Some people call it summer. Others call it Grilling Season. Call it what you will, it’s here. So, when throwing a steak (or fish, or vegetables) on the fire, which luxury outdoor grill brand is the best? Our intrepid correspondent Jillian Tangen has tracked down the best grills and grill brands for an outdoor luxury dinner party in 2022, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
While Memorial Day may be the unofficial start to outdoor cooking season, we plan on firing up the grill long before the end of May. We’re Jones-ing for the rich taste of our favorite Grilled Skirt Steak recipe. And the dudes on our Dandelion Chandelier Sports Desk keep saying things like “Fire. Meat. Good.” Clearly, outdoor grilling is a deeply-rooted primal urge – at least for some of us.
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what makes for the best luxury outdoor grill?
As with all things luxury, “best” is in the eye of the beholder. Whether it’s luxury speakers and sound systems, headphones, and even suitcases, the question is whether your top priority is functionality, design, or the use of the latest and best technology. No worries – there’s a perfect luxury grill out there for you, no matter your Hierarchy of Need. Some of it comes down to whether you’re prepared to pay almost $30,000 for a grill.
If money is no object, there are endless choices when it comes to shopping for outdoor grills. There are smokers, gas grills, charcoal/wood grills, hybrid grills, kamado, infrared, rotisserie, smart grills and more.
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Here are 12 of the best luxury outdoor grills – including one that operates by voice command, and another that can reach up to 1000°! Whether it’s the Hamptons, the Vineyard, Nantucket, ora chic rooftop terrace, these will all expertly get the job done as the temperatures heat up. Toss the toys into the pool, and you’ve got yourself a party.
The best grills for an outdoor dinner party, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
the best luxury outdoor grills right now
Functional Stand-outs:
1. Viking
Viking may best be known for their restaurant quality stoves for the home, but their outdoor grills are equally deserving of attention. As with their stoves, Viking’s commercial-style construction, design and styling appeal to home chefs channeling their inner Gordon Ramsay. So whether you’re looking to grill, smoke or cook on a rotisserie, the brand has you covered.
The grills come with summer entertaining-friendly options like warming drawers to keep food hot after it comes off the fire. The best-known model is the Viking Professional 5 Series, which comes in four different sizes. It’s a powerhouse of 25,000 BTU stainless steel grill burners, and comes with a heavy-duty rotisserie that can easily handle any grilling challenge – from seared tuna fillets to 25-lb. smoked turkeys. We also love that it comes in both built-in and portable versions (so you can keep using it during fall tail-gating season). There are also both natural gas and propane options. Prices range from from $4,919 – $13,539 (or more, depending on size and add-ons).
The best grills for an outdoor dinner party, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – $4,919 – $13,539.
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2. Fire Magic
Fire Magic delivers just what its name implies. Founded in 1937, the company has created grills that suit the needs of even the most demanding customers. An added plus? All of the brand’s grills are manufactured in the US.
With sleek lines, a unique contoured face and state-of-the-art features such as hot surface ignition and blue back-lit knobs, the brand’s Echelon Diamondembodies true luxury grilling. Each grill in this line features a charcoal smoker basket and heat zone separators between each burner. Plus a flavor grid and a cooking grid to allow grilling of an assortment of foods at different temperatures simultaneously. There’s also an optional see-through window so that you can monitor your grilling without letting any of the heat escape – a cool feature we found only from Fire Magic. The Echelon Diamond comes in three different sizes – all of which are available in built-in and portable options. Prices range from $8,000 – $16,500 (or more, depending on size and add-ons).
The best grills for an outdoor dinner party, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – Prices range from $8,000 – $16,500.
3. Napoleon
Napoleon’s Prestige PRO 825 with Power Side Burner and Infrared Rear and Bottom Burners is spacious enough to cook for a crowd. It also provides many different ways to cook, making it one of the best luxury outdoor grills on the market. It’s really a complete outdoor kitchen that enables you to sear over high heat, bake and roast using indirect heat, and use the rear burner for rotisserie meals. You can even turn the grill into a smoker with the integrated smoker tube and dedicated smoker burner.
The secondary head features two ceramic infrared burners that reach high heat in seconds, ideal for searing restaurant quality steaks, or a quick meal for a couple of friends. You’ll know it’s a Napoleon with the iconic wave cooking grids for those distinctive sear marks. From $4,100 – $4,500.
The best luxury outdoor grills right now, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – $4,100 – $4,500.
4. Alfresco
As one of the first companies to embrace the idea of the “open air kitchen,” Alfresco knows luxury. Having designed outdoor kitchens for the likes of Derek Jeter – and garnered endorsements from the likes of Jean George, Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck – this is a brand that actually lives up to the hype.
All Alfresco grills feature titanium burners able to withstand harsh climates because they’re made of commercial-quality stainless steel. If you want to grill year-round, no matter where you live, this grill’s for you. The ALXE Grill comes in 4 different sizes, each available in both built-in and cart styles. The top-of-the-line 56” size is available in a Deluxe Model that includes a sear zone, rotisserie and side burner. Each of the brand’s grills have stainless steel main burners producing 82,500 BTUs. And a smoker system with a dedicated burner and a drawer for wood chunks. Prices can go as high as $14,500 for the largest-size ALXE grill, fully loaded.
The best grills for an outdoor dinner party, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – Prices can go as high as $14,500.
Design-Driven Models:
5. Twin Eagles
Twin Eagles creates sleek, luxurious and meticulously-engineered grills that are as beautiful as they are high-performance. Developed by award-winning gas engineer Dante Cantal, this line of grills provides high temperatures using less gas due to its hexagonal grates – which also produce restaurant-style sear marks – bonus! High shine finishes, halogen interior lighting and LED control knobs complete the luxury finishes on their line of built-in and customizable freestanding grills.
We especially love the Grill Hood Assist System that makes it easier for you to open and close the hood by reducing the weight load with hidden extension springs. Because let’s face it, a heavy duty grill means that all of its parts are, well, heavy. Prices range from $4,000 – 6,000 (or more, depending on size and add-ons).
The best luxury outdoor grills right now, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – $4,000 – 6,000.
6. Komodo Kamado
In recent years, Americans have discovered kamado style cookers. These cookers have a rich history – they’re descended from a style of clay pot cooking from nearly 4,000 years ago. Today, kamado grills are typically egg-shaped domed cookers made with a very high-tech approach. The Komodo Kamado is made with ceramic developed for NASA. It will hold temperatures to within a couple of degrees for hours, and will run for 3 days on one load of charcoal.
Using 100% stainless steel components to eliminate long term corrosion, the Komodo Kamado comes in seven sizes, ranging from tabletop to a 42” style aptly called Serious Big Bad. This grill is a 1,200-pound giant that can hold an entire pig. Are you kidding us??? Clad with mosaic tiles, these eye-catching grills are available in a wide range of jewel-like finishes. Prices for the Serious Big Bad range from $10,300 – $10,595, depending upon the exterior finish.
The best luxury outdoor grills right now, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – $10,300 – $10,595.
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7. Grillworks
Argentinian asado-style fire cooking has also become trendier in the US recently. This style of grilling requires heavy-duty steel grills with wheels – and chains for raising and lowering heavy grates – that burn hardwood. If you’re looking for this style of grill, look no further than GrillWorks. Their grills are gorgeous, and are used by restaurants and chefs around the world. The company has a line-up of twelve residential and commercial grade models, but also offers custom-made grills. The brand only produces a few hundred grills per year, by hand at its headquarters in Michigan. Whatever you do, just don’t ask them to build you a gas-powered grill!
The GrillWorks 20 was the first grill made by the company in 1978 and to this day is still one of their most popular models. Though very simple in style, these are the premier wood-fired luxury grills used by many home gourmets, professional chefs and kitchen designers. Prices range from $3,875 for the GrillWorks 20 to to $38,775 for the top-of-the-line Langelier Elite 54.
The best luxury outdoor grills right now, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – Prices can go as high as $38,775.
8. Hestan
California-based Hestan is legendary for its professional kitchen innovations. Expect a lot of oohs and ahhs from your guests. The first thing you notice about their outdoor grill line are their custom designer colors, 12 in all, ranging from Citra (an effervescent orange hue) to Lush (a sophisticated dark plum) to Bora Bora (a tropical blue). They’re really gorgeous to look at.
But the brand’s colorful Deluxe Grill also delivers high-performance power with superior-grade construction, easy maneuverability and plenty of work space for food prep. The heavy-duty Horizon Hood opens easily and holds place at the desired height for easy access. Grilling at night? Not a problem with Halogen Stadium Lights that illuminate your entire cooking area. The built-in whisper-quiet rotisserie adds even more options for those summer soirées. From $14,698.
The best luxury outdoor grills right now, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – From $14,698.
High Tech Grills of the Future:
9. camp chef
There’s a reason they call Camp Chef’s Woodwind 36 the Swiss Army Knife of pellet grills. Not only is this grill WiFi-enabled with an app that allows you to control everything from smoke level (from 1 to 10) to cooking temps (160º F to 500º F), it also features a PID-controlled system ensures the wood pellets are evenly distributed so your temps stay within five degrees of your target. In addition, four meat probes help you keep tabs on your cooking via your phone so you don’t ever feel the need to hover over the grill.
Just as fun are the ingenious attachments you can add on, from side grills to mini ovens, that open up your cooking options. The Sidekick, a 28,000 BTU cast-aluminum propane burner, works in tandem with a Sidekick Sear box to help you execute the perfect finish on that tomahawk. Meanwhile, the Artisan Outdoor Oven which comes complete with pizza stone will have you making homemade pies. The result is a portable grill that may bring out your adventurous side when it comes to grilling – and cooking.
The best luxury outdoor grills right now, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – $1,199.99.
10. Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo grills are the Rolls Royce – or perhaps the Tesla – of the grilling world. The brand is the leader in hybrid grilling technology, with a product line that allows you to cook with any combination of gas, charcoal or wood, with grilling drawers that slide in above the burners. Kalamazoo also offers personalized grilling surfaces, allowing you to combine patterns for meat, fish, vegetables, and hibachi. You can even add your initials to the pattern.
Each Hybrid Fire Grill is hand-built in Michigan, and signed inside the hood by the people who constructed it. The midsize Hybrid Model has three burners that produce a staggering 75,000 BTUs and can sear at 1,000°, making it one of the most powerful grills on our list. It’s available as a built-in or a free-standing grill. Prices range from $17,595 – $36,545 (depending on size and add-ons).
The best luxury outdoor grills right now, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – from $17,595 – $36,545
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11. DCS Grills
DCS Grills recognizes that the best and most passionate chefs in the world aren’t always found in restaurants; sometimes they’re in home kitchens. So they’ve set about building one of the best luxury outdoor grills. All of the brand’s grills are hand-finished and built to withstand the demands of outdoor cooking in all seasons. In addition to great features like infrared rotisserie burners and charcoal smoker trays, the company’s company’s Series 9 Evolution are also packed with lots of extra features. They include intuitive grill lighting (the dials glow white when the grill is on and orange when the gas and grill are working); radiant-heat ceramic briquettes; and clever storage spaces for tools and accessories.
The Series 9 Evolution is extremely powerful, and allows you to use the entire cooking surface to sear as high as 950° with three 25,000 BTU burners. DCS promises that it delivers “beauty, brains and brawn.” Prices range from $6,400 – $1,100 for the 48-inch free-standing model.
The best luxury outdoor grills right now, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – Prices range from $6,400 – $1,100.
12. lynx
Since its launch, Lynx has set the standard for design, innovation and engineering excellence. The “hood assist” system incorporates a smart spring system that helps you lift the 50lb hood with a slight touch effortlessly while the wind breaker fin on the back of the gas grill looks simple yet it is very effective in blocking the wind to prevent temperature fluctuations which result in uneven results.
Lynx offers one of the coolest features we have come across so far with its Sedona grills. These grills feature an automated cooking system via the MyChef operating system. MyChef monitors cooking times and temperatures and allows you to do “automated cooking,” either from your smartphone, Amazon Echo or Siri. Prices range from $3,800 – $6,400 for the Sedona (depending on size and add-ons).
The best grills for an outdoor dinner party, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models.
BUY NOW – Prices range from $3,800 – $6,400.
the best luxury outdoor grills right now
That’s our round-up of the best outdoor grills for a luxury dinner party or backyard BBQ on the market right now, including gas, wood-burning, design-driven and high-tech models. We’re thinking that any one of these would make for the perfect Father’s Day gift for the grilling maven in your life. They get the grill of their dreams, and you get delicious meals all summer long. Win-win!
Which one is on your list? Did we miss anything? Whichever one you go for, save us a burger. We’re on our way over right now.
join our community
For access to insider ideas and information on the world of luxury, sign up for our Dandelion Chandelier Newsletter here. And see luxury in a new light.
This article contains affiliate links to products independently selected by our editors. As an Amazon Associate, Dandelion Chandelier receives a commission for qualifying purchases made through these links.
Jillian Tangen is the Head of Research at Dandelion Chandelier and a former Senior Research Analyst at McKinsey & Co and Analyst at Shearman & Sterling. She is an avid fan of Nordic design, having owned an independent lifestyle store and sales agency focused on emerging Scandinavian design. Jillian lives in New York and is married with three young children. She loves cross-country skiing, the New York Rangers, reading, travel and discovering new brands.
