Do You Need an Outdoor Side Burner?
An outdoor kitchen side burner is worth adding when you regularly cook sauces, vegetables, pasta, seafood, large pots, or other stovetop foods while you grill. It is much less valuable when nearly everything you cook outdoors goes directly on the grill. In a compact outdoor kitchen, the counter space occupied by a burner may be more useful as uninterrupted preparation space.
The most important planning rule is to choose your primary cooking appliance first. If you are still selecting the grill itself, start with our guide to the best gas grills for outdoor kitchens. Once the grill, island dimensions, prep space, and basic workflow are settled, you can decide whether a side burner genuinely improves the kitchen or simply adds another appliance.
Do You Really Need an Outdoor Kitchen Side Burner?
Buy one if you regularly prepare complete meals outside. A side burner is useful for sauces, sautéed vegetables, warming, boiling water, smaller pots, skillets, and side dishes that would otherwise send you back into the house.
Skip it if most of your outdoor cooking is grill-only. For many homeowners, additional countertop space, storage, refrigeration, or a better primary grill delivers more everyday value than an appliance used only occasionally.
If you need intense heat for large stockpots, seafood boils, wok cooking, or other demanding jobs, consider a power burner rather than an ordinary side burner.
Side Burner vs Power Burner vs No Burner
| Option | Best for | Typical cooking jobs | Main advantage | Main tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side burner | Everyday outdoor meal preparation | Sauces, vegetables, sautéing, simmering, small and medium pots | Adds stovetop capability without requiring a very large module | Uses counter space that could otherwise remain open for prep |
| Power burner | Large-format and high-output cooking | Seafood boils, stockpots, wok cooking, frying and demanding high-heat jobs | Much greater heat and cookware capacity | Larger footprint, higher cost and greater utility requirements |
| No separate burner | Grill-focused households and compact kitchens | Meals handled primarily on the grill or indoors | Preserves counter space and simplifies the kitchen | You may need to go indoors for stovetop tasks |
What Is an Outdoor Kitchen Side Burner?
A side burner is essentially an outdoor stovetop burner. Instead of placing food directly on grill grates, you place a saucepan, skillet, stockpot, wok, or other compatible cookware over the burner.
Built-in side burners are installed directly into an outdoor-kitchen countertop and are available in single- and double-burner configurations. Some freestanding grills also include a side burner as part of the cart.
The advantage is straightforward: you can prepare foods that are awkward or impossible to cook directly on grill grates without repeatedly walking between the outdoor kitchen and the indoor range.
Side Burner vs Power Burner: What Is the Difference?
A standard side burner and a power burner solve related—but not identical—problems.
Best for Everyday Stovetop Cooking
A side burner is the better choice when you primarily want a convenient outdoor equivalent of a conventional cooktop.
- Simmer sauces and glazes
- Sauté onions, peppers, mushrooms, and vegetables
- Warm beans and side dishes
- Boil smaller and medium-size pots
- Cook in skillets while the grill is occupied
- Run two different temperatures on a double burner
A current example is the TrueFlame Double Side Burner, which uses two independently controlled 12,000-BTU burners for 24,000 total BTUs. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Best for Large Pots and Serious Heat
A power burner is designed for jobs where ordinary side-burner output or cookware capacity may become limiting.
- Large seafood boils
- Wok cooking
- Oversized stockpots
- High-volume outdoor cooking
- Frying applications
- Cooking that requires both high output and lower simmer capability
Several power burners currently carried by Prime Grill Shop are rated at 60,000 total BTUs, including models from TrueFlame, Summerset and Napoleon. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
What Can You Cook on an Outdoor Side Burner?
Sauces & Glazes
Keep barbecue sauce, reductions, butter sauces, marinades, and finishing glazes close to the grill instead of running back to the indoor stove.
Vegetables & Sides
Sauté onions, peppers, mushrooms, corn, greens, potatoes, or other side dishes while the main grill handles proteins.
Pasta & Boiling
Boil water for pasta, corn, potatoes, shellfish, and other foods that are inconvenient to prepare directly on grill grates.
Cast-Iron Cooking
Use skillets or compatible cookware outdoors for dishes where direct pan contact provides better control than grill grates.
Wok Cooking
A suitably designed high-output power burner can provide the concentrated heat and cookware support needed for serious outdoor wok cooking.
Large-Format Cooking
Power burners are particularly useful when large stockpots and high-volume cooking are already part of how you entertain.
Choose the Grill Before the Side Burner
The grill is the primary cooking appliance in most outdoor kitchens. It should generally determine the central cooking zone, fuel planning, island opening, landing space, and much of the surrounding workflow before specialty appliances are added.
A side burner should solve a problem that remains after the grill and adequate preparation space have been planned. It should not force you into a smaller grill, cramped landing area, or awkward work surface simply because an appliance slot looked attractive in the design.
If you are still deciding on the primary grill, compare our best built-in grills for outdoor kitchens before allocating island space to secondary appliances.
When a Side Burner Makes an Outdoor Kitchen Better
1. You Can Cook a Complete Meal Outside
The strongest argument for a side burner is workflow. If your grilled entrée regularly requires an indoor sauce, skillet, pot, or vegetable side, a burner can eliminate repeated trips through the house.
2. It Keeps the Grill Available for Grilling
You do not have to improvise by placing pots on grill grates or sacrificing valuable grilling zones to foods that are better prepared on a conventional burner.
3. It Adds a Separate Temperature Zone
A burner can simmer a sauce while the grill runs hot for steaks, or boil a pot while food cooks indirectly under the grill hood. This becomes increasingly useful when preparing several dishes at once.
4. Power Burners Expand What the Kitchen Can Do
A true power burner can handle large cookware and higher-output tasks that are substantially different from what most grill side burners are intended to accomplish.
5. It Can Improve Entertaining Workflow
The more dishes you prepare for a group, the more valuable independent cooking surfaces become. A burner can prevent the main grill from becoming the bottleneck for every component of the meal.
Reasons to Skip an Outdoor Kitchen Side Burner
1. Counter Space May Be More Valuable
Every built-in appliance interrupts the countertop. In a compact island, uninterrupted preparation and landing space often improves everyday cooking more than adding another appliance.
2. Your Indoor Kitchen May Already Solve the Problem
If the indoor range is only a few steps away and you rarely prepare more than one stovetop item while grilling, the improvement in workflow may be minor.
3. Specialty Appliances Can Be Aspirational Purchases
It is easy to design an outdoor kitchen around the way you imagine cooking someday rather than the way you actually cook now. A side burner makes the most sense when your existing habits already demonstrate a need for one.
4. It Adds Another Appliance to Maintain
Outdoor burners still need cleaning and protection from weather, debris, grease, moisture, and long periods of inactivity. More appliances mean more surfaces and components to maintain.
5. Installation Becomes More Complex
A built-in burner affects the countertop opening, fuel system, clearances, ventilation, service access, and potentially electrical planning. Those requirements vary by model and must be incorporated before construction is finalized.
Who Should Buy a Side Burner?
A Side Burner Probably Makes Sense If...
- You regularly cook entire meals outside rather than only the entrée.
- You often make sauces, vegetables, pasta, beans, or skillet dishes while grilling.
- You entertain often enough that one cooking appliance becomes limiting.
- You already make repeated trips indoors during outdoor cooking sessions.
- Your island has enough room to preserve useful preparation space after the burner is installed.
- You expect the burner to be part of normal cooking rather than an occasional novelty.
You Can Probably Skip It If...
- Your outdoor meals are usually steaks, burgers, chicken, vegetables, or other foods handled directly on the grill.
- Your outdoor kitchen is compact and counter space is limited.
- You rarely use pots or skillets while grilling.
- Your indoor range is conveniently located beside the patio.
- Adding the burner would force compromises in grill size, landing space, or storage.
- You are adding it primarily because most outdoor-kitchen photos seem to include one.
Should You Buy a Side Burner or a Power Burner?
Choose according to the cookware and foods you actually expect to use—not simply the largest BTU number available.
| Cooking need | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sauces and simmering | Side burner | Everyday heat control is more important than extreme output. |
| Sautéed vegetables | Side burner | A conventional burner handles skillets and moderate-size cookware well. |
| Two separate stovetop dishes | Double side burner | Independent burner control lets you manage two temperatures at once. |
| Large seafood boils | Power burner | Large cookware and high-volume heating favor a more substantial burner. |
| Serious wok cooking | Power burner | Higher output and appropriate wok support make the appliance better suited to the task. |
| Occasional sauce while grilling | Possibly neither | Preserving countertop space may deliver more value than installing a rarely used appliance. |
Outdoor Side and Power Burner Options to Compare
Prime Grill Shop carries both conventional double side burners and higher-output power burners. The examples below illustrate the difference in intended use; always confirm current specifications, fuel options, dimensions, availability, and installation requirements on the product page before ordering.
TrueFlame Double Side Burner
This built-in double burner uses two independently controlled 12,000-BTU brass burners for 24,000 total BTUs. It is suited to sauces, vegetables, simmering, boiling and everyday outdoor stovetop work. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
TrueFlame Power Burner
TrueFlame's power burner uses a dual-ring system rated at 60,000 total BTUs and is intended for applications such as large pots, boiling, frying, wok cooking and lower-temperature simmering. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Summerset Pro Power Burner
The Summerset Pro Power Burner is a 60,000-BTU dual-ring design with a 215-square-inch cooking surface intended for large cookware, seafood boils, wok cooking and other high-output applications. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Napoleon Built-In 700 Series 18-Inch Power Burner
Napoleon's 18-inch Built-In 700 Series Power Burner is rated at 60,000 total BTUs and includes a removable center ring designed to accommodate wok cooking as well as large pots and pans. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
Is a Side Burner Worth Giving Up Counter Space?
This is often the deciding question.
Outdoor-kitchen countertops serve several jobs at once: raw-food preparation, utensil staging, landing space beside the grill, serving, drinks, finished-food trays, and temporary storage during a cook. Once that counter is interrupted by built-in appliances, you cannot use the full surface in the same way.
For a large island, the tradeoff may be minor. For a compact kitchen, it can be substantial.
Prioritize Working Space Over Appliance Count
A simpler kitchen with a strong grill and generous usable countertop can function better than an appliance-packed island with nowhere to set a tray. Add a burner because it solves a recurring cooking problem—not because empty counter space feels unfinished.
Our One Large Grill or Multiple Cooking Appliances? guide explores this tradeoff in greater detail.
What to Check Before Installing a Built-In Side Burner
A built-in gas burner should be treated as part of the outdoor kitchen's utility and safety planning—not as an accessory that can simply be dropped into any open section of countertop.
Exact Cutout
Use the installation dimensions for the exact model being purchased. Do not design the opening from the advertised appliance width.
Fuel Configuration
Confirm natural gas or propane before utilities and cabinetry are finalized. Do not assume that two fuel versions have identical installation requirements.
Total Gas Demand
The grill, burner and every other gas appliance must be considered as part of the complete fuel system. Have the system sized appropriately for the installed appliances.
Ventilation & Clearances
Required ventilation and distances from combustible materials vary by manufacturer, model and enclosure. Follow the current installation manual.
Electrical Needs
Some burners use illuminated controls or other electrical components. Confirm any power requirements before the island is closed in.
Service Access
Plan access to connections and components so future inspection, maintenance and service do not require dismantling the kitchen.
Use the Manufacturer's Manual, Not Generic Clearance Numbers
Cutout dimensions, combustible clearances, ventilation, insulated-jacket requirements, gas connections, electrical requirements and overhead restrictions can differ substantially between products. Follow the current manual for the exact burner and use qualified professionals where required.
Natural Gas vs Propane for an Outdoor Side Burner
For a permanent outdoor kitchen, both fuels can work when the burner is offered and installed in the appropriate configuration.
Natural gas can be convenient when the property already has an appropriate supply because there is no portable cylinder to replace. However, the complete gas system needs to be sized for the appliances connected to it.
Propane can be practical where natural gas is unavailable, but storage, regulator, ventilation, cylinder location, and supply requirements must comply with the burner manufacturer's instructions and applicable requirements.
Choose the fuel configuration before purchasing the burner and before the outdoor-kitchen utilities are finalized.
Should a Side Burner Be a Budget Priority?
For most outdoor kitchens, the side burner should come after the primary grill, safe installation, useful preparation space, and core storage needs.
If your budget forces a choice between a better grill and a side burner you might occasionally use, the grill will generally affect more meals. If your kitchen already has a strong primary grill and sufficient counter space, adding a burner becomes much easier to justify.
Our Outdoor Kitchen Appliance Priority Guide ranks grills, storage, refrigeration, burners and specialty appliances by practical homeowner utility.
The Side Burner Decision Test
Think about your last five outdoor meals—not the meals you hope to cook someday.
How many times did you go inside because you needed a stove?
If the answer is frequently, and those trips involved sauces, skillets, boiling, side dishes, or large pots, a side burner may solve a real workflow problem.
If you cannot remember needing the indoor stove during most cookouts, preserve the counter space until your cooking habits demonstrate otherwise.
Are Outdoor Kitchen Side Burners Worth It?
Yes—for the right household. A side burner is valuable when it turns your outdoor kitchen into a genuinely self-contained cooking station. If you already prepare sauces, sides, skillets, pots, or multiple dishes while grilling, the improvement in workflow can be substantial.
No—not automatically. A side burner should not be treated as a required outdoor-kitchen appliance. If you mainly grill, have limited island space, or rarely need stovetop cooking outdoors, uninterrupted countertop space may provide more value every time you use the kitchen.
And if your actual need is seafood boils, oversized cookware, or serious wok cooking, compare power burners rather than assuming a conventional side burner will do the same job.
Outdoor Kitchen Side Burner FAQ
Do I need a side burner in my outdoor kitchen?
You probably need one if you regularly prepare sauces, vegetables, pasta, skillets, pots, or other stovetop foods while grilling. If most of your outdoor cooking happens directly on the grill, additional preparation counter space may be more useful.
Are outdoor kitchen side burners worth it?
They are worth it when they solve a recurring workflow problem. A side burner can keep an entire meal outdoors and reduce trips to the indoor stove. It is less valuable when it is only used occasionally or takes space away from a compact preparation area.
What is the difference between a side burner and a power burner?
A conventional side burner is generally intended for everyday stovetop work such as simmering, sautéing and moderate-size pots. A power burner is a larger, higher-output appliance intended for demanding jobs such as seafood boils, large stockpots and wok cooking.
What can I cook on an outdoor side burner?
You can use compatible outdoor cookware for sauces, vegetables, pasta, beans, skillets, boiling, sautéing, warming and other foods normally prepared on a stovetop.
Do I need a power burner for a seafood boil?
A power burner is usually the more appropriate category for large seafood boils because it is designed for greater heat output and larger cookware. Check the cookware capacity and specifications of the exact burner before purchasing.
Is a double side burner better than a single side burner?
A double burner is more useful when you regularly cook two stovetop dishes at once. A single burner may be sufficient when the primary goal is occasional sauces, simmering, or one side dish alongside the grill.
Should I choose my grill or side burner first?
Choose the primary grill first. The grill usually has the greatest impact on cooking capacity, island layout and everyday use. Add a side burner after confirming that the kitchen still has sufficient preparation space, storage and workable flow.
Should I choose natural gas or propane for a side burner?
Either can work when the burner is offered in the appropriate configuration. Natural gas can be convenient for permanent installations with a suitable supply, while propane is useful where natural gas is unavailable. Confirm the fuel type before finalizing utilities or ordering the appliance.
Can I install a side burner next to any grill?
Do not assume so. Installation clearances, ventilation, combustible-material restrictions, utility requirements and countertop openings vary by appliance. Plan the grill and burner using the current manufacturer installation instructions for both products.
What should I prioritize instead of a side burner in a small outdoor kitchen?
For many compact kitchens, a quality primary grill, usable preparation and landing space, practical storage and safe installation should come before specialty appliances. Add a burner only if your cooking habits clearly justify the space it consumes.
Need Help Choosing a Side or Power Burner?
Think about what you cook, the size of your cookware, available counter space, fuel configuration and how the burner fits alongside your primary grill. Prime Grill Shop can help you narrow the choices before the island is finalized.
Product specifications, fuel configurations, prices, availability and installation requirements can change. Always confirm the current product listing and manufacturer installation manual for the exact appliance before purchasing or constructing an island opening. Gas and electrical work should be completed by appropriately qualified professionals where required.