For most people, summer means that baked foods are out and grilled food and salads are in. Inside cooking during the hot months means cranking the air conditioning to survive. But, why stay in, when you can enjoy your outdoor space? You can create your very own outdoor cooking station without needing to break the bank. Have a look at some of the best reasons for why your outdoor space needs a kitchen.

What is an Outdoor Kitchen?

As the name suggests, an outdoor kitchen is a space outside the house where you can prepare and cook meals plus easily handle the cleanup. An outdoor cooking area includes outdoor appliances such as stoves, grills, cooktops, and ovens.

There are lots of great reasons why you should have an exterior kitchen and take everything outdoors during the summer. Here’s why you need an outdoor kitchen.

The Benefits of Having an Outdoor Kitchen

1 Lower Energy Bills

The problem with cooking indoors in the summer is that it makes your house hotter than it needs to be. The extra heat in the air means that the AC works harder to keep things cool, which leads to increased energy bills.

If your air conditioning is getting strained by the indoor cooking, it could be time to try cooking outside. The less you strain the AC system the better – for your wallet and the unit itself. Having the option to prepare meals and cook with one of the best BBQ grills keeps the hot air outside. Your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to keep things cool, meaning reduced energy bills for you.

2 Keep Cooking Smells Outside

It feels like smells have a tendency to last longer during the summer. Smells also seem worse during the summer. There’s something about the heat that makes smells unpleasant. All of the smells of cooked food and canned food can wreak havoc on sensitive noses. Even non-sensitive noses can easily become overwhelmed during the summer months.

Setting up a small outdoor kitchen and cooking food outside means that all the smells of cooking are outdoors too. It’s even better if you have flowers in your garden. The scents from these flowers can counter the smells of cooking so they disappear. If you get overwhelmed by the smells of cooking during the summer, try taking things outside with an outdoor BBQ kitchen.

3 Great for Entertaining

One of the key benefits of having an outdoor cooking area is that they are so great for entertaining. Cooking food on the grill at a patio allows guests to gather around and socialize with one another while the food is being prepared. The problem with cooking indoors is that, even with a large kitchen, things can get overcrowded easily.

Overcrowding isn’t an issue with an outdoor kitchen. Even a small outdoor kitchen offers more flexibility than a standard indoor kitchen. Make things more comfortable for guests with the help of some outdoor appliances like patio heaters, outdoor furniture, lighting options, and music that really sets the mood.

4 More Living Space

Having an outdoor kitchen makes it easier to expand your living space. With cheap outdoor kitchen kits, you don’t need to invest in walls or a roof and build upon your house. These kits allow you to take advantage of the room that you’ve already got on your porch and in your garden. Just put everything together and open up your backyard to new possibilities.

All you need for an outdoor kitchen is a covered patio. Once that’s in place – or if it’s already there – just set up some appliances and you’ll be cooking a range of delicious food outdoors in no time. Use the outdoor cooking area for more than just meals too; use it to celebrate birthdays and holidays or just soak up the great outdoors during the summer.

5 Makes Eating Healthy Easier

Outdoor kitchens and BBQs are built for grilling above all else. The great thing about grilled food is that it is remarkably healthy. Grilled food tastes great and is better for you than almost any other kind of food. Having an outdoor kitchen even makes this grilled food taste better. Grills cook at higher heats than a standard indoor stovetop, which helps food to retain moisture. The effect is the food has a different flavor to it than it would have normally had.

Eating at home in your outdoor kitchen gives you total control of what goes into your food. Having control over your food is something you need if you have special dietary requirements and have to avoid certain kinds of food. Restaurants tend to add a lot of extra stuff to their food like butter and salt, which is another reason that cooking and eating at home is healthier overall. Grill with marinades and rubs to get great tasting food with fewer calories.

6 Save Money on Takeout and Restaurants

Speaking of restaurants and takeaways, having an exterior kitchen means you won’t eat out as much. Why would anyone want to head out to a restaurant and spend a lot of money on food when they have one of the best BBQ grills set up on their patio?

Eating out all the time is a real drain on your wallet. Many people can eat out every day of the week without realizing it. The more you eat out in the yard instead of out in a restaurant, the more money you stand to save. Think of it this way— every meal eaten at home is extra money in your pocket. Throw in the savings on air conditioning and it’s amazing how much money you can save with cheap outdoor kitchen kits.

7 Gets the Family Outside

Parents have enough trouble getting their kids away from their computers, televisions, and the comfort of air conditioning. Being able to cook and eat outside gives everyone an excuse to get outside and do something, all through the power of food.

Put on a bit of music, light some candles in the evening, and relax outdoors while enjoying a great meal together as a family. Eating outside takes any meal and makes it something special without any extra effort on your part. There’s nothing like relaxing outside on a warm summer’s day. The only thing that could possibly make it better is a good meal.

8 Have a Second Kitchen

Even a small outdoor kitchen has most of the same amenities and appliances as a regular kitchen. Outdoor kitchens have a grill, sink, and some kind of refrigerator at the very least. Outdoor kitchens make for an excellent backup kitchen if something happens with your indoor kitchen and you can’t use it.

Having access to an outdoor kitchen makes it easier to get through plumbing emergencies, broken appliances, and kitchen remodels. If your main kitchen becomes unserviceable or such a mess that you can’t imagine getting it clean in time for dinner, being able to move everything outside is a real godsend.

9 Add Value to Your Home

Looking to add some extra value to your home? One of the best decisions you could make would be to create an exterior kitchen. Outdoor kitchens offer one of the best returns on investment when it comes to home improvement projects. Building an outdoor kitchen doesn’t cost too much depending on what you do, and you can expect to make a lot of the money back during closing.

If you build an outdoor kitchen out of good quality materials then you’ll get years of enjoyment and use out of it. Most outdoor appliances and BBQ grills are made from stainless steel to withstand any outdoor environment. There’s nothing better than seeing a backyard with a functional kitchen. You’ll love showing off your outdoor kitchen to friends and family, as well as prospective home buyers. Even if you have no intention to sell right now, the long life of an outdoor kitchen means it will be ready whenever you are.

The Best Outdoor Kitchen

Once you build and install your outdoor kitchen and fire up that grill, you’ll wonder how you lived without one before. If the time comes to move to a new house and sell your old one, you’ll find that the outdoor kitchen is a great bargaining chip to have on your side. Everyone wants to live somewhere with an outdoor kitchen. Even if you don’t want to move, you’ll come to love your outdoor kitchen and all the eating and entertainment opportunities it provides.