Why an Outdoor Kitchen?
Anyone considering an outdoor kitchen or dedicated outdoor cooking area will have their own reasons for doing so. For me, the decision wasn’t really about creating a showpiece. It was about solving a few frustrations that had built up over the years.
Every cook seemed to involve endless trips back and forth to the house, BBQ equipment was gradually taking over cupboards in our main kitchen and utility room, and no matter how much I tidied up, the cooking area always felt cluttered. I also liked the idea of creating a more social space where family and friends could sit and chat while I was cooking.
When I sat down and thought about it properly, my reasons came down to four key areas:
- More preparation space – Although my cooking area isn’t far from the kitchen, I constantly find myself running between the two. I wanted dedicated worktop space for preparing food before a cook and plating up afterwards.
- Dedicated storage – I’ve gradually commandeered several cupboards in our kitchen and utility room for BBQ equipment. I wanted to move as much of that kit as possible closer to where I actually cook.
- Keeping things tidy – The cooking area is much improved compared to where it was 12 months ago, but it can still become messy very quickly. I’m hoping an outdoor kitchen will help create a more organised and permanent home for everything.
- Creating a social space – I often cook outside on my own. Having a dedicated seating area and breakfast bar will hopefully encourage the rest of the family to spend more time outside while I’m cooking.
The Three Questions That Drove My Design
Over the years I’ve accumulated quite a collection of grills and outdoor cooking equipment. The upside of this is that I’ve had the opportunity to cook on a wide variety of grills from different manufacturers, which has given me a very clear understanding of how I like to cook and, perhaps more importantly, what I genuinely enjoy cooking on.
Before I started looking at layouts, cabinets or appliances, I realised there were three questions I needed to answer:
- How do I actually cook most of the time?
- Which pieces of equipment do I genuinely use?
- What frustrates me about my current setup?
Answering those questions made every other decision much easier.
My Current Kit
Like many BBQ enthusiasts, I started with a Weber Kettle. In fact, I still own one today alongside an SNS Kettle. They’re fantastic cookers and, when paired with accessories such as a rotisserie, can produce some truly amazing food.
Not long afterwards I added a Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM), and more than ten years later it’s still part of my collection and still gets used regularly.
I also own an Aldi Kamado which I’ve had for several years. For an entry-level ceramic grill, it has been incredibly good value and difficult to fault.
I’ve had pizza ovens for as long as I can remember, generally favouring the Ooni range. Until recently I was cooking on an Ooni Pro, although that has now been retired.
Also sitting on the patio is a large Char-Broil gas grill. It’s there primarily for convenience and is particularly useful for quick lunchtime cooks or those occasions when I simply don’t feel like lighting charcoal.
I’ve already started to thin out the collection, with my Blackstone Griddle recently finding a new home.
In terms of actual usage, I tend to use:
- Gas for quick and convenient cooks, particularly at lunchtime
- The kettles and kamado for the majority of my cooking
- The pizza oven mainly for pizza, although I’ve always promised myself I’d use it for more
- The Weber Smokey Mountain for low-and-slow barbecue
Each piece of equipment has its place, and understanding that became an important part of planning the kitchen layout.
The Future Kit
Alongside the arrival of the kitchen, I will also be changing my cooking setup.
I’ve decided to invest in a large kamado which will become the workhorse of the entire kitchen. Their versatility is difficult to beat. They can grill, roast, smoke and bake, making them one of the most flexible outdoor cookers available.
Why the Kamado Won
If I could only keep one cooker from my current collection, it would be a kamado.
It covers the vast majority of the cooking styles I enjoy, from weeknight grilling through to long low-and-slow cooks. It’s efficient on fuel, incredibly versatile and suits the way I cook better than anything else I own.
Because it can do so many jobs well, it made sense to build the kitchen around the kamado rather than trying to accommodate multiple specialist cookers.
As a result, the kettles, current kamado and Weber Smokey Mountain will all be finding new homes.
I also spent a lot of time debating whether to include a built-in gas grill.
Initially, it seemed like an obvious choice. I even considered alternatives such as the Napoleon TravelQ Pro 285X, which could be folded away when not in use.
However, the more I thought about it, the more I realised I was close to making a mistake.
Looking back, I almost prioritised appliances over preparation space. Had I squeezed a built-in gas grill into the design, I would have lost a significant amount of valuable worktop space for something I would only use occasionally. When I also considered the cost of a quality built-in gas grill, it felt like a lot of money for a cooker that would primarily serve convenience rather than enjoyment.
The solution, at least in theory, comes from my choice of pizza oven.
I’ve opted for the Delivita Dual Fuel, which gives me the flexibility of gas when I want convenience but still allows me to enjoy cooking with fire. It won’t completely replace a traditional gas grill, but I think it strikes the right balance between convenience and preserving valuable worktop space.
Ultimately, I’ve condensed my cooking setup down to two key pieces of equipment that should still provide all the flexibility I need.
The Cooking Layout
When I first started researching outdoor kitchen layouts, I was convinced I wanted an L-shaped design.
The plan was simple: one run would house the kamado, with the pizza oven positioned around the corner.
Once I started working through designs with the team at Cliptt, it quickly became clear that the layout wasn’t going to provide much usable workspace.
After experimenting with a few different outdoor kitchen layouts, I kept the basic L-shape but increased the overall size and incorporated an outdoor fridge. This created generous worktop space on either side of the kamado, which will become the central hub of most of my cooking.
One thing I realised very quickly is that grills are exciting, but worktop space is what makes an outdoor kitchen enjoyable to use.
It’s one of the biggest frustrations I have with my current setup. I never seem to have enough room to put things down.
Every cook involves preparation, seasoning, resting, carving and serving. If there isn’t enough space to do those things comfortably, even the best grill setup can feel cramped.
As the design process progressed, I also discovered that a breakfast bar and seating area could be incorporated into the layout. Unsurprisingly, this also found its way into the final design, transforming the kitchen into a U-shaped layout.
You can quickly see how outdoor kitchen budgets start to grow once these possibilities are introduced.
The breakfast bar is essentially a standard unit fitted with an extended shelf, creating a simple but effective seating area. We’ve also used a similar extended shelf arrangement to accommodate the DeliVita, which is slightly longer than many other pizza ovens.
Storage
One thing I have definitely not skimped on is storage.
The design includes a mixture of open shelving and enclosed cupboards, providing plenty of space for charcoal, wood, accessories and cooking equipment.
At the moment, I have bags of charcoal and smoking wood scattered around the patio, so simply having somewhere dry and organised to store them will be a huge improvement.
One thing I’ve realised is that storage isn’t just about having somewhere to put things. It’s about keeping the cooking area functional. If charcoal, wood, gloves, thermometers and accessories all have a dedicated home, there is far less temptation to leave them scattered around the patio after a cook.
I’m also planning to move some of my cast-iron cookware outside, which should help free up even more space indoors.
The Fridge
Yes, I’ve gone for an outdoor fridge.
It’s definitely a luxury rather than a necessity, and I’m sure it will occasionally contain a few beers and the odd bottle of wine. However, I suspect its biggest benefit will actually be convenience.
Sauces, pickles, butter, cheese, marinades and BBQ condiments can all be stored outside rather than requiring repeated trips back into the house.
Having everything in one place should make food preparation and serving much easier while also freeing up some space in the kitchen indoors.
Outdoor Kitchen Budgets Grow Quickly
This leads nicely onto one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout the process.
Outdoor kitchen budgets rarely stay where they start.
A slightly longer run of cabinets creates more worktop space. A fridge suddenly seems like a sensible addition. Then you discover breakfast bars, extended shelves and a whole host of optional extras that all appear to solve a genuine problem.
None of these additions are essential, but each one improves the usability of the kitchen and gradually expands the overall design.
There were a couple of additional features that I seriously considered, including some very smart backboards and shelving options. However, they started to push the budget beyond where I was comfortable.
The good news is that the modular nature of the Cliptt system means these can always be added later if I decide they would be worthwhile additions.
Final Thoughts
Planning an outdoor kitchen has been far more involved than simply choosing some cabinets and deciding where to put a grill.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that the kitchen should be designed around how you actually cook, rather than trying to accommodate every possible appliance.
For me, that meant focusing on a large kamado as the centrepiece, keeping a pizza oven for versatility, and prioritising worktop space over additional grills.
Along the way I’ve adjusted the layout, added storage, incorporated a fridge and even introduced a breakfast bar. None of those features were part of the original plan, but each one solved a practical problem and improved how the space will work day-to-day.
The build itself is still to come, but I already feel much more confident that the finished kitchen will suit the way I cook rather than simply looking impressive on paper.
If you’re planning your own outdoor kitchen, my advice would be simple: start with your cooking habits, not the appliances. Once you understand how you genuinely use your outdoor space, the layout and equipment choices become much easier.
Next up in this series: Next up in this series, I’ll cover the final design in more detail, explain why I chose Cliptt and share the delivery and installation process.
Planning My Outdoor Kitchen
How much worktop space do you need in an outdoor kitchen?
One of the biggest mistakes people make when planning an outdoor kitchen is focusing on appliances rather than worktop space. While grills and pizza ovens are often the exciting part of the design, preparation and serving space is what makes the kitchen practical to use.
Every cook involves preparing ingredients, seasoning food, resting meat, carving and plating. Without enough workspace, even the best outdoor kitchen can feel cramped and frustrating to use.
During my own planning process, I realised I was close to sacrificing valuable worktop space to accommodate additional appliances. In the end, I decided that generous preparation space around my main cooker was far more important than squeezing in another grill.
If you're planning an outdoor kitchen, prioritise worktop space first and appliances second.
Is a kamado grill enough for an outdoor kitchen?
For many outdoor cooks, a kamado grill can be the only cooking appliance they need.
A quality kamado is incredibly versatile and can be used for grilling, roasting, smoking, baking and even pizza cooking. It can handle everything from quick weeknight meals through to long low-and-slow barbecue sessions.
When planning my own outdoor kitchen, I realised that the majority of my cooking already took place on either a kettle barbecue or a kamado. Rather than trying to accommodate multiple large grills, I decided to make a large kamado the centrepiece of the kitchen.
That doesn't mean additional appliances aren't useful, but it's worth being honest about how you actually cook. If a kamado already handles most of your cooks, you may get more value from extra workspace and storage than another grill.
Do you need an outdoor fridge?
An outdoor fridge is definitely a luxury rather than a necessity, but it can add a surprising amount of convenience to an outdoor kitchen.
Most people immediately think about keeping drinks cold, but the biggest benefit is often having ingredients and condiments close at hand. Sauces, pickles, butter, cheese, marinades and drinks can all be stored outside rather than requiring repeated trips back into the house.
I initially viewed an outdoor fridge as one of the optional extras that could easily be removed from the design. However, the more I thought about how I use my outdoor cooking space, the more it made sense.
If your budget allows, an outdoor fridge can significantly improve the day-to-day usability of your outdoor kitchen.
Should you include a gas grill in an outdoor kitchen?
Whether you need a gas grill depends entirely on your cooking habits.
Gas grills are incredibly convenient and ideal for quick weekday meals when you don't want to spend time lighting charcoal. However, they also take up valuable space and can add significantly to the overall cost of an outdoor kitchen.
I seriously considered including a built-in gas grill in my design but eventually decided against it because it would have reduced the amount of available worktop space. As most of my cooking is done on charcoal, it didn't make sense to dedicate a large part of the kitchen to something I would only use occasionally.
The key is to be realistic about how often you'll actually use a gas grill rather than including one simply because it seems like an expected feature.
How much storage should an outdoor kitchen have?
Charcoal, smoking woods, cooking tools, gloves, thermometers, cleaning products, cast iron cookware and serving platters all need somewhere to live. Without adequate storage, these items quickly end up cluttering patios, sheds and garages.
When designing my kitchen, I deliberately included more storage than I thought I needed.
Good storage keeps the cooking area organised, protects equipment from the weather and makes the entire outdoor kitchen feel more functional.
What is the best outdoor kitchen layout?
There is no single best outdoor kitchen layout because every garden, budget and cooking style is different.
The right layout is the one that supports the way you cook.
I originally planned an L-shaped outdoor kitchen with a kamado on one run and a pizza oven positioned around the corner. As the design developed, I realised I needed more preparation space and eventually expanded the layout into a larger U-shaped design with a breakfast bar.
The most important consideration is workflow. Think about where food preparation takes place, where cooking happens and where food is served. The easier it is to move between those areas, the more enjoyable the kitchen will be to use.
Before choosing a layout, make a list of the appliances you genuinely use and design around them.
What should you plan before buying an outdoor kitchen?
Before comparing outdoor kitchen manufacturers, layouts or appliance options, spend some time understanding how you actually cook.
Think about which appliances you use most often, how much preparation space you need, what storage requirements you have and whether features such as seating or refrigeration are important to you.
When I started planning my own outdoor kitchen, I assumed the biggest decisions would be around cabinets and appliances. In reality, the most important decisions were around workflow, storage, workspace and how the kitchen would fit into the wider garden.
Taking the time to answer these questions before speaking to suppliers will help you avoid expensive mistakes and ensure the finished kitchen is designed around your lifestyle rather than simply looking good in a brochure.