Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor Kitchen Ideas: 15 Designs and Layouts With Real Prices
Aug
Explore 15 outdoor kitchen ideas with the products and prices behind each layout. We walk you through the options, from a straight run to an L with a bar, so you can plan your outdoor space.
Most outdoor kitchen ideas online show someone else’s backyard without prices or product names. You cannot always tell which appliances are real and which belong on a movie set. Each outdoor kitchen design below uses things we sell, with prices beside them. You can compare layouts and see what it would take to build one in your outdoor space. We are a dealer for Fire Magic, Summerset, Wildfire, American Made Grills, American Outdoor Grill, Le Griddle and Videl. We help people plan outdoor kitchens every week. These are the designs people ask about most, from a grill with a counter to a full L shaped kitchen with a bar.
Jump to an Idea
- The straight run along a wall
- The L shaped layout with a prep leg
- The kitchen and bar in one, with bar seating
- Small outdoor kitchen ideas that still do everything
- The covered patio kitchen
- The pizza oven kitchen
- The griddle grilling station for breakfast people
- The electric kitchen for balconies and no-gas patios
- The all-one-brand cabinetry
- The gathering space with a fire feature
- The keg-and-wine kitchen
- The kitchen with a real sink
- The storage-first kitchen
- The DIY kitchen on a budget
- The kitchen on the deck
1. The straight run along a wall
This is the most common outdoor kitchen design. You get one countertop, a grill in the middle, doors and drawers below, and a fridge at one end. It fits against the house or the patio edge, leaving the yard open for the dining area. A complete outdoor kitchen island like the Videl 60″ Alta arrives ready to cook for $5,181. You can also build the counter yourself and add a gas built-in grill. Prices start at $1,699 for a Summerset Sizzler.
2. The L shaped layout with a prep leg
Turning the corner gives you a second stretch of counter space that never gets hot. Put the grill on one side and the sink and cutting board on the other. Two people can work without bumping into each other. This layout gives you more prep space when a straight run feels too small. The Videl 72″ Alta L starts at $8,084. The 144″ Maestro L is the biggest we sell at $19,097. You can compare all six L shaped outdoor kitchen islands.
3. The kitchen and bar in one, with bar seating
Raise the back of the island a few inches and add three or four barstools. Guests can sit with you while you cook. A bar-height countertop hides the mess on the working side. It also serves as the outdoor dining area on a small patio. Put an outdoor bar center with an ice bin and bottle rail under the raised section. Add a glass-door fridge where guests can see the drinks. The Summerset 24″ glass-door refrigerator is $2,299.
4. Small outdoor kitchen ideas that still do everything
You do not need twelve feet of counter. A small outdoor kitchen can be a grilling station with a little storage and a mini fridge. You can still cook the same food. Six feet holds a grill, a set of doors and a narrow fridge. The Videl Signature Collection 1 gives you a 72″ island frame with the grill and double doors included for $4,566. You finish the outside to match your patio. A 15″ fridge from Summerset or Wildfire fits where a full-size fridge will not. Our small outdoor kitchen ideas post covers more options for tight spaces.
5. The covered patio kitchen
A roof lets you use your summer grilling spot as a year-round outdoor living space. You will need to plan for smoke. Under a solid cover, you need an outdoor vent hood wider than the grill, mounted on the wall behind it. Summerset hoods range from 36″ at $1,949 to 72″ at $5,499. Pergolas with open slats usually do not need one. Our covered outdoor kitchen ideas post walks through roofs, pergolas and pavilions.
6. The pizza oven kitchen
A pizza oven gives people a reason to come outside. It is much easier to plan for one now than to add it later. Fire Magic makes a prefabricated island already cut for a pizza oven for $5,541. The ovens themselves cost $3,999 to $7,324 in our pizza oven collection. We explain the trade-offs in our guide to an outdoor kitchen with pizza oven.
7. The griddle grilling station for breakfast people
If your family eats more pancakes and smash burgers than steaks, put a flat top beside the grill or use it instead. A built-in griddle from Le Griddle starts at $2,134 for the electric Wee, and the gas Pro Series 40 is $2,198. Videl builds a complete 64″ griddle island for $5,804.
8. The electric kitchen for balconies and no-gas patios
You may be working with condo rules, a rooftop or a patio without a gas line. The Fire Magic electric built-in grill costs $2,186 and plugs into a normal outdoor outlet. Fire Magic’s 44″ one-piece island comes with the electric grill, a fridge and a drawer already in it for $6,518. You can find both on our outdoor electric grill page.
9. The all-one-brand cabinetry
Matching handles and finishes give the whole kitchen a more consistent look. The stainless doors and drawers form the cabinetry you see across the front. Fire Magic offers the deepest matching set. You can get a grill, doors, drawers, fridge, kegerator, ice maker and sink with the same handle. Summerset offers a value version of that approach. Any door fits any island, so you can mix brands too. The handles just will not line up quite as neatly.
10. The gathering space with a fire feature
Put a fire pit or an outdoor fireplace across from the island. Your cooking area can then serve as an outdoor living room. Videl also makes a 112″ island with a fire pit built into the far end for $10,045. Keep the fire on the seating side, away from the cooking side.
11. The keg-and-wine kitchen
If you host often, you have cold appliance options beyond a fridge. A Summerset outdoor kegerator costs $2,999 plus the tap. An outdoor wine cooler holds 29 to 52 bottles at the right temperature. The Fire Magic outdoor ice maker makes ice so nobody needs to drive to the gas station for it.
12. The kitchen with a real sink
A sink is what separates an outdoor kitchen from an outdoor grill. You can rinse food, fill a pot and wash your hands without going inside. An outdoor kitchen sink costs $369 to $1,079. The Fire Magic double sink includes its faucet for $374. Plan the water line and drain before you install the counter.
13. The storage-first kitchen
People often regret not adding enough drawers. Use the whole front of the island for storage. Outdoor kitchen doors start at $224, and outdoor kitchen drawers start at about $450. Our outdoor kitchen cabinets include sealed pantries and door-and-drawer combinations for $1,119 to $2,019. Trash drawers and paper-towel drawers are the two types that get used most.
14. The DIY kitchen on a budget
Build the island from block or a steel frame, then cover it with stone or stucco. That leaves you money to spend on the grill. It is the cheapest way to get a permanent kitchen, and you can do it over a few weekends. Our DIY outdoor kitchen ideas post covers the builds. Our guide to how to build an outdoor kitchen takes you through the steps in order.
15. The kitchen on the deck
You can put an outdoor kitchen on a wood deck if you follow three rules. Keep the weight down, keep heat away from the wood, and run gas and power properly. The Fire Magic one-piece 44″ islands weigh about 280 pounds before the grill and fridge go in. The manual allows them on a hard, level surface, combustible or not. Our outdoor kitchen on deck guide has the details.
Outdoor kitchen design ideas that make any layout work
A few outdoor kitchen ideas apply to every layout. Choose countertops in a mid-tone stone that does not get too hot to touch. Keep the dining area a few steps from the grill, with a table and chairs or stools at the bar for outdoor dining. Add storage for everything you would otherwise keep inside. Your outdoor cooking can then start without a trip to the indoor kitchen. Use weather-resistant materials throughout because the patio gets sun, rain and grease. Put light over the counter for cooking after dark. A lantern or two over the seating area adds ambiance. For greenery, put a planter of herbs beside the prep space. It is the cheapest design idea here.
How to plan the layout: the order that works
Start with the grill because everything is sized around it. Put the fridge second, at the end of the run, so its door swings clear. Place the sink third, between the grill and serving side. Fill the remaining front with doors and drawers. Leave 24 to 36 inches of clear counter on at least one side of the grill for a platter. Set the counter at 36 inches high, the same as inside, and the bar at 42. You can find the measurements and utility rules in our building guide. For each design’s budget, read what an outdoor kitchen costs.
Questions people ask
What is the cheapest outdoor kitchen design?
Set a built-in grill into a block island you build yourself, with one set of doors below. The grill costs $1,699, and the doors cost about $300. Block and stucco add a few hundred more. You can add the fridge and sink later. Their openings can wait.
Does an outdoor kitchen add value to a house?
Buyers like outdoor kitchens. A permanent kitchen with good appliances shows well in listings. We would not build one for resale alone. Build it because you will cook outside more, and treat the value as a bonus.
Do I need a designer?
Most of these layouts do not need a designer. Send us a sketch showing the wall length and the gas and power locations. We will lay out the openings and check that every part fits before you order. That help is free, and it is what we do all day.
Start with the grill
All these outdoor kitchen ideas start with choosing a grill. Browse our outdoor kitchen collection, pick your grill and build outward. We offer free shipping on most brands (exceptions apply), no sales tax (except WY), and real people to talk to before you order.
