The best play kitchens: tried and tested toy kitchens for mini chefs in the making

Children love to play pretend, and a toy kitchen can offer much fun and variety. From creating meals for their best teddy bears or dolls in a make-believe café to copying Mum and Dad, the best play kitchens can help with social development and expand a child’s imagination. Although they’re not the cheapest toys, and with the cost of living crisis shrinking our gift budgets, we've thought carefully about ensuring we've got a range of low-price options.

Consistently recommended in the Mumsnet forums as one of the best toddler toys out there, play kitchens make for hours of independent fun. Plus, because of their design, they take up relatively little floor space and can be left in-situ - which saves on tidying up.

Toy kitchens come in all sizes and tend to be plastic or wooden, and while some are bright and colourful with light-up hobs and realistic cooking sounds, others are more simple and neutral in design. It’s worth checking what extras you get, too, as some kitchens have a whole host of accessories, such as pots and pans, to keep your child busy. Regardless, a high-quality play kitchen can keep your child entertained for hours; most should last for years, so they can be well worth the investment.

However, we know that for such a pricey purchase, you want to know which ones are built to last. That's why every toy kitchen on our list is triple-checked using our verification process, which includes Mumsnetter recommendations, expert opinions and previous customer reviews to ensure every toy kitchen is durable, safe and great value for money.

Whatever your budget, here are the ten best play kitchens to buy in 2024.

Are play kitchens worth it?

Pretend play is great for a child’s development and toys like play kitchens can help to expand their imagination and encourage role play, while also aiding their learning.

From pretending to be chefs and waitresses to copying Mum or Dad in the kitchen, they can imitate everyday tasks like chopping food, cooking and cleaning up. Accessories like chalkboards can also encourage reading and writing.

As it’s a toy that children can share with others, a play kitchen can help to enhance their social skills and communication skills, which makes them more than worth the investment.

Most designs are built to last throughout the preschool years and beyond so a good toy kitchen can keep entertaining your child as they grow. They’re also really handy for keeping your child busy while you get on with making their dinner, which is a good reason as any to buy one.

What is the best age for a play kitchen?

Most play kitchens are suitable for ages three and above, but both younger and older children can enjoy playing with them. Children as young as 18 months can start by playing with the pots and pans, moving things around the kitchen and pretending to cut food.

By age two or three, most children will start to enjoy imaginative play and will pretend to cook dinner and put on tea parties for family members. A play kitchen can be a great way to encourage this type of play and will grow with your child so that, even at age six, they can enjoy playing cafes, writing lists and creating menus.

If you want a kitchen that will last, make sure it’s not too small. Look for one that can be adjusted as your child gets bigger.

How to choose the best toy kitchen

Size

Kitchens come in all shapes and sizes, including mini tabletop designs and large lifelike kitchens with corner units. Think about how big you want it to be – if space is an issue, some kitchens can be folded away at the end of the day.

Longevity

Also, think about how long you want it to last. A smaller toy kitchen may not last long or be suitable for more than one child to play with at a time, but some toy kitchens can be altered as they grow. A larger design will be a safer bet if you’re hoping to get a few years play out of it.

Design

When it comes to picking a big toy like this, think about where it will go – will it be in your child’s bedroom or in the living room? Do you want a neutral play kitchen that will compliment your home or do you want something bright and colourful that your kids will love?

You’ll also be able to choose between wood or plastic. There’s a range of kitchens you can pick to suit your home – country-style, bright retro designs, modern units and colourful plastic kitchens. If you want one that can be used by multiple siblings, be sure to look at how sturdy it is. Wood may be a better option here.

Accessories

Simple designs may only come with an oven, hob and sink, with the option to add accessories like pots, pans and utensils. Others may have a washing machine, microwave, illuminating hob rings and cooking sounds, and some even 'boil' water.

They can also come with a variety of accessories such as food, cutlery and plates, with some designs even including a clock, a chalkboard or a phone. Check what your kitchen comes with before you buy – even if you choose a simple design, you can easily add more accessories over time.

Cost

You’ll be hard-pressed to find many kitchens under £50 and they can cost up to around £200. But while that’s nothing short of expensive for a toy, a good play kitchen can last even after your child starts school, so it could be worth the investment – especially if you plan to pass it on to other siblings.

What’s the best toy kitchen?

The Tidlo Wooden Country Play Kitchen manages to combine both style and fun. A beautifully designed wooden kitchen, it offers fun extras such as lifelike clicking hob dials, a toy clock and fun wooden salt and pepper shakers. It also has a taller work surface allowing for years of play, making it the best toy kitchen to buy right now.

About the author

Gemma Wilcock is a freelance writer and copywriter. She grew up in the North-East of England but has lived in and around London for almost 20 years now. At Mumsnet, she creates content providing useful parenting advice, information and top products to make life easier – as a mother of two children herself, Gemma knows how important it is to get the right advice.

After attending university in Sunderland to study journalism, Gemma moved to London and spent a year doing internships on women’s monthly magazines before securing her first job on Bella magazine, in 2005. She then moved on to work at Woman’s Own, commissioning, writing and interviewing people for the magazine’s real-life content, as well as compiling news-led features.

When she fell pregnant with her first child in 2014, Gemma turned to freelance writing to fit around family life, and since then has compiled content for a range of online and print publications, charities and small businesses. She loves writing about subjects that will be helpful to the reader – and herself! - from recommending top products that help parents in their day-to-day life to financial advice and activities that the whole family will enjoy.

When Gemma’s not writing or spending time with her two children, she can be found in the gym, where she also works as a personal trainer. She loves that she can help people through her writing and also inspire them on their fitness journey - even better if she can combine the two!

How we chose our recommendations

Mumsnetter recommendations

All Mumsnet articles begin with extensive research of Mumsnet forums, looking for top recommended toys trusted by parents and loved by their kids. In particular, we paid attention to those with the most positive mentions, excellent write-ups and any specific feedback.

Expert opinion

Using this long list, we cross-referenced it with expert opinions from print media and toy comparison websites. We searched for any that had won awards, were regularly featured and had high safety standards.

Verified customer reviews

Finally, we were left with our short list of the best toy kitchens, which we whittled down to our top ten by analysing their verified customer reviews. We looked for those with more pros than cons, with the highest percentage of 5* ratings. We made sure to note down any issues to ensure our write-ups were balanced and honest.

Award-winning toys

This left us with our guide on the top ten best toy kitchens in 2024, with options to suit every budget and every house size.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.