How to Choose the Best Hardware and Benchtop for Your Outdoor Kitchen
How to Choose the Best Hardware and Benchtop for Your Outdoor Kitchen
In New Zealand, outdoor dining is almost an art form. There’s nothing finer than gathering outside with friends and family to prepare and share a meal. At Archant, we design and install food prep and entertainment spaces that range from quite basic, to more elaborate setups.
Yet, regardless of the specific layout, there are some materials that simply don’t weather the elements well. To constantly replace things would be costly and time consuming. And to be honest, it’s totally unnecessary. If you design your outdoor area with the correct materials, it will stand the test of time. Here are some helpful tips to pick the best hardware and benchtop surface for your outdoor kitchen.
Hardware that’s Built to Last
If you want your cabinet hardware to last more than one season, it’s important to look carefully at the materials used in their manufacturing. Handles that rust for example, will not only break apart, but also create unsightly stains on your cabinetry. To avoid this, one of the best hardware options are those made from stainless steel. Alternatively, solid brass is great choice outdoors as it doesn't rust. We have a handful in our collection you can check out here.
Stainless steel requires minimal care to keep them looking great. Just a quick wipe down with warm water is all that’s necessary. Water stains and other signs of use can be greatly reduced if you pick the right finish. Consider “Brushed Nickel” as a prime choice. The softer matt like quality is preferable to hardware with a high polish. Not only are they cooler to the touch, but they won’t show fingerprints either. As an added design benefit, many outdoor appliances like barbecue grills, typically have a brushed nickel finish. This consistency makes for a more cohesive design with all the elements working together visually.
Aluminium is another reasonable option as they won’t rust. Archant carries a massive variety of handles with this base material. The one challenge with these is the softer quality of the metal. Due to its malleable nature, it is easier to get bent out of shape with heavy use. As such, you’ll want to consider the ways in which you use your outdoor space. If the utmost of durability is needed, most design experts recommend stainless steel.
A Word About Plastics
We’re a big fan of some of the newer handles being made from recycled plastics and fishnet. In fact, we even identified it as one of the best trends for cabinet handles in 2022. With their eco-friendly qualities, you may be tempted to use them in your outdoor kitchen. This is not really an ideal choice though, as the UV rays are quite strong in New Zealand. Handles made of plastics will quickly be damaged by the sun, becoming brittle and faded. We expect more developments in this area though and will keep you posted on any relevant changes here.
Outdoor Benchtop Considerations
Porcelain is known throughout the industry for its rugged durability. What many people don’t know however, is that it’s impervious to the sun’s UV rays! Even in the harsh light of summer, your benchtop will not fade or discolour. For open-air dining and entertainment spaces, this high level of durability makes porcelain a wise choice. There are additional benefits of porcelain worth noting. Stain and scratch resistance is certainly advantageous in a busy outdoor kitchen. You can cut directly on the surface without worrying about leaving marks. Perhaps an even bigger feature is in porcelains heat resistance nature. Grill masters will undoubtedly enjoy the ability to transfer food from the barbecue directly onto the benchtop without leaving burn marks. This is largely due to how porcelain benchtops are made. Using clay and other natural materials, our manufacturers in Italy press and fire natural materials in a kiln at incredibly high temperatures well over 1200°C. As you might imagine, this fiery process aids in its outstanding durability. The material essentially becomes resistant to thermal stress and ultra-high temperatures. For added peace of mind, Archant porcelain comes with a lifetime warranty.
Of course, all these benefits would be meaningless if the outdoor benchtop was too difficult to keep clean. Porcelain though is quite simple to maintain. Thanks to its non-porous surface, there’s no need to purchase additional products to reseal or protect the bench. Not only is this convenient, but it adds up to significant savings over the lifetime of your benchtop. Conventional cleaning products or even soapy warm water and a non-abrasive cloth are all you need.
Quartz is Not an Ideal Choice Outdoors
While we sell Quartz benchtops at Archant, we don’t generally recommend it for outdoor use. Unlike porcelain, quartz will fade and discolour over time. You would also need to work a bit more cautiously with knives. Whether you’re carving a steak or chopping veggies, a cutting board would be necessary. Since it’s not heat proof, extra care must be taken not to place hot items directly onto the surface as they would burn the benchtop.
What's the Return On Investment?
As you can see, designing your outdoor kitchen is an exciting opportunity to add value to your home. Done correctly, it also becomes an incredible extension of your living space. The aesthetics are certainly important, but durability is of utmost importance for outdoor designs. When budgeting for your project, think beyond the initial installation costs. Many homeowners are pleasantly surprised to hear about their potential return on investment. In a recent article, CNN Money reported that “an outdoor kitchen can have a return on investment of 100% to 200%.” And while that certainly is a solid reason to upgrade your outdoor kitchen, we suspect you’ll get even more enjoyment from using it.
