrase it. NorthwoodsGrills is a family-owned retailer in Charleston, South Carolina and an authorized dealer — we do not manufacture, weld or assemble any of the equipment we sell.

How are Artisan grills constructed?

The manufacturer describes Artisan grills as "commercial-grade 304, 18-8 stainless steel with all heli-arc hand-welded seams." Two things in that sentence matter when you are shopping. First, 304 stainless (18-8 refers to its chromium and nickel content) resists corrosion far better than the 430 stainless used in cheaper built-ins, which matters a great deal in coastal South Carolina. Second, heli-arc hand welding produces continuous seams rather than spot welds or folded joints — fewer moisture traps and better structural rigidity over a long life outdoors. All of that welding is done by the manufacturer in California.

What are the three Artisan series, and how do they differ?

Artisan is sold in three tiers:

  • Professional Series (42", 36", 32") — the top tier, with the highest burner output and infrared rotisserie burners standard. Model codes look like ARTP-36 for the built-in and ARTP-36C for the cart.
  • Artisan Series (42", 36", 32") — the middle tier.
  • American Eagle Series (36", 32", 26") — the entry tier, and the only series that offers a 26-inch width.

We currently list the Professional and American Eagle series. If you want a middle-tier Artisan Series model, call us at 843-212-7209 and we will check availability rather than guess on this page.

Which Artisan should I buy?

Start with your island cutout, then pick the tier your cooking justifies.

The American Eagle 32-inch built-in sits between those two. All built-in configurations are gathered in Artisan built-in grills, and you can compare against every brand we carry in 32-inch and 36-inch built-in grills.

Built-in or freestanding cart?

Every Artisan grill head we stock has a cart counterpart, so the choice is about your patio, not about giving up features. Carts include the Professional 36-inch cart ARTP-36C, the Professional 42-inch cart ARTP-42C, the Professional 32-inch cart, and on the entry tier the American Eagle 36-inch cart AAEP-36C and American Eagle 26-inch cart. See them all in Artisan cart grills. Buy the cart if you are not building masonry; buy the built-in if you are, because a built-in head in an island is cheaper than a cart plus an enclosure.

What fuel types does Artisan offer?

Natural gas and liquid propane. Fuel type is selected when you order, not swapped afterward, so confirm what your house supplies before checkout. If you are running a new line to the island, do that planning first — our natural gas and propane grills FAQ walks through the differences, and you can call 843-212-7209 with a photo of your meter or tank if you are unsure.

What is the Artisan warranty?

These are the manufacturer's terms, for the original purchaser in residential use:

  • 15 years on stainless steel burners.
  • 10 years on all stainless steel parts.
  • 3 years on ceramic briquette trays; the briquettes themselves are excluded.
  • 1 year complete warranty covering all parts and labor.

The 1-year parts-and-labor layer is the one people overlook. It covers igniters, valves, hoses and the labor to fix them; after that first year, coverage narrows to the stainless components listed above. Buying from an authorized dealer keeps that factory coverage intact.

What accessories and island components fit an Artisan grill?

Artisan's own components are dimensioned to match the grills, so an all-Artisan island lines up without shims or filler panels. Frequently paired items:

Artisan also makes an outdoor pizza oven rated to 800°F with 447 square inches of cooking space. Protect the grill with a fitted cover such as the 36-inch built-in cover ART-36CV, and use an insulating liner if the grill is going into a combustible enclosure — see grill liners.

How much should I budget?

American Eagle models generally land in our mid price tier of built-in grills, and Professional Series models in the tier above it. Add the island, the gas line, a liner, and a cover. Shipping is free and we do not charge credit card fees. We also run periodic manufacturer promotions — current ones are gathered in the Artisan Professional promo collection.

Which brands should I cross-shop against Artisan?

Compare Artisan directly against TrueFlame, RCS and Summerset at similar price tiers, and against Coyote and American Made Grills if you are stretching upward. If you want the flagship from the same manufacturer, that is Alfresco — the Alfresco FAQs lay out the differences.

How do I get help choosing?

Call NorthwoodsGrills at 843-212-7209. Give us your cutout width, your gas type, and whether the enclosure is masonry or framed, and we will confirm the correct model and liner before you order.

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