You have a beautiful outdoor area for relaxing and hanging out with friends, now it’s time to take it to the next level. Grilling is the most common reason for spending time enjoying the space you’ve created. You can start with a grill, then add appliances and features like counters, islands, and storage as your needs and interests grow.

You may love your tiny charcoal barbecue, but consider these valid reasons for building or buying an outdoor kitchen.

You’ll Grill Often

This may seem like a no brainer, but if you enjoy grilling, then why not make things even better with an outdoor kitchen? It's a known fact that everything tastes better when it's grilled. Steaks, chicken, seafood, and vegetables are all part of your grilling expertise menu. Even if you have never grilled before, it will not take long for you to master the skill and look forward to showing off your talents.

I personally love the experience of sitting back with friends under the night sky while dinner is slow cooking on the grill, enjoying good wine, and great conversation. Of course, an outdoor kitchen is more than just a place to relax during the evening, it is also party central for any event.

Cold temperatures and snow never kept my friends and me from grilling a smokey slab of meat before a game. Everything is better on the grill, any time of the year. Trust me.

Entertainment

Having an outdoor kitchen creates a great space to easily entertain guests, that doesn’t require the back and forth of not having one. Typically when you grill, it can be a bit of a pain in the butt mad-dash. Kitchen prep, dicing onions and garlic, mixing the rub, then running out to the grill to slap it onto the slab of deliciousness. Back and forth. Meanwhile, your guests are not sure what to do with themselves. With the outdoor kitchen, you’ll have the counter space and tools you need to keep everything where the party is.

People love congregating in the kitchen during a party, so bring the kitchen to the party.

It’s Easier To Clean

Speaking of parties, we all know how much of a disaster area the kitchen can become during a party. Luckily for you, with an outdoor kitchen, clean up can be easier and some outdoor kitchens can even be hosed down.

Some foods smell heavenly while they’re cooking, while others are less desirable. When you cook smelly foods such as fish, those odors can linger for days. When you prepare it outside, your house stays unsullied by the offensive aroma.

Resale Value

Sure, when someone is looking for a house they might not have outdoor kitchen as one of their must-haves, but there’s no doubt once they go outside they are going to be very pleased to see it, and it could be one of the amenities that separate your house and others on the market.

I would recommend an outdoor kitchen before a swimming pool. Think about it. Everyone eats, but not everyone swims. You can also use it for more months out of the year, it doesn't require as much maintenance, and you don't have to wear a swimsuit while you grill... unless you want to.

When it comes time to sell your house, an outdoor kitchen is a real convenience. The idea of eating outdoors appeals to just about everyone.

Save On Utility Bills And More

In the summertime, having the oven on makes the AC work harder. Having the cooking outside keeps the house cooler and the costs down for utilities. Also, when you have your own outdoor cooking and dining area, why would you want to go out to a restaurant to eat? Dining out at restaurants can deplete your bank account pretty quickly, so eat out at home.

Once your outdoor kitchen is up and running, you’ll question how you ever managed without it.