When summer hits, so does grilling season. It’s a huge part of summer. So, when you decide to create your outdoor kitchen to entertain guests and family, you need to make sure that you have all the necessary tools and appliances. Other than making sure everything is well-vented and the electrical aspects are protected, what appliances should you include in your outdoor kitchen?
3 appliance must haves for an outdoor kitchen are:
- A grill or outdoor stove
- Sink and/or a dishwasher
- Refrigerator
But what makes these safe for being outdoors and what difference is there between outdoor and indoor appliances? This article goes over appliances that you must have in an outdoor kitchen and why they are great for helping you create your backyard kitchen.
Are There Outdoor VS Indoor Appliances?
With the ever-growing desire to have an outdoor kitchen, most people could tell you that outdoor appliances are different from indoor ones. The truth is that there is a difference between outdoor and indoor appliances that you need to know.
When you are designing an outdoor kitchen, you must think of everything from protection from the elements to safely install these appliances. However, when you think of indoor appliances, there is no need to purchase an item based on durability.
The reason is that when an appliance is indoors, it should already be protected from cold, heat, and weather elements.
What Makes an Appliance Good for an Outdoor Kitchen?
There are various reasons why an appliance is good for an outdoor kitchen. While most indoor appliances seem to be great for inside the house, they are not great for outside uses.
Appliances for outside should have:
- Durability
- Heat resistances
- Ample space
Let’s get into each of these points in more detail below.
Durability
When it comes to lasting longer and having more durability, outdoor kitchens have it. The importance of having durability is that they can withstand the elements that come with being outside.
There are some locations where the need for being able to withstand cold and heat is important in keeping the appliance in the correct working condition.
One way to tell that your appliances are durable is that they are resistant to:
- Oxidation
- Corrosion
- Scratches
While wind is certainly an issue with being outside, typically outside appliances can withstand wind as well as rain, snow, etc.
Heat Resistance
Since you are likely going to be using your outdoor kitchen, these outside appliances need to be able to withstand high cooking temperatures. This is for cooking, grilling, and depending on your outdoor kitchen, baking.
Depending on what appliances you choose, you may have to consider whether you are wanting to use electricity, gas, or charcoal as a means of producing and controlling the necessary temperatures for those appliances.
Ample Space
When it comes to the space needed, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to have a huge outdoor kitchen design.
This just means that you should take care in choosing what appliances you want based on the space they have for cooking or storing food.
Grills are a huge factor in your outdoor kitchen. So, if you want to grill huge steaks or have the ability to cook a large amount of food, picking a grill with space is important to your outdoor kitchen.
What Appliances Should I Put In My Outdoor Kitchen?
Trying to figure out what appliances you need for your outdoor kitchen is the fun part. The truth is there are so many appliances that you can put in your outdoor kitchen but there are some that are a huge must to make it a kitchen.
These appliances are typically the must-haves:
- Grill
- Pizza oven
- Sink
- Refrigerator
- Ice maker
- Cabinets
- Pantry storage
However, with it being an outdoor kitchen, chances are that you will want it to be like an indoor kitchen with everything accessible. These help with making it more of a kitchen than just a grilling station.
3 Appliance Musts for an Outdoor Kitchen
With all the ideas you can have for an outdoor kitchen, there are at least 3 appliances you need.
These are a must in your outdoor kitchen and include the appliances:
- Grill for cooking
- Refrigerator
- Sink
These are not only essential for an outdoor kitchen but can make using your outdoor kitchen easier.
Grill or Cooking Element
When you think of a kitchen, regardless of if it is inside or out, it is assumed that there is a stove, grill, or an appliance that allows you to cook food.
Having a grill in your outdoor kitchen carries all the benefits of cooking outside. Grills are great for those family and friend BBQs on the weekends.
Not only is a grill essential to an outdoor kitchen, but having other heating or cooking appliances. That way, there are different options when it comes to cooking or heating your food.
Refrigerator
When it comes to those hot days and needing to keep food or drinks cold, having a refrigerator can come in handy.
With outdoor kitchens, the main goal is to make them as accessible as possible and to keep you from going inside to get all the cold drinks or foods. Refrigerators in an outside kitchen help aid in this.
Plus, there is always a great factor with having an outdoor fridge appliance, which is that you can use it to hold and store meats that you are about to cook.
Sink
With cooking comes the need for a sink. Sinks are amazing to have in your kitchen, especially an outdoor kitchen.
There are several factors why sinks are a must in an outdoor kitchen:
- The ability to wash your hands easily
- Sinks allow for being able to have a cleaner work and cooking space
- Sometimes you need water to rinse foods like fruit, vegetables, and certain meats.
Having a sink and faucet unit can help make things run smoother so that you don’t have to go back inside everytime you need to wash your hands or a cooking utensil that may have fallen.
If you want to go that extra mile you can install an outdoor dishwasher. These can be great for clean-up after the cookout or dinner is over.
Conclusion
Having an outdoor kitchen is great for hosting and cooking at the same time. There are some must-have appliances that you should include in your outdoor kitchen. These appliances include a grill, refrigerator, and sink. Here are some Items to Have in Your Outdoor Kitchen , these all can make it easier for your cooking needs.
There is a difference between indoor and outdoor appliances. Keep in mind that outdoor appliances need to be more durable and able to withstand outside elements to ensure that they can work properly and be used safely.
