5 Essential Elements of Any Great Outdoor Kitchen

Building an outdoor kitchen in your backyard can provide you with an entertainment space when hosting barbecues this summer. However, there are a lot of decisions that must be made when designing an outdoor kitchen in order to ensure that it is both stylish and functional, making it hard to know what your ideal outdoor kitchen should include. To help you build a great outdoor kitchen that you and your family will enjoy for years to come, consider incorporating these 5 essential elements into your design. 

Add Cooking Versatility

When designing your outdoor kitchen, don’t limit yourself by having a grill be your only cooking option. While a quality built-in grill is essential for any outdoor kitchen, adding additional cooking options can take your outdoor kitchen to the next level. A flat-top griddle, a pizza oven, or a smoker will add cooking versatility to your outdoor kitchen, ensuring that you are prepared for any type of event you may host in your backyard. 

Include an Outdoor Kitchen Sink 

When designing an outdoor kitchen, you should not underestimate the importance of including a kitchen sink. The fact is that no kitchen is complete without a sink, and this applies to outdoor kitchens as well. Having a sink will make your meal prep and cleanup much simpler, making it an essential addition to any great outdoor kitchen. Of course, since your sink will be exposed to the elements, it is important that you choose a sink that will be able to withstand weather conditions year-round. A stainless steel kitchen sink is a great option for outdoor kitchens as stainless steel is low-maintenance and corrosion-resistant. 

Add Function and Style With Lighting

A good summer barbeque will likely continue after the sun goes down, making it important that you think about lighting when designing your outdoor kitchen. LED overhead lights can be a great way to brighten up a space and provide enough light for cooking, while hanging pendant lights over bar seating can help bring ambiance to your kitchen. You may also want to consider adding task lighting near the grill and by the food prep area to ensure that you can see what you’re doing while you are cooking. 

Don’t Forget Outlets

An outdoor kitchen essential that is easy to forget to include in your design plan is outlets. Outlets are a critical component of any modern outdoor kitchen as they will allow you to charge your phone, power a speaker for music, and run small appliances (such as a blender) while cooking outside. Having outlets in your outdoor kitchen can then prevent multiple trips inside the house to use powered kitchen tools. 

Consider Including Additional Appliances

While a grill and cooktop are the bare minimum appliances your outdoor kitchen will need in order to ensure it is functional, a great outdoor kitchen should include additional appliances to make hosting outdoor gatherings as simple as possible. For instance, including a refrigerator in your outdoor kitchen will give you a place to chill drinks and stage ingredients until you are ready to cook. Other options you should consider including to make your outdoor kitchen great include a wine fridge, a kegerator, an ice maker, or even a dishwasher. Adding any of these appliances will ensure your summer barbecues are the talk of the town.Including the right elements in your outdoor kitchen will ensure that your parties go off without a hitch. Get everything you need from Clarks Ace Hardware!