An outdoor kitchen is simply a magical place where all the fun things happen. From spending time with your family to cooking wonderful dishes or partying with friends, you can’t get bored at home.
You can engage with your friends while barbecuing, keep a watch on the kids, and do a little tango with music to brighten up the atmosphere.
The Checklist for Your Outdoor Kitchen
Contents
Go through the following outdoor kitchen checklist to know the essentials you need for creating the perfect environment.
1. Suitable Spot for Your Kitchen
Think about a position close to your kitchen so that you can quickly move back and forth for any essentials you need. Not all stuff like cutlery and utensils can be kept in the outdoor kitchen.
Having your kitchen nearby will make things more convenient for you. Keep wind direction in mind while setting up the cooking area and the seating as you wouldn’t want the smoke to bother anyone.
2. Adding a Vent Hood
Installing a vent hood is an excellent option to keep the smoke and toxins out. There will be a lot of smoke while you are working on a grill. Without a vent grill, it’s simply impossible to keep the kitchen clean and tidy. Not only this, it will save your other equipment by keeping out the grease and smoke.
3. Right BBQ Grill
Your outdoor kitchen is incomplete without a BBQ grill. With a good BBQ grill, you can show off your barbequing skills. Nowadays, different varieties of BBQ grills have come into the market. You can choose one depending on your choice of food.
Gas grills cook fast and are easy to clean, too, but charcoal grills are best if you like a smoky flavor in your food. Do remember, the temperature will be a bit too high for charcoal than the gas grills. If there are any fire safety regulations in your city, you will have to go for an electric grill.
4. Lighting Essentials
Don’t forget to add lighting to your outdoor kitchen checklist. Adequate lighting is a must to create a nice ambiance for cooking and serving food. It’s good to have a focus light to keep your patio lit up in the evenings or overcast days. However, if you wish to set it up in the backyard, you will need to put up some lights for working and create a calming atmosphere.
You can choose from different styles like LED candles, pathway lights, or under-counter lights. Focus lights are great to focus on certain areas where you need the lights without brightening the rest of the patio. Go for fixtures that are designed for outdoor use.
5. Sink and Dishwasher
Having an outdoor kitchen is great, but not without a sink. Otherwise, you will end up making countless trips to the house from the kitchen for washing raw food, cleaning, and other purposes.
Look for an appropriate water outlet to install one. You can also install a water heater to get hot water when it’s too cold. For washing your dishes, you can add a dishwasher to your kitchen too. Not many would think it a necessity, but having one is convenient, especially if you host parties often.
6. Flooring
Good flooring keeps the place clean and easy to work in. Outdoor flooring is different from indoor flooring as it has constant exposure to the outside weather. Look for flooring that is resistant to stains, fire, dust, and grease.
You can choose from concrete wood and outdoor carpeting options. Concrete can be chemically treated and is available in different color pallets. On the other hand, wooden flooring looks elegant and needs little to no maintenance. Outdoor carpeting looks good but is relatively costly due to replacement costs and has fewer options.
7. Roofing or Not
Roofing is definitely a costly affair, but it is an essential part of your outdoor kitchen. Only the roofing of your kitchen will protect it from the sun, wind, and rains. Since you have many appliances in the kitchen and even a grill, you can’t work without a roof.
When it gets hotter in the summer, it will protect you from the sun. It’s a delight to cook and enjoy cooking in your outdoor kitchen while it’s raining or in the winter.
8. Counters and Cabinets
You will need counters for your outdoor kitchen, just like your indoor kitchen. Make sure that you have ample counter space to cook and even prepare food. Keeping counters on both sides of the sink and grill is a good idea.
Choose the size as per your needs but don’t compromise on the counter material’s quality as a low-quality counter will not handle the weather conditions outside. Cabinets are essential for storing the cooking utensils and other essentials that you will need for cooking.
Besides, you can also make fun additions to your outdoor kitchen such as a wine refrigerator, pizza ovens, ice makers, coffee and tea makers to impress your guests and make your party more happening and enjoyable for everyone.
