FAQs

Here are quick answers, but if you’re thinking about a Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet product and wondering anything at all, please contact us.

Questions about Ordering

Q. Will you make custom grilling surfaces for a grill I currently own?

A. Unfortunately, we do not make surfaces for non-Kalamazoo products. Our custom surfaces are made exclusively for our grills.

Q. Where are your grills manufactured?

A. All of our grills, cabinets and pizza ovens are built to order at our plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Q. Where can I see your products?

A. Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet has a select network of authorized Dealers with product showrooms throughout the US. Locate a showroom. Potential customers can also visit our plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan, or our offices in Chicago—by appointment only. Please call +1 800.868.1699 or fill out our online form to make an appointment.

Q. Are your grills available for restaurants and commercial use?

A. Our products are designed for residential outdoor use only.

Q. Can I use your grills, pizza ovens or refrigeration units indoors?

A. No. Our products are built and tested for outdoor use only.

Q. Can I order products for future delivery?

A. On orders for which the client wishes to lock in a ship date beyond six months in the future, Kalamazoo will accept an order deposit. This deposit will hold pricing on the listed items for six months from the sales order date. Beyond six months, prices are subject to change. The ship date will remain guaranteed as long as the requested ship-by-date is unchanged and the order is paid-in-full before that date. Fabrication for orders is not begun until the ship date approaches. If a product or model is discontinued before the fabrication date for this order, Kalamazoo will substitute a new product of equal or greater performance and quality. This will be communicated with you directly. An updated kitchen drawing will be provided if applicable.

Questions about Products

Already own a Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet product? Here are common questions, and troubleshooting guides. You can always call and ask for help.

NOTE: Please read your user manual before using your grill, pizza oven, refrigeration unit or other Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet products. Follow all safety instructions contained in your manual.

Q. How do I season my laser-cut grilling surfaces?

A. Before using your custom laser-cut grilling surfaces for the first time, they need to be seasoned with oil. The concept is very similar to caring for cast iron cookware.

Remove the cold surfaces from your grill and use a cloth rag to wipe vegetable oil over the entire surface of each. Place the surfaces back into the grill. Light the grill and run all main burners on HIGH for about 20 minutes. The goal is to turn the surfaces brown. The more you use your grill, the more thoroughly seasoned your surfaces will become. Ideally you want your surfaces to become black and remain that way. You can re-season your surfaces at any time.

Q. How do I clean my grill?

A. The most difficult part of cleaning your grill is removing the burnt-on food and grease. Start by using a citrus-based or organic degreaser to remove everything that isn't burnt on. Next, we recommend using powdered Bar Keepers Friend with a jersey knit rag. Be careful to follow the grain direction of the stainless steel to avoid scratches. With a little elbow grease, Bar Keepers Friend will remove most stains and discoloration. For real problem areas, a Scratch-B-Gone kit can be used to restore the factory finish. After these steps, rinse off all cleaners, wait for the grill to dry, and then apply stainless steel polish.

Q. Should I cover my grill?

A. Keeping your grill and pizza oven covered when not in use will help keep them clean, but it is not necessary to do so. Kalamazoo products are built to withstand the elements. Refrigeration should never be covered.

Q. What do I need to do with my refrigeration in the winter?

A. Kalamazoo outdoor refrigerators should simply be switched off when winter comes. It is a good idea to give units a thorough cleaning and a good dose of stainless steel polish, but they do not need to be moved indoors and they should not be covered. Any refrigeration with fluid lines (such as ice makers and keg tappers) need to be winterized.

Q. What do I need to do with my dishwasher in the winter?

A. Kalamazoo outdoor dishwashers have a pre-programmed winterization cycle accessed via the control panel that drains all water from the system. Follow the user's manual instructions. A separate cycle is activated for springtime startup.

NOTE: As of 2016 we no longer sell outdoor dishwashers.

Q. Why is the starter/igniter not working?

A. The electronic spark ignition system is powered by batteries. When the batteries run low, the rate of the clicking noise will become noticeably slower. When this happens, or if you hear no clicking at all, it is time to replace the batteries. On grills, your ignition module is located inside the grill cabinet and, depending on your grill model, you may have one or two modules, each with a 9-volt battery. Unscrew the round cap, remove and replace the 9-volt battery, and screw the cap back on the module. On pizza ovens, your battery can be accessed by unscrewing the ignition button. Pizza oven ignition systems use a single AAA battery.

Q. Why does the burner have a low or intermittent flame or sometimes have very low heat?

A. If your product is connected to a 20-pound liquid propane tank, your pressure regulator's safety device may have been activated. The safety device, which is built into the pressure regulator, is designed to sense unrestricted gas flow, which could be caused by a severed gas line or other safety issue. The safety device can be inadvertently triggered by opening the valve on the propane tank too far or too quickly when lighting the grill. If you experience very low heat when trying to use your grill, you may have triggered the safety device. This can usually be avoided by opening the tank valve only ¼ turn when lighting the grill. This may provide all the gas you need for cooking, but if you need more gas for a higher flame, open the tank further, one quarter turn at a time, until you feel the flame is right. When you do trigger the safety device, turn off the tank valve and disconnect the tank. After five minutes, reconnect and try again, following the advice above for avoiding the problem.

20-pound liquid propane tanks are also prone to freezing — especially when they are nearly empty or in extremely cold conditions. If your propane tank has iced over, the pressure will drop dramatically, and your grill or pizza oven will not function properly.

Products connected to a natural gas supply may not be receiving the appropriate pressure or amount of gas. Other appliances connected to the same gas supply may reduce the amount of gas available when they are in operation. The length of the gas piping and the diameter of the pipes can both limit the amount of gas available to your equipment. A certified plumber or pipefitter can determine the pipe diameter needed for the total BTU demand of your system.

Q. Can stainless steel rust?

A. In short, yes. Stainless steel is corrosion-resistant, but it is not rust proof. Oceanfront environments with salt air and sea spray will require regular maintenance and cleaning to prevent rust. Clean stainless steel surfaces at least two times a month to keep the chemical reaction from the salt from gaining a foothold on your equipment. With regular cleaning, your equipment will look like new for a lifetime. To achieve maximum corrosion and stain resistance, the surface of the stainless steel must be kept clean. Should some rust spots occur, they can be easily removed with Bar Keepers Friend. 

Q. Why Maintenance and Cleaning are Necessary

A. Surface contamination and the formation of deposits are critical factors which may lead to drastically reduced life. These contaminants may be minute particles of iron or rust from other non-stainless steels used in nearby construction and not subsequently removed. Industrial, commercial and even domestic and naturally occurring atmospheric conditions can result in deposits which can be quite corrosive. An example is salt deposits from marine conditions. 

Working environments can also create more aggressive conditions, such as the warm, high humidity atmosphere above indoor swimming pools. This particular environment has in a small number of instances been found to be highly aggressive, requiring more frequent maintenance. We recommend you seek a specialist’s advice.  

There are many proprietary cleaners, sterilizers and bleachers available. If labelled for use with stainless steel, and used following manufacturer’s instructions, they should be safe. If used incorrectly—for example, used on warm surfaces or in high concentrations—they may discolor or corrode the surface of stainless steel.

Questions about International Ordering

Kalamazoo happily sells to customers outside of the 50 United States. However, at this time, orders cannot be processed online. Contact us directly and our design specialists and sales team will help.

Q. How do I place an order if I live outside the United States?

A. If you live outside of the United States you can place an order by contacting Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet directly at +1 800.868.1699 ext 1, M-F, 8am-5pm CST. Unfortunately we do not process international orders online at this time. Prices, product availability and shipping options vary by region. Your Kalamazoo representative will be able to assist you with your purchase.

Q. Which products are certified for use in my country?

A. Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet cooking products are laboratory-tested and certified for sale and use in North America (the United States of America, Canada and Mexico and bear the ETL mark to indicate they comply with CSA standards.

Refrigeration products are laboratory-tested and certified for sale in the United States and bear the UL mark. Outdoor kitchen cabinetry does not require certification in most countries. New certifications are frequently underway. Please contact us with any questions or suggestions regarding future product certifications.

Q. What are my options if I want to buy something that isn’t certified for use in my country?

A. Subject to your local governance, you may be able to legally import our products for your personal use, but it is your responsibility to understand your country’s importation laws and what allowances they make for personal use of these types of products. Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet reserves the right to refuse any order.

Q. What forms of payment do you accept and what are your terms?

A: Payment is required in United States Dollars (USD) via wire transfer at the time of order. For larger orders, we may request a 50% deposit to confirm the order for production. In these instances, the balance is due before shipment.

You are responsible for all currency exchange costs, delivery charges, taxes, duties and other importation fees. Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet does not accept returns on international orders.

Q. How do you ship your products and who is responsible for customs, duties, taxes and fees?

A. For international orders, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet packages products in reinforced, international crating.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet recommends clients work with an international freight forwarder and customs broker for all personal use imports into other countries. If you do not have a freight forwarder to work with, Estes Forwarding Worldwide provides these services directly to clients in many countries.

Under certain circumstances, we can use a third-party shipping company to have your order shipped via ocean or air freight to the address you provide (see above regarding purchasing certified products). In these situations, you are responsible for delivery arrangements, customs, duties, taxes and any other delivery and importation fees. Clients may arrange to have their orders picked up at our Michigan factory by their freight forwarder, or we can deliver orders to the freight forwarder facility in the continental 48 United States (taxes and delivery charges will apply).

International orders of non-certified products are sold “x-works”, and you are responsible for transportation from our Michigan factory (including delivery arrangements, customs, duties, taxes and any other delivery and import fees).

Q. How do I become a dealer/distributor of your products in my country?

A. We have a limited distribution model. If you would like to explore becoming a dealer or distributor for Kalamazoo products, please contact us.