The Benefits of Adding Grills and Smokers to Your Outdoor Kitchen

Adding certain amenities makes a space “nice”... while other amenities make you wonder how you ever lived without them. An outdoor kitchen is the best way to bring the joys of cooking for family and friends into the great outdoors. If you’re wondering what you need for maximum enjoyment, here are the benefits of adding grills and smokers to your outdoor kitchen.

The right outdoor kitchen will completely change your backyard experience. More homeowners are embracing outdoor cooking, even in climates that don’t necessarily lend themselves to year-round al fresco dining (adding a solid-roofed structure like a pavilion and an outdoor fireplace practically draws everyone outdoors in nearly any weather.

No two outdoor kitchens are alike, nor should they be. Everyone has different culinary and entertaining preferences. And while the cooking space itself provides a central gathering space, it’s the ability to customize that makes your outdoor kitchen perfect for you.

Here’s why grills and smokers are must-have additions.

1. Lower Energy Costs

Any indoor cooking appliance will generate heat, which forces the AC to work harder.

2. No Indoor Food Smells

Foods may smell amazing while they’re cooking, but afterward, who wants the smell of grilled hot dogs or smoked fish lingering for days? Cooking outside keeps your home smelling fresh (only your neighbors will be wondering what that delicious smell is).

3. Keep the Party Outdoors, and Make It Bigger

Summer parties and cookouts are great fun, but do you notice how everyone always ends up in the kitchen, no matter how cramped? Al fresco cooking and dining adds a luxurious touch to a backyard experience where everyone can spread out comfortably. An outdoor kitchen gives people elbow room to socialize while delicious food is being prepared; and of course, the chef is the center of the action rather than being relegated to an indoor kitchen while everyone gathers outside, and a grill and smoker can be used in tandem to create amazing meals.

In the average backyard, you can double the number of people you want to host indoors. Even smaller spaces have a more spacious feeling thanks to the open skies above.

4. More Cooking Versatility

Most outdoor kitchens are built around a grill. Adding a smoker expands your culinary options and makes for faster meal prep (for example, let the meats smoke while the veggies occupy the grill).

Even if you eat a plant-based diet, nothing beats the flavor of grilled vegetables; and you can use smokers to make incredible vegetable dishes with a rich smoky aroma and taste.

What can you cook on a grill? Anything you can cook on a stove! How about lobster? Slow-cooked roasts. Veggie kebabs. Casseroles. Pizza. Pies and cakes. Brownies. Pancakes. Bread.

What can you cook in a smoker? How about Thanksgiving turkey? Yes, that means more room in the oven for pie! Or how about any veggies that would do great on the grill, like zucchini, tomatoes, onions, or corn?

5. Reduced Costs of Dining Out

Let’s face it: food simply tastes better when it’s cooked outside. Hosting a regular BBQ can be an inexpensive way to get together with friends; and having both a grill and a smoker will let you satisfy everyone’s dietary needs.

6. Increased Home Value

Well-designed outdoor kitchens complete with popular amenities like grills and smokers can increase the selling price of a home. Several major publications agree that outdoor kitchens return up to 200% of the cost as long as it is in proportion to the value of the home and the location.

7. Expanded Living Space

Both a grill and a smoker have an uncanny way of drawing people closer. Who can resist those delicious aromas? But no matter how well-designed an indoor kitchen is, having a grill and a smoker in the house is just not a good idea because of the heat, the smoke, and the space they take up. An outdoor kitchen with these amenities is an extension of your living space.

8. Easier Cooking, Even for Non-Cooks

Other than forgetting that something is cooking, it’s hard to mess up grilled food, and especially smoked food. Grills and smokers let even someone who can barely boil water host amazing parties (remember, food tastes better outside).