11 Benefits of Outdoor Kitchen Storage

Learn about the many benefits of outdoor kitchen storage and why you should add them to your backyard kitchen. Experience the outdoor kitchen storage advantage.​

No kitchen is complete without storage. Drawers, cabinets, and counter space are essential to creating a functional kitchen space, and outdoor kitchens are no exception to this rule.

Outdoor kitchen storage provides easy access to grilling tools, cookware, and ingredients, making the overall grilling experience more fluid.

With outdoor kitchen storage, you spend less time making countless visits to your inside kitchen to gather your cooking supplies and more time enjoying being a grill master.

In addition, outdoor storage simplifies entertaining, ensuring you have pristine grilling utensils, clean dishes, and a stocked spice drawer on hand when you’re ready to fire up the grill.

Outdoor kitchen storage also helps keep your backyard cook-offs clean, safe, and convenient.

Adding weather-proof cabinetry to your outside kitchen also saves you from carving out a place to store all those extra-large grilling tongs and spatulas in your indoor kitchen.

Beyond that, outdoor kitchen storage boosts aesthetics and helps you create a warm and inviting space for friends and family to gather while they await your delicious BBQ.

What is outdoor kitchen storage? What makes outdoor kitchen storage so important? Should you invest in outdoor kitchen cabinetry? What are the best outdoor kitchen trends and features?

Here’s the sizzling scoop for all serious grillers and outdoor kitchen dreamers.

What Is Outdoor Kitchen Storage?

Outdoor kitchen storage is similar to indoor kitchen cabinetry but made to endure the elements and boost the practicality of your outdoor grilling space.

While many grills have built-in cabinetry, others choose to build their grill into an after-market island.

Some BBQ grills and islands incorporate storage components, like designated areas for the propane tank, grilling tools, and even ingredients.

This storage space gives your grill-related items a permanent home without having to drag all your tongs and dry rubs from inside every time you want to put a steak on the barbie.

Beyond dry storage compartments, you can deck out your BBQ island with extra features like warming drawers, refrigerators, sinks, and more.

Each addition makes outdoor cooking more convenient and adds to the beauty of your backyard kitchen.

Why should you go beyond the grill and add kitchen storage to your outdoor space?

Organization Benefits

Think of all the things you need on hand when hosting a backyard cookout; seasonings, skewers, spices, tongs, spatulas, silverware, sauces, sodas, sunscreen, and so much more.

Typically, the things we use for grilling and outdoor parties are specialty items, like BBQ-specific tools, lighters, disposable dinnerware, beach towels, and other things we don’t necessarily need inside.

Outdoor kitchen storage allows you to organize all of these items outside but keep them protected and ready to use as soon as you decide to throw an impromptu backyard bash.

That way, when you want to grill, you don’t have to scour the house trying to hunt down your grill fork and aluminum foil.

Instead, they’ll be right where you left them, in their designated spot inside your outdoor cabinetry.

Space-Saving Benefits

Technically, outdoor kitchen storage takes up more space in your backyard than a stand-alone grill. At the same time, however, outdoor kitchen cabinetry can help you save space. How so?

Have you ever been BBQing and had that stressful moment where the meat is at the perfect temperature and needs to come off ASAP? Unfortunately, the tiny countertop attached to your grill is so cluttered with BBQ sauce bottles, spices, and beverages, that you can’t find your spatula.

Outdoor storage can save you from cringe-worthy BBQ moments and overdone meat.

When each BBQ-related item has a spot in your outdoor kitchen, you can put things away as you go without getting tired of making trips in and out of the house.

That way, when the burgers are grilled to perfection, you can snatch them from the fire at the right moment and even have a place to set them down to rest.

Yes, outdoor kitchen storage creates counter space for you to work with while saving you from storing all your BBQ gear in the limited cabinet space in your indoor kitchen. You no longer have to find a space in your indoor kitchen for all the BBQ tools and outdoor kitchenware that you only use for outdoor cooking.

Time Saving Benefits

Outdoor kitchen storage will help you spend less time looking for your BBQ equipment and running back inside to grab the secret ingredient you forgot. Instead, you’ll get to focus on what you love – grilling and spending time with your guests.

Grill masters can save a lot of time when outdoor kitchen storage incorporates conveniences like designated trash space, a sink for handwashing after touching raw foods, and a cabinet storing favorite ingredients.

Another time-saving aspect of outdoor kitchen storage is keeping your tools clean.

If you don’t have a place to store them but don’t want to bring them inside, your spatulas, brushes, tongs, and other barbequing utensils will be exposed to the elements and are more likely to get dirty and rust.

You’ll waste time and money cleaning your tools or frequently replacing them. With outdoor kitchen storage, your BBQ tools and outdoor kitchenware stays out of the elements, and they’ll be clean and ready to go whenever you want to grill.

Dry Storage

One key outdoor kitchen storage feature is a dry storage cabinet. Outdoor dry storage allows you to safely keep shelf-stable foods and other backyard party essentials.

From dry rubs and cutlery to beach towels and card games, all your gear will stay dry and clean, no matter how much splashing comes from the pool or less-than-perfect weather.

Prevents Food From Getting Soggy in Humid or Rainy Conditions

A notable benefit of outdoor dry storage cabinets is that they seal tightly, ensuring their contents avoid contact with moisture. This feature is necessary for areas with frequent rainfall or highly humid environments.

Exposure to moisture can cause food to mold and cookware to rust. Plus, nobody likes a damp, smelly beach towel or a soggy deck of cards. Dry storage handily solves these problems.

Keeps Everything Dust & Pollen Free

Storing everything you plan to use for preparing or serving food outside in the open is unrealistic. Even leaving out a stack of plates or a BBQ tool overnight can cause a film of dust or pollen to coat the surface.

Thankfully, outdoor kitchen storage gives you a clean place to conceal your cutlery from the elements and save you from a stack of unnecessary dishes to wash.

Keeps Spices & Dry Rubs Moisture Free

Typically, spices and dry rubs start caking when exposed to moisture. Unfortunately, this can spoil a spice, waste money, and leave you disappointed when you have a certain recipe in mind, only to realize your favorite rub is ruined.

Incorporating gasket-sealing dry storage cabinets into your outdoor grilling space allows you to store your go-to spices and dry rubs next to your BBQ without risking caking all why saving you space in your indoor kitchen cabinets.

Design Theme Benefits

When you picture an ‘outdoor kitchen,’ do you see just a standalone charcoal BBQ, or does a beautifully constructed line of cabinets crowned with a gorgeous gas grill come to mind?

Often, it’s the storage elements – the cabinetry and drawers – that give an outdoor kitchen a truly polished look, making it feel like a real kitchen and creating a genuine space to entertain.

Whether you opt for stainless steel finishes or another form of durable cabinetry, you can boost the aesthetic appeal of your outdoor space and match the theme of your backyard oasis with outdoor kitchen storage.

Outdoor Kitchen Doors Provide Access to Plumbing

Many styles of outdoor kitchen storage incorporate doors with easy access for plumbing.

Whether hooking a gas line to your grill or water to your outdoor sink, this storage solution conceals unsightly pipes while offering convenient access for maintenance.

That way, if you need to shut off the water for the season or quickly replace a propane tank, all you have to do is open the door. Otherwise, the pipes and tanks go unseen.

Outdoor Kitchen Storage Is Convenient

The more convenient your outdoor kitchen space is, the more likely you will use it.

One of the most crucial components to kitchen convenience is cabinetry.

Cooking becomes so much smoother when you have a place to safely store everything you need out of sight without sacrificing quick access.

While you’re enjoying a nice backyard grill sesh, the last thing you want to do is kick off your shoes to run into your indoor kitchen for the serving platter you forgot to grab on your first few trips back and forth.

Outdoor kitchen storage gives all your BBQ party supplies a place of their own.

Storage islands are often complete with a kitchen sink, a spot for a trash bin, and a paper towel roll holder, adding to outdoor cooking convenience.

Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets Prevent Clutter

Outdoor kitchen cabinets allow you to cook outside without cluttering your backyard with cooking utensils, propane tanks, towels, pantry items, and more. Instead, you’ll have a neat space to store all outdoor party-related items, and you won’t have to clutter the inside of your house.

Cooking outside becomes far more relaxing when you don’t have a chaotic cooking space.

Instead, keep everything you need to cook outside and organized until you need a specific item.

Lighting for Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets

Since grilling after dark is common, don’t forget to consider outdoor kitchen cabinet lighting.

Some outdoor kitchen storage includes lights that turn on when you open the cabinet to help you find the right plates or spices.

Another way to incorporate light is by putting weather-proof lighting on the outside panels of the cabinetry.

There are even high-end BBQs on the market that have customizable LED lighting so that you can match the mood of the party with your grill lights.

Check out more great ideas for outdoor kitchen cabinet lighting: Using Under Cabinet Lights In Your Outdoor Kitchen

Soft-Close Mechanisms for Outdoor Kitchen Doors & Drawers

Many outdoor kitchen cabinet makers are incorporating soft-close mechanisms into their drawer designs. This thoughtful finish promotes ease of use and inflicts less wear and tear on your kitchen over time.

Plus, you won’t hear any slamming cabinet doors or end up accidentally smashing your fingers in the drawers.

Outdoor Kitchen Storage Combo Units

The type of outdoor kitchen storage you need depends on your space, style, and how you plan to use your kitchen. Thankfully, you can get a pre-made kitchen storage combo unit that incorporates the features you want.

For example, many outdoor kitchen combo units on the market include several drawers and cabinets built into one unit for various purposes.

These units have different configurations with unique finishes and hardware to fit every space’s design and logistical needs.

Final Thoughts on the Benefits of Outdoor Kitchen Storage

It’s pretty safe to say that outdoor kitchen storage is one of the most critical components of any outdoor kitchen, perhaps second only to the grill itself. A stand-alone BBQ works in a pinch, but you need counter space and storage to call it a proper outdoor kitchen.

Cabinetry and counter space are key parts of any indoor kitchen but are even more crucial to an outdoor kitchen’s functionality, cleanliness, and convenience.

Outdoor drawers and basic cabinets allow you to have easy access to all your barbequing equipment and dinnerware. Dry storage works to protect your ingredients, utensils, and even pool towels from the elements.

Outdoor kitchen storage also helps keep essential utilities like gas and water behind closed doors without blocking easy maintenance access.

Other features such as outdoor sinks, refrigeration, lights, warming plates, trash disposal, and other high-end finishes can level up your outdoor kitchen.

Outdoor kitchen storage transforms your grilling space into a truly independent and full-functioning kitchen. Adding weather-proof, durable cabinetry to your outdoor kitchen is not just practical but beautiful.

Creating an outdoor kitchen, complete with storage, opens a whole new realm of entertainment and relaxation possibilities. So it’s time to fire up the grill!

Cheers,

Patrick

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