Outdoor Accessories Archives - Creekstone Outdoors

04 Dec

Learn How to Protect Your Stainless Steel Outdoor Kitchen Equipment

A majority of stainless steel outdoor kitchen equipment owners never know how to protect stainless steel outdoors. Some ignore, assuming that the outdoor equipment will still corrode even when protected. However, that’s not always the case. You can learn and implement simple ways of maintaining a shiny and bright surface on your stainless steel kitchen equipment.

Here’s how to properly care for your outdoor stainless steel equipment. #CreekstoneOutdoors Click To Tweet

How can you keep your outdoor stainless steel looking new?

The solution to spotless stainless steel surfaces are never far from what you can readily access or what you already know but not applying well. To keep your stainless steel outdoor kitchen equipment spotless, you’ll need to follow the simple steps listed below.

Use the Right Tools
Clean with the Polish Lines
Use Alkaline Containing Cleaners
Rinse Well
Restore Stainless Steel

1) Use the Right Tools

Non-abrasive tools like microfiber, sponges, or plastic scouring pads are ideal for cleaning these surfaces. While they clean perfectly, they minimize scratches on the surface. Scrapers such as steel wool, wire brushes, or anything that might scratch the surface are not ideal for cleaning a stainless steel surface.

2) Clean with the Polish Lines

Stainless steel possesses a grain that runs in one direction or another, defined as lines. When cleaning, it is best if you wipe or scrub along the lines. This is particularly important to consider when you are using something more abrasive than a soft cloth..

3) Use Alkaline Containing Cleaners

Alkaline is the best cleaner for stainless steel. A cleaning solution containing a mixture with traces of alkaline, non-chlorinated chemicals, or chlorinated alkaline solutions will work perfectly to clean these surfaces. You should, however, avoid cleaners that contain quaternary salts as they cause rusting and pitting.

Pro Tip: If you are unsure of what alkaline solution to use, get stainless steel cleaners specifically designed for stainless steel surfaces.

4) Rinse Well

If you used chlorinated cleaners, you should rinse and wipe the kitchen surface and equipment immediately. You should wipe off the standing water mostly if it contains chemicals you used to wash the surface. However, if you use sanitizer to clean and disinfect the kitchen surface, do not wipe off or rinse the surface after cleaning.

5) Restore Stainless Steel

After all cleaning and scrubbing, you can restore the shine of your stainless steel with lemon oil or food-grade mineral oil. You can apply the polish in line with the grain’s direction using a lint-free cloth. You can as well dry it using another lint-free cloth.

Use These Tips to Refresh Your Stainless Steel

You now perfectly understand how to protect stainless steel outdoors without too much trouble. When you use these tips effectively, you end up preventing rust and corrosion, maintaining a sparkling surface for your outdoor kitchen equipment.

Contact us if you need help with your outdoor kitchen surfaces.

23 Oct

Outdoor Kitchen Design: 5 Things to Remember

Choosing an outdoor kitchen design that matches your style is the best way to add fun to your outdoor living space. Before you dive into the basics of outdoor kitchen planning, spend some time looking for the type of space that will best fit your lifestyle. Let’s take a look at some of the best outdoor kitchen ideas to consider.

If you’re designing an outdoor kitchen, you’ll want to get these 5 essentials incorporated into your backyard space. Click To Tweet

What are some essentials to keep in mind for your outdoor kitchen?

When setting up a kitchen in your backyard, you must install all the essentials to complete the space. Some of the must-have accessories in an outdoor kitchen include refrigerators, barbeque grills, and ovens. Consider equipment made from stainless steel to withstand adverse weather conditions.

Here are the critical factors to consider when setting up an outdoor kitchen.

The Basics
Cooking & Grilling
Refrigeration
Organization
Insulation & Ventilation

1) The Basics

You want an outdoor kitchen design that fits your lifestyle. But where should you start? Install the basic outdoor kitchen equipment, such as built-in gas grills, access doors, a compact refrigerator, a side burner, and a trash bin. The patio kitchen should also have a sink and sizable counter space for meal prepping foods.

2) Cooking & Grilling

Adding a grill to your outdoor kitchen can make cooking more convenient. There are various types of grills, including gas grills, charcoal grills, pellet grills, and portable grills. Select a design that fits your needs and lifestyle. Other essentials that can add cooking versatility to the grill area include a smoker, power burner, or kamado.

3) Refrigeration

If you love entertainment, take your kitchen space to the next level by adding ice makers, wine coolers, beverage centers, and kegerators. When organizing poolside adventures, turn your outdoor kitchen into a cocktail paradise by installing the outdoor refrigeration appliances. Your family and friends will enjoy having ice-cold beverages.

4) Organization

Keeping all the appliances and accessories organized can improve your outdoor décor and help you save more space in the outdoor dining area. Ensure the kitchen has a big dining table and enough storage compartments to store all the ingredients you’ll need to grill your favorite meal. You’ll easily access the items while grilling.

5) Insulation & Ventilation

When setting up an outdoor kitchen, your safety should come first. One of the best ways to ensure that is by insulating and ventilating the outdoor kitchen. Use insulated jackets when installing your cooking appliances on a combustible island. Vent panels or vent hoods are also essential for proper gas venting in the kitchen.

Pro Tip: Look at design ideas online to find the outdoor decor that will best suit your new kitchen!

The Perfect Outdoor Kitchen Design for Your Home

Modern outdoor kitchens are an excellent example of a perfect outdoor kitchen design. Ensure you select the appliances that can spice up your outdoor living space. Consider modern outdoor cooking appliances over the traditional ones. The bottom line is to find an outdoor kitchen design that fits your needs and lifestyle.

Connect with us to learn more outdoor kitchen ideas and designs.

16 Oct

Designing An Outdoor Bar for Great Times

Setting up outdoor bars in a backyard is an excellent way for homeowners to maximize outdoor space in a home. As you add an outdoor bar in your home, implement features that will ‘fire up’ the place and make it more inviting to guests. What are the best features to consider?

What are some must-haves for your outdoor bar? Let’s take a look at the best accessories available for entertaining guests. Click To Tweet

What should your outdoor bar include for entertainment?

The size and location of your new outdoor bar will influence the accessories you will add to its’ space. If you don’t know what equipment you should add to your outdoor bar, don’t worry, we’ll help you figure it out. Here are some of the outdoor bar appliances to consider:

Bar Center
Kegerator
Wine Cooler
Bar Furniture
Fire Pit
Pizza Oven
Charcoal Grill

1) Bar Center

With a bar center outdoors, you can have all the things you’ll need for entertainment, including an ice bin, bottle opener, condiment holders, and a sink & faucet. If you are a mixologist, add a well near the bar center to store your favorite mixers.

2) Kegerator

If you intend to serve the guests with some briskly cold beer, add a kegerator to the outdoor bar. A kegerator is a small refrigerator that comes with one or two taps for dispensing beer. So, you won’t have to buy many beer bottles to serve your guests, helping you save more money.

3) Wine Cooler

Enjoy chilly wine bottles while hosting a party in your backyard by adding a wine cooler to your outdoor bar. Unlike other outdoor refrigeration accessories, wine coolers work at a slightly higher temperature range. Most wine coolers have removable horizontal shelves for easy storage.

4) Bar Furniture

One of the essential features in an outdoor space is adequate seating. Consider adding some bar stools and chairs around the bar island and let the guests enjoy the party while sitting. It’s an excellent way to interact with the guests as you grill a savory meal.

Pro Tip: If your outdoor bar has no island, add a separate bar table and a set of chairs on one side. Select chairs that match the right height of the counter or bar table so you can enjoy and relax in comfort.

5) Fire Pit

You can also inspire your outdoor bar by adding a fire pit to your space. It will make the place more inviting for guests and family members. With the fire pits put in place, you can host night parties in your backyard throughout the year. Learn more about our fabulous fire pits to inspire your outdoor living.

6) Pizza Oven

An outdoor pizza oven is one of the best outdoor kitchen appliances that can also inspire your outdoor bar space. It’s highly versatile and easy to use, making it a must-have accessory for pizza lovers. The common types of pizza ovens include gas pizza ovens and wood pizza ovens.

7) Charcoal Grill

A night party is not all about drinking. Alongside drinks, you can add a charcoal grill for an outdoor barbeque party. However, there are many charcoal BBQ grills, such as a built-in grill and a portable grill. The Big Green Egg is an excellent example of a portable grill.

Building the Outdoor Bar of Your Dreams

Designing outdoor bars is an excellent way to spice up the outdoor living. If you have a big backyard, you can add an outdoor bar that matches your style. Install high-quality accessories that can withstand extreme environmental conditions.

Contact us to learn more about getting your perfect outdoor bar started!

09 Oct

Complete Your Outdoor Kitchen with These 6 Appliances

Are you planning to set up an outdoor kitchen in your backyard? If so, you’ll need to add a few outdoor kitchen appliances to complete the space. You wouldn’t want to make frequent trips into the house to use your indoor kitchen appliances. Which equipment options are needed for an outdoor kitchen? Let’s find out!

Complete your outdoor kitchen with these game-changing appliances! #Creekstone Click To Tweet

What are some great appliances to complete your outdoor kitchen?

Outdoor kitchen appliances are not new. The only difference between them and indoor kitchen appliances is that they are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, like temperatures and humidity. So, make the right choice when buying appliances for your outdoor kitchen. Here are some suggestions for you to consider:

Charcoal Grills
Gas Grills
Pellet Grills
Pizza Oven
BBQ Smoker
Side Burners

1) Charcoal Grills

Charcoal grills are highly versatile and offer the simplest way to grill your favorite food, whether meat, fruits, or veggies. However, there are different designs of charcoal grills, including built-in charcoal grills and free-standing charcoal grills. The latter is mobile, making it easier to set it up anywhere in your backyard. Whatever your outdoor cooking preferences, charcoal grills are a great option for parties.

2) Gas Grills

Gas grills are excellent alternatives to charcoal grills. They are customizable, versatile, and easy-to-use. Most importantly, the grills can generate and maintain stable high heat levels, allowing you to cook meals quickly. However, the designs for gas grills vary, depending on configuration and the type of gas used.

3) Pellet Grills

If you crave for slow-cooked smoked meat but don’t want to use charcoal or gas grills, you can opt for the pellet grill. It uses a special fuel (wood pellets) made by compressing hardwood sawdust. Thankfully, the pellet grills can ignite easily and produce even heat. You can choose either a free-standing or built-in grill.

Pro Tip: With a temperature range of 200-700 degrees Fahrenheit, pellet cookers can smoke, grill, barbecue, broil, and bake. Some models can even sear food.

4) Pizza Oven

Are you a pizza fanatic? If so, a pizza oven is a must-have appliance in your outdoor kitchen. The equipment is highly versatile and comes in different styles, depending on configurations and type of fuel used. Some of the designs include built-in, free-standing, portable, and countertop pizza ovens. Their sizes also vary.

5) BBQ Smoker

Like the pellet grills, BBQ smokers can cook foods at low heat for longer periods. The good news is, there are various models in the market, including electric, charcoal, gas, and pellet BBQ smokers. Generally, you ought to choose a model that matches your outdoor kitchen’s style.

6) Side Burners

You can inexpensively boost your outdoor kitchen’s versatility by adding a side burner. It offers separate temperature controls, allowing you to cook at multiple heat levels for a sear, simmer, and boiling. Notably, there are different side burner designs, including single side burners, double-side burners, and power burners.

Finalizing Your Dream Outdoor Kitchen

Now, it’s time to spruce up your outdoor kitchen space by adding these outdoor kitchen appliances. Choose brands that will suit your kitchen style. You can buy appliances of the same brand or mix and match different brands. Once you’ve done that, hire a reputable contractor to help you install the kitchen appliances.

Contact us for outdoor kitchen design solutions, including appliance installations.

02 Oct

A Guide to Outdoor Refrigerators & Coolers

Are you planning some poolside adventures in your backyard? You’ll need an outdoor fridge or an outdoor wine cooler to liven up the party. Once you’ve set up this great outdoor equipment, you can stock them with everything you’ll need for the adventures, including some chilled beverages.

There are so many types of outdoor refrigerators to choose from! Let’s take a look at what might work best for your backyard. #Creekstone Click To Tweet

What should you know before buying an outdoor refrigerator or cooler?

When choosing an outdoor refrigerator or cooler, select a device that can withstand the outdoor temperatures. There are several types of fridges and coolers designed based on specialty and the intended use. Here are the different styles of outdoor refrigeration.

Compact Refrigerators and Freezers
Outdoor Beverage Coolers
Outdoor Ice Makers
Outdoor Wine Coolers
Difference Between Indoor & Outdoor Refrigeration
Undercounter vs. Freestanding
Classes of Refrigeration to Consider

1) Compact Refrigerators and Freezers

In most cases, outdoor compact refrigerators are ideal for storing refreshments, treats for kids, and kitchen perishables and ingredients. It keeps food and other items below 40°F, preventing the growth of bacteria. On the other hand, compact freezers can safely and conveniently store food for a long time at 0°F.

2) Outdoor Beverage Coolers

Your wine and beer deserve proper storage, and that’s where the outdoor beverage coolers come in handy. Most of these cooling devices operate around 40-45 °F, the right temperature for beer and carbonated drinks. Consider a cooling unit with interior lighting, rather than an incandescent bulb producing UV light.

3) Outdoor Ice Makers

You don’t want to have to run to the store to look for bags of ice in the middle of your party. Thankfully, an outdoor ice maker can keep your outdoor party and adventures going by always making fresh ice streams. Different types of ice makers can produce different shapes of ice for a variety of uses.

4) Outdoor Wine Coolers

If you would love to add some wine to the outdoor party, the outdoor wine coolers are must-have assets in your backyard. The equipment operates at a temperature of around 45-60 °F and within appropriate humidity levels. Thankfully, most outdoor wine cooler models can keep your drinks safe from UV light and absorb shocks and vibrations.

5) Difference Between Indoor & Outdoor Refrigeration

Indoor refrigeration involves applications inside a house while the outdoor refrigeration involves applications outside the home, let’s say the backyard. However, there’s more beyond this simple difference. For instance:

Indoor refrigeration appliances tend to use less electricity and produce less noise compared to their outdoor counterparts. That’s because the temperatures within the house tend to remain relatively steady.
Outdoor refrigeration appliances get exposed to adverse weather conditions, sudden temperature swings, and other environmental elements. So, the fridges have to work harder to keep the temperatures down.

Pro Tip: While almost all indoor and outdoor fridges consist of stainless steel, the two systems’ stainless-steel food-grade differs. For outdoor usage, choose a refrigerator with a higher stainless-steel grade.

6) Undercounter vs. Freestanding

There are two main differences between these two refrigeration models:

Undercounter Refrigerators: You can build these models in a kitchen or bar island. However, these refrigeration models rely heavily on front-venting designs. It also requires adequate space under the counters for proper ventilation.
Freestanding Refrigerators: As the name suggests, stand-alone refrigerators can work effectively both indoors and outdoors. Most of them have rolling casters to facilitate movement from one place to another within your home.

7) Classes of Refrigeration to Consider

If you are looking for an outdoor fridge, figure out the class of refrigeration system you need, whether it’s luxury, standard, or premium refrigeration. Both premium and luxury refrigeration have a stainless steel exterior to prevent damage by external factors. On the other hand, standard models may not be reliable in extreme outdoor environments.

Choosing the Perfect Refrigerator for Your Outdoor Kitchen

Now that we’ve looked at the buying guide for an outdoor fridge and outdoor cooler, you can choose the right refrigerator for your outdoor kitchen. After buying the new fridge or cooler, stock it full to ensure it works perfectly. Remember to clean the refrigerator regularly using edible cleaners, such as vinegar and baking soda.

Join the conversation to learn more information about our outdoor refrigeration products.

Category Archives: Outdoor Accessories