Outdoor Kitchen Worktops: The Best Options and What to Avoid 🤩

When it comes to designing an outdoor kitchen, selecting the right worktop is crucial. The material you choose will not only impact the look of your garden kitchen but also its durability, maintenance needs, and how well it performs outdoors. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through our top four worktop options for outdoor kitchens, highlighting their benefits and potential drawbacks. We’ll also cover a couple of materials we tend to steer people away from, so you can make an informed decision about what's best for your outdoor living space. 🤩

Granite Worktops

Granite worktops are one of the more popular choices for outdoor kitchens, and for good reason. They’re easy to clean, heat-resistant, and incredibly durable, making them a reliable option for outdoor cooking and food prep. Granite also stands up well to the elements, offering solid weather resistance. For better UV protection, we recommend opting for a darker granite, as lighter tones can be more prone to fading under direct sunlight. One thing to keep in mind is that while granite is heat-resistant, it can get quite hot in the sun, which might not be ideal if you’re working on the surface in high temperatures without a shelter. The maintenance for granite is relatively low, with just an annual sealant application to keep it in top condition. 🔥

Polished Concrete Worktops

Polished concrete worktops are a great choice for those looking for a stylish and durable outdoor kitchen worktop. They’re highly heat-resistant and scratch-resistant, which means they can handle outdoor cooking with ease. Another big advantage is that concrete can be cast into a wide range of shapes and sizes, allowing for custom designs that fit any outdoor kitchen layout. However, one downside to polished concrete is that it does require regular resealing to prevent moisture, oil, and other liquids from being absorbed into the surface. If you’re prepared for the upkeep, concrete worktops are a fantastic option that can last for years. 👍

Dekton Worktops

Dekton worktops are a top-tier option for outdoor kitchens, offering incredible durability and a range of colour choices. They are highly resistant to scratches, stains, and UV rays, making them a fantastic low-maintenance option for outdoor cooking spaces. Plus, Dekton is non-porous, so there’s no need for sealing beyond regular cleaning. However, the major downside of Dekton worktops is the price—these can be quite expensive compared to other materials, so they might not be the best choice if you’re on a budget. If you’re looking for something that will stand the test of time and don’t mind the investment, Dekton is an excellent choice. 🥂

Porcelain Tile Worktops

For those seeking a more affordable outdoor kitchen worktop, porcelain tiles are a great option. These are the most budget-friendly of our four recommendations and are designed specifically for outdoor use, making them perfect for a BBQ area. Porcelain tiles are durable, hard-wearing, and come in a wide range of colours and designs, so you can find a style that matches your outdoor space. They are also resistant to stains and scratches. However, the downside is that porcelain tiles require grout between each tile, which means there will be visible joins where the tiles meet. While this can create a more segmented look, it’s a minor trade-off considering the price and durability of porcelain tiles. 😆

What to Avoid: Marble

While marble is undeniably beautiful and adds a touch of elegance to any outdoor living area, it’s not the best choice for outdoor use. Although it’s heat-resistant, marble is extremely porous and prone to staining and scratching. To prevent stains, marble worktops need to be sealed frequently, which makes them higher maintenance than other materials. For those seeking a low-maintenance option, marble can be more trouble than it’s worth in an outdoor kitchen environment. 🌿

What to Avoid: Quartz

Quartz worktops are durable, non-porous, and resistant to staining. However, they are not as tough as other materials like granite or Dekton, making them more vulnerable to scratches. One of the biggest downsides of quartz is its sensitivity to UV exposure—prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause the colour to fade and the surface to degrade. Quartz is also not as heat-resistant as some of the other outdoor kitchen worktop options, which means it may not withstand hot pans or outdoor cooking conditions as well as other materials. 🧑‍🍳

Choosing the right worktop for your outdoor kitchen is essential. Granite, polished concrete, Dekton, and porcelain tiles all offer excellent performance with varying levels of maintenance and cost, so it’s important to consider your priorities when making a decision. While materials like marble and quartz may look great, their maintenance needs and vulnerability to weather conditions often make them less suitable for outdoor use. 🍔

If you have any questions or need more information on selecting the best worktop for your outdoor kitchen, feel free to drop a comment below! We’re here to help you make the best choice for your space. 👇

Sizzle on,

Team AOS