Everyone knows that some of the best food in the world is cooked over the flames of a barbecue grill. It may be one of the best smelling and most appetizing foods ever created.

One of the popular barbecue trends is creating an outdoor kitchen with a built-in grill or barbecue island. Setting up one of these outdoor cooking areas in your garden or patio can significantly reduce the amount of work that goes into creating delicious meals on the outdoor grill.

When designing your built-in barbecue area, there are many things to consider. Among these are:

What kind of cooking am I going to do?

· How often will I use this grill area?

How many people will I entertain?

· How will weather and climate affect my use of this area?

A built-in grill setup can be fancy or simple or anywhere in between, depending on your wants, needs, and budget. It all depends on what you want and are willing to pay for in terms of quality, size, and convenience. These configurations can range from a simple grill island with some counter space and cabinets for storage, to large, elaborate setups that include refrigerators, side burners, warming drawers, sinks with running water, wet bars, etc.

With your space and needs in mind, go for a grill. Will it be a gas grill or a charcoal grill? Will it be big or small? Visit a couple of home improvement stores to see what the options are. Also, there are many online retailers that sell high-quality grills. Research available options and sizes. Many of these online stores will have detailed pictures and specifications on the grilling equipment they sell. Use this information to choose a grill that meets your needs.

In addition to a grill, look for other add-on equipment such as mini-fridges, food warmers to keep food warm until served, outdoor plumbing supplies for a sink or wet bar, ice makers, etc. Research and investigate this equipment along with the drop in grills. Choose the equipment and options you want.

After deciding on the equipment, you must choose whether the grill island and cabinets will be custom built on site or if you will purchase one of the many available grill island kits. These kits include pre-cut, semi-assembled materials that you or a contractor you hire can assemble quickly and easily with minimal tools. If you choose to have the cabinets custom built, there are limitless options as to what you can include. Pre-made BBQ island kits have fewer accessory options, but can be cheaper in the end. Whether you build or buy, make sure the materials used will withstand an outdoor environment with sun, wind, rain, sparks, etc.

When locating your built-in barbecue grill, be sure to include other factors such as lighting, ventilation, protection from sun or rain, insect control, and convenience of access in your plans.