Built-in BBQs

Buying guide

A built-in BBQ is a gas BBQ head designed to sit in a non-combustible enclosure, so you can design an outdoor kitchen around it. Choose the BBQ first, because its cut-out, clearances and ventilation set the dimensions of everything you build. This guide explains how to choose a built-in BBQ, what the enclosure needs and how to look after it.

What is a built-in BBQ?

A built-in BBQ is the cooking head of a gas BBQ without the trolley: firebox, burners, cooking surfaces, hood and controls, made to drop into an opening in a masonry, block or concrete structure. The structure gives you worktop either side, storage below and a permanent cooking area that looks like part of the garden. All the built-in BBQs we sell are BeefEater, designed in Australia, with porcelain-coated cast iron grills and plates.

If you are not sure a permanent build is right for you, our guide to built-in vs freestanding BBQs sets out the trade-offs, and the BeefEater 1200 and 1600 ranges are also sold on a trolley.

The BeefEater built-in ranges

See every model in our BeefEater range.

Choosing the size

Cooking area is what counts. BeefEater 3 burner built-ins give 3,072cm² split between a 320mm grill and 320mm plate; 4 burners give 3,840cm² (400mm and 400mm); 5 burners give 4,608cm² with a larger 640mm grill. The 7000 series gives 3,740cm² on the 4 burner and 4,480cm² on the 5 burner, and the Proline 6 burner 4,176cm² across a 430mm grill and 430mm plate.

A 4 burner suits most families who entertain; choose 5 burners or the Proline if you regularly cook for a crowd. Our capacity and heat-up guide works through the numbers.

Which built-in suits you?

• The sensible way in: the 1200S 4 burner, stainless steel with 16kW from its main burners and 3,840cm² of cooking area. It drops into a simple cavity, which keeps the build straightforward.
• The all-rounder: the 1600E 4 burner in dark stainless steel, with the same cooking area and a double-skin hood.
• The premium build: the 7000 Classic 5 burner in 304 stainless steel with cast iron burners, or the 7000 Premium if you want a rear burner and flame failure protection.
• The showpiece: the Proline 6 burner, 1053mm of 304 stainless steel with a 430mm grill and 430mm plate.

Hood or flat lid?

A roasting hood turns the BBQ into an outdoor oven for joints, whole birds and indirect cooking. A flat lid keeps the cooktop covered and sits low for a clean island line: the Proline flat lid stands 42mm above the benchtop, against 212mm for the Proline with roasting hood. The 7000 Premium adds a rear burner for rotisserie-style roasting.

Roasting

With a hood

Most BeefEater built-ins have a hood, many double-skinned. The Proline hood model adds flame failure protection.

See the Proline with hood

Low profile

With a flat lid

The Proline flat lid is removable, covers the cooktop when the BBQ is off and sits only 42mm above the bench.

See the Proline flat lid

Premium

7000 series

304 stainless steel with a double-layer hood and cast iron burners, in 4 and 5 burner sizes.

See the 7000 Classic

Cut-out sizes and the enclosure

Every built-in has an exact opening. These figures come from BeefEater's own dimension sheets for the main ranges. For the 1500, ask us for its sheet, and always check the current sheet for your model before you build.

• Non-combustible only. Build the enclosure from masonry, block or concrete with a stone, concrete or tiled worktop. BeefEater requires it, and timber or composite cladding near the BBQ is a fire risk.
• Ventilate low down. LPG is heavier than air and collects at the bottom of a cupboard if it leaks. Keep the vents the manufacturer specifies clear and never seal the space under the BBQ.
• Decide on brackets first. BeefEater side heat shield and hanging bracket sets change the cut-out width, so choose before the bricklayer starts.
• Leave room for the hood. Allow space behind and above for the hood to open fully.

The full detail, including heat shields and covered areas, is in our built-in BBQ installation guide.

Planning the layout

The BBQ sets the rules, but a good outdoor kitchen is about what goes around it. A few principles from the kitchens that work best:

• Worktop both sides. One side for raw food and prep, the other for cooked food and serving. A metre either side is comfortable; less still works if space is tight.
• Gas within reach. Put the cylinder compartment where you can turn the bottle off easily after cooking, with low vents to the open air.
• A second cooking zone. A countertop pizza oven or a masonry BBQ alongside the gas grill gives you wood-fired cooking too.
• Light and power. Outdoor sockets and lighting should be installed by an electrician, and any fridge or drinks cooler should be rated for outdoor use.
• Shelter without enclosure. A pergola gives shade and somewhere to hang lights; keep the BBQ's clearances and avoid solid roofs directly over it unless the manual allows them.

If you are weighing up ready-made units against a bespoke build, our guide to modular vs custom outdoor kitchens compares cost, time and flexibility.

LPG or natural gas?

BeefEater built-ins are supplied for LPG. Plan a ventilated compartment in the island for the cylinder, with the valve easy to reach so you can turn it off after cooking, and use the correct hose and regulator: BeefEater's UK assembly (part 96581) suits the 1200, 1500, 1600, 1700 and 3000 series. Store spare bottles upright outdoors, never in a cellar or near a drain.

Planning, siting and covered areas

In England, permitted development lets you put up many garden structures without a planning application, within limits such as a maximum height of 2.5 metres within 2 metres of a boundary. Check with your council before you build if you live in a flat or maisonette, a listed building or a conservation area, or if your plans include a roofed structure. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules. Site the BBQ so smoke and heat blow away from the house and the neighbours, with the clearances above observed.

Gas BBQs are for outdoor use in well-ventilated areas. An open-topped pergola is usually fine with the manufacturer's clearances; a solid roof or enclosed sides must be checked against the manual, and a BBQ should never be used in an enclosed gazebo or garage.

Covers, shields and care

• Fit a cover. BeefEater makes heavy duty polyester built-in covers in 3, 4 and 5 burner sizes for the 1500, 1600 and 1700 series and the 1200 and 3000 series, plus covers for the Proline. Fit it once the BBQ is cold.
• Protect the enclosure. A BeefEater heat shield protects the surround behind and beside the BBQ.
• Burn off and brush. After cooking, burn off residue, brush the cast iron while warm and empty the drip tray.
• Winter. Clean thoroughly, let it dry, turn off the gas and keep it covered.