The Best Outdoor Kitchen Island Buying Guide
Table of Contents
Top Best Outdoor Kitchen Islands Based on Reviews and Price
How to Choose the Best Outdoor Kitchen Island?
Cooking outdoors, particularly during the summer brings a whole lot of excitement to the entire family. In the Mediterranean, it is very widespread for families cooking outdoors. However, today, this cooking style is becoming popular across the United States and even in other world nations. If you are thinking about adding a kitchen to your patio and considering an outdoor kitchen island will be the better choice, you can decide when you understand the benefits of outdoor cooking. Before getting into the things to consider for shopping this, it is better to understand the benefits of outdoor cooking.
What You Can Expect from an Outdoor Cooking Island?
When you have the outdoor kitchen islands set up in your patio, you will have space for your entire family to sit around entertaining you and themselves during the cooking time. It can provide an excellent opportunity for families to get together and have quality time. As there is much space outdoors, you can increase the comfort of your guests as well by adding furnishings, heaters, and strings of lights to your patio along with the outdoor kitchen island.
- Increase the Value of Your House
Yes, with the kitchen island installed outdoors, you can add better value to your property undoubtedly. As this home remodeling project is gaining popularity these days, most homebuyers are ready to pay more for properties with outdoor kitchen islands. Above all, property valuers also give better value to such properties.
- Saves Your Utility Bills
When you have Kitchen Island installed outdoors in your property, you need not have to operate your air conditioner when you are cooking. This is essential when you cook inside. So, your air conditioner needs not to have to work hard and long to keep you cool during hot summer days, particularly in a space like a kitchen, where more heat automatically generates due to frying, roasting and other things done.
Not just in the kitchen, these activities increase the overall temperature in your home, which makes your AC work hard, thereby increasing your utility bills. When you cook outdoors, the wider space and the natural air available outside takes out the heat away from your cooking and keep you cool. In turn, there will be a considerable reduction in your utility bills.
- Keeps Smell Outside
Have you ever went inside the kitchen as soon as you cook something in oil or even deep fry without oil. You will have the smell revolving around your entire home in addition to the kitchen. Even, the smell from your costumes will show others that you have cooked the particular dish in your home today. But, with outdoor cooking similar to the heat, the aroma also gets away in the air.
10 Factors to Consider When Buying an Outdoor Kitchen Island
A good outdoor kitchen island can expand your living space. Also, it will improve the taste of your foods as you are relaxed when cooking outside. Even, it will help with saving money on restaurants. As you cook in a natural atmosphere, you will not feel tired and exhausted, which you cannot avoid in indoor cooking. Now, with these things known, you might have decided to invest in an outdoor kitchen island. Here are the top 10 factors you will have to consider in this shopping:
#1 Essential Parts of The Outdoor Kitchen Island
Outdoor kitchen islands come in different shapes and styles. Also, they come with different appliances as part of them. So, before you shop for this product, you should get a clear idea of what is included in it. It will generally look like a complete kitchen set up with grills, stoves, shelves and even refrigerators. So, just gain complete knowledge of the contents of the product before you shop for one.
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#2 Consider the Number of Burners
In general, a kitchen island will have a grill and other types of stoves as part of the package. Based on the number of people for whom you will be cooking, you should decide the number of burners you need in the kitchen island. There will be two, three and four burner options. So, you should choose one based on your preferences and cooking needs. The more the number of burners, the quicker you can complete the cooking task, as you know.
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#3 The Storage Space
Generally, most outdoor kitchen islands come with storage space. But, based on the size of the entire unit, the storage space will vary. If you feel that you will need more storage space, you should choose the appropriate unit. Of course, you will have the space for cooking and these storage spaces are intended to store the essential supplies that will ease your cooking.
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#4 Type of Fuel
The cooking oven in the outdoor kitchen island should have a source of fuel, isn’t? As it is an outdoor unit, it is always better to look for the unit that works on gas as the fuel as against electricity-powered ovens. The reason is that when it is powered by electricity, you will have to look for appropriate space and electrical outlets for installation. The gas ovens are the best choice.
In an outdoor cooking space installation of an electrical outlet will be tough either. Even, you will come across coal-based ovens as well. So, consider which will be more convenient for you and choose accordingly.
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#5 The Material of the Entire Unit
Some outdoor kitchen islands are made using stainless steel, while some are made using stones. Even, some of these units are made using wood. The other materials used are aluminum, brick, and other materials. Of course, as compared to stone-based ones, the aluminum-based units will cost you less. Here, you should consider your budget to decide. If you are highly particular about aesthetics and natural-looking outdoor kitchen, you can choose the stone-based variants that will have a real kitchen look as you have installed tiles in walls in your indoor kitchen.
#6 The Size Matters
If you have a huge space outdoors, you can go for bigger outdoor kitchen islands. But, if you have space restrictions, you can go for smaller units. The smaller units will not have much of the storage space. They will just have burners and small countertops in the sides to store the prepared dish and to store the ingredients before you start cooking. So, think about the space that the island can occupy in your property outdoors and accordingly make your selection.
#7 Do You Need a Refrigerator?
You might be surprised to know that some kitchen islands come with a small refrigerator unit. You can store drinks, vegetables, and other supplies that will help you with lessening the time required for cooking. When you will have to go indoors to get everything from the huge refrigerator that you have stored indoors in your home, it will consume a lot of time.
But, if the island has a refrigerator attached, your job will become easier. If you feel that rather than a refrigerator, it can be a storage space, you can very well find units without a refrigerator, but with better storage space.
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#8 How About the Shape?
Some kitchen islands will be a rectangular shape, while some will be in a half-circle shape. Even, here, your space will decide the ideal shape for your outdoor cooking needs. Even, you can consider which shape will be aesthetically appealing for your property before you make your decision on the ideal outdoor kitchen island.
#9 Custom-built or Stock Solution
Thanks to the companies that offer outdoor kitchen islands that were previously designed as per their own design specifications. However, if you feel that the storage space, size and other features available in the pre-designed islands does not fit your space, you might think about custom-building the island. Of course, pre-designed variants might cost you less as compared to freshly designing a new unit entirely for your needs. So, think over before you decide.
#10 Consider the Location
Remember that you will be recommended not to place the kitchen island close to combustible materials. Also, you cannot install it underneath a covered patio. But, this can be done if you have the proper vent hood for the grill. But, you cannot get it installed within an enclosed patio. When deciding on the location, you should also consider the foot traffic and usage of the backyard. Make sure that the unit does not block the outdoor view of your home.
Wrapping It Up
As mentioned earlier, a kitchen island is an excellent addition to any home for outdoor summer cooking. In addition to the factors mentioned above, you should also consider the kitchen’s price, delivery, and installation services offered by a seller before you decide to place your order.
Also, you should make sure that the outdoor kitchen space has enough fuel supply for the non-stop operation of the grill on the island. Further, the outdoor kitchen space needs proper winterizing before the onset of the winter season.
Consider all these things and end up investing in an outdoor kitchen island that improves the value of your home to a great extent.
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