Its time to take your summer entertaining to new heights with a new outdoor kitchen! Weber Barbecues Australia have teamed up with Houzz Australia to help your create the ideal set up in the article below.

Cooking and entertaining outdoors with friends and family is one of the best things about summer – and never more so than this year, after much of the country has been separated from loved ones during months of lockdowns. An outdoor kitchen, complete with barbecue, prep space and useful extras such as a sink and beverage fridge, provides everything you need to cook up a storm outdoors and stay in the heart of the action, without having to dash back and forth to your main kitchen. The result? Summer entertaining transformed. Figuring out the right size, what to include, the best materials and where to put your outdoor kitchen is the tricky part. We spoke to the experts at iconic barbecue brand Weber - who have just released their first all-in-one Outdoor Kitchen Range - to find out how to select an outdoor kitchen that really delivers.

1. Consider What You Cook

Today’s outdoor kitchens let you do it all – from smoked meats and wood-fired pizzas to elaborate weekend breakfasts. To work out which cooking features will be the most useful, consider what you cook. Do you need multiple burners so you can whip up a meal for a crowd? A powerful side burner for preparing sauces or side dishes? A rotisserie to roast chicken or a side of meat? This will help you see at a glance which features are worth investing in and those you can live without.

2. Size It Right

Selecting an outdoor kitchen of the right size is crucial; too big and it will swallow up your outdoor area, too small and you’ll find yourself with inadequate cooking and prep space. To determine the right grill size and number of burners, consider how many people you cook for. In general, a four-burner barbecue will suit a couple to a family of four, while a six-burner model is better for larger families or those who cook for a crowd. When it comes to the size of your outdoor kitchen, consider the dimensions of your alfresco area, making sure it allows enough circulation space for both the cook and guests to move around comfortably.

The handy new Weber Outdoor Kitchen Designer app helps you create the perfect outdoor kitchen set-up and size on your tablet or smartphone.

3. Ensure It Meets Your Needs

The beauty of a full outdoor kitchen is that there’s no running backwards and forwards to the kitchen to wash dishes or grab a drink or extra plate when you’re hosting friends and family – you’ve got everything you need on hand, from cooking and prep areas to storage and washing-up facilities. f you plan to prep meals outdoors, ensure your outdoor kitchen offers sufficient preparation space.

The counter tops on Weber’s new Outdoor Kitchen range are an extra-deep 700 millimetres (the average is 600-millimetres wide) so you’ve got ample space to spread out. This additional depth also means your barbecue lid stays clear of the wall behind it, and reduces the impact of grease and smoke when cooking. A sink and beverage fridge are other useful additions to an outdoor kitchen, allowing you to wash up, fill a pan or grab a drink without heading indoors. Weber’s new Outdoor Kitchen range comes with an optional under-mounted sink and mixer tap, and your choice of several Weber Alfresco Bar Fridges.

Ensure your outdoor kitchen includes space to store necessities such as serving dishes, cutlery and cooking tools, such as cupboards and drawers. If you plan to cook after dark, be sure to include overhead lighting so you can see what you’re grilling. And for those blazing summer days, having decent shading over your outdoor kitchen and dining area is a must.

4. Choose Hardwearing Materials

Most alfresco kitchens will be exposed to the elements, so it’s important to select materials that will last outdoors. Seek out durable, low-maintenance materials such as cast aluminium or grade 316 stainless steel for the barbecue body and lid, and robust stone counter tops.

5. Position It Right

You’ll no doubt want your outdoor kitchen to be the heart of your outdoor entertaining area, so aim to position it within or near your alfresco dining or seating area, or your deck. Keeping it close to the main kitchen makes access easy, plus it means it will cost less to connect to existing utilities such as power, gas and water.

6. Make It Easy

When you purchased an outdoor kitchen in the past, more often than not the various elements – barbecue, storage units, beverage fridge – would come from different sources, which meant coordinating trades and scheduling multiple deliveries. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case; Weber’s new Outdoor Kitchen range is an end-to-end solution, which means your complete outdoor kitchen is delivered and installed in one go. The Weber delivery team will even test everything is in perfect working order after installation and take you through your new outdoor kitchen’s features. All that’s left for you to do is plan what’s on the menu!

Here at Hurst Homes we offer complete customised homes that can be as individual as the owner. We guide your through the entire process including your selections to ensure you create your dream home. Just another reason why we are considered Waggas best builder. With over 30 years in the industry as a Wagga Builder you can trust Hurst Homes with your dream home. For information on our upcoming custom wagga house & land packages, contact us today on 0438 692 962 or fill out the contact us page on our website.

For more tips from the Houzz experts visit Houzz.com.au