Why You Need a Hood for Your Outdoor Kitchen

Your outdoor kitchen is more than just a place to cook. It’s a focal point of your backyard and your time outdoors. It can become one of the most important parts of your lifestyle. It’s a great place to entertain friends, maybe entertain your kids and their friends. It can also become a place to relax and entertain yourself.

If you’re looking to build a new outdoor kitchen and are eager to get started, you might be wondering what else you’ll need. Well, hoods may not be among the first things you think, but you should add one to your list. These low-profile filters are designed to help keep the heat and humidity in your kitchen, and they can be a big help in both cooking and serving.

What is an Outdoor Hood?

An outdoor hood is an exhaust vent for an outdoor kitchen that sits above your kitchen range and below your cooktop. They are typically made of aluminum or stainless steel and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and finishes – from simple, round versions to more contemporary square, rectangular and oval shapes. It can either be mounted on a wall or hanging from the ceiling (island hood).

Even though an outdoor kitchen is outside, the grills can still benefit from hoods to protect the rest of the kitchen equipment.

Why Do You Need a Hood for Your Outdoor Kitchen?

Out of the many appliances that can keep a kitchen stylishly functional, outdoor kitchen hoods are among the most versatile — and they can provide a cooking space that’s free of the usual ventilation and cooking odors that will cling to an indoor grill. Having a hood is essential to control the heat and smoke so that it doesn’t damage the rest of your outdoor kitchen cabinetry or home exterior walls. Hoods will also make your outdoor kitchen area more comfortable for guests by keeping the air cleaner.

View more of Kitchen Showcase’s outdoor kitchen products.

Bringing the Kitchen Outdoors

A beautifully designed outdoor kitchen in a Colorado backyard.

‘Tis the season for BBQs and backyard parties. However, homeowners aren’t just looking to get a great grill and some patio furniture; they’re looking to take the BBQ area to the next level by designing a fully functioning outdoor kitchen.

Design considerations for an outdoor kitchen

Design an outdoor kitchen in Denver
Take your grill area to the next level by designing a fully functional outdoor kitchen.

The demand for functional space has made the outdoor kitchen a growing trend. When you are BBQing and entertaining in your garden, it’s really annoying to have to keep running back and forth from your kitchen to get supplies or finish your cooking. You end up missing out on the whole party. Homeowners are getting fed up and have started to look for ways to turn the BBQ area into a fully functional outdoor kitchen.

Planning the layout

When you design an indoor kitchen, the walls will naturally help you determine the layout of the kitchen, as well as create boundaries to help define the space. In an outdoor kitchen, you need to define the space with your layout. The shape and structure of your counters are going to define the space of your outdoor kitchen. An L shape or a U, depending on how much counter space you are going for, are the most classic shapes of an outdoor kitchen.

Placement of appliances

How you design your outdoor kitchen will have a lot to do with where there is sun and where there is shade. When you are placing appliances, like the refrigerator, you want to make sure that it is not going to be sitting in the glaring sunlight. If you don’t have a place for shade, you’ll want to incorporate ways of creating shade into your outdoor kitchen design.

Grill placement

The grill is often the focal point in an outdoor kitchen. Think about the perfect place for the grill and then design your outdoor kitchen from there. Make sure you don’t place the grill so that you end up standing with our back to your guests the whole time.

The right materials for an outdoor kitchen
Find durable materials for your outdoor kitchen.

Durable materials

The biggest consideration you have to make when you design an outside kitchen is the materials you’re going to use. For the casework and the countertops, stone, quartz, and granite are great options. Not only are they beautiful, but these materials are tough and can stand up to the elements.

Water and electric

There are also practical considerations when you design an outdoor kitchen. You’re going to want to charge your phone and plug in a blender, so make sure you add electrical outlets. You need water, so be sure to plan the layout of the kitchen accordingly to sources of electricity and water.

Everything you need for your outdoor kitchen

The Kitchen Showcase (TKS) only carries proven brands that lead their price category for quality and value. We can help you design an outdoor kitchen that matches your style and your budget. With TKS, you get higher quality and better-looking products at incredibly competitive rates. Your neighbors will be peeking over the garden fence at your new outdoor kitchen and wonder how you did it.