October is here and that can only mean one thing for Choice Pool & Spa… we’re going to the NC State Fair!!! We are excited to announce that Choice is at the NC State Fair this year from October 11th – October 21st!

Come check out Choice Pool & Spa’s largest display of hot tubs, swim spas, outdoor kitchens, grills, fire pits and outdoor furniture. Sample great food grilled to perfection on grills like The Big Green Egg, Bull, Green Mountain Grills, Blaze Grills and Heston. View a huge selection of custom outdoor kitchens from Bull with different shapes, colors, sizes and features. Pick the one that is right for you! Take a look at Four Winds and Coast Spas hot tubs and swim spa models and ask questions about all their amazing options. Feel how comfortable our outdoor furniture from Ashley is and visualize how it can fit in your backyard. Meet our design consultants and have all of your questions answered.Best of all, everything is on sale for this huge event! Up to 40% off retail prices!

Visit us under the BIG tent south of the Dorton Arena close to Hillsborough St. This is our last huge event of the year and your last chance to save BIG! Nothing Could Be Finer than the NC State Fair and nothing could be better than making your backyard a Choice backyard!

My husband has always loved cooking and grilling out. I will be the first to admit that he has always been the one who handles all of the cooking for our family. A few years ago, we moved into a new home here in Raleigh. After moving I realized that we didn’t have much of a budget to spend towards upgrading our backyard. A fully functioning outdoor kitchen had always been a dream of his, however, it would have to wait. I could tell he was a little bummed by the fact that we had a brand-new house but he would still have to cook on our old grill my parents bought us as a wedding gift. I told him that we would eventually look at installing an outdoor kitchen, but needed to wait until we had more money saved up. He agreed.

Another year of grilling on the old grill went by until the day finally came. After attempting to start the grill for dinner, I could hear him clicking the starter over and over again, my husband came inside to inform me that we weren’t going to be grilling for dinner that night. As we finished preparing the meal in the kitchen, he mentioned that he wanted to start looking at getting a new grill. He didn’t know that I was thinking more than just a grill, it was time to get a new outdoor kitchen!

Some friends of ours had recently purchased a spa from Choice Pool and Spa and told us about the pleasant experience they had. They mentioned how the entire team was very helpful and how they also installed outdoor kitchens. I immediately made a note in my phone so I wouldn’t forget – Choice Pool and Spa.

As my husband started searching for a new grill, I began meeting with the professionals at Choice to start designing a new outdoor kitchen. His 40^th birthday was coming up and I wanted to make sure it would be one he wouldn’t forget. After weeks of stalling and telling him that I didn’t like any of the grills he had picked out, I finally had everything ready for the big surprise.

On the night of is his birthday, after he had finished opening all of his gifts, I handed him a manila folder with a bow on top. He began to chuckle realizing why I had been so picky about all of the grills he kept showing me. What he didn’t realize was that in the folder wasn’t a picture of a new grill but a rendering of our backyard with a new outdoor kitchen. As he opened the folder I could tell he was shocked. He immediately asked how in the world did I design an outdoor kitchen. I told him how I had met with Choice Pool and Spa and that we had an upcoming appointment to finalize the design. The installation process began the following week and we were on our way to having a backyard worth showing off!

A few months have passed and we are so pleased with how our new outdoor kitchen turned out. My husband still talks about how surprised he was when opened that folder to see the design for our outdoor kitchen from Choice Pool and Spa. We have been grilling out nonstop and loving it! To step out into our backyard and sit around the bar with family and friends while my husband grills dinner makes me feel like I’m the one who got the gift.

We love helping our customers create the perfect backyard. Call us and schedule your complimentary consultation TODAY at (919) 562-6611 OR visit us at 10016 Capital Blvd. Wake Forest, NC 27587

Increase Your Home Value with an Outdoor Kitchen

Outdoor dining areas of some kind are fairly common, considering most homeowners with any type of backyard patio usually have a table and chairs to enjoy their morning coffee or an outdoor family dinner. But what about an outdoor kitchen? This particular home addition project is not necessarily an inexpensive one but can add tremendous value to your home, while also providing a space to make lasting memories. As the housing market continues to explode in and around Raleigh, now is a great time to start thinking about investing in your home. Below are a few reasons why outdoor kitchens make a great investment, one in which you will enjoy for years to come.

Increases Resale Value

Outdoor kitchens are becoming a popular and trending addition to outdoor spaces that can help increase your home’s value. If your home is in a price range where potential buyers expect luxury perks, such as swimming pools, fire pits and outdoor fireplaces, an outdoor kitchen is a particularly good way to set your home apart from other homes. When compared to other outdoor features, such as building an additional garage or fire pit, outdoor kitchens have a high rate of return on your investment because of their functionality in comparison to other outdoor features.

Today's outdoor kitchens are fully customizable and much more elaborate than ever before. It is not unusual to see gourmet appliances, high quality grills, wood-fire pizza ovens, smokers and tile or granite countertops. Plumbing and electrical lines allow for conveniences such as sinks, lighting, ceiling fans and plenty of outlets for appliances.

If you do not have a large backyard, be sure to consider the size of your outdoor kitchen. Most prospective home buyers appreciate having some open outdoor space that is not used up by permanent structures. No matter the scale of your outdoor kitchen, you can be certain that it will impress potential buyers and ensure they remember your home as they look at different properties.

Makes Cooking Even More Enjoyable

Not only do outdoor kitchens allow the flexibility of not always cooking indoors, they also allow you to be more adventurous in what you prepare. Grills, smokers and outdoor ovens perfect for fun recipes and unique techniques that are not as conducive to indoor cooking. When looking at what grill to incorporate in your outdoor kitchen, we recommend buying the best grill you can get within your budget. Try to get an option that has at least one impressive feature, such as the ability to use either gas or charcoal or a rotisserie, which will help to ensure it appeals to a larger variety of potential buyers. To make your outdoor kitchen even more enjoyable, you can go beyond the basics and add additional features such as a sound system, refrigerator or even a garbage disposal.

One of the best advantages is that an outdoor kitchen keeps cooking grease, odors, smoke, and heat outside, while also adding a level of convenience. Forget about having to haul your grilling tools, utensils and dishes back and forth to the house. With an outdoor sink and storage space it’s all conveniently at your disposal. Also, keeping the heat out of your indoor kitchen is a huge plus during the warm summer months we experience here in Raleigh.

When your outdoor lounge furniture or patio dining set is combined with an outdoor kitchen, food preparation becomes a group activity and nobody is stuck inside cooking while everyone else is visiting outdoors. Whether you like to host intimate dinners or lively parties, an outdoor kitchen makes it much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Extends Living and Entertaining Spaces

It seems like we are always trying to make more room for gathering with friends and family. Spilling over into the outdoors is the easiest way to host large groups. An outdoor kitchen extends your living spaceso you have ample room for gathering your friends and family, making wonderful memories in the heart of your backyard. Perfect for birthdays, romantic dinners, family get-togethers and holidays.

Exterior spaces for dining, cooking or entertaining are generally more affordable than adding interior space to your home. When adding an outdoor kitchen, be sure that it complements the existing exterior of your home. If you live in a Mediterranean villa style home, a modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances is probably not the way to go. If you live in a more contemporary home, a rustic kitchen will look out of place.

Use similar materials and colors to those on existing structures to make sure your outdoor kitchen truly looks like an extension of your home. Think of it as bringing the interior of your home to the outdoors. This does not mean that you need to use the same countertops or tile as your indoor kitchen, but it does mean that you need to make sure your colors and textures harmonize with the interior of your home. This will help potential buyers see this outdoor living area as additional square footage.

Whether or not you plan to sell your home now or in the future, adding an outdoor kitchen to your backyard will provide you and your family with the perfect place to prepare family meals, entertain guests and enjoy spending more time outdoors. Call us to schedule an appointment OR visit us at 10016 Capital Blvd. Wake Forest, NC 27587 to begin designing your outdoor kitchen today!

At Choice Pool and Spa, we strive to be your one stop shop for all of your outdoor entertainment needs. From spas and pools to outdoor kitchens and now… the BIG GREEN EGG! We are excited to announce that we now carry the Big Green Egg and have the largest selection in the area! With grilling season in full swing, let’s dive into why the Big Green Egg has become such a phenomenon and what makes cooking on a Big Green Egg so special.

We’ve always heard about the appeal of the Big Green Egg and their loyal following known as “EGGheads.” Ask any grilling enthusiast and they will agree that the Big Green Egg is known for being arguably one of the best grills on the market in terms of versatility and food flavor. Big Green Egg is the world’s largest producer and international distributor of the highest-quality ceramic kamado-style charcoal grill. As Big Green Egg has evolved over the years, significant changes have been made to keep it miles ahead of anything else on the market – state-of-the-art ceramics, a wide range of easily adjusted cooking temperatures, cooking versatility and a permanent porcelain glaze to preserve the signature green color. No matter what your taste in food is, you can probably cook it on an EGG! Once you experience food from a Big Green Egg you won’t want to cook on anything else! Let’s look at all of the elements of the Big Green Egg that makes it so unique.

Porcelain Glazed Ceramic Construction

The advanced ceramic material of the Big Green Egg is great for holding heat and moisture within the grill, making this one of the biggest reasons why the Big Green Egg so special. Holding the moisture within the grill will yield delicious succulent flavors every time you cook. The ceramic construction of the Big Green Egg makes it extremely durable and keeps the surface of the grill relatively cool, even when cooking at full heat. You still want to use extreme caution when grilling but it is nice knowing that your Egg is safer than a metal grill, especially if there are children or pets around.

Temperature Control

Since the ceramic material holds heat so well, you can keep your EGG at the perfect temperature for just about any food or recipe. When starting the charcoal, it is protected from the elements which allows it to start efficiently and get to full heat quickly. Constantly checking to see if the food is done is now unnecessary since the temperature is so regulated. The trick with the EGG is to not open it once it’s cooking, unless you need to apply a baste. The top and bottom vents can be used to adjust and control the temperature, humidity, and the smoke concentrations instead of opening the lid. Having more precise temperature control decreases the chance of burning your food and the amount of charcoal you need to use. This means less money spent on charcoal and more money spent on food that you want to cook! The temperature control abilities of the Big Green Egg makes cooking easy.

Versatile

You can’t beat the versatility of a Big Green Egg! Think of it more as the ultimate outdoor cooking appliance instead of just a grill. Eggs have the ability to smoke, roast, grill and bake. There are other appliances on the market that have multiple capabilities but none do it as well as the Big Green Egg. With seven convenient sizes to choose from, there is a Big Green Egg to fit any lifestyle! Sizes range from Eggs ideal for tailgating or camping to the perfect backyard grill to cook for your friends and family. Once you begin adding some of the “EGGcessories” to your grill, you can cook practically anything! For example, with the addition of the ConvEGGtor, there is added uniform heat distribution which means you can bake breads and desserts!

So Many EGGcessories!

Anyone who loves cooking on a grill knows the importance of having great accessories to improve the grilling experience. Knowing this, Big Green Egg has made some awesome “EGGcessories” to meet all of your cooking needs. As mentioned earlier, the ConvEGGtor is a great addition to distribute heat evenly for better cooking on the EGG. The ash sweeper tool and pan is great to have when cleaning out your Egg. You can also get EGGcessories such as the pizza stone which is perfect for making homemade pizzas! Additionally, there are roasting racks, roasting baskets, jalapeno popper holders, fire starters, grill grate grippers and so much more! There are so many opportunities when it comes to a Big Green Egg and it’s EGGcessories, making the experience fun and entertaining!

If you’ve been looking to upgrade your grill or install an outdoor kitchen, the Big Green Egg might be what you’ve been looking for. At Choice Pool and Spa we love grilling and love helping people find the perfect grill! Visit us at 10016 Capital Blvd. Wake Forest, NC 27587 to see the largest selection of Big Green Eggs in the area! Happy grilling!