What should an outdoor kitchen have

Besides keeping drinks chilled, another advantage is that you can store things like sides, vegetables and desserts, keeping them fresh until you need them. Last but not least, you will want to design a sink work area or some counter space into your dream outdoor kitchen. One of the most important constituents of any kitchen is workable counter space. You need sufficient room to prepare food before cooking and space to work.

Scrimping on the counter space could give you a lot of angst in the future. When it comes to counter space you can never really have too much.

One way to give yourself more space to work is to include a separate island in your outdoor kitchen. When it comes to selecting your countertops you have a many different choices. Ceramic tile is a cost effective option for anyone on a budget but a countertop made out of granite or soapstone will look beautiful and hold up to damage better. Countertop Options ordered from least expensive to most expensive.

The higher the price of a countertop, the more likely it is to stand up to the wear and tear that comes along with the elements. You may also find it easier to have a working outdoor sink to help with washing and preparing food. The two important ideas to remember when it comes to lighting for your outdoor kitchen are incorporating task lighting so you can see what you are cooking and also ambient lighting to create the right atmosphere.

You can build a big hearth, which exudes style and class, or your guests can gather around the soothing, flickering flames of a fire pit. On the other side of the spectrum a portable air cooler will be a plus in balmy and sometimes sweltering weather.

Your outdoor space can also be cooled with an outdoor fan. An immensely important part of any outdoor kitchen is added ventilation and insulation. Many people discount this small element but it could be the difference between a working outdoor kitchen and one that goes down in flames. Your grill should have a vent located in front of it or behind it to let out excess gas and prevent build up.

If your outdoor kitchen is located under a closed roof of some sort then you should definitely have a ventilation hood over it to take care of the smoke from the flames.

Insulation is just as critical, especially if there are combustible components such as wood in or around your outdoor kitchen. Delicious bacon, juicy hamburgers, crispy vegetables, and sizzling fajitas. Great for breakfast foods and hibachi style dishes. More and more people are using their outdoor kitchens to cook and enjoy breakfasts. With that in mind, planning is of the essence to ensure you stay within your budget.

Two of the important costs are assembly and maintenance. When it comes to assembly, you can either take the project on yourself and make it a DIY or hire someone. You may be able to save a little more money if you just cover a concrete patio that you already have! Maintenance is a cost that sneaks up on you. Adding a new room to your house with many electrical hook-ups will drive up costs and monthly bills.

Deciding if a backyard kitchen is worth it depends on a handful of things. Check out these amazing backyard ideas on a budget! The climate you live in can also be a major determinant. Those who live in cooler regions may only have a few good months of use during the year. Regardless of any of the above, outdoor kitchens bring people together and give us another reason to spend time outside. There are plenty of fun features that could be added to an outdoor kitchen.

After narrowing down a long list of features, below are the top ten hands-down best features an outdoor kitchen could have. This list includes components of functionality but also aesthetics. Part of what makes an outdoor kitchen amazing is the flow that the design can have with the home. Arguably the most important feature. Not only will a nice, stainless steel grill look great, but it is also the foundation for being able to cook up a storm for you and all of your guests.

Behind every great outdoor kitchen is a powerhouse grill. Although every part of building an outdoor kitchen can cause decision fatigue, we know deciding on the perfect grill for yours is probably one of the biggest stressors.

There are so many amazing options on the market. Plan to give yourself ample storage in your outdoor space. Everyone loves pizza. Especially homemade from a brick oven. Pizza ovens add such an authentic touch to an outdoor space and complete the look.

This is an amazing way to bring the restaurant home to you. Pizza ovens are amazing for families and are guaranteed to be a hit with any kids. Just with a better, wood-fired taste. For those of us who love to cook and are looking to add major points for aesthetic appeal, a pizza oven is a must-have.

The experience of being able to sip a cold beer straight from the tap, in your own home is luxury like no other. With plenty of options in the market when making the selection, going for a kegerator that you can build right into your countertop will look the most appealing. Just another way to avoid the strenuous act of going back inside! An ice maker is an easy addition and a great alternative to investing in an entire fridge, especially if paired with the below must-have.

Ice makers are a great build-in for counter space and with a nice stainless steel look, will be a sleek addition. Wine fridges can also serve as a great alternative to splurging on an entire fridge, which will drive up the cost greatly. A wine fridge can also be multi-use for storing other beverages like water and soda. You will need to decide size, fuel type, and location. If grilling is what you will be doing most, design your kitchen around your dream grill.

While you are researching the perfect grill, make sure you take a look at two-sided grill options. Choosing a two-sided grill allows for more flexibility. For example, you might choose to have a double grill so that you can have a gas grill on one side and a charcoal grill on the other. This allows grilling enthusiasts to enjoy the best of both worlds without purchasing two grills. Another reason to consider a two-sided grill is so that you can have one side for grilling meats and one side for grilling bread, vegetables, and other non-meat items.

This one is particularly important for people who have vegetarians or vegans in the family or for those who might have vegan guests at their parties. Some folks who strictly avoid meat also avoid foods cooked on surfaces where meat is cooked, so you can better accommodate this growing group of potential party guests by having a grill just for veggies. Having a two-sided grill also allows you to use one for grilling and one for keeping your already grilled foods warm.

Including a griddle in your outdoor kitchen design is a gamechanger. You will go from basic grilling to being able to cook almost anything that you could cook inside your home. You can cook full breakfasts with pancakes, bacon, and eggs. You can make grilled cheese sandwiches or fajitas with ease. You can cook small or delicate foods that are difficult or impossible to cook on a grill. This is why outdoor griddles are a hot trend and why you are now seeing them in so many of those outdoor kitchen inspo photos you are looking up.

If you are considering a two-sided grill, going for a grill-griddle combo might be your best bet if you are looking forward to cooking full meals for your friends and family.

If your budget does not allow for a griddle right now, you can use a cast iron griddle or a cast iron pan on your grill. You will not have the same even heat control or the same surface area for cooking, but these options will allow you to cook a wider variety of foods outside. If you have been doing research for your kitchen design for a while, you have probably noticed that ranges are starting to pop up on lists of outdoor kitchen ideas. It has been common to add some burners to your grill or patio kitchen for a while, but having a full cooktop and oven is just now becoming a hot trend.

Homeowners who entertain frequently are seeing the benefits of being able to cook all of their side dishes outdoors while grilling the main course, baking or roasting parts of their al fresco meals , or making things that are much easier to cook on a stovetop than on a grill — like soups and stews. Folks in hotter areas like Southern California are also loving the option of baking breads, pies, cakes, and cookies outside without heating up their houses.

Plus, there is the added benefit of using the oven to keep things warm or to reheat pre-prepared dishes to make entertaining easier. If you have the space, a pizza oven is a fun addition to your outdoor kitchen and brings a whole new meaning to family pizza night. Portable pizza ovens on carts and portable, countertop ovens are available for folks on a tighter budget or who have limited space, but a built-in, wood-fired pizza oven is a coveted outdoor kitchen feature that will impress guests and take your patio kitchen to the next level.

Remember, pizza ovens are good for cooking more than just traditional pizzas; you can also roast meats, bake bread, cook calzones, or grill seafood. If you do not have space for a range or if it is outside of your design budget, consider including side burners. Side burners are so handy that many portable grills come with one or two now, and they are commonly seen in larger or more upscale patio kitchens.

Installing one or two burners expands your patio cooking options and allows you to make a broader range of dishes without having to run back and forth between the stove in your indoor kitchen and the grill in your outdoor kitchen.

So, if you are not including a range, definitely consider including side burners. Even if you are just planning on cooking beans to go with your barbecue or heating up sauces, the convenience is well worth it. Warming drawers are a bit of a luxury item in both indoor and outdoor kitchen designs.

While they are common in higher-end homes, they are just now becoming more popular for kitchen remodels in more moderate-value homes as well. For a patio kitchen, this handy feature allows you to keep burgers and hot dogs warm when cooking large quantities, keep foods prepared indoors warm while you are grilling the rest of the meal, warm up bread rolls, or simply keep meals warm for guests who show up fashionably late.

You can even use a warming oven as a slow cooker for meats and other dishes, making this a versatile addition that will make your patio kitchen more functional and make outdoor cooking more convenient.

As any pitmaster knows, a smoker is one outdoor kitchen feature that can completely transform your al fresco cooking.