Arteflame Grills: A Guide to Center-Lit Cooking
Arteflame grills look different from anything else in an outdoor kitchen lineup — and they cook differently too. Here's what the center-lit design actually does, and what to expect from one.
The Story Behind Arteflame
Arteflame was founded by Michiel and Jennifer out of their home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, built around a simple idea: bring people together through food, fire, and conversation. Each grill is hand-crafted in the USA from heavy steel that develops its own natural patina over years of use, turning a cookout into a centerpiece rather than just an appliance.
How Center-Lit Cooking Works
- Live-fire cooktop, built for the whole meal. A flat steel cooktop with graduated heat zones lets you sear, sauté, and keep food warm all at once, while the center grate tops 1,000°F for true steakhouse searing.
- Hand-built from steel. Every grill is made by hand from steel designed to age into a unique patina, not rust out — built to be handed down, not replaced.
- Grill, griddle, and fire pit in one. Once the cooking's done, Arteflame doubles as a fire pit — the same steel top that seared dinner becomes the gathering spot for the rest of the night.
“I love this grill — it's made of half-inch carbon steel and corten 'weathering' steel with a cooktop that heats from the center out.”
“One of the grills we love — COR-TEN steel construction, no flare-ups, built to be the centerpiece of the cookout.”
Platinum Series vs. XXL
Arteflame's 40″ grills come in two main lines: the Platinum Series, the brand's standard center-lit design, and the XXL, built with an extra-large cooking surface for bigger gatherings. Both are available on a few different base styles — Classic Storage, Euro, and High Round/Euro bases — so the choice mostly comes down to cooking capacity and how you want the base to look and function in your space.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a center-lit grill, exactly?
Instead of a grate directly over a burner or coal bed, Arteflame lights a fire in a center well and cooks on a surrounding flat steel cooktop, with heat radiating outward in graduated zones — hottest at the center grate, cooler toward the edges. It works more like a plancha-meets-fire-pit than a traditional grill.
Does the steel rust?
The steel is designed to develop a natural patina over time rather than rust through — that darkened, weathered look is expected and part of how the grill is meant to age, not a sign of damage.
Can you cook directly on it like a griddle?
Yes — the flat cooktop functions like a griddle across most of its surface, with the hottest center section reserved for direct searing.
What fuel does an Arteflame use?
Arteflame grills are wood or charcoal-fired, lit in the center well — there's no gas or electric version, which is part of what gives the cooktop its heat profile.