A recommendation from the Hettich team

Outdoor kitchens are surging in popularity across the world. As a summer loving, DIY-doing, beachside country, we know New Zealand is going to get behind this in a big way.

Our Design & Specification Manager, Elaine Addy, knows the challenges that can come from trying to recreate the experience of a full kitchen in a high stress environment such as outside, in the weather. So here are her five cents; our recommendation for how you should be thinking about this trend.

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” The Hettich range of outdoor hardware is revolutionising solutions worldwide.
We take great pride in being at the forefront, leading the way in introducing these innovative products.”

— Elaine Addy

Think of outdoor kitchens once you start to add cupboards or drawers, or any of those other little luxuries so you don’t need to head back inside for cold drinks, utensils, or plates.

If you and your family tend to take to the outdoors for the summer then heck yes, it’s worth it. You’ll be living the dream. But as with anything, it does depend on your specific situation. Some things to consider

• Budget (we can chat about this a little later)
• Timeframe: are you selling your home in the immediate, or hanging on to it for a little while? Likely the longer you are planning to hold onto it, the more worthwhile it becomes
• Required return: related to the above, this is about understanding how much value you might add to your property v. how much of a return you need to make. This generally contributes to your budget, and it means you need a bit of market knowledge about houses like yours, appeal of outdoor living for those likely to buy in your area, and current house prices.
• Expected use: how often do you use your barbeque in summer? This might be a guide to whether you will truly use your outdoor kitchen.

We, at Hettich, think it is totally worth it to maximise your good times with friends and family. But let’s be honest, we’re a tiny bit biased.

Considerations

Can outdoor kitchens be uncovered?

The short answer here is yes, they can. But that will mean you need to pay extra attention to the materials you choose and ensure they are durable. And you should be aware that the sun and salt in NZ are brutal, even on the hardiest material choices!

It’s safe to say that at some stage you should expect your outdoor kitchen to deteriorate, faster than you would see your indoor kitchen do so. So, the other consideration here is that for each barrier between your outdoor kitchen and the direct sun or salt spray, you’re likely to see an incremental increase in its lifetime. If you are concerned, it might be worth adding at least a basic cover.

Can outdoor kitchens be made of wood?

You sure can. If it is treated properly. But we can’t stress enough how important it is to do your research on materials when it comes to outdoor kitchens. There’s lots of factors that come into play like design preferences and budget. But at the very least you should know how to care for the materials in your outdoor kitchen and when you can expect them to get to the end of their life.

There is absolutely a risk. It comes down to care, protection and choosing the right materials. Be especially careful when it comes to elements with moving parts, as there is usually extra risk where the friction of movement occurs.

If you do choose the right materials, you should expect to see a good few years before significant rust.

Like a normal kitchen the cost tends to depend on whether you go all out or not. You might DIY, or you might hand it over to a Designer. You might choose the most basic materials, or the most expensive. Each of these is a continuum you can slide up and down based on what your non-negotiables are (and potentially your skill set). It is fair to say, though, that outdoor kitchens tend to be more expensive than indoor kitchens of the same size because the materials required are often more expensive

Find out more about the Hettich products that might help with your outdoor kitchen project.
Veosys Stainless Steel Hinge
InnoTech Atira with Quadro Compact Runners

Newly released in 2022, Veosys is a stainless-steel hinge. Stainless steel is an obvious choice for outdoor kitchen material! It’s a common choice for benchtops and the like in campgrounds, workshops, and garages because of its hardiness. Find more on here.

Veosys is made from stainless steel grade 304, which is usually seen in sinks and insulated water bottles. Its corrosion resistance has been tested in an internationally recognised salt-spray test for 120 hours, outperforming other outdoor hinges available in the New Zealand market.

Veosys Specifications

Material	stainless steel EN 15570
Grade	304
Colour	silver
Operational Temperature	between 5 and 40°C
Corrosion Tested	120h neutral salt spray (NSS) ISO 9227
Door thickness	14 – 22mm
Door application	full overlay, half overlay, inset
Opening function	105° opening angle
Closing function	automated soft-close at 35°

InnoTech Atira drawers

Material	powder-coated steel
Corrosion Tested	DIN EN 1670, level 3
Colour	white | silver
Standard Height	54mm | 70mm
Pot-and-Pan Height*	144mm | 176mm
Design Customisation	topside in glass or metal
Applications	pantry stacker, narrow pull out
Interior Organisation**	Orgatray | Orgastore
Waste Management	Pull bins

Quadro Compact Runners

Our first corrosion-resistant runners released May 2023. The Compact runners have been double coated to ensure international standards for corrosion resistance are met, without giving up the indoor comforts that we know and love.

Material	electrolytically zinc plated steel
Corrosion Tested	96h NSS ISO 9227 and DIN EN 15338 | 1670, level 2
Length	470mm
Weight	40kg
Extension	full
Closing Function*	integrated soft close

Outdoor Range Availability

Buy direct from Hettich with a trade account, or purchase through a Hettich partner