Many homeowners are adding a porch, patio, or deck to their home designs to make space for outdoor gatherings and get-together functions. In that case, you may also consider building an outdoor kitchen. As reported by Architectural Digest, outdoor kitchens have become the most sought-after kitchen trend in 2022, inspiring 2.18 million searches on search engines and garnering a 9.65/10 “trend score.”
There’s a lot to love about having an outdoor kitchen. But is an outdoor kitchen right for you? If you’ve been tossing around the idea of building an outdoor kitchen for your home, it’s essential to know and weigh in first the pros and cons of having one before making an informed decision.
This article will present the pros and cons of adding outdoor kitchens to help you decide if they suit your home.
Pros of Outdoor Kitchens:
An outdoor kitchen may be a significant investment, but here are the many ways you can benefit from it:
Additional entertainment area
An outdoor kitchen can give you more reason to invite guests for outdoor dining and entertaining. If you’re a talented cook, an outdoor kitchen can give you enough space and platform to show your skills to guests and family members.
Provide space for open-flame cooking
Dishes or recipes, like flame-broiled food or foods cooked on a wood-fired grill, are difficult to cook indoors. And even if you have enough space and equipment in your indoor kitchen, cooking foods that aren’t meant to be cooked inside can put you at risk of fires.
With an outdoor kitchen, you’ll have the freedom to cook any food in an open flame, which can add quality and unique flavour to your dish. You also won’t have to worry about setting fire to your indoor kitchen or cramping the entire house with smoke since the fresh air outdoors enables you to do any cooking method as long as you have the right equipment.
Elevates home value
Whether you plan to sell your home in the future or not, adding an outdoor kitchen can be an effective way to boost your property value. Study shows that outdoor kitchens can increase your return on investment by 100% to 200%.
However, don’t let the added property value be the only factor for you to consider adding an outdoor kitchen. When deciding whether to install an outdoor kitchen, consider your and your family’s lifestyle. You may enjoy this new space if you’re all fond of cooking and dining outdoors. If not, you may not need to install one just for the sake of boosting your home value.
Cons of Outdoor Kitchens:
Like anything, outdoor kitchens may also have their drawbacks. Here are their potential cons:
Takes up outdoor space
You’ll need lots of outdoor space to add an outdoor kitchen. Otherwise, if you only have a limited backyard space, the outdoor kitchen will acquire most of the area, leaving you with very little space between your house and your outdoor kitchen.
The lack of outdoor space could also lead to potential disagreement with your neighbours, especially if your kitchen is too close to their property, causing the smoke from the kitchen to cross over their property. Moreover, each state may have imposed local HOA regulations, which you need to observe, including having enough space for an outdoor kitchen.
Can be expensive
Outdoor kitchens may cost between GBP£4,000 to GBP£50,000, depending on the size, structure, and quality of the materials and accessories. You can save a few pounds if you’d like to DIY and build the kitchen yourself. But, for a better and higher-quality outdoor kitchen, hire a professional outdoor kitchen builder. This may increase the overall cost, but they’re much more reliable and skilled in building your dream outdoor kitchen.
Prone to weather damage or security risk
Since your outdoor kitchen will likely be exposed to weather conditions, it is essential to invest in weather protection to avoid them being damaged. That said, consider the type of weather or season in your region to help you decide what weather protection to get for your outdoor kitchen. If your outdoor space allows, add an extended roof to cover the outdoor kitchen area or opt for retractable awnings or covers for easy storage.
Besides the weather condition, security risks are another possible issue of having an outdoor kitchen. When using high-quality tools and equipment, there’s a great risk that robbers and burglars would target your home for invasion and robbery.
Investing in heavy-duty padlocks to lock your grills, kitchen cabinets, and other storage can help reduce your home and your outdoor kitchen’s risk of invasion. Better yet, you can also bring them inside for proper storage and security since anything left outside that isn’t properly secured could be at risk of being stolen.
Ready to have your own outdoor kitchen?
Outdoor kitchens are undoubtedly gorgeous and can be a great addition to your property. You’ll have more space to welcome your guests and provide them with great food and entertainment. So, if the pros far outweigh the cons, planning for your outdoor kitchen may be the best choice.
