A perfect backyard is one that is made for relaxation. Coming home after a long day at work and enjoying family time on the patio is a great joy, and nothing takes that patio to the next level of convenience and luxury like an outdoor kitchen. Cooking dinner and having BBQs with friends and family is far more enjoyable when you are able to do it in the comfort of your own backyard. In order to build the perfect outdoor kitchen, here are some appliances that are needed to take it to the next level.
Refrigerator
First of all, if you need to run between the fridge in your kitchen and your patio to cook your meal, then your outdoor kitchen loses a lot of what makes it convenient in the first place. Because of this, getting an outdoor-rated refrigerator and building it into the cabinets of your outdoor kitchen is a must. It really is what makes it an outdoor “kitchen” an actual kitchen, rather than a glorified grill (although that grill is still mighty important).
Grill/Smoker
Obviously, you need something to cook on when making your outdoor kitchen. Traditionally, the centerpiece of a perfect patio kitchen is the grill or smoker, since that is the most common method of cooking outside. When designing an outdoor kitchen, our landscape design specialists usually use a grill or smoker as the focal point and then add other desired appliances, counter space, and flooring around that.
Traditional Stovetop
Another common option for cooking on the patio is to build a traditional stovetop into the counters. This gives you another method to cook different styles of food. Imagine grilling burgers for your barbecue, and then being able to crack open a few eggs on the stovetop to serve on top of those burgers. That’s the kind of flexibility that a traditional stovetop gives you.
Pizza Oven
A pizza oven is a fun and less-than-conventional appliance option. It provides another fun option for food that you can have for parties on summer nights, or all year round. Generally, when we install a pizza oven, we replace a cabinet portion of your kitchenette with a brick oven that is ideal for baking pizza dough.
Kegerator
While not everyone in Utah participates in beer, there is a growing population that does. As such, it is becoming more common that our team is asked to install a kegerator into new outdoor kitchens. This is a great option for folks who brew their own beer at home and want to enjoy a pint with their dinner after a long day. If you don’t drink beer, you can even use a kegerator to serve up root beer, which makes it an even more delicious beverage.
