Cook Outside in Style: Elements That’ll Benefit Your Outdoor Kitchen

When you live in a warm climate, cooking inside can sometimes become a bit dull. Being cooped up in the house while preparing meals, especially large ones, isn’t much fun. The heat and the smells can get intense and that might take all the fun out of cooking, making it a chore instead of a pleasurable, relaxing activity.

This is where outside kitchens come in, or rather, out! Fully functional, outdoor kitchens are an excellent way to bring your cooking outside without the need to run indoors every couple of minutes to grab something you’ve realised you need.

Equipped with everything you need to prepare tasty meals and amazing for entertaining, outdoor kitchens will both improve your quality of living as well as boost the value of your home.

There are a few elementary pieces you’ll need to make your outdoor kitchen usable and practical, everything else is just extra. There are a lot of quality outdoor kitchen products available so you can mix and match, or get a ready-made kitchen to install. Either way, here are some of the essentials you’ll definitely need.

Cooking Appliances

You have to have seen this one coming! Something to cook on is an obvious part of every kitchen, indoor and outdoor alike. What’s different when it comes to outdoor kitchens as compared to indoor ones is the fact that your cooking appliance doesn’t have to be a simple stove.

Sure, you can have a part that you use as a stove, but you can also have an amazing BBQ with a different number of burners, ready to grill the very best meats and vegetables you’ve ever had! Usually made of stainless steel, these BBQs are durable and can be built-in, making them easy to use, clean, and maintain.

Another thing you can include in your outdoor kitchen is a pizza oven! Wouldn’t that be amazing? Having your very own pizza oven will step your pizza game up like nothing else would! A specialised pizza oven will cook your pizza like a regular oven never could.

Easy to operate, as they usually run on gas, you’ll get a perfectly baked, crispy-crusted pizza in a manner of minutes! Everyone loves pizza, so having an outdoor pizza oven can turn making pizza into a fun family activity where everyone can contribute!

Lastly, we’d like to shine a light on smokers. There’s absolutely nothing that’s as mouth-watering as the smell of smoked meat. Instead of buying, why not add a smoker to your outdoor kitchen and prepare your very own? Fresh is always better, anyway! Smokers can run on pellets, electricity or gas, and each option has its own benefits, so look into them to decide which would suit you best!

Storage

Since your outdoor kitchen is meant to be in the centre of every gathering, running inside for spoons, forks, condiments, or something to drink is definitely out of the question! That’s why you need good storage!

Starting with some storage elements with drawers for utensils and cupboards for plates, pans, and everything else is a good idea. Many of the BBQs come with storage space already built-in, so if you’re getting one of those, you’ll instantly need to invest less in additional storage space.

Think of all the things a kitchen needs, especially one used for special occasions and cooking group meals and plan your storage space accordingly. There are specialized storing cabinets as part of outdoor kitchen products, designed to free you of worries like durability and functionality. Usually made of high-grade materials that prevent rust and decay, your storing cabinets can match your other appliances or spice things up while still maintaining their original purpose and usefulness.

Next up, it’s smart to add a fridge out there as well! You can select a bar fridge, beverage fridge, or specialized wine fridge, though they can be used for storing anything you might need for cooking, too! These outdoor fridges, like everything else in the outdoor kitchen repertoire, are made of stainless steel and can be of varying sizes, depending on what you need. Instead of rushing in to grab a beer or a bottle of wine, you can have everything at arms reach!

Furniture

To round everything up, you’ll definitely need some nice, outdoor-friendly furniture.

It’s best if you buy the furniture from the same retailer you’re buying appliances from (if they carry it), as that way you can be sure of its quality. If they don’t carry it, look for furniture that’s specifically labelled for outside use.

Outdoor furniture has to be made with different materials and coatings than indoor furniture, as the elements can have quite the effect on things that are not properly prepared to be outside.

However, this doesn’t mean a stainless steel table and uncomfortable, plastic chairs! Outdoor kitchen furniture can be durable without compromising the style!

Intricate iron designs, glass tabletops, specially-treated wood, marble, stone, it’s all fair game. You can have your outdoor dining area look amazing with little effort. Outdoor dining furniture is just as common as indoor dining furniture, so you’ll easily find what you need, and in various styles.

If your chairs aren’t made of waterproof material, consider adding waterproof covers so they’ll be protected. Such covers can spice everything up, adding a pop of colour to the whole area, or can go with the flow and remain neutral. It’s all up to you.

This whole process is just like interior design, only you’re doing it outside!

To Sum Up

Outdoor kitchens are so in right now, when you get one, you’ll immediately understand why! Having the luxury to host amazing dinner parties or prepare meals with the family without having to worry about space is an experience you won’t want to live without!

No matter which items you decide to put in your outdoor kitchen, make sure they’re made from quality materials that will last. A stainless steel outdoor kitchen is your best bet, as it will be easy to maintain and clean, no matter what happens.

Look around at everything that’s available and create your custom outdoor kitchen, or go for a package that includes all the essentials, and more! Either way, we’re sure you’ll be glad you’ve invested in this new living space!