If you have extra space outdoors and want to make the best use of it, you can consider designing an outdoor kitchen. It will allow you to eat outside with your friends and family in the summer. An outdoor kitchen is perfect for summer barbecues.
If you are considering having one, it’s important to answer one big question: What should an outdoor kitchen have? This post will give you an answer.
Two-Sided Grill
One of the biggest reasons to get a two-sided grill is that you have various options available to choose from. With a gas grill on one side and a charcoal grill on the other, you can enjoy grilled food in both ways, satisfying everyone.
Besides, a two-sided grill is that it lets you grill meat and non-meat items like bread and vegetables separately. This is especially useful if there are vegans at your party.
When choosing a two-sided grill, you should always opt for thick plates because they are better and more durable. In terms of the size, you need to calculate the number of people the grill will serve as well as the storage space available in your kitchen. Last but not least, go with a grill that’s easy to program for convenient control.
Smoker
This is a must-have item in an outdoor kitchen as it delivers the special flavor to your meat. In addition, you can smoke other types of food like cheese, scallops, nuts, olives, and vegetables.
A smoker will be one of the best and most important things you have in your kitchen.
Similar to choosing the grill, you also need to choose the right size for your smoker, which is related to how many people will be served and how much storage space you have.
More importantly, there are several types of smoker on the market, including bullet smoker, vertical smoker, barrel smoker, offset smoker, pellet smoker, kamado smoker, and kettle smoker, you should pick one that fits your needs.
If you get an electric smoker, it’s helpful to look at add-on features as well, such as cooking mode, temperature settings, and time settings, all of which will make it easier to cook.
Ice Maker
With an ice maker, you won’t have to go to the house each time you run out of ice, saving a lot of time and effort. Though this is not necessarily a must-have item in the outdoor kitchen, it will definitely make your meal run smoothly.
To choose the right ice maker for your kitchen, there are a number of things you need to take into account.
First of all, choose a machine that suits the electrical supply in your kitchen. Most models run on a 120V electrical circuit but some others may require a different circuit, so check this feature carefully.
The next important factor is production capacity.
An average machine produces 50-100 pounds of ice within 24 hours, this capacity is not enough for a busy bar. Therefore, you should find a capacity large enough for your needs.
Refrigerator Or Freezer
There’s no doubt that a freezer or refrigerator is a must-have item in any kitchen, indoor or outdoor.
It keeps your salad cool and fresh as you’re grilling meat and preparing other dishes.
The most important factor of a refrigerator is the UL rating, which indicates whether the appliance has passed safety testing or not. The temperature outdoors changes constantly so the fridge has to work harder to stabilize the temperature inside.
Therefore, you should look at this rating to make sure the refrigerator is good for your food and beverages. This rating also means the fridge is weatherproof.
Outdoor Pizza Oven
With a pizza oven, you can have a pizza night with your family and friends on days when you don’t really want to grill anything.
If you are willing to pay extra and looking for the best experience, you should consider getting an inbuilt, wood-fired oven. But if you’re on a tighter budget, a portable pizza oven works as well.
A good pizza oven should come with dual layers of insulation to handle maximum temperatures as well as heat retention.
The flue design should be considered carefully too to draw smoke out efficiently but leaves the heat to circulate inside the dome. On top of that, like with other appliances, remember to pick the right size for your kitchen and cooking space.
Garbage Disposal
Of course, you need this in your outdoor kitchen, there’s nothing to argue about it. No matter if you prepare food or like peeling vegetables or wash dishes, you will surely need a garbage disposal.
When choosing garbage disposal for your outdoor kitchen, think about the motor size and grinding chamber material and size. A bigger motor will be able to handle more food and harder food.
You should opt for a higher horsepower value for a more powerful motor.
As a rule of thumb, a larger motor will come with a larger grinding chamber to contain more food. And the chamber should be stainless steel as it’s more efficient, lasts longer, and can be cleaned easily.
A Nice Outdoor Table Set
A nice outdoor table set doesn’t just provide a comfortable eating space for your parties but also adds aesthetics to the outdoor kitchen as a whole.
To get the perfect table set for your outdoor kitchen, you need to follow certain steps.
Consider the dining space in the kitchen so as to choose the suitable size for the table set while leaving enough room for moving around the table.
Then, choose a material that looks nice and withstands well against the weather, you can choose wood, mosaic, recycled plastic, resin wicker, or a type of metal like aluminum, steel, or wrought iron.
Seating is important and should be taken into account as well because you don’t want to end up with a guest having nowhere to sit. This means you must figure out how many people will most likely eat in this kitchen, from which you can determine the number and size of chairs to get.
Remember to provide guests with enough space for their hands and arms to move. Besides, the chair should match the table in every aspect from material to color.
Heater
A heater may not make sense for hot weather, but when cold weather comes and you still want to enjoy some quality BBQ parties with your friends and family, you will definitely need a heating system.
To pick the right patio heater for your outdoor kitchen, you need to first decide on a specific type.
There are several options including portable and fixed models with different sizes, you can also choose a wall-mounted or overhead heater.
In addition, you need to consider either a gas heater or electric heater. A gas patio heater is more affordable and you won’t have to worry about running out of fuel. But it requires professional installation and can only work in well-ventilated outdoor areas.
On the other hand, an electric heater is eco-friendly and suitable for enclosed spaces. It, however, can be more expensive to buy and cost more to operate, not to mention in case of a power outage, an electric heater will be pretty much useless.
Take the heater strength into account, which is measured in BTUs. Knowing this rating will help you choose the right power to keep your kitchen area warm.
Umbrella
While some outdoor kitchens have a long-lasting roof, others can be covered from the weather with one or more umbrellas.
They are convenient and many models are portable so you can move them to another area when you need to.
When choosing an umbrella for your outdoor kitchen, you need to pick the right size.
For a table measuring 30-36 inches, the umbrella should be 6-8 feet in diameter. For a table measuring 38-48 inches, the umbrella should be 9-11 feet in diameter. For a table measuring 54-60 inches, the umbrella should be at least 11 feet in diameter.
Then, there are a few types of umbrellas to choose from, including sunshades, market umbrella, pagoda umbrella, cantilever umbrella, etc. Each type is suitable for a different purpose, and the choice comes down to your own use and preference.
The other two very important factors are material and mechanics. That means the pulley system and its material must be strong, durable, and sturdy enough to last for a long time and well withstand hazards. The best material for an outdoor umbrella is probably aluminum.
Conclusion
It’s exciting to design your own outdoor kitchen because you can make it any way you want and add anything you want.
However, there are must-have items like cooking appliances and cleaning appliances, make sure you have those installed in your kitchen. Besides, add extra items that fit your specific needs to your kitchen for the best experience.
We hope that this post has helped you answer the question What should an outdoor kitchen have? and will be a good reference as you build your own outdoor kitchen.
