9 Essential Cooking Additions for Your Outdoor Florida Kitchens

Your outdoor Florida kitchens should be as efficient as they are stylish. If you’ve ever wondered how you can make your cooking sessions more convenient, we have some ideas.

Outdoor kitchens are twice as enjoyable when you’re not running back and forth between trash cans. They’re also safer when you outfit them with smart lighting that responds to your movements or the time of day. One way or another, you can customize your kitchen until it’s working for you – not against you.

We’re firm believers in the fine details. If you’re wondering how to furnish your outdoor kitchens to be as comfortable and orderly as possible, keep reading to pick up some practical add-ons. 

If you’re low on time, our 9 essential cooking additions for a functional outdoor kitchen are:

• Outdoor islands to give you extra prep and storage space
• Outdoor grills to enhance your home cooking experience
• Side burners for extra flexibility with complex recipes
• An extra prep sink to better accommodate large gatherings
• Trash pullout to save you time cooking and cleaning
• Wine coolers or beer fridges to keep your drinks cool (and free up storage)
• An outdoor bar to have more room to mix up drinks
• Patio cover to keep food protected from stray leaves or sunlight
• Smart lighting for a safer cooking experience

Source Image: ExtCabinets

Source Image: ExtCabinets

1. An Outdoor Island to Give You More Prep and Storage Space 

Cramped kitchens are incredibly frustrating to work in. Thankfully, an outdoor island will give you extra prep and storage space to hold all your food supplies and tools.

Outdoor islands are a must-have if you’re making large meals and need additional space to set down essentials like cutting boards, bowls, and knives. This extra space will also reduce clutter and save you time trying to find a specific piece of equipment.

If you’re excited to decorate your outdoor Florida kitchens, an outdoor island will also enhance your kitchen’s aesthetic. You’ll have a little more room to set down your favorite potted plant or letter holder. 

We build our outdoor islands with 100% HDPE, a marine-grade material that holds up well to chopping, cutting, and sunlight. You won’t have to worry about your island wrinkling from sun exposure or developing unsightly scratches over the years. 

Source Image: ExtCabinets

2. Outdoor Grills are a Must for Creative Home Chefs

Are you a home cook that wants to get experimental with future recipes? Outdoor grills are a go-to addition for outdoor kitchens since they open up a whole new world of cooking possibilities. 

Grills are wonderful for entertaining company since they’re fun to watch in real-time. You can flip burgers or char a steak while chatting about the game or a movie you just saw. However, there’s an additional benefit to grilling your food you might not know about!

According to recent wellness research, grilling your meat reduces excess fat and retains its nutrient count. Grilling vegetables also protects its nutrients compared to other methods like boiling. In other words, you’ll get more out of your purchase while enjoying a particularly tasty meal – a win-win.

Source Image: ExtCabinets

3. Side Burners to Give You Extra Flexibility When Cooking

Do you enjoy putting together appetizers or delicious sauces? Our HDPE outdoor kitchens come with the option to add a grill as well as side burners for more complex meals. 

One grill may be enough if you live alone or with a spouse, but it can be limiting if you regularly bring over company. Side burners give you the ability to multitask by offering an additional space to grill or sear food. Instead of trying to cram a multi-course meal into a limited space, you can manage multiple meals independently.

Side burners allow you to choose unique temperatures for each food item, too, broadening your ability to pull off certain recipes. For example, you could use your main grill to cook chicken, then a side burner to toast up some vegetable entrees. 

Source Image: ExtCabinets

4. An Extra Prep Sink to Accommodate Larger Gatherings 

You can’t afford to overlook food safety as you put together your outdoor Florida kitchens. An extra prep sink will give you the space and tools you need to clean, peel, and scrub food.

These extra prep sinks are wonderful if you need another pair of hands to help you put together a big meal. When you add an outdoor island to the mix, you can create a spacious and comfortable kitchen for people to move in and out of without bumping into each other. 

We pride ourselves on using 100% HDPE to build our outdoor kitchens alongside stainless steel hardware. HDPE is a marine-grade material commonly used to construct pipes and even boats, so you don’t have to worry about common water-related hazards like humidity. Forgetting to wipe down your cabinets or a sudden shower of rain won’t yield mold down the line! 

Source Image: ExtCabinets

5. Trash Pullout to Save You Time and Energy While Cooking

Don’t waste precious time running back and forth between isolated trash cans. A trash pullout feature is located right where you need it so you can prep, cook, and clean in one spot.

Our outdoor Florida kitchens come with two types of trash pullout – a standard pullout drawer and a pullout with a top drawer. These handy tools give you the freedom to focus on your meal instead of dividing up your attention. 

From trash pullouts to ice chests, our outdoor kitchens come with many customization options to suit your needs. Contact us today to talk about what your outdoor kitchen could look like!

Source Image: ExtCabinets

6. Wine Coolers and Beer Fridges Keep Your Drinks Chilled

If you’re worried about all your drinks and food competing for limited space, save yourself the trouble with these handy additions. Since wine coolers and beer fridges are on the smaller side, they’re well-suited to both smaller and larger outdoor kitchen spaces.

Refrigeration units are seeing the fastest growth for the outdoor kitchen industry and for good reason. Wine coolers and beer fridges give you the double benefit of regularly chilled drinks and freeing up your storage. 

Instead of stacking all your food on top of six-packs or bottles, you can enjoy a dedicated space to sort everything neatly. This feature will save you time pulling out drinks to entertain company or pour yourself something in time for your next show. 

Likewise, you can use the top of a beer fridge as an extra space to stack boxes or place bags. With a little creativity, you can get some serious mileage out of these furnishings. 

Source Image: ExtCabinets

7. Outdoor Bar to Entertain Company and Put Together Drinks

A wine cooler or beer fridge may be a nice start, but if you’re a home mixologist? You’ll definitely need to install an outdoor bar to put together all your favorite cocktails (or mocktails).

Outdoor bars are fantastic additions to kitchen islands because they give you the space to focus on your drinks. You can set up all your favorite drink tumblers, shot glasses, and blenders without worrying about where to put your silverware. 

Even better, an outdoor bar shakes up the proceedings by giving your company multiple things to do. You can invite friends or family over for a few drinks at the bar, then move over to the dining table for dinner. 

Source Image: ExtCabinets

8. Patio Roofs to Keep Your Outdoor Florida Kitchens Protected 

It’s understandable to worry about random leaves or bird feathers landing into your carefully prepared food. A patio roof will give you some protection with a few added benefits.

Patio roofs are flexible additions that come in a variety of sizes, materials, and patterns to blend style with function. Not only do they give your outdoor Florida kitchens some visual flair, they can keep random particles from dropping into your food and drink. With a few adjustments, you can pull them back to let the light in or block the heat with some shade. 

Patio roofs are also wonderful if you’re anticipating a light sprinkle. Who says your outdoor meal has to stop because of a little rain? 

Source Image: ExtCabinets

9. Smart Lighting for a Safer Cooking Experience

Good lighting means the difference between a safe kitchen and a potential hazard. A 2022 Kitchen Trends Index revealed smart appliances, especially smart lighting, to be one of the most desired additions for outdoor kitchens. 

Unlike conventional lighting where you flip a switch or press a button, smart lighting connects to your wi-fi. This feature means you can adjust your lighting from a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or a remote. How nice would it be to brighten or dim your outdoor kitchen without leaving your station? 

Even more importantly, bright lighting with multiple settings is essential to cook food carefully. You don’t want to miss a vital temperature reading for your meat or accidentally pick up a knife by the wrong end. 

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Our Outdoor Florida Kitchens Will Meet Your Home Cooking Needs 

The sheer potential of outdoor Florida kitchens can be overwhelming, but with the aid of this list, you’ll have all your basics covered. You shouldn’t have to choose between comfort and convenience with your outdoor kitchen!

Our outdoor Florida kitchens are highly customizable with practical add-on features like trash pullouts, side burners, and ice chests. We also offer outdoor islands so you can enjoy even more prep and storage space. 

All of these additions pair nicely with outdoor kitchen staples like protective patio covers and smart lighting. With a little creativity, there’s no end to what you can create once you make the plunge and finally install your new kitchen.

Ready to start calculating the costs of your outdoor Florida kitchens? Get a free quote today!