26-04-2025
The best barbecues and outdoor kitchen kit for al-fresco life
We can't help ourselves — it's a primal pull. Barbecue season is just around the corner, and with the garden finally open for al-fresco entertaining, there are multiple ways to celebrate your personal outdoor space.
Balconies make some of the most enviable and versatile of sun traps, but if you have a rangy patio, put it to work in multifunctional, handsomely staged areas every generation can enjoy.
Clear back the whole area, retain what you already have that's clearly working, and add some key pieces to enjoy that seasoned steak or perfect pizza in comfort.
There's a bold air of experimenting this year with new BBQ techniques including flat griddles, app-controlled smart electrics and gas, together with traditional charmers fired by seasoned wood — still hotly defended by traditionalists. The expression 'hybrid' for any barbecue means gas or electric cooking with additional wood-smoke flavouring you would expect with charcoal fuel or wood-fired BBQs — that's it. Be aware of the environmental impact of your outdoor cooking and heating.
This Weber Lumin multifunction electric barbecue reaches temperatures over 315C leaving those signature sears on your steak while smoke infusion enhances that barbecue flavour guests crave. The Lumin can keep food warm so everyone can easily serve themselves (and come back for seconds). A quality buy for a balcony or smaller garden, it's also suitable for indoor use on a heat-resistant counter; €599 Weber.
A Celtic scorcher means anything over 20C (70F) or light rain fizzling over a special night of outdoor dining. The durability, quiet action and sleek aluminium detailing of this Cassita II has made it a market winner. It includes a torsion-resistant OptiNut roller tube for widths up 5.5m. Optional lighting bar in LED provides warm, white atmospheric light, dimmable with BiConnect remote control. From €3,500 to your design Outdoor. For a budget alternative, seek sun sails (from €110 at or pick up a light Dyning canopy wedge at Ikea for €40.
Full outdoor spec kitchens don't require an entire patio to be a delicious inclusion. With stout covers and some overhead protection, you can use these hotspots year-round. The Buschbeck Oxford, bathed in ambient blue light, offers all you need in a single alfresco galley; 23.7kW of cooking power includes four burners, a rotisserie-ready rear burner, an additional burner on the worktop, a double-walled hood, an extra warming rack, two large drawers and a generous sink. The built-in fridge/wine cooler can carry a refreshing 65l of bottles, cans and chilled goods; from €4,000, outdoorliving.
Ninja's range of electric barbecue grills, smokers and air fryers includes hybrid woodfire technology to char up real wood pellets for authentic smoky flavours. Many models facilitate what is termed air frying, but this is best understood as a small convection oven. The company's most popular model is still riding high after three years of competition, and with a 6m cable, it's ideal for a balcony situation. This model includes its woodfire pellet starter pack, pellet scoop, crisper basket and chef-created recipe guide to help you master grilling; €300, suppliers include currys.
Expect to see app-enabled BBQs in every showroom this year, but don't ever take your mind off a lit barbecue, even a digitally teased model. Weber's Spirit Smart tenderly guides you through endless cooking processes and recipes. The Spirit features digital, real-time food temperature and readiness countdowns on your phone and on the barbecue itself; €899, Weber.
An investment piece you can use for focus and to flank your principal doors for outdoor occasions, these handsome concrete bioethanol Jar Manual models are hefty and glam. Designed by architect Christophe Pillet, Jar is a portable fireplace unit for outdoor and indoor use. It offers a warming look rather than ferocious heat. Bioethanol produces no smell, ash or smoke; 77cm high, from €2,119 bioheat.
This Outsunny hammock chair might cause a scrum at your next outdoor feast (so you might want to get two). With thick rock supports and a steady sway, it can be suspended from strong branches or timber overhangs on your patio. The thickly padded cushions feature poppers to remove covers for cleaning, and a blessedly wide seat. Maximum load 105kg. From €70 depending on design, we love this tropical blossom, aosom.
Real napkins are not only a sustainable choice but add class to a dining situation outdoors. These pretty green embroidered napkins from Penneys are just €6 a pair, with French rustic-style plates, asparagus side dishes and lily embossing priced from €6; Primark.
Outdoor rugs can be used in transition spaces and high-traffic patios with equal ease. Look for good traction in high-fashion prints to bring that room-outdoors styling into focus. Most rugs come in polypropylene or recycled plastics that will slough off rain (when they can prove surprisingly slippery). Hang your rug up over a wall or fence to air and dry periodically to prevent a reaction between the latex and any wood decking. Spot clean with water and a mild detergent. To extend the rug's longevity, store it in a clean, dry place during winter. We love the Kasuri by Sanderson in Indigo, €495, rugs.
George Foreman's grills remain a knockout in mid-sized indoor/outdoor barbecues with the versatility and convenience of electricity and kitchen-to-patio use. Tightly engineered, with submersible parts depending on the model, they are often duped but rarely surpassed. The 23450 offers two sides with independent heat control. We love the built-in drip tray, adjustable angling, and health benefits with the grill sliding away up to 42% of the fat when grilling burgers; €100, multiple suppliers.
Outdoor lighting has thrown off the cables and leads with battery power, solar charging and USB operation illuminating summer 2025. Fatboy makes a range of wonderful rechargeable lamps, including its celebrated Edison range, €545 for a standard lamp in a squat or lofty form, lights.
