buying guide · side burners ·Nov 20, 2025

5 Critical Points to Help You Choose What Side Burner Is Right for You in 2025

Searing Stations to Griddles — Discover Which Side Burner Fits Your Cooking Style

Side burners often go unnoticed, but they play a key role in a great outdoor kitchen. The grill usually gets all the attention, but the side burner quietly makes outdoor cooking far easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable. No more running back and forth from the grill to your indoor kitchen. Whether you’re simmering sauces, boiling seafood, searing steaks, or setting up a full wok station, the right side burner lets you prepare multi-dish meals that a single grill couldn't.

With numerous burner types, fuel options, configurations, and classes available in 2025, selecting the right one can seem a bit overwhelming. This guide will help you sort through the side burner options available and show you what to consider before buying the most useful side burners for your backyard.

Why a Side Burner Belongs in Every Outdoor Kitchen (Yes, Yours)

If the grill is the workhorse, the side burner is the secret weapon. Imagine:

Simmering fresh BBQ sauce while your brisket smokes
Stir-frying vegetables while the chicken roasts
Boiling corn or potatoes without sacrificing grill space
Making breakfast outdoors on a griddle
Searing steaks restaurant-style on an infrared station

Choosing a burner that fits your cooking style can change the way you cook outdoors. Here’s how to pick the right one.

1. Choose the Side Burner Type That Fits Your Cooking Style

Side burners are available in 4 basic types, each designed for a different style or cooking task.

Single-Side Burners

Perfect for: Small families, occasional cooks, compact kitchens

A single burner works just like the one on your indoor stove. It’s simple, reliable, and great for boiling, sautéing, and heating side dishes. Slide-in or drop-in designs make them easy to install almost anywhere if you’re barbecue grill doesn’t already have one.

Best for:
Sauces • Vegetables • Small pots • Light outdoor cooking

Double-Side Burners

Perfect for: Home entertainers and multitaskers

With two burners, you can cook multiple dishes simultaneously, such as sautéing on one and boiling on the other. They usually occupy the same space as single burners but offer more flexibility. They do not come with an extra pair of arms if you are a cooking machine.

Best for:
Griddles • Roasting pans • Multi-dish dinners

Power Burners

Perfect for: High-heat lovers, seafood boils, wok cooking

Power burners deliver strong heat and can handle a wide range of temperatures. Their double-ring design lets you use high heat for fast cooking or turn it down for gentle simmering.

Best for:
Woks • Low-country boils • Large stock pots • Searing • Fast boiling

Infrared Searing Stations

Perfect for: Steak enthusiasts and fast-heat cooking

Infrared burners deliver blistering heat, often preheating in less than three minutes, and can give you steakhouse-quality sears. As a side note, remember the 3-3-3 rule for a perfectly seared steak. For a 1-inch cut, grill the first side over high heat for 3 minutes. Flip and sear the second side for an additional 3 minutes. Then, move the steak to indirect heat and cook each side for an additional 3 minutes to reach your ideal doneness. I just made myself hungry. I’ll be back in 10 minutes to finish this article.

2. Next Choose Your Fuel Type: Natural Gas vs Propane

The type of fuel you choose will impact the cost, installation, performance, and convenience of your setup over time.

Natural Gas Side Burners

Unlimited fuel supply
No tanks to swap or refill
Clean burning
Requires a licensed plumber for installation if not already part of your barbecue grill

Best for:
Permanent outdoor kitchens with existing gas lines.

Propane Side Burners

Easy setup
Highly portable
Works with 20-lb tanks or bulk propane
Can independently fuel grill + side burner with separate tanks
Often come with your barbecue grill. Higher-end grills typically feature more than a single-sided burner.

Best for:
Flexible layouts or backyards without natural gas.

3. Choose the Right Configuration for Your Outdoor Kitchen Layout

Side burners are available in three core configurations.

Built-In Burners

Integrated into the countertop
Professional, seamless appearance
Front-facing control knobs
Often includes heat shields.

These are a great choice for permanent outdoor kitchens where appearance is a top priority.

Drop-In Burners

Don’t require countertop edge placement.
Install anywhere—even corners.
Available with front or top-mounted knobs

They work well in small spaces or custom kitchen layouts.

Cart-Mounted Burners

Attach to specific freestanding grills.
No installation required
Highly mobile

These are great for grill owners who want an easy upgrade without changing their countertops.

4. Understand Burner Classes: Practical vs Premium vs Luxury

Not all burners are the same. Quality, price, and durability can vary a lot. Apples and oranges.

Luxury Side Burners

Commercial-grade stainless steel, lifetime warranties, top-tier performance.

Features often include:

LED knobs
Pull-out drip trays
Insulated jackets
Superior weather resistance

These are ideal for high-end outdoor kitchens built to last for many years.

Premium Side Burners

Performance meets value.

Stainless steel builds
Great features at mid-range pricing
Some lifetime warranties
Largest category of brands

They are a good fit for most homeowners who want great quality without paying luxury prices.

Practical Side Burners

Budget-conscious but functional options.

Mixed materials
Shorter life expectancy
Limited or basic warranties
Common on standard grills (Weber, Broil King, Saber)

These work well for smaller outdoor kitchens or when you only cook outside occasionally.

5. Additional Considerations Before You Buy

There’s more to picking the right burner than just its type and size. Here are some important things to consider:

Clearance to Combustibles

If your island uses wood or other combustible materials, you may need:

An insulated jacket
A zero-clearance burner

Not all brands offer jackets for their burners, so be sure to check before making a purchase. Fires are only fun when they are contained.

BTUs Aren’t Everything

More BTUs doesn’t always mean hotter cooking.

Efficient power burners with lower BTUs can outperform poorly designed high-BTU models—especially in windy environments. Dropping the burner a few inches below the countertop acts as a natural wind guard.

Add-on Cooking Appliances

If you want maximum versatility, consider:

Portable griddles
Small secondary gas grills
Outdoor pizza ovens
Charcoal grills

All of these can serve as side burners, giving you more ways to cook outdoors.

Side Burner Accessories

Enhance your burner with:

Cast iron cookware
Wok rings
Griddles
Burner covers
Wind guards

These extras can enhance your burner's performance and extend its lifespan.

Final Thoughts: The Right Side Burner Will Transform Your Outdoor Kitchen

Choosing the right side burner opens up new ways to cook outside. Whether you’re boiling seafood, searing steaks, or simmering sauces, the right burner makes your outdoor kitchen even more versatile.

As you shop, focus on:

Your cooking style
Your layout
Your fuel type
The longevity you want
How often do you entertain

When you consider all these factors, you’ll pick a side burner that improves your outdoor cooking for years to come.

Check out our top quality selection of Videl USA' s side burners.