what to add to my new backyard bbq island

[davenlib]

help... we are redoing our dream backyard..it will include a bbq island and I need to decide what to put in it.. the non negotiable are the grill and the fridge. I want a sink and hubby wants an extra burner. maybe we can afford both, but if not...which one would you get the most use out of..the burner would be good for corn, beans, ect... the water would be good for rinsing and washing.. it will not have a garbage disposal so not good for doing dishes. which one should we add????

 

[lprstn]

Definately the Burner over the sink only if you can't have both.

 

[Karen G]

I'd say the burner, too, and not the sink. Our pool designer talked us out of the sink saying it would add a lot of extra expense for the water and sewer line, and it wouldn't get that much use. He was right.

We do like having a pull out garbage can and we're so glad we added a radio/cd player. My husband got it at a marine store and the unit and the outdoor speakers are similar to what you'd put on a boat. Also, be sure you have an outdoor light--ours is mounted on the counter top with a gooseneck that can be pulled where we need it--great for those times we're cooking after dark. The radio is mounted on the inside of the bar area with the speakers on the outside of the bar area on two sides (L-shaped bar.) We also have under counter lights on the outside bar area that are up under the overhanging bar and it looks cool at night.

 

[Fern Modena]

I'm glad Karen mentioned the light. We have a floodlight at the end of our patio which points towards the BBQ as well. Once daylight savings time is over it gets dark early, but we still BBQ.

I'd go for a burner as well. Besides beans, etc., you can cook fish on it if you don't want that odor in the house. Also, if you have an "all electric" kitchen, if/when the power goes out you can still cook on the side burner. In our house in Pittsburg we averaged a couple of blackouts a year, so it came in real handy. If you know me, you know momma gotta have her coffee. And if momma doesn't have coffee, momma ain't happy. And if momma ain't happy, well then, nobody's happy! So get the side burner.

Fern

 

[hotmike98]

I vote for the sink

We have the drain line for the sink attached to the rest of our outdoor drainage system. That means we have to limit what goes in it since it runs to the curbside where it drains down the cul de sac (we're at the end) to the runoff drain.

We didn't get the burner because the one on our old weber always ran to hot. If you had it as low as it would go to stay lit, the beans would burn. OK for corn. Fern's comments about the fish are great, but we do ours on a soaked cedar plank on the grill itself.

We like having the outdoor sink to fill the dogs water bowls, as well as the sprinkler can for the plants.

Fortunately our built in BBQ (Capital, made by our neighbor, whose parents sold their DCS brand name to Westinghouse) We are very satisfied with our Capital, which I believe was featured in the Williams Sonoma catalogue. The retail price is quite high, but we got the family and friends discount.

One thing about the fridge. We got the Sanyo at Costco, but with outside conditions, the little freezer section is not self-defrosting, so you have to do that occassionally.