Buying guide
Napoleon Built-in 500
vs Built-in 700
Same main-grate size. Rotisserie and lighting change the choice.
The decision
Will you use the rotisserie—and cook after sunset?
Start with the Napoleon Built-in 500 Series 32-inch when you want a four-burner grill at the centre of an outdoor kitchen and most of your cooking happens on the main grates. Choose the Napoleon Built-in 700 Series 32-inch when a dedicated rear rotisserie burner, included rotisserie kit and lighting will become part of the way you cook.
The main cooking surface is listed at 29½ × 18 inches on both. Moving to the 700 does not give this matched pair a wider main grate. It changes the equipment around that space: 9.5 mm stainless-steel WAVE grids instead of 7.5 mm grids, a rear infrared burner and lighting for the cooking surface and controls.
Choose the Built-in 500 for…
Weeknight grilling, a straightforward burner layout and a project where the budget also needs to cover storage, worktops and the rest of the island. Its main-grate space is already the same size as the 700 compared here.
Choose the Built-in 700 for…
Rotisserie dinners and evening cooking. The strongest reason to upgrade is a feature you can picture using: turning a roast in front of the rear burner, or seeing the food and controls more clearly as daylight fades.
See the equipment
A different evening at the island.
Napoleon Built-in 500 Series
Napoleon Built-in 700 Series
These films introduce the two built-in series. The matched specifications below are for the 32-inch propane, stainless-steel grills shown in the shopping cards.
The familiar grilling routine
On the 500, four main burners let you arrange heat beneath the food. Battery-free JETFIRE ignition is built into the burner controls, and the ACCU-PROBE lid gauge gives an indicated grill temperature without opening the lid. The 700 retains those fundamentals.
A separate rear-burner cook
On the 700, the infrared rear burner brings heat toward food on the rotating spit. The included kit gives that feature a clear job beyond adding another specification to the page. Follow the rotisserie arrangement in the manual: the rear burner is not operated together with the main burners.
When the kit is not in use, the 700’s integrated rotisserie storage keeps the equipment close to the grill. Preserve access beneath the head when planning cabinets so that the storage remains useful after installation.
The equipment comparison
Same main-grate dimensions. Different included equipment.
| What changes | Napoleon Built-in 500 Series 32-inch | Napoleon Built-in 700 Series 32-inch |
|---|---|---|
| Matched fuel and finish | Propane · stainless steel | Propane · stainless steel |
| Main cooking surface | 29½ × 18 in. | 29½ × 18 in. |
| Main burners | 4 stainless-steel burners | 4 stainless-steel burners |
| Stainless WAVE grids | 7.5 mm | 9.5 mm |
| Dedicated infrared rear burner | Not fitted on this model | Included |
| Rotisserie package | Not included with the matched 500 head | Heavy-duty kit included |
| Cooking-surface and control lighting | Not listed on the matched 500 | Interior lights; NIGHT LIGHT knobs with SafetyGlow |
| Main burner ignition | JETFIRE | JETFIRE |
| Current grill-head price | $1,679.00 | $2,349.00 |
The 500 lists 48,000 BTU of total input and the 700 lists 66,000 BTU with its additional rear burner. A larger total input is not a larger cooking surface or a cooking-temperature measurement. Choose the rear system for the cooking method it adds, rather than expecting a larger number to guarantee better steaks.
The Hearth Outpost view
Pay for the features that will earn their place.
Our take on the Napoleon Built-in 500
We like the 500 when the island is a place to grill dinner well and keep everything close at hand. Its four burners and main-grate dimensions already give it a serious role in the kitchen. If rotisserie cooking rarely makes your menu, there is a sensible case for putting more of the project budget into useful preparation space and storage.
Ratings cover the Napoleon Built-in 500 Series family.
What owners say
Owners highlight the cooking results, stainless construction and fit within their islands. Installation feedback includes a buyer needing an additional regulator and another wanting clearer model-specific directions. Confirm the supplied fittings and current drawing before the countertop opening is finalized.
Our take on the Napoleon Built-in 700
The 700 becomes more persuasive when dinner regularly runs into the evening or a roast on the spit sounds like part of your weekend. Interior lighting is useful every time you need to see the food after sunset; the rotisserie system offers a different kind of meal. Those are more convincing reasons to choose it than assuming the 700 badge means a bigger main grate.
Ratings cover the Napoleon Built-in 700 Series family.
What owners say
Owners appreciate quick heat-up, useful interior lighting and rotisserie cooking. Those comments support choosing the equipment for the way you cook, while planning the island’s gas, power and cleaning access around it.
Plan the whole kitchen
The grill head is the starting point.
The grill purchases compared here
- 32-inch propane grill heads in stainless steel
- Four main burners, WAVE cooking grids and sear plates on both
- Rear infrared burner and heavy-duty rotisserie kit with the matched 700
- The individual model’s specified trim, gas connection and supplied hardware
Settle the surrounding equipment
- Island, worktop, doors and storage components
- Any separate side burner or infrared searing station
- The model-matched zero-clearance liner if the construction requires one
- Gas supply, ventilation and the electrical arrangement for fitted equipment
A rear infrared rotisserie burner and an infrared side searing burner do different jobs. The 700’s rear burner does not mean a separate side searing station is included. If you want a dedicated side burner, plan its own opening, fuel connection and any electrical needs alongside the grill.
For the 700’s lights and rotisserie equipment, plan the electrical connection from the owner’s manual, including the protected supply it specifies. JETFIRE main-burner ignition does not remove the power needs of those other features.
The current 700 version also has revised grease management and the longer gas-installation hose specified for that update. Plan how you will reach the grease tray and where the connection will run as the cabinets are laid out.
Build around the selected grill
Choose the head before the opening is cut.
The 32-inch name identifies the size class. It is not a complete island opening instruction. The manual separates the grill opening, trim/support dimensions and the different opening required when a matching liner is used. Have the installer work from the current drawing for the exact model, construction and fuel arrangement.
Keep the lid-opening route, rear clearances, access to the grease tray and cabinet ventilation in the plan. An opening that accepts the metal body can still leave a poor installation if the lid or service access is blocked. For propane, the cylinder enclosure also has its own requirements; do not treat a closed storage cabinet as an interchangeable cylinder compartment.
Both matched models are available in natural gas as separate choices: Napoleon Built-in 500 Series 32-inch natural gas and Napoleon Built-in 700 Series 32-inch natural gas. The 700 range also offers 38-inch and 44-inch propane models, plus a 32-inch matte-black propane option. This guide compares the stainless-steel 32-inch pair; choose the exact size and finish before using its drawing. These are built-in heads. If you need a freestanding cart grill, explore Napoleon’s freestanding grill options as a different configuration.
Shop the ranges
Continue with the exact configuration.
These cards match 32-inch propane models in stainless steel. Choose the fuel before planning the island; natural-gas options and other 700 Series sizes are separate configurations.
Napoleon
Napoleon Built-in 500 Series 32-inch · propane · stainless steel
Napoleon Built-in 500 Series family rating
$1,679.00
32-inch propane grill head; island components and separate side burners are additional purchases.
Napoleon
Napoleon Built-in 700 Series 32-inch · propane · stainless steel
Napoleon Built-in 700 Series family rating
$2,349.00
32-inch propane grill head with rear infrared burner and rotisserie kit; island components are separate.
Warranty and documents
Lifetime coverage on key cooking components.
Napoleon Built-in 500 Series
The limited lifetime warranty includes the listed stainless-steel cooking grids and tube burners, along with the listed hood, lid and aluminum castings. The stainless-steel sear plates have 15-year coverage under the same written terms. That protects important cooking hardware on the 500, as well as the listed lifetime components.
- Stainless cooking grids
- Lifetime
- Stainless tube burners
- Lifetime
- Stainless sear plates
- 15 years
Napoleon Built-in 700 Series
The listed stainless-steel cooking grids and tube burners also carry limited lifetime coverage, with the listed hood, lid and aluminum castings included under the written terms. Its stainless-steel sear plates and listed stainless-steel infrared rotisserie burner have 15-year coverage. Those are useful protections for the equipment that gives the 700 its role in the kitchen.
- Stainless cooking grids
- Lifetime
- Stainless tube burners
- Lifetime
- Stainless sear plates
- 15 years
Coverage addresses qualifying defects under the written terms. Keep proof of purchase and maintain access to the grill. Installation and labor costs are separate from the replacement-part protection, and the manuals explain the care required for exposed stainless steel.
Before ordering
A few details worth settling first.
Let’s find the right fit for your project.
Tell us which fuel you have, how you like to cook and whether the island is new or already built. We can help compare the equipment and identify the right documents before the opening is finalized.
Speak to an Expert
Good questions
A clearer choice.
Does the 32-inch 700 have a larger main grate?
No. Both matched grills list a 29½ × 18-inch main cooking surface. The 700 adds equipment, including the rear infrared burner, supplied rotisserie kit and lighting.
Can I run the rear and main burners together?
No. The owner’s manual directs you not to operate the rear burner with the main burners. Follow its rotisserie setup and operating instructions.
Does the rear infrared burner include a side searing station?
No. A rear rotisserie burner heats food on the spit. A side burner or searing station is a separate component for the island.
Are natural-gas versions available?
Yes. Both matched 32-inch grills have natural-gas choices. Choose the matching model for your supply and have the installer follow its fuel-specific connection instructions.
Can I use this comparison as a drop-in replacement drawing?
No. Use the exact grill and liner drawings and have the existing island checked for clearances, ventilation and service access.