Tag: storage

The Ultimate Outdoor Barbecue Appliance Guide: Grills, Side Burners, and Storage Essentials for 2025

In 2025, Southern California homeowners have transformed their outdoor spaces into multi-functional, fully equipped extensions of the home that include outdoor barbecue appliances. Instead of a single grill perched on the patio, luxury outdoor kitchens or outdoor living kitchens integrate grills complete with side burners, refrigeration, warming drawers, built-in storage, and all the other smart techs that effortlessly merge style with performance. Cooking outdoors is now as pleasurable as it is indoors.

Whether you want to host a simple weekend cookout or an elegant candlelight dinner under the stars, the right outdoor setup changes everything. A well-designed backyard grill station enhances the overall look of the home while streamlining the flow from prep to cooking and serving, looking clean and modern in the process. This guide outlines essential gear to optimize your 2025 outdoor kitchen to compete with top-tier setups.

For your dream outdoor kitchen, visit Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center to explore the latest outdoor barbecue appliances, which can be seamlessly integrated into your custom backyard designs.

Choosing the Right Grill: Built-In vs. Freestanding

The right grill is a critical piece for your outdoor kitchen, and choosing one can be challenging. Finding the difference between built-in grill vs freestanding grill will determine how well the setup matches your lifestyle.

Built-In Grills: Permanent and Polished

With a built-in grill, your outdoor kitchen gains an elegant and professional touch, as it sits flush in a custom island or countertop. For homeowners planning a full backyard setup with additional appliances such as side burners, warming drawers, and storage cabinets, this grill type is ideal. Built-in grills also offer a permanent and seamless layout for seamless placement.

For serious cooking performance and style, check out high end built-in grill models at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center.

Freestanding Grills: Flexible and Convenient

A freestanding grill provides additional flexibility. Its wheels or sturdy cart allow you to move it to the area you need it, ideal for renters, compact yards, or people who prefer a more flexible arrangement. Without any permanent setup, these grills deliver great results.

Check out Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center’s latest freestanding grill models so that you can get one that matches your requirements.

Ultimately, the outdoor grill comparison comes down to how you want to use the area. With trusted brands like Hestan and Alfresco that provide both built-in and freestanding models, you’re covered either way.

Side Burners, Power Burners & Searing Stations

A high-end outdoor grill isn’t the only thing you need. Adding outdoor side burners, power burners, and searing stations will help you prepare full meals outside, just like a professional chef.

Outdoor Side Burners: Handle the Extras with Ease

When multitasking for large meals and entertaining, outdoor side burners allow you to prep sauces and other side dishes. While your main grill is focused on meats, you can prepare side dishes like chili, sautéed vegetables, or even boil pasta. These burners excel when you need to balance several dishes at once for larger gatherings.

Power Burner vs Sear Burner: Big Heat, Bold Flavor

Does your meal require high heat? Do you need to boil seafood or stir-fry? A power burner would work best. You can also get intense flame control with larger pots and for quicker results.

If you are looking to effortlessly prepare steaks, burgers, or tuna, a sear burner does the job with ease. It drowns your meat in direct heat. Sear burners are best for locking in flavor while adding a crispy outer shell.

Brands like DCS and Lynx offer these built-in upgrades that enhance outdoor cooking appliances and make every meal more enjoyable to prepare, so outdoor cooking becomes a breeze.

Warming Drawers & Refrigerated Storage

Warming drawers and cold storage paired with an outdoor kitchen make entertaining effortless and transform your backyard into a festive spot without the need for running in and out of the house.

Keep Food Warm Outside, Without Stress

An outdoor warming drawer allows you to keep food warm outside while you finish the rest of the meal prep. Warming drawers are especially helpful during larger outdoor gatherings and help keep food at a ready-to-eat temperature without drying it out. They are also perfect when you need to serve multiple dishes at the same time or when you are doing batch grilling.

Cold Drinks Always Ready

Having an outdoor refrigerator enhances your outdoor cooking area, saving you time and effort. From beverages to sauces and side dishes, everything will be easily accessible and conveniently chilled. Like other outdoor refrigerators, these are designed to withstand various weather conditions and can be relied upon all year round.

Style and Durability from Trusted Brands

Leading manufacturers such as Viking and Alfresco offer amazing rugged outdoor refrigerators and built-in warming drawers, which are seamlessly integrated into the grill and cabinetry. These refrigerators not only withstand the outdoors, but rugged outdoor kitchens also demand appliances that complement its style.

With these additions, you can take your home to the next level and transform your backyard into a space for comfortable and fun entertaining.

Cabinetry & Outdoor Storage Solutions

While building your outdoor kitchen, you will most likely begin with the grill. However, storage is just as essential. A well-organized space allows you to store utensils, cleaning supplies, fuel tanks, and even cookware. Proper outdoor kitchen storage makes everything more accessible and enhances efficiency when cooking outside.

Weatherproof Grill Cabinets Built to Last

Weatherproof grill cabinets are a smart choice because they withstand rain, heat, and even coastal moisture. These cabinets are crafted from stainless steel, and their tight sealing protects them from rust, fading, and water damage. Many models feature soft-close doors and drawers which effortlessly and securely keep everything quiet and contained.

From simple tool drawers to multi-unit setups with adjustable shelving and pull-out trash bins, these cabinets will make your space clean and ready for use at any moment.

Luxury BBQ Storage That Looks as Good as It Works

Hestan specializes in luxury BBQ storage that is both rugged and stylish. Their stainless-steel grill drawers are tough and rugged ready for rugged outdoor use, while also built to complement the sleek modern elegance of a high-end outdoor kitchen.

Smart storage solutions bring order to outdoor spaces, streamlining workflow while optimizing aesthetics.

Premium Brands That Define Outdoor Barbecue Luxury

The brand you choose when building a luxury outdoor kitchen is as essential as the layout. Today’s premium appliances seamlessly integrate performance, durability, and refined design. For those looking to compare the best outdoor grill brands, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center stocks only the most trusted names in luxury outdoor cooking. Let’s delve into what makes each one unique.

DCS: Built for Serious Grilling

DCS provides unrivalled power and accuracy. With stainless steel grills, DCS is able to tackle weeknight meals, as well as, weekend family gatherings without compromising the reliability and performance that the DCS brand promises. The ability of these grills to quickly heat up, sustain temperatures, and endure the outdoor elements for many years ensures their longevity and performance.

Hestan: Award-Winning Design and Bold Power

If you are looking for bold performance coupled with unique design, Hestan is a top contender. Some of the most eye-catching features of their grills include high-BTU burners, motion-activated lighting, and bright, customizable colors to complement your backyard decor. When comparing Hestan vs Viking grill, Hestan takes the lead with modern aesthetics and advanced control features.

Alfresco: Versatility and Innovation

Alfresco grills are packed with extras that make outdoor cooking more enjoyable. From built-in rotisseries to smoking trays and easy-to-clean designs, Alfresco is perfect for homeowners who love to try different cooking techniques. Their luxury BBQ appliances blend innovation and elegance while simplifying outdoor cooking.

Lynx: Smooth Looks and Serious Heat

With ProSear™ infrared burners, Lynx grills are known for their intense and even heating that seals in flavor. Lynx is recognized for their bold look with blue LED controls and all-stainless finishes which set them apart on the market.

Viking: Timeless Style Meets Outdoor Strength

Viking expands the power of their indoor kitchen heritage to the outdoors. Viking is perfect for anyone who wants a traditional aesthetic paired with robust grilling capabilities because of its heavy-duty grates, large cooking surfaces, and stylish finishes.

These luxury BBQ appliances are designed specifically for homeowners who need more from their outdoor living spaces. These best outdoor grill brands will guarantee that your outdoor setup looks stylish, provides a long lifespan, and cooks like a professional every time.

Visit a Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center Showroom to Design Your Outdoor Living Kitchen

With so many choices available online, planning an outdoor kitchen can feel daunting. This is why visiting Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center showrooms is a smart first step. The unique outdoor appliance showroom in Los Angeles allows you to experience the displayed equipment up close, making it easier to visualize how everything will fit together and look in your space.

In addition, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center offers dedicated customer service on-site for each outdoor appliance showroom. Explore complete outdoor kitchen setups featuring built-in grills, side burners, warming drawers, refrigeration, and cabinetry. You’ll grasp better ideas of dimensions and design while receiving guidance tailored to your needs, space, and preferences.

For anyone looking for a luxury grill display near me, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center has 6 showroom locations.

  1. Studio City
  2. Santa Clarita
  3. Calabasas
  4. Costa Mesa
  5. Torrance
  6. Mission Viejo

Each location showcases top brands like Hestan, Viking, Alfresco, Lynx, and DCS, so you can see what sets them apart. Visit Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center and get expert help turning your backyard into a true outdoor kitchen.

The Takeaway

Your dream set up for a backyard barbecue 2025 begins with the right appliances and experts to assist you. Built-in grill, extra burners, or durable storage, whatever you’re looking for, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center has it all.

When shopping for outdoor kitchen appliances, you are not only upgrading your grill, but also enhancing the experience of cooking and entertaining outside. Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center features leading brands while providing tailored recommendations based on your space, cooking style, and budget.

If you’re seeking a luxury grill in Los Angeles, explore our Southern California showrooms. Find out more or schedule your appointment today at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center and make your outdoor kitchen a reality.

 

Clever Ways to Upgrade Your Laundry Room

If your washing machine is just about ready to give up or your dryer has stopped drying, you may have considered upgrading your laundry room. Putting brand new, shiny appliances into a tired laundry room is not likely to give you much pleasure, or make you want to spend time in there folding. Fortunately, there are some great ways to upgrade your laundry room and make doing this chore a little more pleasant.

Create Storage

Storage is important in virtually every room of your home, but it is often overlooked in a laundry room. Bins, cabinets, shelves and other storage can be invaluable for organizing bleach, detergent, dryer sheets and all the other items that are needed for dealing with your laundry. Proper storage will make laundry more manageable and also make the entire chore a little less overwhelming. Laundry rooms tend to end up as a dumping ground for all those bits and pieces that don’t seem to have a proper place in your home. This can mean that you not only need to get the laundry done, but you need to create space to get it done in the first place. By having sufficient storage, you can create a folding station, so you can get everything done in one place and keep everything neat.

Brighten It Up

If your laundry room has lots of natural light, you are very fortunate. Many laundry rooms tend to lack natural light, so they can end up feeling dark and gloomy. This means that you’re not likely to want to spend time in the room, folding clothes or sorting laundry. Fortunately, you can counter this and make your room a more soothing place by brightening it up with paint. Choose a color scheme that will make you feel a little brighter when you step into the room. You can add splashes of color, but remember that smaller rooms tend to feel bigger and lighter if you avoid darker paint colors.

Add Some Personality

Finding some creative ways to make a laundry room more exciting may seem difficult, but it can actually be quite easy. Tackle the decor as you would any room; choose a theme and decorate accordingly. There are lots of ways to make your room feel creative yet functional. For example, put your detergent and other knick-knacks in mason jars that can sit on an open shelf. Or you could add cute little signs, framed photos or even artwork to brighten your space. With some creative ideas, you can make your laundry room a little haven of peace where you can get away from the hectic activities of your home and be in the moment folding laundry.

Create Sorting Stations

Finally, it is inevitable that your laundry room will have clothes, towels, linen, and bedding in different states of cleanliness at any time. So, instead of kidding yourself that you will make sure everything will get put away immediately, plan for dealing with your laundry loads. Create sorting stations; you can have a basket or box for handwash items, laundry awaiting folding or even items that need special attention. This means that you won’t need to carry dirty laundry back into your room if you don’t have a full load.

Upgrading a laundry room only requires a few tools and a little motivation to make it feel a much more pleasant place to spend some time.

If you’re considering upgrading your laundry appliances, you can explore the options with this online collection of washing machines and dryers, or speak to a home appliance expert for a more specialist service.