Who Makes Kirkland Signature Gas Grills?

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Costco is a unique store, to say the least. It's filled to the brim with everything from highly-rated living room essentials to crave-worthy snacks, but its massive selection is only the tip of the iceberg. One of the major things that sets it apart from other retailers is its well-loved in-house brand, Kirkland Signature, which has developed a reputation for delivering the same quality as name-brand offerings at a much lower price. The origin of these items remains a bit mysterious because they all fall under the same label, but fans often speculate about the manufacturing companies that are actually making them behind the scenes. While there is little official information to confirm this theory, many retail sleuths believe that Nexgrill is behind Costco's gas grills. Looking at the evidence, it seems to add up.

This connection comes directly from the owner's manuals that come with Costco's Kirkland Signature grills. While the normal customer service number on the manual routes back to Costco, the number to call for missing parts or issues with assembly is the same one found on Nexgrill owner's manuals. While warranties are often written using similar language, the limited warranties for the Kirkland Signature grills and Nexgrill products are also almost exactly the same, including only slight variations that are pertinent to the specific model. If that isn't enough for you, give the Kirkland Signature 6-Burner Gas Grill and the Nexgrill 4-Burner Stainless Steel Propane Gas Grill with Side Burner a look side-by-side. There are obviously small differences in the design, but the overall look and shape of the parts are strikingly similar.

If you're interested in a Kirkland Signature gas grill, you have three options, and none of them are particularly cheap. The most affordable is the $899.99 Kirkland Signature 6-Burner Gas Grill, middle of the pack is the $1,999.99 Kirkland Signature Stone Island 7-Burner Gas Grill, and the most expensive is the $3,999.99 Kirkland Signature Stone Island 12-Burner Gas Grill. If we take the Nexgrill origin as gospel, this is a pretty penny to spend — Nexgrill isn't often considered one of the best grill brands for outdoor entertaining, but it's not the worst, either. Most of the brand's gas grills max out around $700, so it's usually seen as a good quality payoff for the price point. The stakes are upgraded with the Kirkland Signature line, though — these grills aren't intended for casual, occasional use, they're meant for customers who are building a luxury outdoor kitchen.

As far as the reviews from customers who have tried out the Kirkland Signature products, things are looking pretty good. All three grills have an average rating of 4 stars or higher, and many customers seem to be happy with their investment. Those who weren't, however, had quite a bit to say. Difficult assembly and delivery were big talking points, as was the overall quality of the grills. Several customers had issues with the burners right out of the box, while others shared that they noticed the development of rust soon after purchase. Of course, the negative reviewers are simply a loud minority given the overall high ratings on these grills, but given their high price point, it does feel like a risky gamble.