New Age Outdoor Kitchen Reviews: Is It Worth It?

After months of saving and sketching out my dream patio, I finally decided to build a full outdoor kitchen. If you’re like me, you’ve seen the glossy pictures and dreamed of grilling, prepping, and chilling a drink all in one place. But the cost of custom masonry is staggering.

That’s when I found NewAge Products. Their modular, stainless steel systems looked like the perfect, high-end-for-less solution. If you’re on the fence, let me just say this: for the price, functionality, and “wow” factor, you absolutely should be looking at this product.

My Experience With Newage Outdoor Kitchen

The whole process started with their design team. This is something I can’t stress enough—use their free design service. I sent them my patio dimensions, the appliances I already owned (my trusty Kamado Joe and a separate flat-top griddle), and a wishlist. Within a couple of days, I had a full 3D render of my space. It wasn’t just a generic layout; they accounted for clearances, workflow, and even suggested a bar cabinet that I hadn’t considered but which has now become the absolute hub of every get-together.

The delivery itself was a bit of an event. We’re talking multiple, massive boxes on a pallet, dropped curbside. This is not a “white glove” experience unless you pay extra (which I didn’t). You’ll need a friend and a good box cutter. My first impression upon opening everything? Quality. The cabinets (I went with the black Stainless Steel series) were mostly pre-assembled. The finish was a beautiful, matte powder coat that felt durable, and the 304-grade stainless steel felt substantial, not tinny.

Installation was my biggest worry, but it was surprisingly straightforward. The system is modular, so you’re essentially just bolting the cabinets to each other and leveling them with the adjustable legs.¹ This took me and my brother-in-law an afternoon. The most nerve-wracking part was installing the countertop, as you have to apply silicone sealant and get the placement right the first time. The doors were already equipped with soft-close hinges, which was a premium touch I didn’t expect at this price point.

The first time I used it felt like a complete upgrade to my life. Having a dedicated sink outside to wash hands and veggies is a game-changer.² The pull-out trash bin means no more ugly plastic cans on the patio. The sheer amount of storage is incredible; all my charcoal, grill tools, and serving platters are now stored right where I need them, protected from the weather. It instantly transformed my simple “grill area” into a genuine outdoor living room. It’s been the centerpiece of my backyard ever since.

Also read: My Thoughts on Land Guard Raised Bed

Pros Of Newage Outdoor Kitchen

Stunning Visual Appeal: Right out of the box, these cabinets look incredible. I opted for the black Stainless Steel, and it gives my patio a sleek, modern, and professional look that custom stone just can’t match without triple the price. The powder-coated finish is even and feels tough, and the glass-door options (which I used on my bar cabinet) add an extra layer of elegance. They really do look as good as, if not better than, the marketing photos.
Exceptional Pre-Sale Support: The free 3D design service is, in my opinion, one of their biggest selling points.³ You’re not just buying cabinets; you’re getting a free consultation with a designer who helps you build a functional kitchen. They’ll work with your existing appliances and space to create a layout that makes sense. This took all the guesswork out of the process and gave me the confidence to click “buy.”
Impressive Value For Money: I did my homework. I priced out custom-built masonry, RTA (Ready-to-Assemble) concrete kits, and other high-end stainless brands. NewAge consistently came in at a fraction of the cost. When you factor in the 304-grade stainless steel, soft-close hinges, internal shelving, and mostly pre-assembled delivery, the value proposition is almost impossible to beat. It provides a million-dollar look for a much more attainable price.
Surprisingly Simple Installation: I am not a professional contractor. I’m a moderately handy person with a basic set of tools. The modular design is brilliant. The patented snap-fit joints and simple bolt-together system meant I had the entire 10-foot run of cabinets assembled and leveled in about four hours. The heaviest lifting was just getting them into place. For a project of this scale, the ease of installation was a massive, massive relief.
Smart And Functional Storage: This isn’t just about looks; the functionality is top-notch. The soft-close drawers are deep and smooth. The bar cabinet is brilliantly designed with a spot for a fridge, a slide-out beverage chilling drawer, and tons of specific storage. The pull-out trash cabinet hides the mess and includes a paper-towel holder. You’re not just getting empty boxes; you’re getting thoughtfully designed storage solutions that make outdoor cooking easier.
Weather-Resistant Construction: I was worried about leaving metal cabinets outside. But the 304-grade stainless steel is designed for this. More importantly, the doors have integrated rubber gaskets, creating a seal when closed.⁵ I’ve been through several massive thunderstorms, and I’m happy to report that the inside of my cabinets has remained perfectly dry. My grill pellets, charcoal, and paper towels are all safe and sound, which was my biggest concern.

Cons Of Newage Outdoor Kitchen

The Post-Sale Customer Service Lottery

A Tale of Two Experiences: While my pre-sale design experience was flawless, I’ve heard absolute horror stories from other users, and I had my own minor brush with it. My issue was a small ding on a non-visible panel, so I let it go. But others have reported receiving cabinets with defective drawers or warped doors and then entering a customer service black hole. Reports of unanswered emails for weeks, difficulty getting replacement parts, and a general lack of support after they have your money are common. It seems if your order is perfect, you’re golden. If it’s not, you might be in for a long, frustrating fight.

Durability And Defect Concerns

The Powder-Coating Risk: That beautiful powder-coated finish is tough, but it’s not invincible. If you chip it—say, by dropping a heavy cast-iron pan on an edge—it’s nearly impossible to repair perfectly. And once that coating is breached, you’ve exposed the metal underneath to the elements, which can lead to rust, especially on the non-stainless models. You have to be more careful than you would with stone.
Worrying Long-Term Rust Reports: I’ve seen reports from users, particularly those who purchased the NewAge grills and not just the cabinets, of significant rusting after only a year or two. Components like burners and internal brackets seem to be made of lower-quality metal than the cabinet bodies. This makes me hesitant to ever buy their appliances, sticking only to their cabinet structures.
Inconsistent Weather Sealing: My cabinets seal up tight. However, I am active on a few outdoor cooking forums, and I’ve seen other users complain that their doors don’t align perfectly, allowing dust and water to creep in. This seems to be a quality-control issue. One user noted their Matchless-brand cabinets had a much more robust automotive-grade seal, making them feel the NewAge seals were inferior by comparison.

Installation And Flexibility Limitations

The Utility Challenge: While assembling the cabinets is easy, that’s only half the battle. If you’re adding a sink (like I did) or a natural gas grill, you still need to hire a professional plumber and/or gas fitter. This is an extra cost and coordination hassle that isn’t always obvious in the marketing.
It’s Modular, Not Custom: You are limited to the cabinet sizes and configurations NewAge offers. If you have an awkward space or want a very specific dimension, you’re out of luck. Brands like RTA or fully custom builds allow you to choose your own countertops (e.g., granite, concrete) and fit them to your exact space. With NewAge, you’re strongly encouraged to use their pre-cut countertops, which limits your aesthetic and sizing flexibility.

Maintenance Tips For Newage Outdoor Kitchen

Maintaining these cabinets is actually pretty simple, but it requires consistency. You can’t just install them and forget them like you might with a brick-and-mortar setup. Metal, even stainless steel, needs some love.

Your Basic Cleaning Routine

The “Wipe Down” Rule: The simplest thing you can do is just wipe the cabinets down. After a big cookout, I take a simple microfiber cloth with a mild soap-and-water solution and wipe down all the fronts and the countertop. This prevents grease, pollen, and acidic things (like bird droppings or spilled marinade) from sitting on the finish. Don’t use harsh abrasives or scouring pads, ever. You’ll scratch the powder coating or the stainless steel.
Go With The Grain: If you have the raw stainless steel finish (not the powder-coated ones), always, always wipe and clean with the grain of the metal.⁶ If you scrub in circles or against the grain, you will create tiny scratches that dull the finish and can actually trap more dirt.⁷
Pollen And Dust Management: In the spring, my setup gets covered in a layer of yellow pollen. A simple hosing-down (using a standard garden hose, not a high-pressure washer) followed by a wipe-down with a clean, dry cloth is all it takes. Letting that pollen sit and get wet can create an acidic slurry that’s bad for the finish.

Protecting Your Investment

Get The Covers. Seriously: NewAge sells fitted, all-weather covers for their cabinet runs.⁸ I cannot recommend these enough. If you’re not going to be using the kitchen for a week, or especially during the off-season, just put the covers on. This is your number one defense against UV fading, harsh weather, snow, ice, and scratches from falling debris. It’s a small extra cost that will double the life of your cabinets’ finish.
Mind The Countertop Seal: When you install the countertop, you use silicone sealant to create a waterproof barrier between the counter and the cabinet bases. Every spring, I do a quick inspection of this seal. I check for any cracks, peeling, or gaps. If I find one, I use a utility knife to cut out the old, bad section, clean it with alcohol, and apply a new bead of outdoor-rated clear silicone. This prevents water from ever getting inside the cabinet structures from the top.

Specific Care For Coastal And Pool Areas

The Salt And Chlorine Enemy: This is critical. If you live near the ocean (salt air) or have a saltwater pool (chlorine splash), your maintenance schedule just got more aggressive.⁹ Salt and chlorine are highly corrosive to 304-grade stainless steel (it’s resistant, not-proof).¹⁰ You must rinse your cabinets with fresh water from a hose every one to two weeks. Don’t just wipe; you need to rinse the salt deposits off. After rinsing, wipe them dry. This neutralizes the corrosive agents and is non-negotiable for coastal living.
A Little Extra Protection: For stainless steel surfaces in these harsh environments, you can use a high-quality stainless steel polish or wax. This adds a thin, invisible protective layer that helps repel water and corrosive elements. It’s like waxing your car. You’ll need to re-apply it every month or two, but it’s the best defense you have.

Comparison With Other Brands

When I was shopping, I found that you’re essentially choosing between three different “types” of outdoor kitchens. NewAge fits into one, but you need to know the others.

NewAge vs. RTA Outdoor Living

The “Masonry-Lite” Option: RTA Outdoor Living is a major competitor, but they offer a completely different product. Theirs is a system of high-performance concrete panels that you assemble (Ready-to-Assemble, RTA) on-site and then finish with a stone or brick veneer. It’s basically a kit to build a permanent, custom-looking kitchen in a weekend.
Strength And Durability: RTA wins on sheer, brute strength. It’s concrete. You’re not worried about dings or scratches, and I’ve seen reviews from people in Florida who say their RTA kitchens laughed off a hurricane. The NewAge cabinets, being metal, feel less permanent and more like (extremely nice) furniture in comparison.
Flexibility And Finish: With RTA, you’re building the structure, but you typically provide your own appliances and countertops. This means you can top it with a single, seamless piece of gorgeous granite or quartz, which you can’t easily do with the modular NewAge system. If you want that high-end, custom-built look, RTA gets you closer.
Storage And Features: This is where NewAge strikes back.¹¹ The RTA system is just a hollow structure with access doors. You’re not getting the integrated soft-close drawers, the pull-out trash bins, or the sealed cabinet storage. NewAge is far superior when it comes to actual, functional, sealed storage.

NewAge vs. Other High-End Metal Brands (Danver/Matchless)

The “Good vs. Better vs. Best” Scenario: I put brands like Danver, Brown Jordan, and Matchless Cabinets in a tier above NewAge. They are often considered the “best” in the metal cabinet space, and their prices reflect that. They are often what you see in high-end architectural magazines.
Marine-Grade Materials: While NewAge uses excellent 304-grade stainless steel, many of these “luxury” brands offer 316-grade (marine-grade) stainless steel as an option. This has a higher resistance to corrosion, making it a must-have for high-salt coastal environments where NewAge might struggle over a decade.
Superior Sealing: As I mentioned in the cons, I’ve seen users compare NewAge’s weather seals to those from Matchless and find NewAge lacking. The higher-end brands often use automotive-grade gaskets and have a more robust door-closure system, making them truly weatherproof.
Customization And Cost: These brands offer infinitely more customization in terms of cabinet sizes, colors, and configurations. But you will pay for it. A Danver kitchen can easily be two to three times the cost of a comparable NewAge setup. NewAge delivers 90% of the look for 40% of the price.

NewAge vs. Polymer/HDPE Cabinets (NatureKast)

The “Indestructible Plastic” Option: Then you have a totally different material: marine-grade polymer, or HDPE. NatureKast is the big name here. These are, for all intents and purposes, high-end plastic cabinets, often with a realistic wood-look finish.
The Ultimate Weather-Proofing: HDPE is 100% waterproof. It cannot rust, rot, corrode, or delaminate. For a boat, a dock, or a house right on the beach, this is arguably the best material. You can pressure-wash them. They are completely unfazed by water, salt, or snow.
The Heat Problem: The major downside is heat. You must use an insulated jacket for any grill you install, as the high heat from a grill can warp or melt the polymer cabinets.¹² This adds cost and complexity. NewAge, being metal, doesn’t have this problem, as it’s non-combustible.
Aesthetics: This is subjective. NatureKast’s wood-grain finishes are very convincing, but at the end of the day, it’s not metal. If you want that sleek, professional, stainless-steel-appliance look, polymer can’t deliver it. NewAge is the clear winner for that modern, chef-style kitchen aesthetic.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Are Newage Products Good?

This is the big question, and the answer is a qualified yes. Their products hit an amazing sweet spot of price, style, and functionality. The pre-sale design service is fantastic, and the modular system is brilliant for a DIY-er. However, their reputation is mixed. Many users, including me, absolutely love the final product. But there is a very real and well-documented risk of receiving defective items and having an extremely difficult time with post-sale customer service.¹³ They are “good” if your order is correct and you don’t live in a harsh coastal climate; they can be a nightmare if you get unlucky.

What Does An Average Outdoor Kitchen Cost?

The range is enormous. You can get a basic setup with a grill, a bit of counter space, and a small cabinet for as little as $7,000 to $10,000, which is where a modest NewAge set would fall. A “mid-range” outdoor kitchen, which typically includes a sink, refrigerator, and more storage (like a larger NewAge configuration or a mid-sized RTA kit), will generally run from $15,000 to $30,000.¹⁴ High-end, custom-built masonry kitchens with luxury appliances, pizza ovens, and bar seating can easily exceed $50,000 to $100,000.

Who Makes The Highest Quality Kitchen Cabinets?

“Highest quality” often comes down to material and environment. For metal, brands like Danver and Urban Bonfire are frequently cited as the top-tier, offering 316-grade marine steel and extensive customization. For waterproof, low-maintenance cabinets, NatureKast (which uses marine-grade HDPE/polymer) is considered a top-quality leader, especially for coastal areas. For sheer permanence and durability, custom-built masonry or high-end concrete kits like RTA Outdoor Living are in a class of their own. NewAge is generally considered high-quality for its price point, but not the “highest quality” on the market.

What Are The Best Outdoor Kitchen Cabinets?

The “best” cabinet is the one that fits your climate, budget, and aesthetic.
For Sleek, Modern Aesthetics & Value: 304 Stainless Steel cabinets, like NewAge, are fantastic.¹⁵ They provide that professional chef look, have great storage, and offer incredible value.
For Harsh Coastal/Saltwater Areas: Marine-grade polymer (like NatureKast) or 316-grade stainless steel (like Danver) are the “best” choices because they are built to resist extreme salt and moisture corrosion.¹⁶
For Extreme Durability & A “Permanent” Feel: Concrete or masonry systems (like RTA) are the “best.” They are incredibly durable, can withstand any weather, and can be finished to perfectly match your home’s exterior.

Conclusion

So, is the NewAge outdoor kitchen worth it? For me, the answer is a resounding yes. It completely transformed my backyard and my ability to entertain, all for a price that my local hardscaping company laughed at. It’s a high-impact, high-style product that delivers on its promises of a modular, beautiful, and functional outdoor space. Despite the worrying customer service reports, the value and quality of the cabinets themselves are undeniable. If you want that million-dollar outdoor kitchen look without the million-dollar price tag, I truly believe this is the smartest buy on the market today.