Top Built-In Appliances to Add to Your Outdoor Kitchen Island

Outdoor kitchens have become a true extension of the home. No longer is outdoor space an afterthought, it’s become a part of the home that people design in a thoughtful and functional way. One of those ways is adding built-in outdoor kitchen appliances to their outdoor kitchen design. Some of the top outdoor kitchen appliances include cooking appliances, refrigeration & beverage centers, prep & cleanup space and of course, storage and organization. Maybe you want to consider a grilling island for your outdoor kitchen or a pizza oven. Perhaps extra storage or a sink. 

 We’ll walk you through the key benefits of built-in appliances along with an outdoor kitchen appliances list you may want to consider based on your design and lifestyle.

Key Benefits of Adding Built-In Appliances

You can really make your outdoor kitchens islands complete by adding built-in appliances. Built in appliances help you:

• Streamline outdoor cooking and entertaining: Make it easier to cook and host with a strategic place for all of your appliances and a flow to your outdoor space.

• Keep essentials at hand: No more running back and forth into the house (letting bugs in!) to grab the spatula, knife or other cooking utensils. With storage space you can keep it outdoors.

• Dream up new cooking modalities: It’s not just grills, if you’ve dreamed of having a pizza oven outdoors, it’s also a great appliance to build-in and certainly a fun one for a crowd.

• Aesthetically pleasing: When all of your appliances are a part of an outdoor kitchen with island, it creates a well thought out, professional and polished look.

• Enhances long term property value: who wouldn’t want a ready to go entertaining space outdoors when they are looking for houses. 

Top Built-In Appliances for Your Outdoor Kitchen Island

What appliances to put in an outdoor kitchen?

Which outdoor kitchen appliances you choose is up to you. It should be based on your cooking and entertaining needs and overall backyard landscape. The most popular appliance categories are cooking appliances, refrigeration centers, prep and cleanup areas and storage and organization.

Cooking Appliances

The best outdoor kitchen islands generally have some sort of cooking appliance. These might include:

•  Built-in gas or hybrid grills

• Side burners or griddles

• Pizza ovens

• Smokers or rotisserie add-ons

Refrigeration & Beverage Centers

Beverages are a great thing to have on hand when you are entertaining outdoors. Here are a few of the beverage related appliances to consider:

• Outdoor-rated refrigerators and freezers

• Wine coolers or kegerators

• Ice makers or beverage drawers

Prep & Cleanup Essentials

If you are entertaining outdoors, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of space to prep and clean up. We suggest including items like:

• Built-in sinks with faucets

• Trash and recycling drawers

• Cutting board or prep station modules

Storage & Organization

Of course places to put away things always make some of the best outdoor kitchen appliances. You’ll want to include:

• Access doors and drawers for cookware and utensils

• Enclosed cabinets for tools and fuel storage

There are so many great options to add to your outdoor kitchens whether you want to turn it into a grilling island, an island with a wine fridge or a place to cook and serve pizzas. With Elysia, our modular outdoor kitchens with built-in appliances, the opportunities are endless.

FAQs

Q: What to stock in your outdoor kitchen?

A: There’s plenty of space to store items in your outdoor kitchen and some of it depends on what outdoor kitchen appliance you choose. If you have a fridge outside you’ll want to stock it with your favorite beverages. Drawers can be filled with the equipment you need for your appliances from grill brushes to pizza peels. If you plan to prep outside a cutting board and the proper cutlery would be great to store as well.

Q: What should every outdoor kitchen have?

A: There is no right answer on what every outdoor kitchen should have. The best appliances for outdoor kitchen island are the ones you’ll use the most. The great part of outdoor kitchens, especially modular outdoor kitchens,  is that they are fully customizable so you’ll choose layouts and appliances that work best for your needs. 

Q: Do outdoor appliances require special weatherproofing?

A: If your outdoor appliances require special weatherproofing depends on what appliances you include in your outdoor kitchen island. Both the grill and the pizza oven can be covered in the middle of winter. We suggest draining the sink in the winter so it doesn’t freeze and follow any directions for the fridge compressor and electrical components. Some of it also depends on the climate in which you live. Please follow any manufacturer instructions for each appliance.

About Fontana Forni Outdoor Kitchens and Islands

For over 70 years, Fontana Forni has been synonymous with exceptional Italian craftsmanship. Our outdoor steel pizza ovens are a representation of Italian culture, embodying a passion for delicious food and good conversation at the heart of everything we do.

Elysia extends that philosophy with modular outdoor kitchens that are as beautiful as they are functional, offering a true gathering space for family and friends.

With a fully customizable modular design, the kitchens offer versatility, seamlessly fitting into any outdoor space and budget. Their adaptable nature ensures they can evolve with your changing needs.

Each steel module is designed with the Italian craftsmanship you expect from Fontana Forni. Just like our ovens, the assembly is quick and easy.

Interested in exploring appliances and our Outdoor Kitchens? Use our configurator to find the best fit for your outdoor space and the best kitchen appliances to include.