Outdoor kitchen with a motorised roof: how it works and 2026 prices

By Loris Reale, founder of Nox outdoor kitchens · Updated on 1 October 2026

An outdoor kitchen with a motorised roof is a complete summer kitchen whose roof opens and closes electrically to protect the cooking area, sink, refrigeration and storage from the weather. At Nox outdoor kitchens, the built-in motorised canopy equips the Nox Studio from 14 900 € incl. VAT, the Nox Terrace from 16 900 € incl. VAT and the Nox Pavillon from 19 900 € incl. VAT. The Nox Dark Loggia and Light Loggia, with a motorised lifting roof, come as a fixed package at 15 200 € incl. VAT and 15 900 € incl. VAT; all these prices exclude delivery, installation and crane lifting.

At a glance

• The roof closes over the whole kitchen: dust, leaves, wind and rain stay out.
• Five Nox models are motorised: three tall canopy models, 235 cm high, and two low Loggias, 112 cm high.
• Before installation: stable ground, a 3G2.5 mm electrical supply point, a water connection and a drain.
• Cleaning with a damp cloth; the structure is guaranteed for 10 years, the kitchen's electrical appliances for 2 years.
• A motorised pergola covers an area, table included; a motorised roof closes the kitchen itself.

What is an outdoor kitchen with a motorised roof?

It is an all-in-one outdoor kitchen delivered with its own roof: a motor opens it for cooking, then closes it over the appliances, with no cover to fit and no pergola to build around it. The protection is part of the unit: cooking, sink, refrigeration and storage are built in, ready to use from installation day. It is also known as a motorised outdoor kitchen or a kitchen with a motorised canopy.

Outdoor kitchen with a roof: fixed or motorised?

A fixed roof (a fixed awning, an open-sided shelter or a pergola with a solid roof) shelters the kitchen permanently but leaves it open at the sides. A motorised roof frees the worktop when you cook and closes the kitchen when it is not in use. It belongs to the family of the enclosed outdoor kitchen; our guide to the covered outdoor kitchen, for its part, compares every way of sheltering a kitchen.

How does the motorised canopy of an outdoor kitchen work?

The canopy is a structure built into the kitchen and driven by a motor: it opens to clear the worktop, then closes over all the appliances after the meal.

Tall canopy: Nox Studio, Terrace and Pavillon

Open, the canopy frees up working space overhead: an extractor hood, a TV or shelves sit above the worktop, depending on the model. Closed, it covers the whole kitchen. The usable internal width is 198 cm for the Studio, 251 cm for the Terrace and 319 cm for the Pavillon: this is what sets the number of cabinets and appliances.

Lifting roof: Nox Light Loggia and Dark Loggia

The Nox Light Loggia and the Nox Dark Loggia take a low format of 269 × 88.5 × 112 cm, with 251 cm of usable width. Their roof lifts for cooking and folds down to close: once closed, the Loggia becomes a low, compact volume. Their standard specification is offered as a fixed package.

How do you use a motorised outdoor kitchen day to day?

You open the roof, cook with the canopy open as you would on any summer kitchen, then close it once the barbecue is switched off and has cooled down: the appliances stay protected until the next meal.

• Cooking: all five motorised models come as standard with a 3-burner, 30-inch gas barbecue.
• Smoke: the Nox Terrace and the Nox Pavillon have an extractor hood as standard. On the Nox Studio, it can be added for 191.67 € excl. VAT, but the hood and the TV cannot be combined there: you choose one of the two.
• Refrigeration: 21-inch glass-door fridge on the Studio, the Terrace and the Loggias, 24-inch on the Pavillon.
• Multimedia: as options, a 32-inch TV, or 43-inch on the Pavillon and the Loggias, and a portable connected speaker.

On the Studio, the Terrace and the Pavillon, the usable width determines which options are possible, such as the dishwasher (690 € excl. VAT), to be confirmed in the configurator.

Which supplies should you plan for a kitchen with a motorised roof?

On installation day, three connection points must be ready on stable, level ground: an electrical junction box on 3G2.5 mm cable, a water connection and a drain.

• Electricity: the junction box ready and waiting, to be prepared before installation.
• Water: a Gardena-type connector (garden hose) or a G 1/2 male fitting, specifying cold or hot water.
• Drain: connected in Ø 40 mm to the trap outlet.
• Gas: the barbecue runs through an adaptor and a regulator connected to the bottle.

The installation flat fee, 690 € excl. VAT for about 4 hours, covers the water, drain and electrical connections, the travel of two installers and the connection hardware. The kitchen is installed with no foundations or masonry and is fixed to the ground by its four feet.

How do you look after an outdoor kitchen with a motorised roof?

A damp cloth is enough for everyday cleaning: the 304 stainless steel resists fingerprints, and the marine-grade PVDF coating is designed for UV, sea spray, rain and intense heat.

Closing the canopy after each use does the rest: dust, leaves and rain no longer settle on the worktop or the appliances. The structure (frame and cabinets) is guaranteed for 10 years, the kitchen's electrical appliances (fridge, dishwasher) for 2 years; optional branded appliances: manufacturer's warranty applies. The commitment is in writing and handed over with every kitchen.

Motorised roof, motorised pergola or awning: which should you choose?

The motorised roof closes the kitchen itself; the motorised pergola covers a wider area, table included; the retractable awning shades a strip in front of the house, without ever closing the kitchen.

Nox kitchen prices exclude delivery, installation and crane lifting.

When the pergola has the edge

If you want to shelter the table as much as the kitchen, the pergola remains the right answer. A Nox Nova S, delivered without a canopy, then slides underneath. Expect, however, two contacts, two installations, two warranties, and a kitchen open at the sides.

When the motorised roof wins

If you want a protected kitchen without building anything around it, the motorised roof wins: a single unit delivered, installed and guaranteed by the same contact, which closes over its appliances after every meal.

Torn between a built-in canopy and a pergola? A project manager compares the two with you during a discovery call, by video and with no commitment.

Do you need planning permission for a kitchen with a motorised roof?

Outside protected areas, no: up to 5 m² of footprint, a new construction is exempt from any formality, and the Nox models with a motorised canopy take up 2.11 to 3.35 m².

Article R421-9 of the French town planning code, on Légifrance, requires a prior declaration for a new free-standing construction with a footprint of more than 5 m² and up to 20 m². In a remarkable heritage site, near a historic monument or in a listed site, the threshold no longer applies and the declaration becomes the rule (R421-11). The same thresholds apply to a pergola, as the Service Public factsheet on pergolas, carports and shelters points out.

The two Loggias measure 269 × 88.5 cm on the ground. In every case, the local plan (PLU) can impose siting rules: check with the town hall before ordering.

Which mistakes should you avoid before ordering a kitchen with a motorised roof?

Costly mistakes mostly happen before installation: connection points not prepared, a kitchen pushed against the wall, access poorly assessed or usable width confused with overall width.

• Forgetting the connection points. A supply that is not ready on installation day can lead to extra costs and a postponed appointment.
• Pushing the kitchen against the wall. Leave at least 30 cm between the kitchen and the wall for access and maintenance.
• Confusing the widths. The Nox Terrace measures 285 cm overall for 251 cm of usable width: it is the usable width that sets the cabinets and appliances.
• Underestimating access. Delivery requires a driveable road accessible to a 19-tonne lorry, for a kitchen delivered in one piece weighing 400 to 1 050 kg depending on the model, in standard configuration. Crane lifting is confirmed after a site visit.

Which Nox model with a motorised roof should you choose?

The right model depends on the number of guests and the space available: Studio for 4 to 6 people, Terrace and Loggia for 6 to 8, Pavillon for 8 to 12.

Prices exclude delivery, installation and crane lifting. Weights in standard configuration.

• Nox Studio: sink, 30-inch barbecue, 21-inch glass-door fridge and shelves.
• Nox Terrace, the best-seller: the Studio's equipment, plus a 480 mm 3-drawer cabinet and an extractor hood.
• Nox Pavillon: 800 mm sink cabinet, 30″ 3-burner barbecue, two 480 mm 3-drawer cabinets, extractor hood and an electric wall cabinet.

In Six-Fours-les-Plages, access through the garden was impossible: the Pavillon was lifted by crane over the house, then set down to the centimetre on the terrace, facing the Mediterranean.

Our verdict

• If you entertain 4 to 6 people on a compact terrace, choose the Nox Studio.
• If you host 6 to 8 guests and want an extractor hood as standard, choose the Nox Terrace.
• If you host large gatherings, choose the Nox Pavillon.
• If you prefer a low volume that fades into the background once closed, choose a Loggia.
• If you already have a pergola, choose a Nova without a canopy.

How do delivery and installation work?

The kitchen arrives finished and inspected, in one piece: two Nox installers set it in place in a single day, by crane if access requires it, then connect it.

When access is direct, the kitchen is set in place without a crane; otherwise, the lifting is entrusted to a partner, Foselev or Mediaco.

Delivery is priced on the actual distance, per kilometre to the site, with a minimum charge of 190 € excl. VAT, in mainland France, Belgium and Switzerland.

Our house rule: we do not guarantee a lead time, we guarantee an installation date. The project manager gives you an installation window when the quote is approved, confirmed at least 15 days beforehand, and a 1 500 € booking deposit holds your slot. The quote is sent within 48 to 72 working hours after the configuration is submitted.

Is your site ready? Choose your installation slot as soon as you request your quote, then hold it after your call with a project manager.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an outdoor kitchen with a motorised roof cost?

At Nox outdoor kitchens, a kitchen with a built-in motorised canopy costs from 14 900 € incl. VAT (Nox Studio), 16 900 € incl. VAT (Nox Terrace) or 19 900 € incl. VAT (Nox Pavillon). The Loggias with a motorised lifting roof come as a fixed package: 15 200 € incl. VAT for the Dark Loggia, 15 900 € incl. VAT for the Light Loggia. Standard equipment included, excluding delivery, installation and crane lifting.

Can you cook with the roof open?

Yes, that is how it is meant to be used: you open the roof, cook, then close it once the barbecue is switched off and has cooled down. On the Nox Terrace and the Nox Pavillon, a standard extractor hood captures smoke and cooking smells under the canopy. On the Nox Studio, it is added in place of the TV, as these two items cannot be combined.

Do you need a prior declaration for a kitchen with a motorised roof?

Outside protected areas, no: under the French town planning code, a prior declaration applies above 5 m² of footprint (article R421-9), and the Nox Studio, Terrace and Pavillon take up 2.11, 2.66 and 3.35 m². In a remarkable heritage site, near a historic monument or in a listed site, the declaration becomes the rule. Also check the local plan (PLU) with the town hall.

Can you install a kitchen with a motorised roof on a roof terrace?

Yes, if the base is stable, level and accessible for lifting. In Neuilly-sur-Seine, a Nox Terrace was lifted by crane onto the roof terrace of a building, then installed by the Nox technicians. The Terrace weighs 850 kg in standard configuration: have the load capacity of the base checked by a building professional before ordering.

Where can you see a Nox kitchen with a motorised roof before buying?

The Nox outdoor kitchens head office is in Eyragues, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, and a kitchen can be viewed in the Var, by appointment. You can also see one at a dealer in the network, or configure it by video call with a project manager, with no commitment. Nox outdoor kitchens sells and delivers in mainland France, Belgium and Switzerland.

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