My philosophy is happy wife, happy life. Although, I do have concerns over getting a piece of equipment that has multiple pieces. It is like the days of the TV / DVD combos. Usually the DVD failed before the TV.

If the outdoor kitchen is designed so that items can easily be replaced if something fails then you have less worry. I know I go through grills about every 2-3 years. In this instance design is key.

If you are really sold on the big unit and it is servicable without having to replace the whole thing if part goes out, you could look at an extra side burner unit seperatly and have 2 of those. I think it is safe to say there will always be big units like that around. If there are only a handfull of options it is probably also safe to say a replacement unit as a whole would very likely have different dimensions which could be a real problem.

If I asked you to list multi-function devices that work better than the components individually do, wouldn't that be a pretty short list? I'm a dealer for 6-7 lines of outdoor appliances and I'm always looking for the new hotness. I haven't found any all-in-one solution worth getting. The side burner being really close to the grill *is* a valid concern. When we spec out kitchens for our clients we look at how one will actually cook in the space, which isn't really a concern for the manufacturers of a grill+everything else setup.

Here's the deal: people are always AMAZED at how quickly space disappears when putting together an outdoor kitchen. It sounds like you're looking to squeeze a lot of function into your kitchen. Find a supplier that actually helps with layout and design of your kitchen space to make sure you're not only getting the right products, but creating an outdoor kitchen you'll love using every single time.