Whether you’re gathering at the beach, tailgating, or having a picnic in the park… Chances are you’ll be bringing along an ice cooler to keep food and beverages chilled and ready to serve.
But what if you’re hosting a get-together in your own backyard?
Well, if you have an outdoor kitchen, there’s no need to haul around a heavy cooler to keep the party going…
Instead, you can have an ice bin built directly into your grill station!
A drop in cooler for outdoor kitchens is a super convenient accessory for keeping beverages, condiments, and other perishables cool.
Plus, it’ll prevent countless back-and-forth trips to your indoor refrigerator!
So in this article, we’ll be discussing the top drop in cooler options currently out there. And since we’ve partnered with a premium drop in cooler manufacturer… We know a thing or two about built-in coolers!
Let’s jump in.
Drop in Cooler for Outdoor Kitchen Brands
Before you hit checkout on a drop in cooler for outdoor kitchen… You should compare your options!
With that said, let’s see what’s available.
Bull Stainless Steel Drop in Ice Chest
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
21.5” x 14.5” x 16.75”
lid
Fully Removable
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$540.85
First up is an ice chest from Bull.
This 16” drop in cooler is on the smaller side… Though it should be sufficient at holding a few cans or bottles, with a 21.5” chamber depth.
It has a double walled design for insulation, and a sealed trim to adequately keep the interior cool.
The fully removable, lift-off lid has a large, raised handle.
And to easily drain water away from your BBQ island… There’s a 1.5” drain line attachment included.
For additional convenience, the Bull ice chest also includes condiment trays.
As for material… It’s made with full 304 stainless steel!
Despite this, it’s only covered by a one year warranty. We generally like to see more robust coverage!
Currently, you can purchase this ice bin cooler for $539.00.
Summerset 28” Drop in Cooler
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
28” x 14.5” x 20.5”
lid
Front Lifting with Hinge
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$1,195.00
Next, let’s take a peek at an offering from Summerset. Their large, 28” drop in cooler has a 40 lb ice capacity! That’s a whole lot of cooling potential.
And with a double-walled, 304 stainless steel construction… You can feel confident your beverages will remain refreshingly cool, all day long.
The lid is double-walled as well… And can be removed for large, celebratory bottles of champagne or long-necked beer bottles.
There’s no added accessories with this countertop ice chest… But Summerset does offer a limited lifetime warranty. It’s a strong vote of confidence that we like to see!
At the time of writing, this cooler is available for $1,195.00.
Lynx Sedona 18” Drop in Ice Bin
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
19” x 18” x 14.625”
lid
Front Lifting with Hinge, Removable
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$929.00
Next up, let’s look at a more modestly sized offering from Lynx.
If you have a small outdoor kitchen… You’ll need a smaller cooler to match. And this one might be the perfect fit for you!
Although it has a smaller footprint… That 13” cutout depth will still allow you to fit most wine bottles.
The lid is hinged and fully removable, with advertised 304 stainless steel construction throughout.
We will note that some reviewers have remarked on a rusty drain hole… Which is something to be aware of.
Lynx offers a 1 year warranty on this cooler, and is available to purchase for $929.00.
BBQGuys Signature 25” Drop in Cooler
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
25.312” x 25.312” x 11.75”
lid
Front Lifting with Hinge
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$1,019.99
BBQGuys’ drop-in cooler is right in the middle, in terms of size.
The 25” square dimensions allows you to pack plenty of bottles and cans for an average backyard BBQ.
As for the construction… You’ve got 304 stainless steel throughout. This cooler also features fully welded and blended corners, for a watertight seal.
Additionally, this outdoor ice chest comes part and parcel with a removable condiment holder. It’s always nice to have some extras.
The BBQGuys drop in cooler comes with a lifetime warranty… And is available to buy for $1,019.99.
RCS Valiant Series 24” Stainless Steel Drop in Cooler
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
24” x 18” x 15”
lid
Front Lifting, Fully Removable
material
304 Stainless Steel Lid, Unknown Material Used for Body
price
$569.00
Let’s take a look at the RCS Valiant 24” drop in cooler for outdoor kitchens.
There’s not much information available on this ice bin…
But what we do know is that it has an 18” depth… It includes a strainer and plug for easy draining… And it has a lift up, removable lid with an indented handle.
The lid is made with 304 stainless steel… But as for the rest of the cooler, it’s hard to say for sure. It’s worth checking with RCS to confirm the material used!
As for warranty… This ice chest is covered for a lifetime.
And price wise… It costs $569.00.
Saber 24” Stainless Steel Drop in Ice Bin
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
24” x 18.25” x 13”
lid
Fully Lifting
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$649.00
Let’s look at a similarly sized drop in ice bin from Saber…
This cooler has an 18.25” depth… Which is on par with many of the other options we’ve discussed!
The lift up lid has a small, indented handle… Which admittedly doesn’t look the easiest to use.
There’s no hinges on the lid for stabilization, and it isn’t fully removable.
There does appear to be a seam on the lid for extra insulation.
And as with the other brand’s we’ve covered… There’s a drain plug for easy clean up!
Saber’s cooler features full 304 stainless steel construction, and it’s covered by a five year warranty.
Regarding price, it costs $649.00.
Hestan Built in Ice Chest for Outdoor Kitchen
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
25.37” x 25.37” x 16”
lid
Front Lifting with Hinges, Not Removable
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$1,249.00
In many ways, Hestan’s drop in cooler is quite similar to many others on our list…
The fully 304 stainless steel ice chest has wine bottle-depth storage… A heavy duty, front lifting lid to hold with hinges… And a raised handle.
As with a couple of the other models… There’s a rubber drain stopper built for drain connection (though the drainage plumbing is not included).
However, there are some additional features that make this ice bin stand out.
First, it has a one inch thick insulation lining to sufficiently keep the interior cool.
And there’s also five individual condiment trays included!
Despite these additional features… There’s still only a one year warranty covering Hestan’s drop in cooler.
And the price is certainly on the higher end, at $1,249.00
Coyote 25” CDIC Stainless Steel Drop in Ice Cooler
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
25.7” x 20” x 15”
lid
Front Lifting with Hinges
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$699.00
We’ll round out our list with Coyote’s drop in ice cooler.
With a 15” chamber depth, this large ice bin easily accommodates plenty of large cans or bottles!
The fully insulated ice bin cooler includes an industrial hinged lid with a high quality seal (for additional insulation).
The front lifting lid also has a raised handle for easy opening.
As well as this… An included drain hole stopper makes clean up easy!
As with a few of the other options on our list… Coyote’s ice cooler is made with full 304 stainless steel, and backed by a lifetime warranty.
Price wise, it costs $699.00.
Fire Magic 25” Drop in Outdoor Kitchen Cooling Bin
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
25.5” x 23.5” x 12”
lid
Front Lifting with Hinges, Removable
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$1,719.00
Though it’s labeled as a beverage center… This option from Fire Magic is simply a large, 23 3/8” deep drop in cooler (it can hold up to 30 pounds of ice)!
It has a front lifting, insulated lid with hinges. If desired, the lid can be fully removed.
Also included is an integrated drain kit to make cleanup a bit easier… Though it’s not clear what this kit includes. It’s worth checking with Fire Magic on this!
This drop in ice bin is made with full 304 stainless steel construction, so rust and corrosion shouldn’t be an issue.
Even so, it’s only covered by a three year warranty.
As for price, this large drop in ice cooler for outdoor kitchen is the most expensive yet at $1,719.90. For this cost, we’d like to see a more robust warranty!
Alright… That concludes our discussion of drop in cooler for outdoor kitchen brands.
Out of the brands we listed… Let’s see if any stand out as the best.
Alfresco Artisan Drop-In Ice Bin
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
22 1/4” x 17 3/4” x 16 3/4”
lid
Front Lifting with Hinges, Removable
material
204 Stainless Steel
price
$775.00
Moving right along… Alfresco’s Artisan appliance line has a stainless steel ice bin on offer.
With a 20 gallon ice capacity… There’s an abundance of space for all your favorite refreshments!
There’s also a fully removable hinged lid, providing flexibility for larger bottles.
However, there is a bit of a ding on Alfresco’s material quality. They break the mold using 204 stainless steel, rather than 304.
Is that a typo?
Nope, it’s 204! And while it’s a fairly heavy duty form of steel… It is significantly less corrosion resistant than 304 when exposed to saltwater.
So this is something to be wary of, particularly if you live in a coastal area with salt air.
Alfresco’s drop-in cooler is backed by a one year warranty, which is on the short side compared to other options.
Currently, you’ll find this cooler available for $775.00 on BBQGuys.
Twin Eagles 24” Drop-In Ice Bin
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
24” x 23.5” x 10”
lid
Front Lifting with Hinges, Removable
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$1,679.00
Twin Eagles is also going to throw their hat in the ring… With their 24” drop-in cooler setup.
This cooler is able to store a hefty 25 lbs of ice and hold up to 60 bottles.
Complete 304 stainless steel construction is a welcome feature of this ice chest… And it includes a fully removable gasket sealed lid, as well.
And for a nice bonus… Twin Eagles throws in a 3-segment condiment tray for your convenience.
This BBQ ice chest is covered for a period of 2 years… And you can purchase it on BBQGuys for $1,697.00.
Delta Heat 15” Drop-In Cooler
PRODUCT SPECS
OVERALL Dimentions
15” x 20” x 10.38”
lid
Front Lifting with Hinge, Removable
material
304 Stainless Steel
price
$1,159.00
Wrapping up our list… We’ve got the 15” ice bin from none other than Delta Heat.
Being on the smaller side, this cooler is great for those with limited outdoor kitchen space. In fact, it’s got the most petite dimensions on our list!
So if you want a small drop in beverage cooler… That’s good to know.
But if you have the space for something more… It’s never a bad thing to size up.
That said, Delta Heat’s built in ice bucket is made with 304 stainless steel throughout… Apart from the drain, which is made from brass.
There’s also a removable hinged lid for flexible use.
Aside from that… There’s not much to report about this steel built cooler!
Delta Heat provides a 2 year warranty for this item… And is currently available for $1,159.00.
The Overall Best Drop in Cooler for Outdoor Kitchen
When it comes to the overall best drop in cooler for outdoor kitchen… It’s a bit of a tough choice!
In all honesty, most of these drop-in ice buckets don’t have much difference between them.
So is there really a best option?
Well, there are a couple factors at play here.
Desired size will narrow down your options… And we also suggest taking a look at warranty information.
The longer the warranty… The longer you can expect your drop in countertop cooler to last. In this regard, Coyote, RCS, BBQGuys, and Summerset will be your best bet. All of these cooler brands are backed by a lifetime warranty.
Another consideration is this: What brand of appliances are you going to be using in the rest of your outdoor kitchen?
While you could mix and match brands… Overall, it’s best to stick with one, cohesive line.
So if you’re already getting a Coyote or Lynx grill… You might as well continue with that brand!
But of course, that’s not the only consideration.
Considerations Before You Buy a Drop In Cooler
Outdoor Kitchen Cooler Drain
First, let’s talk about drop in cooler drains.
When you’re done hosting a BBQ party… Drop in coolers have drain plugs to easily empty the melted ice water. Simply reach in from the top, pull out the plug, and the water will drain from the bottom.
Of course, since the cooler is built into the top of a BBQ island, the water will drain out into the frame of your outdoor kitchen.
Now, if you have a concrete, brick, stone, or cinder block outdoor kitchen… This won’t be an issue! These materials are all impervious to water damage.
But if you have an outdoor kitchen with a wood or metal frame… This isn’t ideal.
If a wood frame is exposed to water… It runs the risk of warping, swelling, rotting, or molding.
And moisture will make a metal frame more prone to rust and corrosion… So with either of these outdoor kitchen materials , the integrity of your island may be jeopardized!
The optimal solution would be building an outdoor kitchen with water resistant materials (stay tuned for a fantastic, durable outdoor kitchen recommendation)!
But still, there’s another workaround here.
Some drop in coolers can be used with drain line attachments to funnel the water away from your kitchen island.
So, if you have a metal outdoor kitchen frame (or simply want to drain water away from your patio )… Then you should consider searching for drop in coolers with a drain line attachment included, or be prepared to make your own.
We don’t have to tell you that electricity and water don’t mix… So you should also absolutely include a drop in cooler drain line if you have any electric appliances in your kitchen island. This will eliminate any potential safety hazards!
Outdoor Kitchen Ice Bin Material
You’ll want your drop in cooler to last… So it’s important to select one that’s made of heavy duty materials.
For all outdoor appliances, we like to see full 304 stainless steel construction. It’s highly durable, and not easily susceptible to rust or corrosion, no matter the environment! (Thankfully, nearly all the coolers mentioned in this blog are 304 grade!)
For drop in coolers specifically, confirming material durability is especially important.
Not only will the exterior lid be in contact with the elements… But the interior of a drop in cooler will be frequently exposed to moisture.
If the build quality isn’t up to snuff, it will rust and corrode, both inside and out.
To avoid this, it’s vital to confirm that you’re investing in a high quality drop in cooler.
Outdoor Kitchen Ice Chest Size
The size of your drop in cooler is another important consideration to keep in mind.
Are you simply looking for a small space to hold a few cans?
Or, do you need an extra tall drop in cooler for chilling multiple wine bottles?
The dimensions of your drop in cooler are dependent on how many people you plan on hosting, what you intend to use it for, and how much you plan on storing.
If you’re unsure about size… It’s always better to opt for a larger cooler!
Outdoor Kitchen Ice Cooler Lid
Lastly, you should think about what type of lid you want on your drop in cooler.
Most commonly, you’ll see drop in cooler lids that lift up via a raised handle, and rest on a hinge so you can easily leave them open.
However, there are some drop in coolers with fully removable lids, lids that slide out, and even lids with indented handles. Point is, there’s a decent amount of variation here!
All in all, the lid won’t significantly impact your drop in cooler’s functionality… But it may play a role in helping you determine which is best for you.
Considerations aside… Have you also decided on how you’re going to build your outdoor kitchen?
An Easy Outdoor Kitchen with Cooler Solution
A drop in cooler is an incredibly simple way to bring outdoor refrigeration to your outdoor living space!
An ice chest will help you get the most out of your outdoor kitchen… But truthfully, your cooler is only as good as the kitchen you’ll place it in.
When you get a Coyote drop in cooler, you have a slight advantage…
You can easily pair Coyote’s ice bin with an RTA outdoor kitchen!
RTA is one of the most convenient outdoor kitchen solutions out there.
You’ll simply use our free online design tool to choose your desired layout, dimensions, and finish…
Factor Coyote’s drop in cooler into your design (along with any other appliances you want, such as a built in gas grill, an outdoor sink with faucet, pellet grill, charcoal grill, side burner, refreshment center, a kamado grill, a pizza oven… You get the idea!)
You can even choose to add an outdoor bar center to make your grill island an all in one spot for hosting!
And once your kitchen is designed and shipped directly to you… It takes only a few hours and a couple pairs of hands to fully set up.
Since you know your Coyote outdoor kitchen cooler insert will last a lifetime (the same goes for Coyote’s other appliances, too)… You’ll want your grill station to last for years to come, as well!
This isn’t a concern when you take the RTA route. Our kitchens are made with high performance concrete panels, rated for 100 years, and backed by a lifetime warranty.
This means there’s no need to worry about water damage when it comes time to drain your cooler! Our kitchens are impervious to rust, corrosion, warping, rotting, and other common structural concerns.
If this all sounds good to you… You can visit our Learning Hub for everything you need to know about designing your very own custom outdoor kitchen.
And when you’re ready to start planning, we’ll be here to help you get started!
