Outdoor kitchen areas have become extremely popular in recent years. The convenience of having a kitchen outdoors during the warmer months of the year can’t be underestimated for those who entertain many family members and guests. The best part about outdoor kitchens is that there are plenty of options to fit your specific needs and budgetary considerations.
With decks, patios, sunrooms and other outdoor living spaces becoming so popular, convenient access to refreshments and quickly prepared meals has become very important. It’s also good to have some shade. Although not every outdoor kitchen area is covered, many are for purposes of the food preparer’s and guest’s comfort.
Some outdoor kitchens will involve a covered barbecue area, complete with a large grill and preparation area. Other outdoor kitchens become almost a second main kitchen out on a patio, equipped with the same types of appliances you would have indoors. In fact, entire outdoor kitchen appliance lines are available today for this very purpose. Price wise, they are comparable to “regular” kitchen appliances. The main consideration is what sort of company you expect to have and the necessity of how much you actually need the outdoor space for food preparation.
The primary advantage to having any sort of outdoor cooking area is that you get to keep your cooling costs down. Especially during the summer, having an outdoor kitchen means you get to have access to natural ventilation without heating up your home’s interior. If you are cooking large meals regularly during the hotter months of the year, this can save you hundreds of dollars in cooling your home. Another advantage of having an outdoor kitchen is that you could enjoy the company of your spouse cooking dinner while you hop on the computer and do a little work with the nice breeze coming through the kitchen. After being in the office all day the folks a I.T. Works! agree it would be a nice change of scenery to get ahead on work so that the next day is a productive one!
One of the worst things at a party is finding that the ice in the cooler has melted. By having an outdoor fridge, you get to save money on ice and a large cooler. Having your refrigerator outside also reduces having to run back in and out of the house, saving further on keeping the inside of your home cool.
Also, items that need to remain refrigerated before food prep can also be kept outdoors in an outdoor kitchen fridge. This helps you save room in your regular fridge, too. Again, you won’t have to run in and out to fetch items that you accidentally may not have brought out. It’s also easier to keep inventory of what you have for your guests and allows them to just enjoy the outdoors.
Even if you’re just creating an outdoor kitchen area for your immediate family and a couple of close friends, the cooling cost savings and added convenience of having your cold beverages and other items, such as flatware, handy is well worth the investment.