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If you’ve been around kitchens in your lifetime, odds are you’ve heard of the Viking brand. When it comes to cooking appliances they are the best of the best – but did you know that Viking also has a line of high-end grills that can really take your outdoor kitchen to the next level?
Viking’s Professional 5 Series grills are some of the best high-end units you can buy. You are essentially investing in a mobile kitchen on wheels, with some of the most beneficial features available for outdoor grilling.
As you will soon discover, these premium grills are ideal for serving multiple people at once. The total grilling surface area that these units provide is more than enough to ensure that you have the space needed to accommodate your guests.
As premium grills, Viking’s Professional 5 Series units are rather pricey, so be ready to shell out some serious dough if you want one in your backyard. With that said, you’re getting some of the very best in grilling excellence.
So, what is it that makes Viking grills such highly-revered units? Let’s explore each entry below to find out.
Viking Grill Reviews
Viking Professional 5 Series 36-Inch On Cart Grill
The 36-inch Viking Professional 5 Series 36-Inch Grill is a cook’s dream come true. This heavy-duty grill comes in a built-in configuration or equipped with a cart that has two swing-out doors for easy access and extra storage space. We love the premium magnetic latches on these doors, as they provide a secure, satisfying latch when closed.
Every component comes together to bring you a grilling experience that few others can replicate. Made from high-grade 304 stainless steel, the Viking 5 Series 36-Inch is beautiful to behold and will fit in nicely in any environment. Whether on your deck, patio, or buy your pool, Viking delivers a stunning unit that is sure to impress.
It’s like having a high-end outdoor oven range. What’s more, every part of the stainless steel body is welded together with precision. Not only does it look professional, but the tight welding ensures that there are no gaps for grease to drip into. This helps keep your investment looking great and easy to clean.
Inside of the doors is removable condiment shelves that glide effortlessly on commercial-grade casters. The VQGFS536 is truly a well-made and meticulously designed grill.
Under the hood is where the magic happens, with Viking delivering reliable performance throughout. You get an adjustable 14,000-BTU dual-infrared ProSear burner that ensures you get the perfect sear every time. Thanks to its adjustability, you can turn down the heat when cooking delicate items.
Also under the hood are two 23,000-BTU cast-brass burners that deliver superb heat retention. As such, lifting the hood to check on your food throughout the grilling process won’t affect the temperature within.
Thanks to three propane-fueled burners, you get a combined 73,000 BTUs to assist you in cooking the perfect meal. That’s one hot grilling surface and one that ensures evenly cooked foods every time. Equally impressive is the huge cooking surface that you get with this grill.
In total, there are 935 square inches of cooking space to work with: 640 square inches of primary cooking surface and 295 square inches on the warming rack. That’s a lot of grill estate that you’ll have at your fingertips. But what if you need even more room?
Simply turn to the included three-speed rotisserie and smoker box for even more cooking options. If you often host get-togethers with a lot of guests, you will find the VQGFS5361LSS to offer more than enough room to satisfy your cooking needs.
Moreover, Viking built this grill to function at night just as well as during the day. Thanks to the inclusion of internal halogen night lights, you can clearly see what you’re doing, even if you don’t have your own secondary light source.
We found this to work wonders in low-light conditions, ensuring that you have ample lighting to provide a safe grilling experience. Combined with the generous amount of cooking area you get with the VQGFS5361LSS, it is the total package in outdoor grilling.
To cement this legendary grill, Viking included a beautiful control interface. It’s a cinch to operate, with blue LED lighting that illuminates the knobs. Moreover, the hood is equipped with a built-in temperature gauge that keeps you apprised of the heat level.
We appreciate the lift assist feature on the hood, as well. The stainless steel heat-retentive hood is mighty heavy. But thanks to the left assist feature, the hood opens and closes with minimal effort.
And although the VQGFS5361LSS is extremely heavy, its premium casters make it easy to move around. That said, you’ll want an extra set or two of hands to assist you in assembling the grill. But once you have it all put together, the casters take care of the rest.
Other nice touches include removable shelving. As we discussed a moment ago, the shelves behind the swing-out doors slide out easily. But you can also take them out completely to free up more storage space beneath the grill.
As a propane or natural gas powered grill, Viking’s VQGFS5361LSS is easily one of the best that we’ve had the pleasure of trying. Premium construction is present throughout, ensuring that you’re investing in a grill that is built to last.
Its stainless steel design further ensures that this grill will withstand the outdoor environment for which it was intended. The VQGFS5361LSS is expensive, but you have to consider what a complete grill you are getting for your money.
This is essentially a high-end outdoor kitchen on wheels, giving you all of the tools you need to provide your guests with exceptionally-made food.
Weight: Freestanding – 403 pounds, Built-in – 278 pounds
Fuel Type: Propane or Natural Gas
Best Features:
- 935 square inches of cooking surface
- Ceramic radiant briquettes
- Illuminated control panel
- Halogen “night lights”
- Premium smoker box
- Cast brass burners
- 3-speed rotisserie
Viking Professional 5 Series – Built-in 42-Inch Gas Grill
Built with the same excellence as that found in other Professional 5 Series grills, Viking once again delivers a heavyweight contender that is sure to fulfill your grilling needs. The biggest difference here is the incredible cooking surface that you get with the VQGI5421NSS, and that this is also a built-in grill (but it does come in a freestanding configuration).
Whereas the other models reviewed here provide plenty of cooking area in their own right, the VQGI5421NSS trumps them all with an impressive 1,200 total square inches of cooking surface. Thanks to so much space to work with, you can easily accommodate all of your guests without issue.
The VQGI5421NSS is perfect for hosting large parties, as you will find that the 1,200 square inches enable you to prepare huge portions of food in record time. Couple the cooking surface with the searing power of an infrared ProSear burner, and you’ve got a professional-grade mobile kitchen that provides a quality grilling experience.
In addition to the ProSear burner are two 23,000-BTU cast-brass burners. Each delivers excellent heat retention to help maintain your cooking temperature at all times. Even lifting the hood to check on your food will keep the temperature virtually the same.
The three natural gas-fueled burners deliver a total of 73,000 BTUs for a grilling surface that stays hot for evenly-prepared food. The main cooking surface gives you 855 square inches, while the warming rack provides 345 square inches. Together, that’s a grand total of 1,200 square inches of cooking surface space.
We love the built-in ignition system that’s present on all Viking Professional 5 Series grills. You can look forward to fast heating that enables you to get to grilling in no time. Unlike other grills, you often have to wait around for your unit to get hot enough to use. Not so here. Everything works quickly, further improving the user experience.
Also present is a three-speed rotisserie and premium smoker box to assist you in crafting your meals. And if you’re hosting a get-together in the evening, you will appreciate the built-in halogen lights.
These internal night lights allow you to see the VQGI5421NSS even in dark environments. Not only do these lights make grilling easier, but safer, too. On the front of the unit is your user interface. The knobs let you adjust the temperature of your cooking surface and are easy to read.
What’s more, they are backlit with bright, blue LED lights for greater visibility. Viking’s lift-assisted hood makes a return, enabling you to easily raise and close the hood with minimal effort. Also on the hood is a built-in thermometer. With it, you can keep an eye on the internal temperature without having to lift the lid.
You can get the VQGI5421NSS Professional Series 5 grill for less than the VQGFS5361LSS. Although you are getting more cooking surfaces comparatively, you will need to have a natural gas source to power this model.
Other than these aspects, everything else is built to the same high precision you’ve come to expect from Viking. If you want one of the best grills available today, this is one investment you won’t regret.
Weight: Freestanding – 524 pounds, Built-in – 338 pounds
Fuel Type: Propane or Natural Gas
Best Features:
- 1,200 square inches of cooking surface
- Elite built-in grill
- Ceramic radiant briquettes
- Dual-position rotisserie
- Halogen “night lights”
- Built-in thermometer
- Lift assisted hood
- Premium smoker box
Viking Professional 5 Series 54-Inch Gas Grill
The pinnacle of outdoor grilling has got to be the Viking 5 Series 54-Inch lineup of grills. As with their other sizes, they offer both a built-in and a freestanding cart configuration to this grill.
Because of that, there is a significant price difference between other smaller models and this one. This grill simply is top of the line, has the prestigious Viking name, and has tons of features and cooking surface area to work with. As such, you’re getting a premium grilling experience that is sure to serve you and your guests well for years to come.
Returning is the dual-infrared ProSear burner (but this one has two rear infrared burners), allowing you to prepare a wider variety of foods with incredible heat. You can adjust these 14,000-BTU burners (so 28,000 BTUs total of infrared power) to perfectly cook dishes to your liking. This is needed for your more delicate items, adding greater versatility to the grill and the foods you prepare.
Also featured are the three 25,000-BTU burners made with cast-brass. As such, you’re getting superior heat retention, even if you lift the hood to check on the progress of your food. As with the previous entries, the included three burners brass burners plus a ProSear burner (so 4 burners total) pump out a combined 98,000 BTUs on the main grilling grate. In doing so, you are treated to incredible cooking power throughout the grilling surface.
The cooking surface here gives you 855 square inches on the primary grate while the warming rack provides an additional 345 square inches. In total, you get 1,200 square inches of cooking space to serve your guests.
The three-speed rotisserie is here again, as is the premium smoker box. Both provide you with even more ways to prepare your meals to perfection. Also here is the included halogen “night lights,” which provide ample lighting to see what you’re doing in safety.
The control knob interface on the front of the grill is backlit to allow you to adjust your temperature with precision. The Viking 5 Series 54-Inch is ideal for hosting large gatherings, whether at day, night, or both. Even if you don’t have your own light source, the halogen lighting does a fantastic job of keeping the grill lit so you can see what you’re doing.
And when you factor in the conveniences of this grill, such as the lift-assisted hood, built-in thermometer, premium casters, and spacious cooking area, Viking once again delivers a home run.
Weight: Freestanding – 627 pounds, Built-in – 421 pounds
Fuel Type: Propane or Natural Gas
Best Features:
- Dual-position rotisserie
- Internal halogen lights
- Built-in thermometer
- Backlit control panel
- Cast-brass burners
- Lift assisted hood
- Premium smoker box
Final Thoughts
Viking’s Professional 5 Series grills are the perfect elite solution for outdoor grilling. If you need the absolute largest cooking surface are possible, the 54-inch model will ensure that you can accommodate a considerable number of guests. It has all of the bells and whistles you could possibly want in an outdoor grill.
But if you don’t quite need all that space, the 36-inch counterpart performs just as well. And that’s why it earned our number-one spot. You’re still getting 935 square inches of total cooking surface and plenty of features to provide you with a complete grilling experience.
