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Benefits of Outdoor Kitchen Storage
Dry Storage
Some BBQ storage components, like enclosed cabinets, are designed to keep seasonings, rubs, and other dry goods safe from moisture that would otherwise damage them.
Organization
Everything has its place — outdoor cooking utensils, cooking fuels, cleaning materials, and party supplies can be housed in separate components, all within arm’s reach.
Space-Saving
By placing your supplies in the proper storage components, you can free up valuable counter space for food prep and keep your outdoor kitchen looking tidy.
Design Theme
While functionality is important, the grill island storage components you select can also play a big role in the aesthetic style or overall theme of your outdoor kitchen.
Why Do I Need Outdoor Kitchen Storage?
If you take away anything from this article, we hope it’s the realization that no outdoor kitchen is complete without BBQ island storage. Setting a design theme is one thing, but certain storage components are actually necessary for safety and maintenance on your appliances. Below are 3 of the biggest reasons why outdoor BBQ storage is a must-have in your outdoor kitchen.
Outdoor Kitchen Doors Provide Access to Plumbing
The most important grill island storage components by far are access doors, which are required for all appliances with plumbing for gas or water. These framed door panels create an entry point to the interior of your outdoor kitchen island, allowing you to inspect or perform maintenance on gas or water connections, most notably the valves for your grill and sink. BBQ island access doors are generally placed directly underneath the grill for design reasons, but they’re safe to install within 6 feet of your grill, or the distance mandated by local building codes.
Outdoor Kitchen Storage is Convenient
Have you ever spent an afternoon hauling cooking supplies back and forth from inside your home to your freestanding grill in the backyard? Yeah, that’s not exactly our idea of a fun and relaxing cookout either. Outdoor BBQ storage, however, lets you keep grilling tools and plates nearby so those supply runs can be a thing of the past. Trash is another concern easily solved by convenient storage components — with an outdoor kitchen pull-out trash can, you don’t need ugly and bulky upright trash bins to keep your beautiful grill island free of waste.
Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets Prevent Clutter
With outdoor BBQ storage, you’ll save tons of counter space and have a place to organize everything you need in your outdoor kitchen. What you do with that extra space is entirely up to you! You can put it to use as a prep area, install that extra outdoor kitchen appliance you’ve been considering, or leave it clean and tidy so your countertops can really shine. Outdoor kitchen warming drawers are a great example of space-saving components because they not only heat up side dishes and buns but can also store pool towels for a warm surprise after swimming.
Top Outdoor Kitchen Storage Brands
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Innovative Features of Outdoor Kitchen Storage
It may seem like grill island storage doesn’t have much room for improvement — they’re just doors and drawers, right? — but we’ve seen plenty of innovation in this category during the 20-plus years we’ve been in business. Grill manufacturers are constantly developing outdoor BBQ storage to complement their built-in grills, giving you the backbone for convenient and beautiful outdoor kitchens. Some of our favorite innovations in recent years have been the introduction of lighting elements, soft-close mechanisms, and combination units that serve multiple functions in a single package.
Lighting for Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets
Several Luxury grill brands have equipped their grills with lights to make nighttime grilling easy, but certain manufacturers have taken that concept a step further by adding interior LED lighting to their storage components. The Hestan BBQ island storage combos, for instance, is illuminated so you never have to dig for the correct seasonings or grilling tools in the dark. Additionally, lighting lends a premium feel to the brand's outdoor kitchen storage units, which also come in an array of eye-catching colors to enhance the style of your outdoor space.
Soft-close Mechanisms for Outdoor Kitchen Doors & Drawers
Though grill island storage is built to withstand the elements, it’s not designed to be repeatedly slammed. That’s why soft-close BBQ doors and drawers are such a welcome innovation, especially in outdoor spaces that commonly have children and pets running around. Thanks to soft magnetic closures, these components gently glide shut rather than slamming against the island frame, an effect that can greatly extend their lifespan. Soft-close BBQ island storage is most often associated with Luxury grill brands, but Premium and even Practical manufacturers like Napoleon have adopted this advancement.
Outdoor Kitchen Storage Combo Units
Saving space is one of the biggest advantages of grill island storage, and there’s no better example of that than combo BBQ storage components. These storage items are essentially 2 different types of storage merged into 1, whether it’s a slightly convenient improvement or a truly innovative combination. Outdoor kitchen cabinets with a paper towel holder are the most common combo units, but there are also interesting pairings like storage drawers with tank bins and enclosed cabinets with warming drawers. Whatever the combination, it’s perfect for small outdoor kitchens or those where space is at a premium.