How to Choose an Outdoor Kitchen: A UK Buyer's Guide

An outdoor kitchen is one of the larger investments you will make in a garden, and one of the easiest to get wrong. The units themselves are rarely the problem. The problems are usually layout, materials and underestimating what British weather does to a poorly specified build.

Here is what to work through before you spend anything.

1. Start with how you actually cook

Be honest about it. If you grill for two most weekends, a compact unit with a grill and a worktop will serve you better than a six-metre run you use twice a year. If you host regularly, prep space and refrigeration matter more than an extra burner.

Write down the three things you cook outdoors most often. Design around those, not around the photographs.

2. Decide between modular and fixed

Modular systems are built from separate units that bolt together: a grill module, a sink module, storage, refrigeration. You can start small and extend later, and you can take them with you if you move. Systems like GRLLR Connect and Cozze Elements work this way.

Fixed masonry kitchens are built in place and become part of the garden. They look permanent because they are, they weather beautifully, and they typically cost less per metre than an equivalent modular run. What you give up is flexibility.

If you are unsure how the pieces fit together, our guide to outdoor kitchen layout ideas covers the common configurations.

3. Get the materials right

This is where British gardens punish shortcuts. Look for:

• Marine-grade or 304 stainless steel for framing and doors. Lower grades will show rust spots within a season or two, particularly near the coast.
• Stone or porcelain worktops. They handle frost, UV and hot pans without staining or warping.
• Corten steel if you want a weathered look that improves with age rather than degrading. We explain how it works in our guide to corten steel.
• Powder-coated aluminium as a lighter, rust-free alternative to steel.

4. Plan services before you plan aesthetics

If you want a sink, you need water in and water out. If you want a fridge, you need a weatherproof outdoor socket. Both are far cheaper to install before slabs go down than after.

Gas is the other consideration. Bottled gas is simpler and needs no groundwork. A natural gas connection needs a Gas Safe engineer but removes bottle changes entirely.

5. Think about weather from day one

An outdoor kitchen sits outside for around 300 days a year that you are not using it. Covers are not an afterthought, they are the reason your investment still looks good in year five. Our winter protection guide covers what actually matters.

Positioning helps too. A kitchen against a wall or under a pergola stays usable in light rain and dries faster after heavy rain.

6. Budget realistically

As a rough guide across our range: compact modular setups with a grill and storage start in the low thousands. Mid-size kitchens with a grill, sink and refrigeration typically sit in the three to five thousand range. Large L-shaped builds with multiple cooking options run higher.

Leave headroom for groundwork, electrics and covers. They are rarely included in the headline price.

Where to start

Browse our full outdoor kitchen range, or if you would rather talk it through with someone who has installed them, call 020 7038 6255.