If you’ve been planning to ‘take the party outside’ by building an outdoor kitchen, you should consider getting a good grill for your barbeque sessions. Besides, what’s an outdoor party if you’re not going to entertain yourself with grilled food?
What options do you have?
Whether you are a grilling enthusiast or not, it’s always advisable to ensure that you get the right grill for your outdoor kitchen. There is a wide variety of grills available in the market for different types of users. These grills differ depending on the fuel type and the overall design.
Some grills are made for permanence while others are made with portability in mind.
Types of grills by their design
The following are the three main types of grills as far as design is concerned.
- Built-in grills
Also referred to as permanent grills, this type of grills is designed to be installed permanently into outdoor patios. Built-in grills are made to withstand harsh weather elements and as such, all they require is a vinyl cover as protection to get them going through the harshest of seasons. When buying a built-in grill, you should expect it to come with shells that contain the pieces that you need to build your grill into a permanent brick patio.
The common setup for a built-in outdoor grill is to incorporate it into an existing outdoor cooking suite, complete with other units such as an ice maker, refrigerator, warming drawer, a countertop, and more. With such a setup, you will have a full outdoor kitchen where you can prepare all your outdoor meals.
If you own a restaurant, such a setup can be ideal if you want to draw in customers who love to dine al fresco, especially during the summer months. On top of that, you can enhance your outdoor setup even more with mobile bar equipment, so that it becomes fit for an open-air event venue or a full-service patio.
- Towable grills
The grills that fall under this category are equipped with road-ready wheels and towing couplers making them easy to pull to events. The majority of towable grills have built-in refrigeration equipment meant to hold the chilled entrees to be served at an event. These are the best type of grills for professional catering companies, as they can be moved from one location to another to be used in events such as summer weddings, tailgate parties, and more.
- Mobile grills
Equipped with wheels for ease of movement, mobile grills are the perfect option if you may need to move from one cooking site to another. A mobile grill is designed to be easily loaded up easily and transported to wherever you want to do some on-site cooking. Clubs, churches, and different organizations would find a mobile grill to be very convenient, since they may change their event sites quite often.
Mobile grills are not always designed to withstand harsh weather elements, but that is compensated for by their mobility. Smaller mobile grills are perfect for family meetups, and other smaller gatherings with a limited number of people. If you don’t have enough space for a backyard kitchen at home, you may consider getting a mobile grill that you can move to a different storage area once you are prepping your meals.
Types of grills by fuel type
Outdoor grills can also be categorized by the type of fuel that runs them. The mains types of grills as far as fuel is concerned are as follows:
Charcoal grills
Charcoal cooking is quite common in backyards, but less so for commercial setups. That’s in consideration that using charcoal often involves tedious processes such as lighting fire, tending the coals, and cleaning ashes. Using a charcoal grill can be challenging as there is usually no way to regulate the temperature of the grill, other than adjusting the position of the racks to move your food further away or closer to the heat.
The good thing about charcoal grills, however, is that they require a lower amount of money to buy. That makes them a perfect option if you can’t justify investing in a gas grill. One thing to keep in mind, however, as far as the cost of investment is concerned, is that the cost of charcoal can easily surpass that of using gas with time.
A charcoal grill can also be a good investment for caterers who most likely won’t have uninterrupted access to natural gas, and they don’t wish to have a stock of propane tanks.
Natural gas grills
If you will go for a permanent grill setup and you have access to natural gas, you should consider buying a natural gas grill. This is especially the case with restaurants since the majority of them use natural gas as the main source of fuel for their gas-burning equipment.
When designing a permanent grill setup, however, you should keep in mind that natural gas, unlike propane, is not sold in canisters. For this reason, you should include fittings that will make it easier to direct the gas to your grill, for ease of installation.
Propane grills
If you want an outdoor grill that can be moved from one site to another, it will be wise to choose one that uses propane gas. Such grills are powered using the same propane canisters used in residential setups. They are easy to install and allow for great mobility and ease of storage.
Electric grills
If you want a grill that offers as much authentic barbecue flavor as possible, you should probably avoid an electric grill. Even though electric grills don’t offer the barbecue flavor, they are easy to start and use.
Such grills are smaller in size, which significantly increases their portability. They can be great for condos or apartments that have residential restrictions. Other than their ease of use, they are also easy to install, making them perfect for homeowners who need a quick and easy grilling solution.
Using a permanent grill for your home
With all the options available, it’s only true to say that buying a grill for your home is not an easy thing to do. If, however, you have the chance and space, a permanent grill is always worth the buy. As long as you choose a high-quality built-in grill, you can use it for a very long period unless if you want to get an upgrade.
How do permanent grills work?
Permanent grills are commonly known as built-in grills. Such grills are designed with outdoor use in mind, which makes them great for patios. Since they are designed to withstand the harshest weather elements, all you need is a simple vinyl cover to protect your grill from debris.
When choosing to have a permanent grill for your home, one thing to keep in mind is that such grills are usually not easy to remove once they have been installed. As such, it’s always advisable that you get your choices right to avoid inconveniences after installation.
The type of fuel that you can use with permanent grills is mainly natural gas and propane, even though some permanent grills use charcoal. The type of fuel that your grill will use will go a long way towards determining the design and fitting that will be used for the grill setup.
For best results, it’s always best if you can hire a professional to assist with the connection and installation of a permanent grill, to avoid costly mistakes that may require a lot of effort to repair.
A permanent grill that uses natural gas can be a good one if you have access to a natural gas line. That’s in consideration that with such a grill, you won’t have to deal with the inconvenience of replacing your propane tank or restocking charcoal. If, however, you want the authentic grilling flavor, you can go for a hybrid grill that uses charcoal and electricity to cook your meals.
However, some permanent grills have a favorite that helps a lot with preserving the flavor of the food that you are cooking. A favorite’s job is to tap the juices that fall from your food, and then vaporize them back into the food hence preserving the original flavor.
What makes permanent grills a great choice?
If you have decided to build an outdoor kitchen, here are some reasons for choosing a permanent grill:
- Unique aesthetic value
When installed professionally, a permanent grill looks undeniably beautiful. A high-quality permanent grill will add a great aesthetic value to your outdoor kitchen, making you feel more proud of your home.
- Increase the value of your home
Whether or not you plan on staying in your current home for long, there is always a great benefit in making changes that enhance the value of your home. Installing a built-in grill in your outdoor kitchen will boost your home’s value, and has a great ROI. If you ever decide to sell your home, the investment you made will pay you back in ways you may not have expected.
- They are convenient
The majority of permanent grills are added to a complete kitchen setup, that includes other useful additions such as an icemaker, refrigerator, storage cabinets, and more. With such a setup, you have everything that you need which reduces the inconvenience of needing your house for functions such as making ice. Besides, a permanent grill stays where you found it. You won’t have to keep on moving your grill to where you store it every time you are done using it.
- Ease of cleaning
It’s almost a guarantee that if you go for a permanent grill setup, you will have a sink and storage cabinets for various items that you may need to clean the grill after using it. That way you don’t have to postpone cleaning your grill, since there is a high chance you won’t clean it if you postpone.
What feature should you aim to have in your permanent grill?
The following are the main features that make permanent grills a great buy and perfect for good-tasting meals:
- Infrared burner
Whether it’s the rear-mounted burner for your rotisserie setup or an infrared burner that is adjacent to the main burners, you should always aim to buy a grill with an infrared burner. Such burners are great for searing your food to prevent loss of juices, hence retain the flavor.
- Halogen lighting
A good permanent grill should include halogen lighting, making it easy to cook with even in low-light conditions. The lights illuminate the cooking area, eliminating the need to have extra light for better visibility.
- Thermometers
The cooking temperature of your meals is very important in determining the final quality. That is why you should never miss a thermometer and meat probe in your permanent grill. With the ability to monitor the cooking temperatures of your meals, you can determine the quality of your food quite easily.
- Side burner
A side burner is a great addition to your permanent grill setup, as it allows for sautéing and keeping your sauces hot so that you always have them ready whenever you need them. Besides, a side burner is useful in keeping the foods that you have finished cooking warm.
- Rotisserie kit
Is a grill if it does not allow you to roast your meat? If you love roasted meat, which the majority of grilled food lovers do, you should get a grill with a rotisserie kit, for easy roasting of your meals. Some grills may not come with a complete rotisserie kit, but they are rotisserie-ready, allowing you to add a rotisserie setup if you need one.
- Smokers
A permanent grill that has a smoker is a great addition to your outdoor kitchen if you want meals that have an out-of-this-world taste. Such grills come with a smoking chamber that eliminates the need to buy a separate smoker if you love food with a smoky flavor.
Final thoughts,
Installing a grill in your outdoor kitchen is a good thing to do if you would like to enjoy the therapeutic effect of cooking and having your meals in the fresh outdoor air. A permanent grill should be a perfect addition if you have the space to build an outdoor kitchen at your home.
Before buying a permanent grill, be sure to take enough time to research so that you can get a product that meets your needs. That way, you will enjoy grilled food for a long time before you have to make changes to your permanent grill setup.
