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Gas BBQ side burner vs side table

Updated: 23 October 2026

Listing photos make a fold-down wing and a gas ring look like the same upgrade. Gas BBQ side burner vs side table is the short answer: a side burner is a gas hob for a pan, and a side table is a shelf for the pan, the tongs, or the sauce bottle. They are not the same product, and only the first belongs in this comparison. The [gas BBQ with side burner comparison](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/gas-bbq-with-side-burner) keeps seven wheeled carts that print a real side ring. Peter F. edits DIY and tools at Products Compared. Updated 23 October 2026. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Listing photos make a fold-down wing and a gas ring look like the same upgrade.

Our top picks

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe 6+1 with cover

Best overall

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe 6+1 with cover
8.9/10about £299.99
View offer
CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Original 4+1

Rank 2

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Original 4+1
9.2/10about £199.99
View offer
BROILUCK BROILUCK 2+1

Best value

BROILUCK BROILUCK 2+1
6.8/10about £89.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Side burner versus side table in one sentence
  2. 2.How to read the product page
  3. 3.What this comparison excluded
  4. 4.Who should choose which

Side burner versus side table in one sentence

A side burner connects to the same LPG supply as the main grill and puts a flame under a pot. A side table is a flat surface, fixed or folding, with no burner ports. The ring is for onions, sauces, or a kettle. The shelf parks tools. Gardeners' World draws the same split. A cold side-burner lid can look like a shelf when the flame is off. It is still a burner. A charcoal wing is a shelf, not an LPG ring. If you only need space for a tray, a side table on a different product is enough. If you want simmered onions beside the grate, you need the ring.

How to read the product page

Start with the specification block, not the hero image. Kept listings print a side-burner count of 1, or a bullet such as 2.1 kW or 2.5 kW beside four or six mains. 4+1 or 6+1 means mains plus that ring. Side tables, side shelves, or fold-down wings, with no side-burner count, are prep space. Weber UK sells detachable side table kits for the Q series. Those kits are shelves. A Q 1200N style listing with side tables and one main burner is a compact grill with wings, not a side-burner cart. A cart can still have a real ring and ship without a hose. All seven rows in this set do that on the included line.
CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe 6+1 with cover

Testsieger

CosmoGrill CosmoGrill Pro Deluxe 6+1 with cover
8.9/10about £299.99
View offer

What this comparison excluded

This category rejected products that fail the ring test. The Weber Q 1200N style case has side tables and one burner. That can be useful for some cooks, and it is the wrong product for a side-burner comparison. Rows without a side-burner count were left out for the same reason. Charcoal barbecues with side shelves were never candidates. A shelf beside charcoal is still a shelf. Those rejected files are not buys on this page. If you want a portable one-burner with wings, shop that form on its own terms. If you want charcoal with prep space, buy charcoal. If you want a gas ring beside the grate, stay with listings that print the ring. Burner count among kept carts, four mains versus six with the side ring held constant, sits on 4+1 vs 6+1 gas BBQ.

Who should choose which

Choose a side burner when you regularly cook a pan outdoors: onions, a sauce, water for corn, or a breakfast pan. The ring adds width, cost, and another joint to soap-test, and UK reviews often call side-burner assembly the fiddly step. Budget for a hose and regulator unless the listing packs them. Choose a side table when prep space is the whole need and sauces finish indoors. Many side burners stay fixed and keep the cart wide. A shelf can fold. Neither replaces a kitchen hob, and neither excuses balcony use where London Fire Brigade advises against barbecues. Skip a hybrid you will never light. Lighting a real ring is on how to light a gas BBQ side burner.

Common questions

What is the difference between a side burner and a side table?
A side burner is a gas ring for a pan. A side table is a shelf for prep or resting tools. Only the ring belongs in a gas BBQ with side burner comparison.
Does 4+1 mean four burners plus a shelf?
No. It means four main burners plus one side gas ring. A shelf does not earn the +1 in this vocabulary.
Why was a Weber Q with side tables not kept in this comparison?
Because side tables plus one main burner are not a side-burner cart. That form is a different product, even when the photo looks busy.
Is a charcoal BBQ side shelf the same as a gas side burner?
No. A charcoal side shelf is prep space beside charcoal. It has no LPG ring and is outside this category.
When is a side table enough?
When you only need somewhere to park a tray or tongs and you will cook sides indoors. If you want flame under a pan outdoors, buy the ring.
Does a side burner replace a kitchen hob?
No. It is an outdoor accessory for barbecue sides. Daily indoor cooking stays on a proper hob, and outdoor gas still needs a safe site and a soap-tested hose.
Will a side burner always fold down for storage?
Often not. Many side burners are fixed and keep the cart wide. Fold-down behaviour is more common on side tables. Check the listing before you assume storage depth.
Should I buy a hybrid just for a side shelf?
Not if the side burner is the expensive feature and you will never light it. Buy the form that matches the job, or a simpler shelf cart, rather than paying for an unused ring.

Related pages

Gas BBQ with side burner buying guide

Best gas BBQ with side burner

Gas BBQ with side burner

4+1 vs 6+1 gas BBQ with the side ring held constant

How to light a gas BBQ side burner outdoors safely

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these ASINs. Retrieved 22 October 2026.

  1. NHS: carbon monoxide poisoning (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. London Fire Brigade: barbecues (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. GOV.UK: fire safety outdoors (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. BSI: BS EN 498:2012 outdoor LPG barbecues (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. BS EN 484:2019 side burner of a barbecue (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Liquid Gas UK: Consumer Guidance Sheet 39 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. Calor: gas bottle sizes (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. BBC Gardeners’ World: best gas BBQs, 2026 (retrieved 22 October 2026)