If you’re considering an outdoor kitchen for your home, you’ll be amazed at the state-of-the-art appliances with luxury features on the market. If you love to cook and entertain, just take a look at 30 of the top quality amenities that are available for outdoor kitchen designs.
1. Gas Grill
Gas grills are preferred by most Bergen County homeowners for their outdoor kitchen designs. Gas grills are clean, energy-efficient and easy to use. They come in a wide variety of top quality grills with luxury features for outdoor cooking. Although gas grills are preferred, propane, electric and wood-burning grills are also available.
2. Hybrid Fire Grill
A stainless steel professional-grade gill that offers a combination of gas, charcoal and wood cooking. There are grilling drawers located below the grill grate that contain compartments. You can leave the drawers empty for full gas cooking or add charcoal or wood for flavor. If you add charcoal or wood, you can turn the gas off for full charcoal or wood cooking or leave it on as supplementary heat source.
3. Smoker
A smoker adds a smokey flavor to meats. You can smoke meat all day at 180 degrees F, or cook faster at 500 degrees F for searing and grilling. Smokers come in a variety of sizes and styles including built-ins and portables. Ceramic and stainless steel built-in smokers offer air-tight lids with temperature controls that keep heat in while cooking.
4. Smoker Box
A smoker box is a removable box that lets you cook with wood chips. It attaches to the grill area. It’s much smaller and doesn’t put out as much heat as a built-in or portable smoker, but it provides smokey flavor for less money.
5. Pizza Oven
Gas-fired pizza ovens can cook a Neapolitan-style pizza in three minutes. They preheat to high temperatures quickly and cook much faster than wood-fired pizza ovens. Temperatures range from 350 degrees F to 800 degrees F. They contain two gas burners with adjustable heat controls. The top burner browns the toppings and the bottom burner browns the crust. Pizza ovens come in built-ins and portable models that don’t require installation.
6. Rotisserie
A rotisserie can be added to your grill. It cooks meats on a stainless steel rotisserie rod that rotates. A hidden rotisserie motor has two chain-driven spit supports that allow up to 120 lbs. of meat on each spit. Some rotisseries have dedicated smoker burners for cold smoking.
7. Wok Cooker
A wok cooker is great for creating stir-fry meals and crab or lobster boils. With 27,500 BTU burners, a wok cooker heats up quickly and provides fast cooking for quick meals.
8. Deep Fryer
Install a deep fryer in your outdoor kitchen designs for frying fish, fries, vegetables and appetizers. Deep fryers provide extra-high heat needed for frying food quickly with little oil residue. They are available in drop-in and portable units.
9. Built-in Griddle
Add a built-in griddle plate with a non-stick surface for excellent grilling on a flat surface. You can make pancakes, french toast, hamburgers, fish, vegetable and breads on a built-in griddle. Griddles can be purchased alone or in combination with side burners from some manufacturers.
10. Side Burners
Side burners provide extra cooking space for side dishes. They’re available in drop-in and portable models and single and double burners with 15,000 BTUs of heat on each burner. Some side burners offer reversible grates for grilling or stir-frying. All side burners come with a stainless steel cover for protection when not in use.
11. Warming Drawers
Warming drawers are a great feature for outdoor kitchen designs. They come in various widths and depths with inside compartments that will hold 6 to 8 entree plates or a whole ham or turkey. Warming drawers are thermostatically controlled with temperatures from 170 to 230 degrees F.
12. Refrigerator
Under-counter refrigerators come in 15” and 24” wide. They offer energy-efficient features like advanced insulation, forced air cooling and variable-speed compressors to provide food-safe temperatures for outdoor food storage. Most models come with three or four adjustable shelves, interior lighting and temperature controls. Some models offer a door lock.
13. Freezer
Outdoor freezers will keep ice cream and frozen foods cold on the hottest northern NJ days. You can easily entertain guests with frosted martini glasses and beer mugs from your outdoor kitchen freezer with digital temperature controls and hot gas defrost system. Freezers for outdoor kitchen designs are 24” wide and come with two drawers or a single door.
14. Ice Maker
Most under-counter ice makers can create 55-65 lbs. of ice in 24 hours. They can store up to 27 lbs. of ice in the ice bin compartment for easy access. Ice makers can be purchased as individual units or combined with some refrigerator models.
15. Beverage Center
For outdoor kitchen designs the family will love, include a beverage center. Under-counter models come in 15” and 24” wide. They feature energy-efficient cooling, adjustable interior shelves, temperature controls and glass front doors for visibility. They can be designed for soft drinks and bottles or as a combination wine cooler/beverage center.
16. Drop-in Cooler
If you don’t need a full refrigerated beverage center, you can buy an 18” drop-in cooler for your outdoor kitchen. Fill it with ice and it will hold soft drinks, bottles and anything you need to keep on ice for a party or outdoor dinner.
17. Wine Cooler
If you entertain a lot, a wine cooler is a great outdoor kitchen feature. Under-counter models come in 15′ and 24” widths with stainless steel or vinyl coated adjustable shelves and stainless steel or glass front doors. Wine coolers chill and protect wines from light, heat, vibration and temperature changes.
18. Kegerator
A kegerator or keg tapper is great if you like draft beer. Models come in 15”, 24” and 48” widths with one, two or three taps. Units come with removable drip trays, automatic defrost, thermostat controls and a CO2 tank. On a hot summer day in Bergen County, a kegerator will provide cold draft beer on demand.
19. Sink
Outdoor kitchen designs can include stainless steel top-mount and under-mount sinks with single and double bowls, faucets for hot and cold water and built-in towel dispensers. Sinks come in various shapes and sizes to fit your needs.
20. Bar
Some manufacturers make built-in bar units for outdoor kitchens. They contain storage for liquor, mixers and glassware and a serving area with an easy to clean drainage system.
21. Dishwasher
If you do a lot of outdoor entertaining, you may want a dishwasher for your outdoor kitchen. Designed with high powered water jets and adjustable racks for pots and pans, outdoor dishwashers provide easy and convenient cleanup for outdoor kitchen designs.
22. Storage Drawer
Stainless steel storage drawers are available from 16” to 36” wide. They come is different depths with single or double drawers and different interior configurations. They can store everything from cooking utensils to plates and napkins.
23. Storage Cabinet
Under-counter stainless steel cabinets from 18” to 24” wide are great for all kinds of storage. They’re taller than storage drawers and good for storing pots and pans and small appliances like blenders and mixers. Open storage cabinets are good for wood storage.
24. Pantry
A pantry is similar to a storage cabinet except it’s meant specifically for food items like bread, crackers, salad toppings and condiments. Pantries come is various sizes with adjustable shelves and doors.
25. Cutting Board
Outdoor kitchen designs offer top quality hardwood cutting boards from 10” to 28” wide. They are perfect for your prep station area in your outdoor kitchen. Cutting boards are removable for easy cleaning.
26. Trash Bin
For convenient cleanup around your outdoor kitchen, include an under-counter stainless steel trash bin. They come with one or two compartments that fit standard size trash liners. Pull-out drawers make emptying trash simple.
27. Paper Towel Dispensers
Paper towel dispensers are available in single and double roll access. Units are flush-mounted to outdoor kitchen designs with a pull-down front that provides quick access to towel rolls. Towel dispensers can also be combined with many storage cabinets to make one unit.
28. Vent Hoods
Grill vent hoods are available in wall-mounted styles and island styles for free-standing outdoor kitchen designs with no perimeter walls. They do a great job of controlling smoke from the grill with three-speed high-powered exhaust controls. They also provide overhead lighting for the grill.
29. Sunbrella Grill Covers
As the most expensive item in outdoor kitchen designs, the grill needs a cover for protection from sun, rain and snow in northern NJ weather. Sunbrella makes grill covers from outdoor fabrics that are meant to hold up to the elements.
30. Lighting
Your outdoor kitchen needs proper lighting. Some grills and vent hoods contain halogen lighting. If not, be sure to provide adequate, bright halogen lighting over your kitchen area.