My Outdoor Kitchen Installation: Delivery Day, Assembly and First Impressions

Introduction

If you’ve read the first two articles in this series, you’ll know this outdoor kitchen has been a long time in the making. What started as a simple idea quickly turned into months of research, comparing manufacturers, redesigning layouts and changing my mind more times than I’d care to admit.

Eventually, everything led to one date in the diary – delivery day.

I’ll admit, I was genuinely excited. I’d invested a lot of time planning every detail, but there was still one big unknown: I’d never actually seen a CLIPTT kitchen in person.

In this article, I’ll explain why I ultimately chose CLIPTT, how the installation went, what surprised me most and, most importantly, whether those months of planning were worthwhile.

Why I Chose CLIPTT

Before deciding on CLIPTT, I spent a considerable amount of time researching different outdoor kitchen options.

Some were completely bespoke builds, others were modular systems, while a few involved building everything from scratch. There are some fantastic products on the market, but each seemed to involve a compromise somewhere, whether that was flexibility, price or simply whether it would work with the equipment I already owned.

Ultimately, there were a few reasons why CLIPTT came out on top:

• Very quick responses to my questions, with plenty of detail
• Honesty throughout the sales process
• A configurable design that worked around the Monolith, DeliVita and fridge I wanted
• A modern, clean design that suited the garden
• Very competitive pricing compared to some of the alternatives I looked at

One thing that particularly stood out throughout the process was the way Chris approached the project. I initially sent what can only be described as a rather long email full of questions, and every one of them was answered openly and honestly.

From there we moved on to discussing layouts and different options. At no point did I feel like I was being “sold to”. Instead, it felt like we were working together to design a kitchen that genuinely suited the way I cook.

Looking back, I think that collaborative approach was probably one of the biggest reasons I felt comfortable placing the order.

Delivery Day

The kitchen arrived on 16th June, and I opted to have CLIPTT complete the installation. Looking back, I genuinely think that was the right decision.

As with any significant purchase, there’s always a little nervousness before delivery. You’ve spent months looking at photos, drawings and specifications, but until the lorry arrives and the cabinets are unloaded, you don’t really know whether the product will live up to your expectations.

For me, that feeling was even stronger because I’d never actually seen a CLIPTT kitchen in person.

Thankfully, those concerns disappeared almost immediately.

My first impressions were:

• The build quality felt excellent.
• The finish looked every bit as good as the photographs.
• It immediately felt like I’d made the right decision.

What struck me most was that even before the kitchen was assembled, the individual cabinets looked incredibly well made. You could tell they were quality products just by handling them.

The Installation Process

Preparing the Area

Before Chris and Tom arrived, all I really needed to do was clear the patio. That meant moving the existing BBQs, giving everything a thorough clean and making sure they had a blank canvas to work with.

Building the Kitchen

The cabinets arrived fully assembled and extremely well packaged, which immediately made the installation process look much less daunting than I’d imagined.

Once all the cabinets had been positioned on the patio and we’d confirmed the layout, Chris and Tom quickly started connecting everything together before fitting the porcelain worktops.

Watching the kitchen come together was surprisingly satisfying. One minute the patio was empty and the next it suddenly resembled the drawings I’d been looking at for months.

Once everything was connected together, the final job was levelling the cabinets by adjusting the feet before installing the Monolith Two S55, the DeliVita and the outdoor fridge.

I have to say, Chris seemed almost as excited as I was when it came to assembling the Monolith!

What surprised me most was just how quickly everything happened. From start to finish, the installation took around three hours, including setting up the Monolith, Delivita and fridge.

Having now seen how smoothly the process went, I’d have absolutely no hesitation recommending the installation service. It’s competitively priced and, quite honestly, I’d never have achieved the same finish myself.

Seeing It Come Together

Every project has a moment when it suddenly becomes real.

For me, it was when the cabinets were first positioned on the patio. They didn’t even have the doors or worktops fitted at that stage, but I remember standing back and thinking, “This is actually happening.”

Up until that point, the kitchen had only really existed as drawings, measurements and ideas.

Standing in front of it completely changed that.

It also confirmed something I’d suspected during the planning stage: extending the layout and adding the breakfast bar had absolutely been the right decision.

The additional worktop space has already proved invaluable and, perhaps more surprisingly, the breakfast bar has become somewhere people naturally gravitate towards while I’m cooking.

What Surprised Me Most

The Amount of Worktop Space

One of my biggest frustrations with my old setup was the lack of preparation space.

After using the kitchen for a couple of weekends, I can already say that this was probably the best design decision I made. Preparing multiple dishes without constantly juggling chopping boards and trays has made cooking noticeably more enjoyable.

If you’re planning your own outdoor kitchen, I’d encourage you to prioritise worktop space over squeezing in another appliance.

The Storage

The amount of storage has genuinely surprised me.

With four open shelves and four enclosed cupboards, I’ve been able to move almost all of my BBQ accessories outside. The cupboards are much deeper than I expected, meaning there’s plenty of room for accessories, cookware and eventually all of my cast iron.

It’s also allowed me to reclaim an entire kitchen cupboard indoors, which certainly hasn’t upset the rest of the family!

Build Quality

This was probably my biggest concern before ordering because I’d never seen a CLIPTT kitchen in person.

Thankfully, those concerns disappeared almost immediately.

The cabinets feel incredibly solid, the powder-coated finish looks excellent, and the porcelain worktops give the whole kitchen a premium feel. It’s one of those products that actually feels better in person than it does in photographs.

First Impressions After a Couple of Weeks

Although it’s still early days, there are already a few things I know I absolutely made the right decision on.

What I Love

• The overall appearance of the cooking area
• The generous amount of worktop space
• The quality and finish of the cabinets
• How much more enjoyable cooking outside has become

What I’m Still Evaluating

• How the light-coloured porcelain worktops cope with long-term staining
• How the cabinet doors perform after a couple of winters
• Whether the outdoor fridge proves to be an essential feature or simply a nice luxury

Interestingly, I’ve already found myself looking for excuses to cook outside. That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give the kitchen.

Was It Worth It?

This is probably the question everyone considering an outdoor kitchen wants answered.

After only a couple of weeks, my answer is a very easy “yes”.

I’ve wanted a dedicated outdoor cooking space for years. Installing the pergola last year was a huge step in the right direction, but adding the kitchen has completely transformed the area.

The funny thing is, I originally thought I was creating somewhere to cook.

What I’ve actually created is somewhere I simply enjoy spending time.

For me, that was always the real goal.

Final Thoughts

Looking back over the entire project, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that an outdoor kitchen isn’t really about the appliances.

It’s about creating a space that supports the way you cook.

For me, that meant prioritising workflow, worktop space and storage rather than trying to fit in every gadget I could think of.

I’m sure there will be little tweaks over the coming months. There always are with projects like this, but after the first couple of weeks, I’m already convinced that building an outdoor kitchen has been one of the best investments I’ve made in my hobby.

Now comes the fun part: putting it to good use.

Next Up

In the next article, I’ll share some of my first cooks in the new outdoor kitchen, how the layout performs in day-to-day use and whether all those planning decisions were the right ones.