Dining

If you’re looking for the best outdoor kitchen faucet you’ll definitely need something that’s going to be resistant to rust and heat. It also needs to be easy to clean, because things get dusty when outdoors!  Here are some great options for faucets that you can use in an outdoor kitchen, as well as inside.…

If anybody went into a populated room (a party, for example), and asked those who like grilling to raise their hands, at least half of the gathering would do so. Popular though it is, however, not so much attention is placed on a piece of furniture that would make your BBQing endeavors far easier: the…

Everyone loves picnics, but not everyone likes placing their plates and cups on uneven ground, where they may topple over—to say nothing of the bugs that may be crawling in the vicinity. There’s no need to go to a park and hope there will be seating available: with a lightweight table, you can have a…

Few activities bring a family closer together than food, and that is no less true outside than it is inside. However, with  cooking comes smoke—and that’s sure to put a damper on even the merriest of gatherings. The solution is the same, no matter where the kitchen is: a vent hood. That said, if you’re bringing it outside, it has to be sturdy enough for the outdoors, and that’s where this article comes in! Here we’ll review the best outdoor vent hoods for their overall quality and design. Choosing the Best Outdoor Vent Hoods If your outdoors area is covered—such as a lanai, or a roofed patio—, then the answer is a most resounding yes. The lack of walls won’t be of much help in dissipating the smoke  generated by your cooking: if you don’t have something to funnel it away right as it comes out, it will become a nuisance pretty quickly. If you cook in an uncovered area, a vent hood is not so critically important, but it is still worth considering: starting with the fact that local regulations in many places all but require the installation of a vent hood, smoke is also well known for smearing the surrounding walls and surfaces—and who wants to deal with cleaning that? How To Choose: Your Step-By-Step Guide Even when we’re talking about a regular kitchen, picking the right vent hood takes some careful planning. What follows is a breakdown of the features that will be most relevant when choosing: nobody wants to buy a pricey item that ends up not fitting where we want it. 1. Size Your vent hood should, ideally, be larger than your range or BBQ, at least by a little; this will help it catch more smoke as it is emitted. You can also refer to your user manual, as most manufacturers will include vent hood size guidelines. 2. CFM What is even CFM? It stands for Cubic Feet per Minute, and it is a volumetric unit of measurement used to express the flow of air. You will see it commonly associated with fans, and that is what makes it relevant to our current topic. The fan is what enables the hood to pull the smoke up and through the chute and, therefore, the stronger the better. Bonus: adjustable speeds. This feature is useful for adapting to shifting wind conditions, so that the fan won’t be consuming more power than necessary. 3. Roof Cap Or lack thereof. This essentially relates to how the smoke will escape the chute, and there are two options: either out the roof, or through a wall. The former is a more common and convenient choice, but some times a wall escape is better, depending on your area’s layout. The professional you hire for installation can always provide you with some advice. All Flavor, No Smoke: Our Picks The following models are all suited for their intended job; depending on their unique characteristics, one of these might just be the one you’re looking for. Broan EPD6148SS 48″ Pro-Style Outdoor Hood Buy Now This one deserves extra consideration if you happen to be looking for an option capable of dealing with the smoke from your grill, as it is not only potent enough for the job (1,100 CFM), but it is also 27″ deep, so that a bigger volume of smoke will be funneled in. The fan does not have to work at full capacity if you don’t need it to, as the speed can be adjusted to any of 3 levels available. Unit comes with 2 slots for 2 36″ halogen bulbs built in, though the bulbs themselves are not included. Pros: Capable of redirecting large volumes of smoke, thanks to its size. Proprietary Heat Sentry system can detect heat variations and adjust the blower speed automatically. Filters are dishwasher safe. Cons: Unit will not be useful for grilling past midnight right out of the box; to gain lighting, a separate search and purchase must be made. ZLINE KB-304-36 Buy Now If, to you, variety is the spice of life, then this particular choice might speak to you more loudly than most, as it offers a total of six sizes and six styles for you to choose from. It’s even possible to choose the sort of venting it does—conventional or ductless—, due to it being designed to accept carbon filters, although said filters have to be procured separately. The fan can be set to any of 4 speeds available (120, 240, 320 and 400 CFM), for optimal control on the unit’s performance. For duct installations, package includes 2 telescopic chimney pieces. Pros: Wide variety of sizes and shapes make it easier to find the right fit for the location and budget available. Sound level is quite low, comparable in intensity to that of a running refrigerator. Cons: Fan potency is remarkably low—about half the level of a great many other alternatives.…

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love eating outdoors. Whether it’s on a picnic, at the campsite, or just on the patio of my own backyard it’s so nice to eat in the sunshine. But since you’re outside, having the best outdoor dinnerware makes the experience that much better. Best Outdoor Dinnerware While…

Folding patio furniture is a great thing to keep on hand, especially if you love to enjoy the outdoors when you’re out and about. Here we’ll explore a selection of picnic benches and tables you can pick up with you and go, and it’s a lot easier than you might think to pack them up!…

Glass beverage dispensers are the best for parties in the summertime. They always look great and you can put almost any cold drink inside. Whether it’s filled with juice at a kid’s birthday party, serving up adult beverages at a BBQ, or just being used for water – the best glass drink dispensers can do…