What Built In BBQ Grill Will Your Grill Island Need?

These articles will discuss how to build an Outdoor Kitchen. You should still go to work and do your job, this is not a how-to-build message. When I need medical attention I call the doctor and if you need an outdoor kitchen you should engage a professional. Knowing the design and location of your kitchen will often help with the decision of which builder to use. Many clients come to me and want an outdoor kitchen but have no idea how to make the necessary decisions that allow their desire to become a reality. A builder will have specific materials in mind so know your design needs up front to help decide on a contractor.

Many clients come to us for an outdoor kitchen, grill island, summer kitchen, built in BBQ grill, etc without a specific idea of exactly what they want. Often the homeowner has a space they would like to use and an idea about turning that empty zone into a fun social space for the family. Get a good grill and plenty of counter, a bar to sit guests, hang a cheap TV (outdoor televisions are not worth the money yet) and you have a tropical resort built in to your backyard.

When asked what type of built in grill they want most homeowners’ just mumble something non-committal. The overall design and the social enjoyment overshadow the details that will make or break the long term enjoyment of the home. However, the built in bbq grill and appliances are an integral part of the design. During the BBQ event, the focal point will be the grill. Location of the grill will determine where the refrigerator, side burner, access doors and sink belong. Design to serve and use the space socially and usage will naturally flow together grouping cooking accessories together and refrigeration and plumbing together. Not all outdoor kitchens and bars will have a lot of built in accessories but they get a grill at least ninety percent of the time.

Built in gas grills are expensive. Rather than use a low quality gas grill that will cause long term head-aches build the counter to enjoy without a built in BBQ grill. If a lesser quality grill is necessary, leave it on wheels and build counter space to use in conjunction with the barbeque. What accessories will you use when you cook, mix drinks, play with the kids. Design to use by imagining serving guests and weekend use. Keep a cart-grill that is portable and replaceable to use with the island or in a different area.

If I were only able to give one piece of advice regarding the selection of a built in grill it would be: do not go cheap. When the design is the focus, it is tempting to use a cheap grill instead of a quality product. If the grill needs to e replaced, the structure may not fit a different brand or a newer model? Many imported grill manufacturers do not make replacement grill parts available and I have had clients who spent more on OEM grill parts than the original barbeque price. If a built ib BBQ grill does not fit the raw opening in the grill island it is not uncommon to have to demolish the entire structure.

The first question I usually ask a customer is “what do you cook?”. Almost everybody replies “everything” because in their mind they cook everything they eat and do not want to spend a bunch of money on a product with built-in limitations.. Every different make and model of barbeque will cater to certain strengths, types of cooking performance. Does the homeowner cook? Do you cook fast and hot or slow with low temperatures? When I cook a Thanksgiving Turkey I’ll smoke the bird for nine hours at 185 degrees but day to day cooking and social functions I tend to grill mostly hamburgers, steaks and fish on the highest heat setting and fast. Most customers will discover they are cooking the same style of barbequing the majority of the time with slight variations on special occasions.

Once the type of heat used is learned, the size of the built in grill can be determined. For instance an infrared grill that heats to 1400 degrees will cook a lot faster than a barbeque that must close the hood and wait for the temperature to rise to 400 degrees. Therefore a small infrared grill can be done grilling four steaks in the same period of time a typical BBQ takes to reach cooking temperature – and taste better doing it! Grills with built in smokers, sear zones, rotisseries and blue flame burners combine many possible styles. There are built in charcoal barbecues and smokers and individual sear zones that can be built in to accentuate grilling when combined with a standard built in barbeque. If you are going to custom build an outdoor kitchen, do it right and get the grill that will satisfy your needs and is built to last outdoors by a reputable manufacturer.

Finally look at the options and features available with the built in grills you consider. Most well made built in BBQs will have options to add an infrared rotisserie, smoker box, steamer/fryer, griddle, wok ring, lights and even digital thermometer. Always look for something with a good warranty, local service providers and enough versatility to provide the performance you need. Make sure the grill is right for you if you buy something with a lifetime warranty, you may not be buying another grill for a very long time.

After choosing the right grill we have a starting point to design the rest of the outdoor kitchen by deciding what type of accessories to build in. Built in accessories include pull-out tank drawers, pull-out cutting board drawers, cubby holes, pantries, ice bins, refrigerators, ice machines, keg-erators and literally hundreds of additional choices. Years of experience designing and building have taught me to use high quality products. Outside the industry a door looks like any other access door but locating replacements is actually very difficult. Often once the right sized accessory is located, it may not have the same polished grain in the stainless, the same handles and hinges as the original products.

Draw it on paper fast and rough with the actual dimensions of your space. Based on the choice of built in grill and a wish list of built in accessories, what is the space allowed?