One of the first questions we ask when someone starts planning an outdoor kitchen is simple: natural gas or propane? It sounds like a small detail, but your fuel choice affects how your island is built, where it can go in your yard, and how you’ll live with it day to day. The good news is that you don’t have to compromise on the grill itself. Every Lion grill and every Lion side burner we sell is available in either fuel, so you can pick the fuel that suits your home and still get exactly the grill you want.
Here’s a practical look at both options, and what to have figured out before you place an order.
Natural gas: set it and forget it
Natural gas (NG) runs from your home’s gas service to the grill through a permanent line. Once it’s connected, the fuel is simply there whenever you want to cook. There are no tanks to swap, no runs to the store halfway through a cookout, and no guessing how much is left.
- Pros: an endless supply as long as your home has gas service, nothing to refill, and a clean, truly built-in look with no tank to hide.
- Cons: it needs a gas line run to the island location, so placement depends on where that line can go. Once installed, the grill stays put.
- Best for: permanent BBQ islands and cabanas close enough to your home’s gas service, and families who grill often.
Lion describes its natural gas built-ins as the way to get a “truly built-in and worry-free” outdoor kitchen, and that’s the main appeal. For example, the Lion L75000 32-inch built-in natural gas grill ($2,149) and the Lion L90000 40-inch built-in natural gas grill ($2,599) are designed to drop right into an island and stay connected.
Propane: flexible and easy to place
Propane (LP) comes in a refillable tank. Because the fuel travels with the grill, you aren’t tied to where your gas service runs. That makes propane a good fit when the island is far from the house or when a gas line simply isn’t practical.
- Pros: no gas line to run, more freedom in where the island goes, and it works with freestanding cart grills you can move around the patio.
- Cons: tanks need to be refilled or swapped, and you’ll want a tidy, ventilated place to keep the tank inside or next to the island.
- Best for: islands at the far end of the yard, homes without natural gas service, and freestanding grills.
If you go with propane in an island, plan for the tank. The Lion 16″ multi-functional tank storage design bin ($489) is made for exactly that. For built-ins, the Lion L75000 32-inch propane built-in ($2,149) and the Lion L90000 40-inch propane built-in ($2,599) are priced the same as their natural gas versions.
What about freestanding grills?
Freestanding Lion grills come in both fuels too. The L75000 freestanding natural gas grill and the L75000 freestanding propane cart grill are both $2,399, and the L90000 freestanding natural gas grill and L90000 freestanding propane cart grill are both $3,299. A propane cart is the most mobile setup you can get. A natural gas freestanding grill gives you the convenience of a gas line in a grill that doesn’t need an island.
Side burners follow the same rule
If your island includes a side burner, it should match your grill’s fuel. Lion makes single and double drop-in side burners in both versions: the single natural gas side burner and single propane side burner are $399 each, and the double burners are $799. You can browse them all in Side Burners.
What to know before you order
- Decide on the fuel first. Grills and side burners are ordered as either natural gas or propane, so this choice comes before anything else.
- Think about placement. If you want natural gas, consider where a gas line can reach. If the ideal spot is far from the house, propane may be simpler.
- Plan the tank space for propane. Ask us about storage options in your island layout.
- Not sure yet? That’s fine. Our quote form has a “Not sure” option for fuel, and we’ll talk it through with you.
The bottom line
Natural gas is the most convenient choice for a permanent island near your home’s gas service. Propane gives you more freedom in where you build and works great with freestanding carts. Either way, you’re getting the same Lion grill, and every new Lion grill includes our free accessory package (grill cover, smoker box, rotisserie kit, griddle pan and griddle pan handle) valued at over $350.
Tell us about your yard on the free quote form and let us know which fuel you’re leaning toward. We’ll help you put the rest together. Have more questions? Check our FAQ.
