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What Appliances Do You Need for an Outdoor Kitchen?
What Appliances Do You Actually Need for an Outdoor Kitchen?
A working outdoor kitchen needs six things: a grill, a second heat source, refrigeration, storage, a way to deal with rubbish, and — if the island is combustible or covered — an insulating liner and ventilation. Everything beyond that is preference. Below are three complete packages built from real, orderable SKUs at real prices, so you can see what each tier actually costs rather than guessing from a showroom.
Read this before the numbers. Every total on this page is appliance cost only. It does not include the island or cabinetry, countertops, gas line, electrical, plumbing, or contractor labour. Those are frequently a large share — sometimes the majority — of a finished project's cost, and they vary enormously by site. Do not treat a package subtotal here as a project budget.
Prices verified 30 August 2026. Prices change — check the product page for current pricing.
The six categories, and which are genuinely optional
- Grill. Not optional. It sets the cutout that drives the whole island. See built-in grills.
- Side or power burner. Near-essential. Without one you are walking indoors to boil, sauté or hold a sauce, which is the single most common regret we hear. See burners and the side burner FAQs.
- Refrigeration. Near-essential for the same reason — it removes the trips indoors. See outdoor refrigerators.
- Storage — doors and drawers. Structurally essential. The openings under and beside the grill need finished, weather-rated closures, not open holes. See grill doors and grill drawers.
- Insulating liner. Not optional where the island is built with combustible materials. See grill liners.
- Ventilation. Not optional where the grill sits under a roof, soffit or any enclosed structure. See outdoor hoods.
Trash drawers, ice drawers and sinks sit one rung below. They are the items most often cut in round one and most often added in round two, at which point the island has to be reopened. Decide about them before the concrete goes in, not after.
Package 1 — Essential, $8,022
This is a genuinely complete uncovered island for a family that grills several times a week. Nothing here is a placeholder.
| Item | Role | Price |
|---|---|---|
| TrueFlame E Series 32" Built-In Gas Grill TFE32 — 4 burners, 56,000 BTUs, 530 sq in main grilling area, 304 stainless | Grill | $1,699 |
| TrueFlame Double Side Burner TFSB2 — 2 burners, 24,000 BTUs | Second heat source | $999 |
| TrueFlame 24" Outdoor Refrigerator, reversible door — 5.1 cu ft | Refrigeration | $2,199 |
| TrueFlame 30" Double Access Door — hidden hinge | Storage access | $549 |
| TrueFlame 17" Single Drawer TF-DR1-17 — soft-close, 304 stainless | Storage | $599 |
| TrueFlame 32" Grill Insulating Liner — for TF32 and TFE32 | Combustible-island liner | $799 |
| TrueFlame Double Side Burner Insulating Liner — for TFSB2 | Combustible-island liner | $499 |
| Summerset 14" Narrow Trash Drawer TD1-14 — roll-out | Waste | $679 |
| Appliance subtotal | $8,022 |
Why these picks. The TFE32 is the price-to-capability sweet spot in the 32" built-in grill range: four burners and 56,000 BTUs at $1,699 is more grill than anything else near that money. Staying inside one brand for the grill, burner, door, drawer and both liners means the liners are made for these exact units — liner fit is model-specific, and mixing brands is where people get caught. The trash drawer is the one deliberate cross-brand item, because a 14" narrow bin fits an island run that a wider unit will not. If your island is masonry and genuinely non-combustible, the two liners come out and the subtotal falls to $6,724 — but confirm that with your installer against the manual, not with us.
No manufacturer origin claim is published for TrueFlame or Summerset, and we make none. Both are orderable.
Package 2 — Premium, $16,590.41
This is the tier where the island becomes a room. It adds a hood, meaning the grill can live under a roof, and it steps up to a brand with a documented origin position and a matched component set.
| Item | Role | Price |
|---|---|---|
| American Made Grills Atlas 36" ATS36-B — 3 burners, 49,500 BTUs, 628 sq in main grilling area, 304 stainless | Grill | $4,335 |
| AMG Atlas Double Side Burner ATSSB2 — 2 burners, 24,000 BTUs | Second heat source | $1,458.41 |
| AMG Insulating Liner GL-ATS36 — for Atlas 36" | Combustible-island liner | $848 |
| AMG Insulating Liner GL-ATSSB2 — for Atlas double side burner | Combustible-island liner | $445 |
| U-Line 24" Home Collection Refrigerator URRE324 — outdoor rated | Refrigeration | $2,599 |
| AMG 36" Deluxe Double Access Door DD36-AMG | Storage access | $620 |
| Summerset 17" Triple Drawer DR3-17 — flush mount | Storage | $1,119 |
| Summerset 20" 2-Bin Trash and Recycling Drawer TD2-20 | Waste | $959 |
| Coyote 26" Pull-Out Ice Chest Drawer C3-CPOC | Ice | $1,159 |
| TrueFlame 42" Outdoor Vent Hood TF-VH42-3 — 2,000 CFM motor | Ventilation | $2,399 |
| TrueFlame Telescopic Duct Cover, 22"–43" | Ventilation trim | $649 |
| Appliance subtotal | $16,590.41 |
Why these picks. The Atlas 36" is the entry point into American Made Grills, a brand whose origin claim is carried in its name and whose doors, burners and liners are designed as one system — the two liners here are built for these exact units. The U-Line URRE324 is the refrigeration step-change: U-Line states outdoor rating on the listing itself rather than leaving you to infer it, which is not true of every unit in the category. The ice drawer is the item most people wish they had specified before the island was poured. And the hood is what makes a covered structure viable at all.
The duct cover is a line item because hoods almost always need one and it is almost always forgotten in a budget. Note that no manufacturer origin claim is published for TrueFlame, Summerset or Coyote, and we make none.
Package 3 — Luxury, $39,153
Single-brand cooking suite, commercial-grade refrigeration, ice, and a 60" hood. This is a build for someone who entertains at volume and wants the cooking line to be one manufacturer's system end to end.
| Item | Role | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Alfresco 42" Built-In Grill ALXE-42 — 3 burners with infrared rotisserie | Grill | $7,885 |
| Alfresco 42" Insulated Jacket AIJ-42-01 | Combustible-island liner | $905 |
| Alfresco Versa Power 24" Built-In Power Burner AXEVP — 65,000 BTUs, dual burners | Power burner | $2,485 |
| Alfresco Sear Zone Side Burner AXESZ — ceramic infrared | Searing station | $2,019 |
| Alfresco 42" Under-Grill Refrigerator ARXE-42 — 7.25 cu ft, NSF certified | Primary refrigeration | $8,219 |
| U-Line 24" Outdoor Refrigerator Drawers UODR124 | Second refrigeration zone | $4,869 |
| U-Line 15" Outdoor Clear Ice Machine UOCL115 | Ice | $4,259 |
| Alfresco 32" Door and Triple Drawer Combo AXE-DDC — soft-close | Storage | $1,685 |
| Alfresco 17" Triple Drawer and Towel Holder Combo AXE-3DRTH-SC | Storage | $1,789 |
| Alfresco 15" Trash Center Drawer AXE-TC-SC — soft-close | Waste | $1,039 |
| TrueFlame 60" Outdoor Vent Hood TF-VH60-3 — 2,000 CFM motor | Ventilation | $3,999 |
| Appliance subtotal | $39,153 |
Why these picks. Alfresco publishes the most direct manufacturing language of any brand we carry — "made and manufactured in the USA" — and the cooking line here is entirely Alfresco, so the hood clearances, drawer faces and cabinet finishes match. The ARXE-42 under-grill refrigerator is the piece that separates this tier: 7.25 cu ft of NSF-certified refrigeration directly beneath the cooking surface, rather than a separate under-counter unit down the run. The U-Line drawers give a second cold zone for drinks so the main box is not being opened constantly, and the clear ice machine is a genuine luxury item that no other tier here justifies. The 60" hood is sized for a 42" grill plus the power burner beside it.
The obvious substitution: swapping the ARXE-42 for the U-Line 24" Seamless Collection Refrigerator URRE424 at $2,999 removes $5,220 from the subtotal without giving up outdoor-rated refrigeration. That is the single largest lever on this package.
What these totals do not include
To restate it plainly, because this is the most misleading number in the category: $8,022, $16,590.41 and $39,153 are appliance costs only.
Not included, and required for a finished project:
- Island structure and cabinetry — framing, block, or a modular cabinet system.
- Countertops — material, fabrication, template and install.
- Gas — line sizing, running, permits and connection. A grill plus a power burner is a substantial combined load, and sizing it is the installer's calculation, not ours.
- Electrical — circuits for refrigeration, hood, lighting and ignition.
- Plumbing — supply and drain if a sink or ice machine with a pump is in the plan.
- Contractor labour — including the roof or pergola if the design is covered.
These items are frequently a large share of total project cost, and on some sites they exceed the appliance cost. Anyone who quotes you a "complete outdoor kitchen" figure that matches an appliance subtotal is quoting you appliances. Gas, clearances, combustible construction, ventilation and electrical all defer to the manufacturer's installation manual, local code, and a licensed professional — we sell appliances, not installations, and we will not tell you what your jurisdiction requires.
How to sequence the decisions
Choose the grill first. Everything else follows from its cutout. The grill is the only appliance whose opening is difficult and expensive to change once the island is built, and its required cutout is not the same as its advertised size — a 36" grill does not need a 36" hole. Fix the grill, get its cutout from the manufacturer's current installation manual, and design the island around that number. Our cutout dimension reference collects the published figures by brand and model, and the replacement cutout finder is the tool for an island that already exists.
The order that avoids rework:
- Grill. Fuel type, size, cutout. Decide natural gas versus propane now — see the natural gas and propane FAQs — because it changes the gas work, not just the SKU.
- Covered or open. If covered, a hood is required, and hood sizing and duct routing affect the structure. Start at the outdoor kitchen hood FAQs.
- Combustible or not. If the island framing is combustible, an insulating liner sized for your specific grill is required, and the liner has its own larger cutout. See the insulating liner FAQs.
- Refrigeration. Position it away from the grill's heat, and confirm the unit is genuinely outdoor rated rather than an indoor box in a stainless jacket. See the outdoor-rated refrigerator FAQs and our outdoor refrigerator buyer's guide.
- Burners. A side burner and a power burner are different tools; a power burner is for stockpots and woks. See burners.
- Storage and waste last. Doors, drawers and bins fill whatever island run remains. See the grill drawer FAQs, access door FAQs, grill cabinet FAQs, roll-out trash bin FAQs and drop-in and pull-out bin FAQs.
FAQ
Can I skip the side burner?
You can, and it is the most regretted omission we see. Without a second heat source every sauce, pot of corn and pan of onions happens indoors, which defeats the point of the island.
Do I really need an insulating liner?
Only if the island is built with combustible materials — but if it is, the liner is not optional and it is not a generic part. Liners are model-specific. The manufacturer's installation manual governs, and a licensed professional should confirm your construction type.
How big a hood do I need?
As a rule of thumb, size the hood at least as wide as the cooking appliance beneath it and centre it over the cutout. That is a rule of thumb only — the manufacturer's manual governs actual sizing, mounting height, duct run and CFM, and we will not invent a CFM figure for your build.
Is a sink worth including?
It is the item with the highest labour cost relative to appliance cost, because it brings supply and drain into the project. We hold no cutout data on sinks at all, so plan that opening from the fixture manufacturer's documentation.
Do you hold all of this in stock?
We do not track inventory on most SKUs, so we will not tell you an item is in stock. Everything listed on this page is orderable. Lead times vary by manufacturer — call 843-212-7209 or use the quote request and we will confirm before you commit.
Final recommendation
Most buyers building a first outdoor kitchen should start from the Essential package and spend the difference on the island and countertop rather than on a larger grill head. An $8,022 appliance set in a well-built island outperforms a $16,000 appliance set in a compromised one, every time.
Step up to Premium if the kitchen will be covered, because the hood requirement changes the maths and there is no cheap way to add one later. Step up to Luxury only if you are genuinely cooking for a crowd on a regular basis and want the whole cooking line from one manufacturer.
If you are still deciding on the grill, start with Help Me Find My Grill, browse 36" built-in grills or built-in grills from $2,000 to $3,500, and read the built-in grill FAQs. For an American-claim brand specifically, see our American-made built-in grill guide. Shipping is free and we add no credit card fees.
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