How Outdoor Kitchens Took Over in North America

Little more than a decade ago, outdoor kitchens were a total rarity, aside from common backyard grills rolled out in the summer. But these days, millions of people in North America are creating and enjoying their own outdoor kitchen spaces.

How did this feature become so dominant? And how can you build a compelling space of your own?

The Outdoor Kitchen Revolution

You can find outdoor kitchen ideas all over the web these days. There are small outdoor kitchens with little more than a grill and large, sweeping outdoor kitchens bigger than most conventional indoor kitchens. Some are designed to look modern and sleek, while others look a bit more rustic and old-fashioned.

But there’s no question that there are more outdoor kitchens than ever before in North America. What used to be a rare novelty is quickly becoming a revolutionary new inclusion in homes all over the continent. While it’s still far from being an expected staple, it’s no longer simply a luxury for the super-rich.

How did this happen?

How Outdoor Kitchens Took Over in North America

First, let’s look at the advantages of outdoor kitchens generally:

Outdoor time. Having an outdoor kitchen forces you to spend more time outside. Spending time outdoors is good for you since it gives you access to more fresh air, sunshine, and opportunities for exercise.
A gathering space. Many people also appreciate outdoor kitchens for their capacity to function as a gathering space. There’s arguably no better way to host a party in your own backyard.
Extra cooking and serving space. Counter space is always a limited commodity – and cooking space is similarly limited in conventional indoor kitchens. Installing an outdoor kitchen means you’ll instantly double your cooking and storage space, enabling you to do more than you previously thought was possible.
Easier cleanup and odor control. An outdoor kitchen is a luxury in terms of its ability to reduce cleanup responsibilities and control odors. It’s a much easier and more pleasant experience to cook outdoors.
Backyard beautification. Not all outdoor kitchens are works of art, but an outdoor kitchen project does have the capacity to beautify your backyard. This is especially valuable because of your ability to customize the shape, design, materials, and general aesthetics of your outdoor kitchen.
Home value improvements. Also, installing an outdoor kitchen in your backyard should significantly increase the value of your home. Like many renovation and add-on projects, you’re unlikely to increase your home value by more than you pay for the initial work. However, the ROI is considerable – and has the capacity to greatly mitigate the initial costs of your investment.

Despite their many benefits, it’s only recently that the popularity of outdoor kitchens really took off, mostly for the following reasons:

Outdoor kitchen specialists. As more people began to express interest in outdoor kitchens, outdoor kitchen specialists, including manufacturers, installation experts, and purveyors of information, began to build their online presence. With more sources of information and more producers to choose from, it was only natural for consumers to make more purchases.
Modular and other innovative designs. It also helps that outdoor kitchens began to be designed and manufactured in more advanced, innovative ways. Modular outdoor kitchen designs make it easy to build a completely customized design from scratch, and novel improvements in production have reduced costs, making outdoor kitchens more affordable for most people in North America.
The COVID-19 pandemic. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us were practically locked down. Restaurants, bars, and similar gathering places were shut down, forcing people to find close, relatively safe ways to get together and socialize. During those first couple of years, many homeowners made renovations that could allow them to spend more time outside with friends and family members. This helped give outdoor kitchens a new boost in visibility and popularity.
Social media. This also happened during an era in which social media is dominant. As more people posted images, videos, and stories about their outdoor kitchen experiences, more people began to discover how unique and valuable these installations really are. It helped to snowball the popularity of an already popular new phenomenon.
Home value and demand support. As this popularity wave continued, demand for outdoor kitchens increased, boosting the increases to home value experienced by most homeowners. This, in turn, made it even more attractive to install a new outdoor kitchen.

It was a unique combination of factors that helped propel outdoor kitchens to the level of popularity they enjoy today. As more people discover the benefits of outdoor kitchens and as more innovative designs enter the market, it’s likely that these installations will only become more popular with time.