What a built-in side burner adds to an outdoor kitchen
A built-in side burner is the second cooking surface that keeps you from walking back to the indoor range mid-cook. It is where barbecue sauce reduces, beans stay warm, corn boils and onions caramelize while the main grill holds a steady temperature with the hood down. Every time you lift that hood to stir a pot balanced on the grates you lose heat and add time to dinner. A dedicated burner set into the island solves that, and it gives you a burner you can run on its own for a quick breakfast without firing up the whole grill.
Single, double and power burners
A single side burner is the most common choice: one ring, a compact cutout, enough for a saucepan or a skillet. A double side burner gives you two independently controlled rings, so a sauce and a side dish can run at the same time, and most of the doubles here close under a stainless steel lid so the burner doubles as counter space when it is idle. A power burner is a different animal. It puts out far more heat than a standard side burner and is built for volume: crawfish and lobster boils, large stockpots, deep frying and wok cooking. The Blaze LTE PRO and Professional LUX power burners include a wok ring, and the Delta Heat 22-inch and Twin Eagles 24-inch power burners are sized for pots that would swamp a standard burner. If you cook big even a few times a year, an outdoor power burner earns its cutout.
Drop-in or built-in, and how it fits the island
A drop-in side burner, like the 12-inch singles from Delta Heat, Bull, Lion and Broilmaster, sets into a countertop cutout from above and is the simplest addition if your island already has counter space. Built-in and slide-in units mount into the face of the island next to the grill head. Either way, the cutout dimensions decide the job: check the width, depth and height listed on the product page against your island before you order, and confirm the island is deep enough for the burner box and its gas connection. It is also worth matching the brand of your grill, since knobs, bezels and stainless finishes line up when the burner and the grill come from the same family.
Natural gas and propane
Order the fuel your grill and island already run on. A natural gas side burner and a propane one are built differently, and while some models offer a conversion, plenty do not, so choosing the right configuration up front saves a return. If the island is plumbed for gas, take the natural gas version; if you cook off a tank, take propane. Our guide to natural gas versus propane walks through the trade-offs in more detail.
Shop side burners by brand
Brand pages narrow this collection fast: Alfresco, Blaze, Bull, Coyote, Delta Heat, RCS, Summerset, Twin Eagles, Artisan, Broilmaster and AOG side burners. Fire Magic and Napoleon burners, including the Napoleon 700 Series range top burners, appear in the grid above alongside them.
Pair it with the rest of the island
A side burner is one piece of the build. Most customers pair one with a built-in gas grill, add a built-in griddle for breakfast and smash burgers, and close in the island with outdoor kitchen storage doors and drawers that also keep the gas shutoff reachable. Browse outdoor kitchens and more for refrigeration, sinks and vent hoods, and pick up a grill cover for the grill head while you are at it.
Capital Grills is an authorized dealer for every brand in this collection, with full manufacturer warranty support and free shipping on orders over $75. Call 1 (866) 850-3450 and our team will match the burner to your island, your cutout and your fuel.
