The perks of having an outdoor kitchen go beyond the pleasure of cooking delicious food in the comfort of your own backyard. An outdoor kitchen is a place for gatherings, celebrations, family time, and making memories. It expands your home beyond the confines of its four walls and raises its value. It saves on electricity, restaurant meals, and precious time.
Are outdoor kitchens worth it for your home? If you’ve gotten used to cooking your favourite meals using just your BBQ, you may wonder if installing an entire kitchen in your backyard justifies the time and expense. What about the weather? Do outdoor kitchens need to be covered so you can continue enjoying them all year round?Â
Outdoor kitchens are an excellent way to have gatherings and get-togethers without crowding the inside of your home, and they come in many appealing designs.Â
What to Consider Before Building an Outdoor Kitchen
Choosing the right components to build your outdoor kitchen is a mix of personal preferences and practical considerations. Top factors to consider include:
Space
Every backyard area is different, so it makes sense that every outdoor kitchen will be set up differently. Fortunately there’s a lot of inspiration out there to draw from for your own outdoor kitchen concept.
Considering the space you have to work with includes not only the kitchen design but utilities like plumbing and electricity as well. The purpose of your outdoor kitchen plays a part in how much space you’ll have to work with. Will you be entertaining a lot of guests or just cooking outside for you and your family?
Do outdoor kitchens need to be covered? Not necessarily, but it helps them last a lot longer. To protect your outdoor kitchen and make it last, you’ll need to make sure there’s adequate protection from the wind and rain, plus shelter for your guests on sunny days. For effective outdoor kitchen maintenance, we strongly suggest ensuring adequate coverage.
Design
Do you want your outdoor kitchen to be a casual dining area or something a little fancier? Obviously, a BBQ is part of the plan, but what about a teppanyaki plate, pizza oven, or drinks fridge? You could even add a dishwasher to keep the mess outside. All of these are design questions worth considering.
Lighting
You’ll want your outdoor kitchen to have sufficient natural light during the day and a reliable lighting source after sunset. Your options are vast there, too, from grill lights to counter bar lights to café or bistro-style lights.
Layout
Your outdoor kitchen’s layout should be not just attractive but functional as well. There should be enough space to prepare, serve, and store food and to clean up. You can merge your indoor and outdoor kitchens into one generously sized shared space.
Materials
Your outdoor kitchen will require stronger materials than your interior one. Some key questions about outdoor kitchen materials are: Is it designed for external use? Can it handle high temperatures? Is it easy to clean? Materials like granite and bluestone are perfect for the great outdoors.
How to Maintain an Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor kitchens are always exposed to the elements, making them harder to keep tidy than regular kitchens. Luckily, there are ways you can keep your outdoor kitchen clean and well-maintained:
Regularly clean your grill
After every use, use a wire brush to clean any food scraps off your grill and give your grill a detailed clean annually.
Keep your grill covered
Wet weather can lead to corrosion, so cover up your grill when it’s not in use.
Cover your furniture
If you can’t bring your outdoor furniture in when the weather is wet, protect it with waterproof covers.
Keep lawn debris away from your outdoor kitchen
When you mow your lawn, use a rake or a mower with a bag to protect your outdoor kitchen from clippings. If debris gets into your kitchen area, clean it out before it rains.
Disconnect utilities when not using your kitchen
If you plan to use your outdoor kitchen only during the warmer parts of the year, turn off the grill’s gas and unplug any utilities not in use to avoid wasting resources.
Are Outdoor Kitchens Worth It?
Outdoor kitchens definitely add value to your home. They also add plenty to the rest of your life. By giving you a place to celebrate special occasions with friends and loved ones, they certainly add to your quality of life. They expand your home’s usable space, creating the perfect party atmosphere.
Outdoor kitchens are enjoyable all year round. They’re perfect for warm summer evenings, and if you feel cold in winter, you can add an outdoor fireplace.
So, are outdoor kitchens worth it? As long as you build your outdoor kitchen to your liking, we think it will bring you years of enjoyment and satisfaction.
Build Your Dream Outdoor Kitchen at Home Fires
An outdoor kitchen is more than just a backyard BBQ. It’s an outdoor entertainment hub for your backyard that you can customise to suit your tastes. Home Fires has outdoor kitchen components galore to make the job easy for you. Choose Gasmate door bars, Beef Eater burners and Weber built-in BBQs.
We have a selection of Weber custom outdoor kitchens designed by the leading BBQ brand and backed by their exceptional warranty and customer service. Manufactured in Australia using high-quality materials designed to meet local conditions, these versatile options will meet your needs whether you want a simple set-up or something more elaborate.
A trusted name for more than 40 years, Home Fires is a leading supplier of BBQs and fireplaces in Sydney and has all the parts and accessories you need for a home BBQ. If you’re eager to find out more, contact the Home Fires team or drop by our locations in Minto or Casula.Â
