Driven by a recent trip to the local hardware store in which I was shocked, appalled, and secretly envious of the excess that exists in today’s grills, I present to you the 5 most expensive production grills I could find…
Fire Magic Echelon E1060 - $10,005.60
First up is the FireMagic Echelon E1060. This baby features… well almost everything. Notable: angled halogen internal oven lamps, a 4-zone backlit digital meat thermometer, a woodchip smoker drawer with dedicated burner, dedicated power supplies, condiment holders, and 1056 square inches of cooking surface… but there is no cupholder. I honestly don’t know how you craft a grill so elaborate and beautiful but forget to add a cupholder on the side of it. I’ve found deals online starting in the low $9,000′s, but you can also purchase just the range for the bargain price of $5,900 at some of your finer stores.
The 56" Alfresco Classic with Refrigerated Cart - $10,404.00
Honestly, the E1060 only made the list because I wanted 5 unique grills. It’s an abomination and a true sacrifice of value compared to #2 – the nearly 150,000 BTU monster that is the Alfresco Classic 56″ Natural Gas Grill. First let’s talk about firepower. We’re looking at three high-temp stainless steel main burners producing 82,500 BTUs, Dual 17,000 BTU side burners with recessed, sealed top, rotisserie with heavy-duty motor & 18,500 BTU infrared burner, and a smoker with a 7,000 BTU dedicated burner. As if the raw power wasn’t enough, this grill comes with a refrigerated cart featuring adjustable shelves and dual marinating trays. So, there’s proably $1000 of convenience for a slight $400 premium. I like where this is going.
Kalamazoo 900GT - $10,695. That's less than $22 per pound!
Also in the $10k range is the Kalamazoo 900GT, a freestanding LP gas grill. The 900GT also features nearly 150,000 BTU’s and – no joke – proudly weighs in at over 500 lbs. thanks to it’s 304 Stainless Steel and fully-welded frame construction. This grill differentiates itself from competitors with technology: the Kalamazoo Advanced Cooking Concept. KACC Technology (as I’ve dubbed it) allegedly provides the best direct AND indirect grilling performance. I’m not one to fall for marketing but this thing has Dragon Burners for perfect heat distribution. Learn more here. That’s +1 for badass stainless steel burners named after mythical creatures but -1 for having a refrigerator underneath it. And -1 for having less cooking surface (only 864 inches) than the base model at the top of the page. And -1 for being called Kalamazoo. Because it has a 900GT… the +- is getting annoying.
I’m rather bored by the $10k range so I’m going straight for the platinum standard. Grills can be outrageously expensive, but remember these are production. Take this in. It’s one thing to sell an $80,000 custom grill to a billionaire as part of an extravagent outdoor kitchen… it’s an entirely different thing to sell these grills online with two-day shipping.
Ready? The Crown Verity TG-2 Tailgate Gas Grill. $27,720. That’s just shy of the average annual income in the United States. The TG-2 has such an intriguing and ill-punctuated product description I have to post at least part of it here.
TG-2. Like a Terminator. $27,720.
The Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill is a unique Item for taking your grilling anywhere The Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill come with tires and a hitch for towing along on trips and jobs The Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill is the ultimate tailgate grill and will be a big hit wherever it goes and it goes anywhere The Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill makes for a perfect party If your business or pleasure means you need high-volume grilling in many different locations then you need the Crown Verity TG-2 Gas Grill Nothing is more suited for grilling on the go This is a top- quality stunner
I really don’t think I could say it any better. Though, if I were trying to sell a $27,720 grill that bolted onto the back of a vehicle, I’d probably use sentences and periods, and I probably wouldn’t say “come with tires.”
The Crown Verity IG-36. $29,340!
Today’s winner can be yours for the bargain price of $29,340. The Crown Verity IG-36 is an island gas grill with a refrigerator, granite counters, and Brazilian walnut surfaces. The unit comes with TWO separate GFCI outlets. Basically, the IG-36 is actually a Transformer. Look at it. For the cost of remodeling your kitchen you can skip all the dust, labor, and appreciating home value and just toss one of these in your back yard. Terrible jokes aside, I am having a difficult time believing in the integrity of the image to left. If you look very closely (sorry for the crappy quality, not a lot of good imagery here) you will notice a grill brush hanging from the front handle. A $6 grill brush. On a $30,000 grill. I call bullshit.
For your entertainment, here are some additional entries for the most expensive grill:
I thought your review of Alfresco and Fire Magic grills was interesting. I was a little surprised by your statement that Fire Magic is an “abomination and a true sacrifice of value”.
I find that the Fire Magic Echelon 1060 has more grilling versatility than the other grills. The Alfresco has 82,500 btu’s out of 3 burners in the main grilling section. The Echelon has 112,000 btu’s coming out of 4 burners. The burners have more power spread out over more burners for more even heat distribution. You also brushed over the 4 zone thermometer. You can keep track of your heat in all four zones. You can cook steak, chicken, fish and vegetables all on separate temperatures. And really… a cupholder?
If you are going to spend that kind of money, ($10,000+) I think the Echelon 1060 is the better value.
Baldkrash,
First, thank you for the comment.
You bring up a great point. I’d agree that the 1060 has more grilling versatility based on its stats. That is a practical way to look at things. But we’re talking about a grill that’s $10k. Practicality doesn’t work. To me, an insane grill is worth more for it’s insanities than its practicalities; I have to support the refrigerator.
Regarding the cupholder… agree to disagree. I was raised to believe that the definition of top of the line (car, riding lawn mower, armchair) was “has a cupholder.” It’s also fine to drink beer with breakfast in my family.
I think the Crown Verity TG-2 Tailgate Gas Grill is amazing. You would be the star at any tailgate party. For me though personally, I would like the Crown Verity IG-36 you get the amazing capabilities of the grill along with a refrig. For a few thousand dollars more you get a whole outdoor kitchen!