OUTDOOR KITCHEN CABINETS
There is a great and growing variety of outdoor kitchen cabinets on the market, with more brands appearing all the time. Amongst a sea of mass-produced imported cabinets, it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Here are some tips to help you choose. Use the links below to help you navigate.
What to consider when choosing cabinets
Types of outdoor kitchen cabinets
Storage Cabinets Door Cabinets Barbeque Cabinets Fridge Cabinets Sink Cabinets Standing Bar Cabinets Bar Seating Cabinets Bench Cabinet Smaller Outdoor Kitchen Modules
Features of outdoor kitchen cabinets
Waterproofing and Storage Cabinet Materials & Worktops Design Options
WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING OUTDOOR KITCHEN CABINETS
What cabinet types do you want?
Outdoor kitchen cabinets can feature barbeques, fridges, sinks, storage, ice wells, planters, seating, standing bars or shelving, just to name a few options. What are the non-negotiable features you must have in your kitchen, and what are the nice-to-haves? Narrow down your requirements – it will help inform your search.
What do you want it to look like?
We’re not exactly unbiased on this point, but some outdoor kitchen cabinets appear to be modelled on an actual filing cabinet; an item of office furniture not normally chosen for its aesthetic appeal. Others are modelled on a catering trolley, and some appear to be a reverential homage to stainless steel. It’s not a commercial kitchen! Look for something tasteful. An elegant selection of materials. A certain visual harmony. A physical expression of poetry; Lord Byron in cabinet-form. If it would look inappropriate in your indoor kitchen, it really shouldn’t go on your patio.
Whats your budget
For most, budget is a primary consideration. A detailed breakdown of what brands you can get for your money can be found on our Which Kitchen is Best page. A brief summary below:
• Less than £1000: Ikea have a low cost flat-pack version.
• £3k – 5k: You’re in small Grillo outdoor kitchen territory. See our small outdoor kitchen page for ideas.
• £5k – 15k: This is our sweet spot – head to the layouts page or project page for inspiration. Various BBQ manufacturers offer side-cabinets – see filing cabinet critique above. Wwoo, a Dutch brand, enter at this price point, and others.
• £15k plus: A very substantial Grillo kitchen. Or look at a custom-built kitchen – you can get a small Gaze Burville kitchen for £19k – £40k.
TYPES OF OUTDOOR KITCHEN CABINETS
Storage cabinets:
The primary building block of the outdoor kitchen cabinet range. An incredibly sturdy, porcelain-worktopped cabinet, featuring a beautiful solid iroko shelf with exposed end-grain. For a simpler and more rugged look leave it open, or…
Door cabinets:
Put doors on your outdoor kitchen storage cabinet for a sleek and sophisticated look. The doors open downward on a soft-close gas-hinge, and have a slim stainless steel handle. If only they made filing cabinets that looked like this…
Barbeque cabinets:
We offer a range of outdoor kitchen barbeque cabinets. Rock-solid Bull gas grills offer the ultimate convenience. A Gusto charcoal barbeque allows you to integrate a kamado into your kitchen. A Delivita Pizza Oven can sit on most worksurfaces, and the Chef’s Anvil brings the flavour of real fire to your food.
Fridge Cabinets:
Outdoor kitchens and fridges go together like gin and tonic. Or to paraphrase Thomson, fridges and tonic go together like outdoor kitchens and gin. Our fridge and bin cabinet features an outdoor-rated fridge, with a gas-hinge pivoting bin / storage bin.
Sink Cabinet:
An outdoor sink and tap can be placed on most outdoor kitchen cabinets, including the fridge cabinet. The Tarn sink is a stunning feature, crafted from black ceramic with a premium matt black mixer tap.
Standing bar cabinets:
Put the pub in your garden with your very own garden bar. An outdoor bar cabinet is a fantastic social hub – the perfect place to pontificate with a pint. Complete with a solid iroko leaning bar and footrest, the standing bar has the option of the BeerBoss – an attached beer bottle opener.
Bar seating cabinets:
Bar seating seems to have a magnetic attraction at parties. The perfect perching place or a formal dining area. The eye-catching Vantage bar stool is a statement in its own right, and allows your guests to relax, chat, or observe the action in the kitchen.
Bench cabinets:
Outdoor bench cabinets have the same solid iroko timber as the rest of the kitchen, and offer relaxed seating , ideally around a low firepit such as the Short Chef’s Anvil. Subtle ‘Habitat’ detailing and incredibly sturdy construction sets this benching apart from the sea of budget PRC offerings.
Smaller outdoor kitchen modules:
Our full-size outdoor kitchen cabinets are 1200 x 610mm. Our smaller cabinets measure 610 x 610mm, and comprise: An ice well, if you want to seriously up your beer and bubbly game. A planter, ideal as a herb garden or feature. Short and Tall Squares, as small worksurface extensions or tidy corner-pieces. The Gusto kamado barbeque, which sits on a Short Square.
FEATURES OF OUTDOOR KITCHEN CABINETS
Weatherproofing & storage
Our outdoor kitchen cabinets are weatherproof but are not designed to be watertight, dust-tight or bug-proof. Although it’s rare that anyone keeps their cups and saucers or best cutlery outdoors, enclosed cupboard space provides an excellent place to stow away the barbeque covers and keep any barbeque utensils close to hand. Once the party gets started and you are preparing your meal outdoors, cupboard space is ideal for ensuring the worktops are clear of clutter, and any mess is behind closed doors.
Cabinet materials & worktops
It’s no secret that we reserve a deep disgust for the sterile, commercial look of a stainless steel cabinet kitchen. You’d never put one in your indoor kitchen; why put it on your patio? It would be as seemly as Her Majesty requesting some pink fluffy dice for her Gold State Coach. Grillo outdoor kitchen cabinets are constructed from beautifully textured coated heavy-gauge steel that is fully weatherproof, and covered by our 3-year warranty. Timber inlay and shelving is crafted from solid iroko, an extremely durable hardwood with similar properties to teak. It requires no surface treatment, and will silver beautifully with age – read more on our iroko care page. Grillo worksurfaces are made from highly durable porcelain. In addition to being immensely strong, they are heat resistant, stainproof, weatherproof, scratchproof, and non-bleaching. Grillo outdoor kitchen cabinets are made in the UK: Built British. Built Strong. Don’t believe us? We parked a hot hatch on it:
Design Options
Everyone likes to add their own flourish to a project. There are a number of design features built into Grillo kitchen cabinetry to help you do just that. Go all-black with black carbon steel feature walls behind cabinets and barbeques, and sleek black door fronts. Or embrace the warmth of wood with exposed iroko shelving and panelling. Go for a beach vibe with Millboard driftwood feature walls, open fronts and habitat rear fascias. Make it yours.
FEATURE WALLS
Our diverse range of Feature Walls choices enable you to personalise and dramatically alter the appearance of your kitchen. Eight options available.
DOORS
Want a more sleek and enclosed look to your kitchen? Vantage Carbon Steel doors come with slim stainless steel handles and smooth-close gas hinges.
REAR FASCIA
Vantage kitchens even look stunning from the back. Choose between the minimalist ‘Signature’ and the patterned ‘Habitat’ panel for a more contemporary feel.
About Grillo Outdoor Kitchens
Grillo Vantage is a design-led outdoor kitchen, blending Iroko hardwood with beautifully finished carbon steel. With a choice of barbecues and appliances, you can create the alfresco area of your dreams.
