Fire Magic Echelon E540d No Hood Drop In Grill: an open grill for cooking with guests
The Fire Magic Echelon E540d No Hood Drop In Grill is a 30 inch drop in gas grill with no hood, an open flat top grill for cooking in front of your guests. Drop in means it lowers into an opening in the countertop from above and hangs from its rim, so it sits low and flush in the island. With no hood it stands only a couple of inches above the counter. It suits hosts grilling steaks, burgers, vegetables, and kebabs. Fire Magic builds it in the USA from 304 stainless steel, the grade that holds up best outdoors. Stainless steel tube burners give 54,000 BTUs. It gives you about 540 square inches of cooking space.
The grates are Diamond Sear grids, thick stainless steel bars with a flat top for clean sear marks. Without a lid you cannot roast or hold heat, so it is a grill for direct cooking. It lights with an electric spark, so plan for an outlet in the island. The control panel has the black glass trim of the Echelon line. On the page you pick natural gas or propane, and it comes built for that gas. Want a lid and lights? See the Fire Magic Echelon E540d Drop In Grill with Hood. The Fire Magic Echelon E540d No Hood Drop In Grill ships free from My Cozy Outdoors with No Sales Tax (except WY) and the full manufacturer warranty.
Specifications
SKU: E540D-0T0N | E540D-0T0P
- Cooking Area: 30″w x 18″d (540 sq. in.)
- Main burners: 54,000 BTU’s
- Cut-out Size: 41 1/2″w x 20 1/2″d x 18″h
FAQ
Why choose a grill without a hood?
The hoodless E540d is a flat-top gas grill for open, interactive cooking: nothing blocks the view of the grid, guests can gather around it, and the low profile drops almost flush into the counter. The trade-off is no lid for roasting or holding heat, so it suits direct grilling of steaks, burgers, vegetables and kebabs.
What size opening does the hoodless drop-in need?
The Specifications tab lists a 41 1/2 inch wide, 20 1/2 inch deep and 18 inch high opening, the same drop-in cutout as the hooded E540d, with the unit standing only about 2 1/2 inches above the counter per the Fire Magic spec guide. The guide’s own table shows 41 3/4 by 20 3/4 for this model, so confirm the quarter inch before cutting your countertop.
Does it need electricity?
Yes. The Key Features list electric spark ignition running on 110 to 120 volts, so plan a weatherproof GFCI outlet within reach of the enclosure. Without power the burners can be lit with a long match or lighter, as with the other Fire Magic gas grills.
How large is the cooking area?
The cooking area is 30 by 18 inches, or 540 square inches, over 304 stainless steel tube burners rated 54,000 BTUs in the Specifications tab, with a black glass accented control panel. Because there is no hood or warming rack, that grid is the entire cooking surface, which is generous for a table-style grill. See other gas grills here.
Is it made for natural gas or propane?
Both. Choose on the Gas Type selector before adding to cart; the Specifications tab lists E540D-0T0N for natural gas and E540D-0T0P for propane. Order the correct fuel from the start to avoid an orifice conversion, and if a propane cylinder will sit inside the island, plan the floor-level ventilation Fire Magic requires for propane.
Can I get the same grill with a hood?
Yes. Fire Magic offers the E540d drop-in with a sleek hood, analog thermometer and interior halogen lights as a separate listing. It uses the same drop-in installation and black glass control panel, so choose the hooded version if you want to roast or cook indirect, and this one for open flat-top grilling.