Plastic vs Stainless Steel Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets
There are many factors to consider when choosing the materials for your outdoor kitchen cabinets, including durability, strength and ease of care.
You must choose the best materials for your outdoor kitchen so that you can use it for many, many decades to enjoy!
Nowadays, it seems that if you ask about different types of outdoor kitchens, materials and prices, every company will tell you that what they’re offering you is the best product. But how true is this claim, because there are clear price differences between brands, even if at first glance it seems that the cheap ones are just as good as the higher priced ones.
In this guide, we’ll explain in detail why not all materials are suitable and appropriate when designing your outdoor kitchen. If you want your kitchen to last, be easy to maintain and have appliances that meet your expectations, then this blog is for everyone interested in having a nice outdoor kitchen at home.
These days, it seems that whenever you ask about different types of outdoor kitchens, their materials and prices, every company tells you that what they’re offering is the best product.
But how true is this claim? There are clearly price differences between brands, even though at first glance the cheaper options may appear just as good as the more expensive ones. In this blog, we’ll explain in detail why, when designing your garden kitchen, not all materials are suitable or appropriate.
What is the best material for outdoor kitchen cabinets?
Best Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets
Plastic Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and other similar plastics are often used for outdoor furniture because plastic won’t rust, corrode or decompose outdoors.
Since plastic is available in many colours and does not need to be painted, it is also popular for outdoor use.
However, although plastic can be used to build outdoor kitchens ( not recommended), it does present some maintenance and integrity issues when used outdoors and close to heat.
Degradation with Color Loss
Your HDPE furniture can fade in the sun, and environmental changes can cause your plastic furniture boxes to warp and crack and no longer function as designed.
As these plastic will melt when exposed to high heat, built-in grills on your plastic outdoor kitchen should be equipped with a stainless steel combustion box.
How Temperature Affects HDPE in Outdoor Kitchens
As we’ve mentioned before, plastic is sensitive to temperature and deforms easily. If your furniture has doors and drawers and these are damaged, changing them may mean replacing the entire frame. Since slides and hinges are normally attached to the frame with screws that are screwed directly to the furniture, unscrewing and re-screwing often breaks the frame and makes it unusable. This type of furniture is therefore a consumer product.
The fit of your doors is usually quite poor, so the appearance of your summer kitchen will not be what you expect, as you will find that your furniture doesn’t fit together. Your plastic doors will warp under the influence of the sun’s heat and gradually begin to bend, so the fit between your doors and drawers will be very poor and the aesthetic aspect will no longer be at all pleasing.
As we’ve mentioned before, plastic is sensitive to temperature and deforms easily. If your furniture has doors and drawers and these are damaged, changing them may mean replacing the entire frame. Since slides and hinges are normally attached to the frame with screws that are screwed directly to the furniture, unscrewing and re-screwing often breaks the frame and makes it unusable. This type of furniture is therefore a consumer product.
The fit of your doors is usually quite poor, so the appearance of your summer kitchen will not be what you expect, as you will find that your furniture doesn’t fit together. Your plastic doors will warp under the influence of the sun’s heat and gradually begin to bend, so the fit between your doors and drawers will be very poor and the aesthetic aspect will no longer be at all pleasing.
Expert Tips for Choosing Durable Outdoor Kitchens
In over our 20 years of experience, buying an outdoor kitchen with plastic (polypropylene or HDPE) is not a very good idea. Plastic is affected by UV rays, which severely degrade the material and significantly reduce its durability.
Colour changes also occur. White becomes more yellowish and other colours lose their vibrancy and intensity and become dull. You’ll see your furniture with a far less attractive design as it ages.
Stainless Steel Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets: Pros and Cons
Due to its high weather resistance, mechanical strength, durability, low maintenance and phytosanitary properties, stainless steel is a high quality material commonly used in the manufacture of professional catering and outdoor kitchens.
Your stainless steel outdoor kitchen furniture is the best choice for your outdoor kitchen design because it is very resistant to wear and tear and will maintain its aesthetic qualities over time, regardless of the type weather where you live.
If a stainless steel shelf is scratched, the basic materials are still stainless steel, so there is no harm done. It will retain all its mechanical strength and durability and will still be a plant-friendly material.
Iron and Aluminium Outdoor Furniture
These types of materials oxidize themselves, and iron oxide or aluminum oxide is toxic when mixed with food. That’s why a company that sells iron or aluminum furniture is forced to paint the furniture, shelves and drawers so that they don’t rust.
The issue arises when the casings of painted iron or aluminum furniture, shelves or drawers are scratched by use or wear and tear in your summer kitchen, due to the rubbing of trays, plates, glasses, cutlery and so on.
In this case, the part of the furniture where the paintwork has flaked off will start to rust, creating a major problem and making the furniture oxidizing and ugly.
Don't Buy Cheap Furniture!
So why sell indoor or outdoor kitchen furniture in painted iron or aluminum? Because it’s much cheaper and quicker to produce. That’s why we don’t advise you to buy furniture that you know will cause health and maintenance problems in the medium or long term.
Iron and Aluminium Outdoor Furniture
These types of materials oxidize themselves, and iron oxide or aluminum oxide is toxic when mixed with food. That’s why a company that sells iron or aluminum furniture is forced to paint the furniture, shelves and drawers so that they don’t rust.
The issue arises when the casings of painted iron or aluminum furniture, shelves or drawers are scratched by use or wear and tear in your summer kitchen, due to the rubbing of trays, plates, glasses, cutlery and so on.
In this case, the part of the furniture where the paintwork has flaked off will start to rust, creating a major problem and making the furniture oxidizing and ugly.
Don't Buy Cheap Furniture!
So why sell indoor or outdoor kitchen furniture in painted iron or aluminum? Because it’s much cheaper and quicker to produce. That’s why we don’t advise you to buy furniture that you know will cause health and maintenance problems in the medium or long term.
Stainless Steel Cabinets for Outdoor Kitchen
Advantages of Stainless Steel
An outdoor kitchen furniture with a stainless steel frame is the key to long-term durability, thanks to its high level of mechanical strength and resistance to outdoor conditions.
There are several types of stainless steel. Those used specifically for outdoor kitchen furniture, such as Fesfoc, are AISI 304 and AISI 316 stainless steel. If you live near the sea, 316 stainless steel is the better choice.
Best Stainless Steel Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets
At Fesfoc we specialize in the use of AISI 316 and 304 stainless to create your luxury outdoor kitchen furniture. We also manufacture outdoor kitchens entirely in stainless steel, which are 100% customisable with everything you require.
The pure design and high level of handcrafted finish that we apply to our top of the range outdoor kitchens will surpass all your expectations, adding value and dream design to your property.
What is the Best Choice?
Plastic vs Stainless Steel
With a comparison of plastic and stainless steel, you can easily decide which material is the best choice for your outdoor kitchen.
Stainless steel is durable, giving you the best return on investment and the opportunity to share many happy outdoor moments with your family and best friends.
While plastic is relatively inexpensive, you will need to replace them which means that costs add up over time. In contrary, our FESFOC stainless steel furniture will retain its strength outdoors for the complete life of your outdoor kitchen.
Why Plastic Is Not a Good Material for Outdoor Kitchens
Just imagine if the doors on your plastic kitchen started to warp and bend when you looked at it from the outside – you wouldn’t like it.
That’s why we don’t advise buying this type of cheap kitchen, because it will look good on the first day, even if you don’t use it much.
In a place where you’re certain to get a lot of wear and tear from cooking, it wouldn’t be right to have your summer kitchen worktops and surfaces that are exposed to the open made of these materials.
Design the Kitchen of your Dreams
Opting for stainless steel furniture over plastic gives you the peace of mind to enjoy your outdoor living space and share wonderful moments with your loved ones for many, many years to come, if not your entire life.
