12 Outdoor Kitchen Benefits To Inspire Your Own Project

Interest in outdoor home improvement projects was at a high level before the pandemic.

Now that we’re seeing the end of this difficult time coming clearer into focus, the demand for outdoor living upgrades has gone to the next level.

The importance of improving our living spaces for more comfort and function has never been so front-of-mind.

Outdoor kitchen additions are one of the projects leading the outdoor living upgrade charge. Why? Because there are so many life-improving outdoor kitchen benefits that it only makes sense to invest in one for your backyard.

As Outeriors president Daniel Albo told the Toronto Sun, “An outdoor kitchen has become the final frontier of any renovation project.”

outdoor kitchen with food

12 outdoor kitchen benefits worth knowing

Dining out once in a while is nice, but it’s equally enjoyable to create your own grilled meals in the backyard and feed the people you enjoy spending time with the most.

The outdoor cooking area has evolved from a few square feet in the backyard occupied by a standalone grill into spacious, luxury outdoor cooking spaces with all the functionality of a traditional kitchen.

There are many good reasons why outdoor kitchens have become so attractive to homeowners – at least a dozen of them, in fact.

If adding an outdoor kitchen has been on your home improvement wish list, get inspired to start your project with these 12 outdoor kitchen benefits.

1. Increase your home’s livable space

A rarely used backyard is wasted space and wasted potential, not unlike a spare room.

Having a little more livable space is appealing to almost everyone and that’s exactly what an outdoor kitchen and entertainment area provide.

Indoor kitchen remodels are consistently one of the most popular home renovation projects. If you’re considering such a project, it makes a lot of sense to rethink that plan and devote your remodeling budget towards adding a second kitchen space outside.

An enhanced outdoor living area with a kitchen, dining, and entertaining area transforms your backyard into a space that is optimized for comfort and added home functionality.

It can be custom-designed to fit your lifestyle. For example, more livable outdoor space creates extra room for hosting large get-togethers. Guests can socialize inside or outside.

2. Expand your summer menu options

Eating the same dishes month after month gets a little boring. When the spring arrives and you can fire up the grill on a daily basis if desired, it’s fun to shake up your menu options for the next several months with some new recipes.

Barbecues offer an endless choice of grilling recipes to try out. If you Google “grilling recipes”, almost a billion results come up!

Maybe you’ve heard someone you know boast, “My indoor kitchen has everything!”. Really? Does it have a grill? Probably not.

Even an indoor kitchen with “everything” is likely missing the one thing that makes some of our favourite dishes.

Lots of Canadians use their grills year-round, too. You know a grill isn’t just any ’ol appliance when people are willing to bundle up, brave the frigid weather, and shovel snow off the patio just to grill up some burgers and steaks.

assorted meat and veggies on grill

A fully-outfitted outdoor kitchen can inspire you to get adventurous with your summer grilling dishes.

3. Take a break from your indoor kitchen

On a gorgeous early summer evening, why stand over a hot stove indoors preparing dinner if you can do your cooking out in the backyard?

You can have an outdoor kitchen designed to include all the amenities of an indoor kitchen, including:

  • refrigeration
  • an ice machine
  • cabinet storage for grilling tools, dining utensils, serving plates, glasses, etc.
  • a wide variety of outdoor cooking and food warming appliances
  • lots of countertop space
  • a dishwasher
  • various types of cooking surfaces

And let’s not forget the beloved grill, which is something that your indoor kitchen can’t provide you with!

Although we’re so conditioned to cooking inside our homes most of the time, cooking outside regularly shouldn’t feel unnatural. After all, our earliest ancestors were doing it ages ago.

4. Go all-out with your kitchen design

If you have a large backyard (along with the budget and desire for it), you have more space and freedom to go even bigger and more elaborate with your outdoor kitchen design than your indoor kitchen.

Get the cooking space set up with gas, electrical, and water lines. Add a built-in grill with a cooking area large enough to feed a small army. Pamper yourself with spacious countertops for dining and meal prepping. Load up your cooking space with appliances and all the outdoor cabinet storage you could possibly need.

We can’t even say you can have everything but the kitchen sink…because a sink can be included in an outdoor kitchen, too!

Without the constraints of an already-constructed and defined space to work within, you can go hog wild with your outdoor kitchen design.

Or not.

Outdoor cooking areas can also be smaller and/or less elaborate. A modestly-sized patio section that is outfitted with just the essentials like a good grill, a few cabinets, a small countertop, and an appliance or two can still let you get a lot done.

luxury outdoor kitchen

Creating an outdoor kitchen gives you more freedom to go big with its design more than most indoor kitchen designs can.

5. Grilled food just tastes better

Benjamin Franklin famously said, “Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” We can add to that, “And grilled food always tastes better.”

Cooking over a hot flame brings out delicious flavours that simply aren’t achievable in an oven or with other indoor cooking appliances. And not just in meats, either.

Cooking seafood, vegetables, and even fruit on the grill can produce surprising results that add some welcome variety to your summer menu.

6. More time spent outdoors is good for your health

Spending more time in the great outdoors is good for your health. Don’t just take our word for it – science shows that spending more time outside has many health benefits.

Here are a few examples of how more outside living can benefit you:

  • Sunlight provides vitamin D and can lessen the effects of pain on the body.
  • Some people pay for aromatherapy sessions to relieve stress. Experiencing the smells of nature like freshly cut grass, pine trees, and flowers does the exact same thing.
  • Being outside more boosts your immune system.
  • The outdoors helps calm your mind and restore your focus, which makes you more creative.

The pandemic eliminated the ability for us to socialize much – if at all – with our friends for far too long. FaceTime and Zoom calls simply aren’t the same as spending quality face-to-face time with those we’re closest to. A lack of social interaction took a toll on the mental health of many of us.

As normalcy returns, socializing more with friends and family in places like backyards, on pub patios, or at a ball game (if the Blue Jays ever make it back home) will be good for the well-being of everybody.

2 kids in backyard

Spending more time outside during the summer is good for your health. (Photo by Allan Mas from Pexels)

7. A beautiful outdoor kitchen impresses everyone

A high-end outdoor cooking and entertaining area will become a go-to summer destination for your friends, neighbours, and family.

A fully outfitted backyard kitchen that can satisfy everyone’s appetites is only part of the appeal. With an outdoor entertainment area that includes an outdoor bar, TV, fire pit, and comfy furniture, your guests will never want to leave.

Not only will everyone want to soak up the cozy, inviting atmosphere and good food, they know they’ll be well taken care of by their hosts.

8. Maximize the enjoyment of your spring and summer

We’d bet that no other country in the world enjoys their summers more than Canadians. Summers here are all-too-short, but the amount of time we spend outside enjoying the warm weather shouldn’t be.

Make it your favourite part of the house from early spring through to late fall (and even beyond that if you’re particularly resilient!) with the right design and supplying the space with heating.

All sorts of practical backyard heating solutions are available to help extend your enjoyment of the outdoors. This includes:

  • outdoor fireplaces
  • gas and propane fire pits and fire tables
  • wood-burning fire pits
  • patio heaters
friends toasting in backyard

What better place is there to share good times with your friends and family than a nicely designed backyard? (Photo by Kampus Production from Pexels)

9. Grilling is healthier for you

Grilling your food on a barbecue instead of frying or broiling it is considered more healthy for you.

Fried foods absorb lots of fat. If too much of it is consumed, the higher cholesterol levels they contain can raise your blood pressure and increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

If you grill your food more often, a lot of the fat on the meat drips off. That lowers your calorie intake and results in a healthier diet and potentially fewer health issues.

Another health-related benefit of grilling that most people aren’t aware of is a piece of food that is grilled has more nutritional value than if you fried the same type of food. Grilled meats and veggies cook faster, which lets them retain more of their nutrients.

10. Outdoor kitchen building projects are less disruptive

If you’ve ever undergone a major renovation on an interior space like the kitchen or bathroom, you know how inconvenient and disruptive it can be.

Because all of the work with an outdoor kitchen project occurs, well, outdoors, there is less disruption to your family’s daily routine.

To ensure the project is done right and in a timely manner, hire an outdoor kitchen design company like Outeriors. Did you know that 8 in 10 homeowners used professional installers for their outdoor kitchen additions?

Here are some interesting statistics about home improvement trends in Canada, courtesy of the RE/MAX 2021 Renovation Investment Report:

Infographic from RE/MAX

11. Outdoor summer cooking saves energy

Next on our list of outdoor kitchen benefits is the energy conservation it contributes to.

Being outside more to cook during the summer keeps your home a little cooler because the indoor oven will be used less. Your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to cool your living space if the largest source of indoor heat during the summer (that isn’t weather-related) is on vacation.

The dishwasher, which also generates a lot of heat, can take a break, too. Consider air-drying your dishes to save energy or you could add an outdoor dishwasher to your exterior living space for even more convenience.

Another way an outdoor kitchen saves energy is that with everything you need in your food prep area, trips in and out of the home are all but eliminated. That prevents the escape of cold air from your house’s interior and keeps the warm air outside where it belongs.

Your outdoor kitchen appliances will still be using electricity, naturally, but the heat from things like a pizza oven and side burners will dissipate quicker outside.

12. Add value to your home

If you’re adding an outdoor cooking space to your home, you’re obviously not planning to move anytime soon. One day, however, you might find yourself being a seller.

The 12 outdoor kitchen benefits we have listed here certainly make your house more attractive to potential buyers. The added functionality an outdoor kitchen and living space offers adds value to your home and is a great selling point. And until that happens, you’ll get years of enjoyment from your investment.

Buying products made with premium materials and finishes that last longer will make your outdoor kitchen retain its long-term value even more.

Outdoor kitchens have a high return on investment

If you do an online search for the estimated return on investment (ROI) of an outdoor kitchen addition, the numbers vary quite widely.

Some real estate professionals believe an outdoor kitchen project has a 70% ROI, which is considered very good. Others believe it’s much higher and in the 90-100% range. Some even believe adding an outdoor kitchen recoups well over 100% of your building costs in the long run.

Whichever ROI estimate you trust, even at the lowest end, outdoor kitchens are a smart investment that provides a return on investment that exceeds the 68.6% average for the most popular home remodel projects.

Reap the benefits of an outdoor kitchen

Have these outdoor kitchen benefits convinced you that it’s time to add a second kitchen to your home?

Prioritize outdoor living and reimagine your backyard space. Our design pros will work with you to choose the best products, materials, colours, and styles to make your outdoor living space concept above and beyond what you dreamed it could be.

Kick-start your outdoor kitchen and living space project by booking a free design consultation with an Outeriors design consultant.

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Toronto Sun: Bringing Heart of the Home to the Great Outdoors

Outeriors president Daniel Albo was recently interviewed by the Toronto Sun for an article in their Homes section.

Albo talks about how the demand for outdoor kitchens is soaring as Canadians take advantage of the warm weather to use their backyards more.

Outdoor cooking spaces are also more popular than ever as a post-pandemic world beckons, which means the return of backyard gatherings.

Albo shares his expertise to explain what essentials outdoor kitchens should include, design tips, outdoor cooking space trends, and price ranges for an outdoor kitchen project.

View the article here on the Toronto Sun’s website.

Download the article as a PDF here.

Toronto Sun news story

7 Summer Grilling Ideas and Tips Everyone Should Try

summer grilling ideas

Summer is finally here. The sunny, hot weather can’t come soon enough for Ontarians who had to endure another winter indoors during a pandemic lockdown.

There are only a precious few months ahead to enjoy your backyard. For most of us, summer grilling will be at or near the top of the list of our favourite summertime activities.

Whether it’s with your family or increasingly with more friends as things become safer, there are always ways to improve your outdoor cooking and dining experience.

These summer grilling ideas cover everything from outdoor kitchen design tips to menu suggestions to bug control tips. See you in the backyard!

1. Create the ultimate summer grilling space

If you’re grilling outside regularly during the summer and preparing meals for large groups of people, a proper outdoor cooking space is essential.

That cheap, rusty grill that flares up more often than Alec Baldwin on a Manhattan street and burns your meat regularly just isn’t up to the task.

Having a backyard cooking setup that includes wobbly plastic tables to hold your serving plates, cutlery, uncooked food, and grilling tools also falls well short of what you need. And those beat-up plastic coolers for ice and keeping drinks cold? No, you can do a lot better.

Invest in a professionally designed kitchen that includes everything you could possibly need for cooking in the backyard.

As Outeriors president Daniel Albo told The Toronto Sun, “For the luxury homeowner, the days of a freestanding cart barbecue simply don’t cut it, as an outdoor kitchen has become the final frontier of any renovation project.”

Essentials for an outdoor kitchen

Outdoor kitchens can be designed in all shapes and sizes. That can range anywhere from a small space in a patio corner with a few cabinets and a built-in grill all the way to a fully-outfitted cooking space worthy of a professional chef.

Start with a built-in premium grill that is engineered to deliver a superior cooking performance. Add any appliances that fit your cooking style, such as an outdoor oven, side burners, smoker, and warming drawers.

Ditch your portable coolers and get a fridge and ice-making machine to handle all your outdoor refrigeration needs. Including a sink in your kitchen design plan is a great idea, too.

That covers everything required to make your outdoor meals. Next, surround your cooking appliances with attractive outdoor kitchen cabinetry for storage, along with weather-proof countertops for dining and meal preparation.

Now you’re really cooking with a kitchen space that is set up perfectly for summer grilling!

outdoor kitchen for summer grilling

A complete outdoor kitchen with a premium grill, appliances, sink, fridge, cabinetry, and countertop.

2. Go beyond dogs and burgers

Burgers and hot dogs are a reliable summer grilling staple, but why not change up your menu once in a while?

Here are a few suggestions for delicious grilled dishes that aren’t so predictable:

Grilled pizza: Pizza can be cooked right on your grill grates. For a well-done crust, cook the pizza dough on one side for a few minutes. Then flip it over and add your favourite pizza sauce and toppings. Cook it until the cheese is melted. For a softer crust, skip the step of cooking the dough by itself and just grill the whole pizza in one go.

Using a wood-fired or gas-fired outdoor pizza oven is another way to cook homemade pizza. Outdoor pizza ovens cook at a very high heat and can have your pizza cooked in only a few minutes.

Grilled quesadillas: Quesadillas offer a limitless variety of recipe options that can be tailored to the taste of you and your hungry diners.

Keep experimenting with different types of meats, fishes, vegetables, cheeses, spices, and cooking oils for new tastes that will surprise you.

The popular Mexican dish is super-easy to make and is perfect for the grill. This recipe explains how to prepare and grill quesadillas.

grilled pizza

Looking to shake up your summer grilling menu? Give grilled pizza a try! (Photo by Ponyo Sakana from Pexels)

5 less obvious summer menu ideas

Are you looking for some other less obvious foods and dishes (compared to burgers, hot dogs, and steak) to cook on the grill? Here are a few ideas:

  • seafood like salmon, tuna, and shrimp
  • grilled steak tacos
  • pork
  • lamb chops
  • brisket

Don’t forget the vegans: For the vegans being served at your outdoor cookout, there are lots of tasty recipes available that might even win over the carnivores at your dinner table. Here are 15 vegan grilling recipes you can try.

3. Appetizer, dessert, and side dish grilling ideas

Grilled bread: Instead of just serving up bread right out of the bag, Eataly.com recommends grilling up half-inch thick slices of hard crust bread that are brushed lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Add some fresh garlic to bring out more flavour.

After a couple of minutes over a medium heat, grill marks should appear, which tells you they’re ready.

BBQ bacon meatball skewers: We found this intriguing recipe for bacon meatball skewers that sounds very tasty. Two types of grilled meat together in one appetizer? What’s not to love?

The meatballs cans be made with ground beef, chicken, or turkey and the whole dish can be prepped and cooked in just over 20 minutes.

Grilled fruit: Everyone knows how amazing grilled veggies taste, but grilled fruit is equally worth throwing on the barbecue as a dessert or appetizer option.

Cut larger sections of harder fruits like watermelon, apples, pears, pineapple, and tomatoes (yes, they’re a fruit). You can put them right on the grill as is or add some extra flavour by basting them with a sauce.

The grilled fruit’s natural sugars will caramelize and give them a pleasant, distinct taste that will make you view them in a whole new way.

4. The best summer wines

wine being poured while dining outdoors

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Chilled white wines tend to be the beverage of choice for a lot of us when we’re spending time outdoors in the warm weather. Their crisp and refreshing lighter taste is ideal for a summer grilling and dining setting.

White wines usually have less alcohol than reds, which means anyone enjoying them won’t get dehydrated as quickly during hot weather. You can’t go wrong with a good dry white Bordeaux, Sauvignon blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Riesling.

For the devoted red wine drinkers at your backyard gathering, a chilled rosé is always a good choice. Light-to-medium-bodied reds like a Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, or Merlot are also ideal.

Wine pairing recommendations for grilled meats

Grilled food tastes even better when it’s served with the right wine. Here are a few meat and wine pairings that work well:

  • Steak: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Shiraz
  • Pork: Rosé, Riesling, and Pinot Noir
  • Hamburgers: Cabernet Sauvignon or Franc, Shiraz, and Sangiovese
  • Chicken: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc

5. Summer grilling the healthy way

As great as grilled food tastes, not all of it is the healthiest for you. Some of the menu suggestions listed above do have less fat and fewer calories.

Here are a few healthier grilling ideas and tips worth trying:

  • Use leaner cuts of meat like veal, chicken, turkey, sirloin or porterhouse steaks, lamb, and pork chops or tenderloin.
  • Fish is a healthier alternative to meat and has less fat and high protein. Many types of fish are also chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart.
  • Store-bought condiments, barbecue sauces, and marinades are loaded with sugar and salt. Look online for some easy-to-make homemade recipes that are a little healthier.
  • Some people like their grilled meats well-done, but don’t overcook things until they’re charred. Charred meat can potentially form harmful carcinogenic compounds.

6. Grilling safety tips

Where there’s fire there’s always danger, so it pays to always be diligent when the grill is fired up. Always open the lid on a natural gas or propane grill when lighting them. Put all the burners on high and let the grill heat up for 5-10 minutes before starting to cook. This burns away any residual food and grease.

Wire grill brushes are the most common tool used to clean off a grill, but it’s actually not a good idea to use them. The wire bristles can break off and end up in your food the next time you grill. Consumer Reports advises against using wire grill brushes and using a grill stone, non-wire brush, or a scrubbing pad instead.

Avoid using spray-on grill cleaning products, even if they’re advertised as being safe for cooking surfaces. They probably still contain chemicals that aren’t good for your health. Use natural cleaners like vinegar or baking soda to get the job done.

Here’s a post-grilling safety tip: don’t leave your food out for too long in the summer heat (and especially not in the hot sun).

Cooked and uncooked food can spoil after two hours outdoors when the temperature hits 31°C. If it’s even hotter, food can spoil in only an hour. Not only will some good food go to waste, anyone who eats it could get food poisoning. Talk about putting a damper on the party.

man grilling steak

Some of the bristles from wire grill brushes can break off when the grill is being cleaned and end up on your food. A grill stone, non-wire brush, or a scrubbing pad are safer options.

7. Tips for keeping the bugs away

Fewer things ruin a pleasurable summer evening in the backyard than a bunch of annoying mosquitoes who are hungrier than you were before dinner was served.

Relying on the smoke from your grill as a mosquito repellent is a bad strategy. It’s probably just as annoying to anyone around your cooking space!

Instead, try these more practical bug repellent solutions:

Eliminate pools of standing water: Small pools of stagnant water are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. If possible, avoid having any of them on your property to limit the mosquito population around your house. Target areas like garden ponds without running water and other things that collect rainwater like flower pots, buckets, and inflatable pools.

Screen in your outdoor living space: If the smell of citronella candles and bug repellent is a turn-off, set up mesh netting around your outdoor living space to keep the mosquitoes out.

Ensure your lights aren’t bug-friendly: Incandescent bulbs are a magnet for mosquitoes and other bugs. Switch the bulbs around your outdoor kitchen to yellow-hued LED bulbs that won’t attract as much attention from any unwanted visitors.

Use fans: Using ceiling fans and standup fans on your patio can be a moderately effective deterrent for bugs. The moving air not only makes it harder for mosquitoes to fly, it also disperses the human scents the pests target to feed on. One downside of using fans outdoors is that they may be a little too noisy for your liking.

Savour the taste of summer grilling!

The weather isn’t the only thing heating up – grilling season is, too!

Use these summer grilling ideas and tips to maximize your enjoyment in your backyard over the next few months.

We can help you create a complete outdoor living space. Schedule a free design consultation with us today so you can get the most out of your backyard or cottage this summer.

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11 Essential Outdoor Kitchen Appliances

outdoor kitchen appliances

An outdoor kitchen gives you a welcome break from cooking your meals indoors.

The only thing your backyard grilling space might be missing is enough outdoor kitchen appliances to match the cooking functionality of your indoor kitchen.

Imagine the convenience of having every possible cooking appliance at-the-ready for whichever al fresco menu favourites you wish to make!

There are a wide variety of outdoor kitchen appliances available to help save you valuable time and eat healthier. You can also use them to personalize your outdoor kitchen to better suit your culinary skills and open up a broad range of cooking possibilities.

What are the best outdoor kitchen appliances?

Everyone’s familiar with common outdoor kitchen appliances like grills, side burners, and smokers.

That’s only scratching the surface of the kind of appliances that can be used in a backyard kitchen. How about adding amenities such as an oven, fridge, beverage centre, and ice maker to your outdoor kitchen?

Modern outdoor kitchen designs can include convenient, luxurious extras like these to give you a fully-outfitted cooking space.

Let’s look at some of the best outdoor kitchen appliances you can get to create the ultimate artisan outdoor cooking space.

1. Grills

A grill is the one appliance you’re guaranteed to find in any outdoor kitchen. Don’t rely on using any ’ol cheap grill as your outdoor cooking space’s workhorse, however.

Buying a premium grill is a smart investment for many reasons. They last longer, look nicer, function more reliably, and offer extra luxury features beyond a basic rotisserie, side burners, and warming rack.

Some luxury grill models have smart technology that removes much of the guesswork and unpredictability that comes with grilling. Lynx’s Smart Series grills use their innovative MyChef app, which ensures temperatures stay at the proper level for the perfect duration. When your food is finished cooking or needs to be flipped, a notification is sent to your smartphone. How convenient is that?

A charcoal grill involves a little more work to use than a propane or gas grill. That unique smoky flavour that charcoal adds to grilled food is worth it for some outdoor chefs, however. For the best of both worlds, you could get a hybrid grill that can be used for both gas and charcoal cooking.

lynx grill

Premium grills make barbecuing easier and more enjoyable.

2. Outdoor kitchen fridge

One of your outdoor kitchen essentials should include another hardworking appliance – a fridge.

Outdoor kitchen refrigerators are specially designed with weatherproof exteriors and electronics, as well as thicker insulation. They’re smaller than indoor fridges and can be used as a standalone unit or space-saving built-in that can go underneath a grill or countertop.

With a fridge right in your outdoor cooking space, meats, veggies, condiments, cold beverages, and anything else on the menu is close at hand. There’s no need to travel back and forth inside to retrieve things you’re serving up.

Outdoor fridges are quite versatile and can include built-in freezers, ice makers, or even function as a kegerator that serves up chilled draft beer.

3. Side burners

Side burners are another essential outdoor kitchen appliance. With one or two extra outdoor cooking spaces you can multi-task and heat up savoury sauces, make side dishes, or boil water.

Many grills come with one or two built-in side burners. Separate gas side burners give you the freedom to place built-in appliances like this further away from your grilling area if desired. The beauty of a custom outdoor kitchen is it can be designed specifically for how you want to use it. 

High-quality side burners from manufacturers like Lynx, Alfresco, and Hestan deliver better cooking results. Features like high-performance burners and ceramic infrared searing systems cook your food faster.

Premium side burners are also made with superior materials and craftsmanship, which virtually eliminates the occurrence of dangerous flare-ups from dripping grease.

4. Warming drawers

When you’re preparing food for a lot of people or cooking numerous things, good time management is important.

It’s a shame when freshly made food gets neglected and goes cold and soggy because you had your hands full taking care of other cooking or hosting tasks. Outdoor kitchen and entertainment spaces usually have a more laid-back atmosphere, making it that much easier to get distracted chatting with your guests.

Pullout warming drawers are perfect for keeping food that’s been cooked at the right temperature until it’s ready to be served.

Warming drawers are also ideal for keeping food warm for friends or family arriving after your outdoor feast has started. You’ll leave a lasting impression with latecomers for being such a thoughtful host!

warming drawer in outdoor kitchen

Pullout warming drawers keep everything you’re serving up nice and warm.

5. Smoker

Cooking your food on a grill is great, but you might want to occasionally mix up your cooking routine.

Smokers are an excellent way to enhance the taste of meats with a delicious smoky flavour. They’re ideal for ribs, brisket, and pork.

Not unlike a slow cooker, smokers cook foods for longer times at a low temperature setting. This produces juicy, tender cooked meats and veggies that taste better than slow cooking with a traditional oven.

Wood chips with flavours such as maple, mesquite, and hickory help give foods cooked in smokers their distinct taste. Smokers can run on a variety of fuel/power sources including:

  • natural gas
  • propane
  • charcoal
  • wood
  • wood pellets
  • electricity

If a full-sized smoker is more than your cooking needs require, it’s possible to buy grills that have smaller smoker boxes that can produce that appealing smoky flavour.

6. Ice making machine

Outdoor kitchen and living spaces get used when the weather is warmest, so an ice making machine comes in quite handy.

Anyone who frequently entertains guests in their backyard will appreciate having fresh ice for drinks always available. There’s no need to make trips to the store for bags of ice that get stored in a portable cooler.

Ice makers can be purchased as separate appliance units or as an additional feature on an outdoor fridge.

7. Outdoor kitchen oven

One appliance that adds a deluxe touch to a backyard kitchen is an outdoor oven that has lots of uses. You can bake, broil, or roast:

  • pizza
  • breads
  • calzones
  • meat and seafood
  • vegetables
  • desserts

Anyone with an oven in their outdoor kitchen probably has a model that runs on propane, natural gas, or electricity. Wood-fired ovens are also available. They involve a little more work to use but give your food an authentic smoky flavour.

Outdoor ovens can cook at higher temperatures than indoor ovens. This is one of the factors that makes pizzas cooked outdoors taste nicer and more like what you’d get at a high-quality pizzeria or restaurant. Cooking at higher temperatures means your pizza can be ready just a few minutes after being put in the oven, too.

Ovens powered by natural gas, propane, and electricity are typically made with stainless steel. Some kitchen owners want their ovens to have a more natural, vintage look. That can be achieved by hiring someone to build the oven using stucco or natural materials like stone and brick.

outdoor oven appliance

Outdoor ovens let you cook fresh homemade pizza in just a few minutes.

8. Flat-top grill or griddle

A flat-top grill or griddle is useful for cooking food that is too difficult (or impossible) to cook on a standard grill rack. Both appliances have a solid cooking surface without any holes or gaps.

Eggs, pancakes, bacon, hash browns, grilled cheese sandwiches, and Asian and Mexican dishes are just a few examples of food that is suited for these appliances.

You might be wondering what the difference is between a flat-top grill and a griddle. Griddles have a heating element that produces heating zones of various temperatures, which lets you cook several different types of food on the same surface.

Most flat-top grills use a heating coil that provides even heat distribution, which is ideal for cooking many pieces of the same food. Some high-end flat-top grill models like the Lynx Asado Cooktop have heating systems that produce independent cooking zones with variable temperatures.

9. Cocktail station/beverage centre

Wherever there’s outdoor cooking, dining, and entertainment, some cold beverages are sure to be part of the fun.

Kick your hosting credibility up a notch with a cocktail station/beverage centre that caters to all your thirst-quenching needs. A beverage centre keeps all your drinks and drinking supplies organized and accessible.

It’s all built right into your countertops and outdoor kitchen cabinetry for a seamless, professional look.

The bar is now open!

10. Grill exhaust hood

What are the two things people like least about outdoor grilling? Aside from the frustration of getting the appliance lit because the ignition switch on their ancient grill died ages ago, it’s probably the grease and smoke.

That’s why your outdoor kitchen should have a grill exhaust hood, particularly if the grill is in an enclosed or semi-enclosed space.

The appliance works just like the range hood over your oven. It extracts smoke, odours, grease, and heat to keep your cooking space cleaner and more comfortable.

11. Dishwasher

woman using dishwasher

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

If an outdoor kitchen had every appliance listed above, you might be thinking your kitchen had all the amenities you could ever want.

Not so fast…we haven’t gotten to the outdoor dishwasher yet.

An outdoor dishwasher not only does most of the work with one of our least favourite household chores, it’s another great time-saver as well. Frequent treks inside with loads of dirty dishes, cookware, and kitchen tools will become a thing of the past.

Dirty pots, bowls, grilling tools, dining plates and utensils, and glasses can be washed right on the spot. That lets your outdoor kitchen countertops and dining surfaces stay clutter-free and available for cooking tasks or that next delicious course on the menu.

Like all of the outdoor kitchen appliances we’ve covered here, the dishwasher needs to be a model that is specifically built for outside use. Most outdoor appliances like a dishwasher can be left covered outside during the winter after completing a few easy maintenance tasks.

Don’t forget the sink and faucet!

An outdoor sink and faucet are better categorized as fixtures rather than appliances. We’re including them on our list of outdoor kitchen essentials, however. After all, cooking and cleaning do go hand in hand.

Having a faucet and sink in your outdoor kitchen allows you to keep up with the washing of dirty pots, pans, dishes, utensils, and glasses while waiting for things to finish cooking.

Even if you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor kitchen dishwasher, an outdoor sink is still a must-have feature.

Adding an outdoor sink will involve an extra expense to hook up a water line, but consider that there are multiple uses you can get from the setup. In addition to having running water, the plumbing can also be hooked up to a fridge, beverage centre, dishwasher, and ice making machine.

Add the best outdoor kitchen appliances to your dream kitchen

Outdoor kitchen appliances maximize the functionality of an outdoor cooking space and save you time when meals are being prepared.

Outeriors carries many of the helpful appliances listed here. Our full-service approach to outdoor kitchen design involves taking care of everything needed to create an outdoor kitchen and living space your family will love.

Get started on putting together your customized outdoor kitchen design by scheduling a free design consultation with us.

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Gas Fire Pit vs. Wood-Burning Fire Pit: Pros and Cons

We’re all looking for an escape from the all-too-familiar four walls of our homes.

Canada has experienced a sluggish pandemic vaccine rollout, so lockdowns and travel restrictions continue to be our reality for a little while longer.

As the weather gets warmer, this means our homes will be where the majority of our time continues to be spent.

Take this opportunity to make the best of a bad situation. Upgrade a part of your home that may be getting overlooked – the backyard. With a little creativity, you can create a beautiful outdoor living area for your family to enjoy.

By adding a gas fire pit or wood-burning fire pit to an exterior area that extends your living space, you can also enjoy the great outdoors virtually year-round.

Which type of fire pit will suit your needs best? Let’s take a look at some pros and cons between gas fire pits and wood-burning fire pits.

gas fire pit

Gas fire pits vs. wood-burning fire pits: cost difference

One of the first questions most people choosing between a gas fire pit and wood-burning fire pit have is the cost difference. In both cases, the size of the fire pit will factor into the cost.

The materials the fire pit is made with is another factor that will determine the product’s cost. Common fire pit materials include:

  • cast iron
  • concrete
  • copper
  • steel
  • granite

Wood-burning fire pits tend to have cheaper upfront costs compared to gas and propane fire pits. Big-box stores offer a range of budget-friendly models that can be assembled yourself.

Natural gas fire pits typically cost a little more. Part of that cost can be attributed to the need for a professional to install the unit. The BTU output of propane and natural gas fire pits (meaning the amount of heat they produce) is another detail that affects cost.

Additional factors to consider are the ongoing costs to operate a fire pit. Naturally (no pun intended), your natural gas or liquid propane costs will be determined by how often your fire pit is used.

Wood-burning fire pits need plenty of firewood to operate. That can get expensive if you don’t have an endless supply of wood on your property and need to have it delivered.

stacked firewood

Wood-burning fire pits give you that authentic campfire feel. Just be prepared for the extra work involved, like cutting and hauling lots of wood. (Photo by Oziel Gómez from Pexels)

Installing wood-burning and gas fire pits

Fire pits can be built from the ground up in a variety of shapes with masonry products such as paver stones, bricks, and heat-resistant outdoor stucco. Most homeowners will choose to buy a pre-made fire pit, however.

One benefit of wood-burning fire pits is they can be assembled yourself. They can be placed anywhere in a backyard with a stable, level surface and enough open space.

Gas fire pit installations involve more planning and aren’t as straightforward to set up. To ensure a gas fire pit is installed properly and works safely, a certified gas technician should be hired.

Setting up a natural gas line for a fire pit will be less of a logistical issue if you’re already planning to add a built-in gas grill to an outdoor kitchen.

Fire pits that run on propane use the same type of small tank that propane grills do, so their setup process is relatively straightforward. If using a larger propane tank is preferred, the services of a professional would be required to install it.

Fuelling your outdoor fire: what you need to know

The convenience of using natural gas when compared to using wood to fuel a fire pit is undeniable. A dedicated natural gas line provides a never-ending supply of fuel. Once it’s installed, your only concern will essentially be paying your monthly gas bill!

One issue that may make natural gas impractical for a fire pit is the location of your property. In rural locations that don’t have access to natural gas services, wood and propane fire pits are your only options.

Propane fire pits offer a little less convenience since the tanks they use need to be refilled or switched out. You can invest in a larger permanent propane tank to cut down on the need to regularly refill your fuel supply. Cottage Life magazine explains here why “propane is super practical for the cottage”.

Wood-burning fire pits, on the other hand, require a lot more work and planning to operate. Here are four questions to ask yourself if you’re considering buying a wood-burning fire pit:

  1. Can you handle the physical demands of cutting down trees and splitting, moving, and stacking wood?
  2. If you need to have firewood delivered, can you get the right type of wood in a timely manner from a reliable company?
  3. Are you willing to invest the extra time it takes to maintain a wood-burning fire pit (especially cleaning it)?
  4. Do you have a dry place away from your house or cottage that can be used for firewood storage?

How easy is it to start and extinguish fires?

The ease of use of a fire pit ends up being a major factor when choosing what type to buy.

One of the biggest drawbacks of wood-burning fire pits is the amount of time and effort it can take to light them. Sometimes, even more time is needed to put them out!

To fully extinguish a wood fire in a pit, the best practice is to allow the wood to fully burn down to ashes. Follow that up by pouring at least a couple of buckets of water over the pit area. When no sign of burning embers is left and no sizzling sound from the water can be heard any longer, the fire should be safely out.

Or you could just push a button to start and stop your outdoor fire.

Here’s one area where the convenience of a propane or natural gas fire pit stands out. Gas fire pits come with a variety of ways to get a fire started easily. The quickest method is via a remote ignition system that starts the fire with the flick of a wall switch or press of a remote control button. Push button ignition systems (like the ones propane grills have) are another type. Some inexpensive gas fire pits can be started the old-fashioned way – with a match or lighter stick.

Turning off an outdoor fire with a gas fire pit is just as easy as starting it. With the press of a button or by shutting off the pit’s gas supply valve, the fire is safely extinguished.

gas fire pit at night

Natural gas and propane fire pits offer the convenience of instant ignition systems.

What type of fire pit is legal in my backyard?

Zoning restrictions in your area will dictate what type of fire pit you can and cannot use, so research your local laws and regulations before making a purchase.

In Vaughan, wood-burning fire pits and fireplaces (also known as chimineas) are allowed, but they are restricted in Toronto.

Areas that do permit outdoor wood burning can issue temporary fire burn bans when dry weather conditions increase the risk of grass, trees, and other vegetation catching fire.

Because natural gas and propane fire pits allow for more control when they’re being used, they’re considered much less of a safety hazard.

Your best option for complying with Ontario’s Fire Code is to get a propane or natural gas fire pit that is certified by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA.)

Gas fire pit vs. wood-burning fire pit smoke output

One of the most appealing features of burning wood is the unique ambiance it provides. The cozy warmth, crackling logs, dancing flames, and pleasant smell generated by an outdoor fire can’t be beat.

Unfortunately, those benefits are accompanied by one glaring negative – the smoke. Nothing spoils a fun time around an outdoor fire like having too much smoke cause your eyes to sting and tear up, or having to constantly change where you’re sitting to avoid blowing smoke.

Wood fires also lose some of their appeal when the odour from the smoke gets into your hair and lingers on your clothing. Drifting smoke into the yards of your neighbours may not be appreciated, either. The Canadian Lung Association actually recommends that you don’t burn wood in a residential setting because of the potential respiratory problems it can cause.

Outdoor fires fuelled by natural gas and propane admittedly deliver a more “sterile” burning experience. Although they may lack the authenticity and charm of a wood-burning fire, at least there’s no smoke to contend with.

Emissions and energy-efficiency of fire pits

The lack of smoke produced by a gas fire pit makes it significantly more energy-efficient than burning wood. The cleaner burn of natural gas emits 99% fewer emissions than wood. Propane burns cleaner than wood, but not as cleanly as natural gas.

Using gas or propane for a fire pit is more eco-friendly in another way besides reducing the amount of pollutants you put into the atmosphere. You’re not contributing to live trees being cut down to produce any firewood.

Gas fire pits are also energy-efficient because they provide a steady, controllable level of heat. The same can’t be said of wood-burning fires, which can be unpredictable and difficult to maintain at a comfortable heat level.

How easy is it to maintain a gas fire pit or wood-burning fire pit?

The convenience advantage of gas fire pits compared to wood-burning fire pits extends to the level of maintenance they need.

Wood-burning fire pits need to be cleaned after each use, requiring you to dispose of the leftover ashes. The process of gathering wood to burn (whether it’s doing it yourself or having it delivered) also qualifies as maintenance for the fire pit.

A gas fire pit involves relatively little maintenance since there’s nothing solid being burned. The most you’ll have to do is occasionally wipe it down and inspect the gas lines for blockages and leaks. For propane fire pits, you’ll have to replace the propane tank once in awhile.

Any fire pit should be covered when it’s not being used to protect it from rain and snow.

fire logs and ashes

Ashes should be cleaned out of a wood-burning fire pit after every use. (Photo by Barthy Bonhomme from Pexels)

What type of fire pit is the most durable?

Covering a fire pit when you’re not using it will extend its life, but you still need to make sure the product you’re buying is made with high-quality materials that will last for years.

Between the heat generated by a fire pit and the fact it’s located outdoors, cheap materials will break down quickly.

Those budget-friendly fire pits we mentioned earlier are usually made with cheap steel that is manufactured overseas. They tend to rust quickly and you’ll end up replacing the entire pit sooner than you’d prefer to.

Concrete gas fire pits are very durable. Outeriors sells handcrafted Dekko fire pits that are made with a proprietary lightweight concrete that is is less than half the weight of regular concrete. The Ontario-based manufacturer states that “Our products are built with longevity in mind”.

How safe are gas and wood-burning fire pits?

All types of fire pits require vigilance and care when they’re being used.

Gas fire pits pose less of a fire hazard than wood-burning fire pits, but they still need to be periodically inspected and maintained for maximum safety. When lighting a propane or natural gas fire pit manually, it’s wise to use a longer lighter stick or a metal match stick holder to keep you further away from the ignition point.

Always shut off the propane or natural gas when you’re finished using the fire pit. Some gas fire pit models have features like automatic turn-off timers that remove the guesswork of whether or not you remembered to turn the unit off. Tempered glass wind guards are another safety feature worth considering.

Because of the sparks and embers produced, wood-burning fire pits can’t be placed too close to your home, wood structures, or anything that is flammable. A wood fire needs to be monitored even more closely when it’s windier. Fire pit spark screens that prevent embers from leaving the pit area are a good investment. And once again, wood fires need to be fully extinguished when you’re finished enjoying them.

fire pit on rooftop deck

With the right setup and safety measures, it is possible to install gas and wood-burning fire pits on a wooden or composite deck.

I want to purchase a gas fire pit. What’s next?

Now that you have a better understanding of the pros and cons of wood-burning and gas fire pits, you can make a more informed decision on the fire pit best suited for your outdoor living space.

Outeriors has a variety of propane and natural gas concrete fire pit designs and accessories by Dekko to help you enjoy more time in your backyard throughout the year.

If you’d like to go beyond a fire pit and create an outdoor kitchen or upgrade your outdoor living space in other ways, request a free consultation with us today. You can also visit our showroom in Vaughan to learn more.

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