Category: Elegant Outdoor Kitchens

Outdoor Kitchen Component List – Essentials on a Budget

The Essential Outdoor Kitchen Component List to Include When On a Budget

We understand that not everyone is a Rockefeller; that’s why we assembled this article that covers the essentials where it concerns outdoor living.

Your outdoor kitchen is built primarily for one purpose, and that’s to house your professional barbecue grill. Running back and forth from your indoor kitchen to your outdoor kitchen happens, but if we can help you reduce those trips, we’re all for it. Most people don’t just eat barbecue when they grill. You tend to serve the meal with a few side dishes. So, the first must-have component of the list is going to be a side burner/s (preferably a double side burner, to heat more than one side).

The Essentials Article The Side Burner - Elegant Outdoor Kitchens
The Essentials Article The Side Burner – Elegant Outdoor Kitchens

This precision cut, handmade side burner is made of stainless steel and will provide you years of outdoor cooking enjoyment. If you are looking to create a gourmet outdoor meal complete with soups or side dishes, a drop-in side burner is an ideal addition to your outdoor kitchen. As of March 15, 2016 — Blaze side burners have a lifetime warranty that warrants against any defects in the manufacturing and workmanship of the burner, burner grate, body, lid, and control valve. While the ignition system is covered for one (1) year after the date of purchase. The product must be registered within thirty days for the warranty to apply.
Gas Conversions

Blaze Single Side Burner
SKU: BLZ-SB1 Category: Side Burners & Power Burner Components
Additional information: View Additional Information about the Blaze Single Side Burner

Next on our essential outdoor kitchen component list is the built-in mini-refrigerator. There’s just something so satisfying about having quick access to a cold beverage. Believe us when we say that this mini fridge will get its use.

The Essentials Article The Built-In Refrigerator – Elegant Outdoor Kitchens

The Blaze 4.5 Compact Refrigerator is the ideal space-saving solution for family rooms, game rooms, apartments or anywhere else. Interior design offers plenty of shelf space for all your favorite refreshments and foods. The refrigerator, including the compressor, is warranted for 1 year to the original owner against defects in manufacturing and workmanship. This warranty extends to the original purchaser against manufacture defects for products purchased for ordinary single-family home use.

Stainless Front Fridge 4.5 Cubic Feet
SKU: BLZ-SSRF130
Additional Information: Stainless Front Fridge 4.5 Cubic Feet

The Mandatory Outdoor Kitchen Component

The last item on our essentials list is a functional requirement. It serves a few purposes, the first being the accessibility to your internal gas, electrical, and plumbing lines for your barbecue grill and any other components you install, and the second is acting as a dry storage area. Your outdoor kitchen cabinet has plenty of space that you can convert into a dry storage area. Depending on the size of your outdoor kitchen, you’ll need to install at least one access door. In our experience, though, a combination access door and drawer unit will only lend to both the aesthetic appeal and functionality of your outdoor living area.


The Essentials Article Outdoor Kitchen Access Door - Elegant Outdoor Kitchens
The Essentials Article Outdoor Kitchen Access Door – Elegant Outdoor Kitchens

The Blaze 25 inch Double Access Doors feature an ideal access size for an island and an outdoor kitchen. Blaze’s commercial grade 304 Stainless Steel construction is made for withstanding outdoor elements. The access doors are the perfect storage solution for any outdoor kitchen! Door opening measurements 20 3/4 W x 16 3/4 H.

Blaze 25″ Double Door
SKU: BLZ-AD25-R
Additional Information: Blaze 25″ Double Door

There are a plethora of other components that can you can add that will expand the functionality of your outdoor living space. You can add elements such as a trash receptacle, sink & faucet, ice maker, warming drawer, ice maker, beverage station, ice bin, power burner, and many other components. You can, in my opinion, make your outdoor living area better than your indoor kitchen, and some people do just that.

Elegant Outdoor Kitchens is your source for professional outdoor kitchen design and contracting services. If you’ve been considering an outdoor kitchen area, give us a call today to schedule an on-site design consultation. We know that once you see your outdoor kitchen mocked up as a 3D design, it’ll be an easy decision when it comes to starting the construction process.

In the meantime, check out our newest website, known as http://grillsgonewild.shop, where we retail all the custom outdoor living components you’ll need for your future project. We can assure you that you’ll find all the essential components we’ve spoken of today as well.

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View some of the custom outdoor kitchen projects by elegant Outdoor kitchens by clicking on the button below.

5 tips for cooking safely outdoors

Keep Your Hands Sanitary

We all know basic hygiene and that includes keeping your hands clean. However, it is worth noting that food sanitation starts with your hands, be certain anyone handling food at any stage of its preparation has clean and sanitary hands. Dirty hands is one of the most common ways that food gets dirtied or contaminated. Washing your hands isn’t just about using the restroom or being visibly dirty. Tasks such as smoking a cigarette, or even just scratching your nose introduces a world of bacteria to your hands. When in doubt, Wash it out!

Wash all outdoor kitchen cooking equipment

Nothing quite beats the awesome feeling of cooking outdoors in your outdoor living space! However, it’s important that we remember to clean all food preparation and cooking surfaces. Just as important is to ensure all cooking equipment, utensils, and dishes are cleaned before use. While on the surface all of this cleaning seems obvious but it’s imperative to follow through with because just about anything can lead to contamination including raw meat, eggs, and poultry. If you wash a dish or surface that contained raw meat, be sure to clean and rinse the sponge you used to clean the item!

Rinse and wash all Fruits and Vegetables

Meat and poultry aren’t the only contagions we have to worry about. When it comes to fruits and veggies the big concern is the soil attached to them. The dirt has the potential to contain bacteria such as e-coli so it best to wash the produce in a bowl under running water. This is especially true for loose produce as it more like to have soil attached to it compared to pre-packaged fruits and vegetables.

Keep all food cool

It’s easy to get caught up in hosting and cooking responsibilities, but its important to keep foods such as cheese, coleslaw, or chicken salad inside your outdoor fridge or cooler until your ready to serve the complete meal. Foods made with mayonnaise should especially be kept cool as the high dairy contents lead to bacteria when left in a warm environment. Keep raw meats and chicken separate from other surfaces and foods, using plastic bags is a great way to keep them from one another.

Invest in a meat thermometer

The amount of time on heat and minimum temperature vary from meat to poultry and from the frying pan to an outdoor grill. Chicken, for example, has a minimum cooking temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which is where your meat thermometer comes in handy. Ground beef is especially sensitive by its very nature, hamburger meat is chopped and reduced which can lead to bacteria being internalized. Best Practice is to cook the hamburger meat until its also brown through the center.

Update your Outdoor Kitchen Living Space

Spending time outside enjoying the lovely Florida sun with friends and family is arguably the sweetest fruit of our labor. The size of the outdoor space hardly matters you make it your unique outdoor paradise. Planning your outdoor kitchen correctly and safely will maximize the usable outdoor kitchen living space available to you.

Outdoor Fung Shui

The right tile and outdoor material will bring out the desired color of your outdoor kitchen living space. Outdoor tiles and materials are the foundation that brings the entire outdoor experience together. Whether you go with a neutral finish such as stone or opt for warmer materials such as brick molded concrete, the outdoor floor defines the mood of the space

A touch of Green Thumb

Having plants in your outdoor living space helps elevate the mood and makes the whole experience more organic. Plan the color of your fixtures around the color of the types of plants you’d like to have to create an additional layer of aesthetic. Plants introduce a number of benefits that include lowering the carbon dioxide levels, and keeping the temperature a little lower!

A Splash of Water Features

Whether it’s a bubbling hot tub or a pouring fountain, there is nothing more relaxing than the sound of moving water. Introducing this pleasant babbling feature no matter the size will help stress relief for both you and your loved ones.

How to plan your outdoor kitchen space

Outdoor Kitchen

At Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, we more than understand how big of a project it can be planning your very own outdoor kitchen space. Although, we’re here to tell you how fun it actually is, and steps you can take to make this an easier process to get started. Having an outdoor kitchen takes your living space into a whole new direction as it is practically an extension of it. You want to ensure you’re planning for this extension to be full of shade, warmth, and shelter no matter what season you may be using it in. The first step is always getting a clear idea of how you’re going to use this space. Do you like to cook outside often, or plan to? Will you be having a lot of events in this space where you want to focus on entertaining as well? Try to write down some thoughts about what you expect this to be for you, and that will help you have a great outline on how you can get started.

The second step to consider is your surroundings. Now that you have some ideas for your outdoor kitchen; it’s also important advising to the space you have in order to get the most out of what you want to see. Not only do you want to get out your measuring tape to make sure it fits, but you also want the aesthetics to be fitting regarding your home’s exterior. Don’t worry, remember this is supposed to be fun! You’re going to be excited about choosing the colors, style, and textures that complement each other once you get going. Please also note, your surrounding landscape is also pretty important. For example, in a tropical location, you might want to consider materials that are bold and stand out to compliment the lush it will contrast. 

The next thing you would want to focus on is planning your layout. Just as you planned your living room for each family member to feel comfortable in no matter what occasion, you want to ensure you’re doing the same for your extension of it outdoors. This also makes it incredibly easier to know where and what to place once you get appliances for it. Something to keep in mind is your indoor living space utilizes the assistance of walls, windows, and doors whereas your outdoor space uses the space of its own. Please know to also plan accordingly to your hot and cold zones. You want to refrain putting your grill next to your refrigerator unit since your fridge is working pretty hard in the summer to keep things cold for you and your friends. This is just one of many thoughts to plan out so you can be prepared accordingly for your outdoor kitchens use. 

Another step to get very excited about is choosing your appliances. Here at Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, we have a vast selection of appliances to help get you started. You can check out our page to see what options are available to you. We want to ensure you get the best when it comes to your grills/smokers since the focal point is this in your outdoor kitchen space. Once you have your appliances selected, you want to start choosing your materials especially in preparation for heavy rain, extreme heat, high winds, and even the possibility of snowstorms. It’s important to keep durability in mind, and toughness for these weather changes. Stainless steel is a very popular choice as it compliments those scenarios, and it’s also to easy to clean while looking sleek.

Finally, all you have left is your lighting and style by adding any fixtures you want to consider for it. It’ll make your outdoor kitchen come to life, and set an ambiance for the party you’re now ready to plan. Here at Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, we want you to know we have your best interest in getting exactly what you planned and need for this new venture you’re about to take on. Please don’t hesitate to contact (239) 229-9033 to get started on this journey!

Florida Outdoor Kitchens – Tropical Paradise

Corkscrew Shores L-Shaped Outdoor Kitchen by Pulte

by Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, the best outdoor kitchens in SWFL

Elegant Outdoor Kitchens specializes in building custom outdoor kitchens in Southwest Florida. Ben and Andrea Poulton of Elegant Outdoor Kitchens are life-long locals to Fort Myers and take great pride in every outdoor kitchen project they produce. EOK works closely with every customer to ensure that everything is done right the first time. With an outstanding portfolio gallery of their work, Elegant Outdoor Kitchens is quickly becoming one of Florida’s top outdoor kitchen contractors!

Legendary Weather, Legendary Service

When talking about Florida outdoor kitchens, we are talking about designing and building an outdoor kitchen that can be used year round. Florida is legendary for having warm weather that invites all to enjoy. Elegant Outdoor Kitchens proudly serves Fort Myers, Estero, and Naples areas with quality outdoor kitchens and outdoor living areas.

With an outdoor kitchen build by Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, you’ll be grilling like a professional chef every night of the week. We bring the steakhouse to you! Here at Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, we pride ourselves on building the best custom outdoor kitchens and living areas in Southwest Florida. From concept to completion, you’re able to pick and choose whatever style of outdoor kitchen design and cooking components you want in your custom build. We build the kitchen how you want it made! Whether you want all the latest professional components, or you just want to keep it super simple, our team is here to consult you and answer any questions you might have.

Our professional team is here to show you what’s available, and what looks great! We pay special attention to both functionality and aesthetics. Our primary concern is building an outdoor kitchen that works with your outdoor living space, and it must look spectacular!

To schedule an outdoor kitchen or living area consultation, contact Elegant Outdoor Kitchens today at (239) 229-9033.

Elegant Outdoor Kitchens serves Fort Myers, Naples, Estero areas in Southwest Florida!

Naples Outdoor Kitchens in SWFL

Silver Travertine stacked stone Custom Kitchen - by EOK

by Elegant Outdoor Kitchens

Naples, Florida an Outdoor Kitchen Paradise

Naples, Florida is an outdoor kitchen paradise where grills and sunny days rule the land, and Elegant Outdoor Kitchens is a premier outdoor kitchen builder for southwest Florida. With an extensive portfolio of high-quality outdoor kitchen and outdoor living area projects to review, you know that Elegant Outdoor Kitchens knows how to get it done.

The name you can trust

Elegant Outdoor Kitchens is a locally owned Florida outdoor kitchen contractor serving Naples, Estero, and Fort Myers areas. We work closely with each customer to deliver an outdoor kitchen paradise that aesthetically blends with the property. Naples, Florida is a luxurious area that sets the bar for style and elegance. Our company has the experience and know-how to deliver an exceptional outdoor kitchen or living area to match its surroundings.

Some of the more popular designs and features in modern outdoor kitchens include stacked stone, granite countertops, built-in barbecue grills and smokers, side-burners, outdoor refrigerators, isolated trash bin storage, wet bars, HDTVs, and outdoor living area furniture. There has never been a better time to upgrade your Naples home with an Elegant Outdoor Kitchen!

Serving Naples, Estero, Fort Myers

Elegant Outdoor Kitchens is Southwest Florida’s premier outdoor kitchen contractor. We’re a tried and true professional outdoor living company that specializes in building outdoor kitchen environments. Our outdoor kitchen products & custom barbecue island designs allow our clients to entertain in style while exploring new and exciting meal options. If you’re looking for a contractor that’s genuinely passionate about their work, you’ve come to the right place. We are family owned and operated, serving Fort Myers, Estero, and Naples. Give us a call today to schedule an on-site outdoor kitchen consultation.

When it comes to custom outdoor kitchens, we’re Florida’s #1 outdoor living design and construction company. Visit our official website for more information and to view our complete project portfolio. Visit our official project portfolio here at EOK Project Portfolio

Are you ready to entertain guests this Summer? Let Elegant Outdoor Kitchens give you a free on-site design consultation! From concept to completion, we’ll provide you with an outdoor living space that will enable you to entertain and create fabulous meals. It’s not too late to start building your outdoor kitchen for Summer.

Five reasons to own an Outdoor Kitchen

Outdoor Kitchen Gazebo by Elegant Outdoor Kitchens

Elegant Outdoor Kitchens – Fort Myers, FL

Five reasons to own an outdoor kitchen

In this article, we discuss five reasons to own an outdoor kitchen. In Southwest Florida, cooking outdoors can appear as if it were a national pastime. For many areas around the United States, the statistics seem to support that notion. The reaction people have to a well built outdoor kitchen is an apparent reason to want one; however, there are six other reasons to have an outdoor kitchen. Let’s take a look:

1: Expanded Living Space

Having an outdoor kitchen and living area creates a welcoming atmosphere that offers extra space for cooking, dining, entertaining, and socializing. Built-in outdoor grills are a stylish way to open up a yard while gaining new cooking space. Outdoor rated refrigerators keep ingredients and beverages cold and conveniently located. Adding a kitchen sink to an outdoor living area means fewer trips back and forth for washing hands, dishes, and utensils. Advances in building materials and outdoor rated appliances have transformed yard space into elegant and eye-catching living areas.

2: Increase Value

Let us start by pointing out that installing an outdoor kitchen does not automatically mean that property value will go up enough to cover the cost of building and installing an outdoor kitchen. Outdoor kitchens constructed with the intent of using and enjoying the space rather than as an investment is a far healthier approach. The monetary value will have many variables; however, the real value of an outdoor kitchen is in the experience that it creates. For families, friends, neighbors, and visitors, outdoor living areas are a personal touch that welcomes and invites all to enjoy.

3: Save Energy by Cooking Outside

Moving cooking outside during hotter months will keep inside temperatures lower, and having less heat in the house means that air conditioners will not have to work as hard to keep interiors cool. Save power by maintaining the cooking temperature on the outside.

4: Save Money by Staying Home

Eating at restaurants can be very costly when done frequently. Homeowners who have put the time and investment into an outdoor kitchen commonly report eating at home more often. Rather than going out for barbecue and drinks, people invite guests to enjoy the space with good company. Many outdoor kitchens include wet bars in the design to accommodate entertaining, which brings us to our final reason for owning an outdoor kitchen and living area.

5: Great for Entertaining

Anyone with an outdoor kitchen can attest to how great they are for entertaining. Family, friends, and guests alike will enjoy the customized space. In many instances, the outdoor kitchen itself becomes a topic of conversation. People can socialize, watch TV and movies, play music, and enjoy the experience and atmosphere created by an outdoor living area.

So now that we’ve discussed some significant benefits to having an outdoor kitchen, you can follow up with our tips and tricks for planning an outdoor kitchen of your own!

Located in Fort Myers, Elegant Outdoor Kitchens bring quality and experience to Southwest Florida. If you would like to talk with us directly, you can reach us at (239) 229-9033.

#OutdoorKitchens #OutdoorLivingAreas #ConstructionContractors #ElegantOutdoorKitchens #Fort Myers #Estero #Naples #Florida

Check Out Elegant Outdoor Kitchens on YouTube

Custom Outdoor Kitchen Contractor SWFL

ant Outdoor Kitchens - finished with a Golden White stacked stone and Santa Cecilia Napoli level 1 granite

Elegant Outdoor Kitchens

When it comes to custom outdoor kitchen contractor design and construction services within the Fort Myers region, you can rely on Elegant Outdoor Kitchens. Our company has quickly become the preferred barbecue island contractor here in Southwest Florida. We specialize in both traditional and extravagant outdoor kitchen builds. Whether you’re in need of a simple solution for family and friends or desire a custom design created for larger capacity backyard entertaining. The professional outdoor kitchen contractors from Elegant Outdoor Kitchens have you covered!

Give us a call today to get started with our proprietary custom island design process. Our team is one of the only companies here in SWFL that enable you to view your outdoor kitchen before we build it! Yes, you heard it correctly, Elegant Outdoor Kitchens will showcase our proposed design before we construct it. Our process allows you to change, add, and remove anything you might not want during the conceptual design phase. Our 3D CAD design service is complimentary; it’s just one of the many benefits you’ll receive when you choose to build a barbecue island with us. Our primary objective is to build your outdoor kitchen correctly and to your exact specifications, the first time. Just because we’re contractors doesn’t mean we build everything twice. (Laugh here) We can’t wait to design & build the dream kitchen you’ve always wanted. Call now to schedule an on-site consultation with one of our outdoor kitchen design pros.

Custom Outdoor Kitchen Project Portfolio

View our recent custom outdoor kitchen designs; we’ve documented all of our custom work, from the start. We invite you to take a look at this section of our website, who knows, you might see something that resonates with your preferred aesthetic. All of our outdoor kitchens are custom designed by us. When you choose EOK, you’re choosing a builder that specializes in the barbecue island design & construction industry.

Simplifying The Process: Owning an Elegant Outdoor Kitchen, It’s Ease and Your Happiness

Elegant Outdoor Kitchens, outdoor kitchens, bbq, outdoor living, barbecue islands, custom outdoor kitchens, custom outdoor living, florida, naples, ft myers, fort myers

Owning an Elegant Outdoor Kitchen is different than going to Home Depot, writing out all the products you wish to include, hiring a general contractor and piecemealing your thoughts into an inconvenient, stress-amplifying experience. The ease we provide to our customers is beneficial for many reasons. Not only do we remove you from the unwanted burden placed upon yourself to achieve the desired result, but before the process even begins we guide you through a series of pertinent questions that may have been otherwise overlooked.

For instance, will you be hosting parties or the occasional intimate family gathering? Will you need refrigeration, natural gas or running water? Do you have the proper water lines or gas lines running to your outdoor living area? If not, have you inquired about an estimate? What type of fuel will your primary cooking components use? (Natural gas, charcoal, wood, propane, etcetera). Will you be dining outside? If so, do you want your outdoor kitchen to have reasonable accommodation for such? What type of cooking are you most interested in pursuing? Will it be grilling, baking, smoking or a combination of the previously mentioned? What kind of material finishes will you be selecting and have you considered how they’ll fair in the Southwest Floridian weather? Do you need functional storage and trash storage? What design layout works best for your allotted space? Have you spoken with a professional design consultant yet?

Reading these questions may seem overwhelming. Not only are they valid concerns, but there’s also quite a few. Many of them would’ve arisen once the general contractor had been hired, creating an added pressure to have an answer before you know if it’s the correct one, had you not considered each prior.

Andrea and Ben Poulton of Elegant Outdoor Kitchens indeed simplify the process. You can contact us for a free consultation, we’ll come by your home at a time of your selection, and together we’ll navigate the parameters and possibilities within them while focusing our attention on what’s practical, within budget and aesthetically appealing. We’ll create a mock outdoor kitchen in our software, propose it to you based on the information we’ve discussed, further reworking the design if necessary, and once you’re happy with the layout, action will ensue. You won’t have to worry one bit; continue on with your life. We’ll just be in the backyard shrouding your vision with sawdust and hard work; however, once the debris settles and our final tool goes back into its bag, you’ll realize in that moment that your selection to choose us was one you won’t regret.

Call us today for a free consultation. Let’s create something lasting, something you take pride in, something beautiful, something you.