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Original poster

If you’ve had a new kitchen in the last few months

59 replies

Rogerstreasures · 26/12/2023 23:37

What do you wish you hadn’t bothered having fitted? Is there some gadget you wouldn’t be without now? I’m having a new kitchen fitted in the next couple of months so I’m doing a bit of research.

OP posts:
DilemmaDelilah · 27/12/2023 03:34

Nothing I wished I hadn't fitted.
If I had had unlimited funds I would have had more pull out larder cupboards, and an extra cold tap and drain fitted at the far end of my very long kitchen at the coffee station. (At the other end from the sink). I did think about a boiling water tap but after a bit of research I decided it really wasn't for us.
I did have an under counter fridge put in that end, as well as the big fridge freezer at the cooking end of the kitchen - that was definitely a good idea.

KindleGirlie · 27/12/2023 04:33

We never use the fancy under the cabinets lighting set.

Original poster
Rogerstreasures · 27/12/2023 12:28

To be honest my kitchen isn’t very big. I would like as much storage space as possible. I was thinking about a boiling water tap, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it? Ideally I like the idea of completely clear worktops.
We are on a budget, but it’s flexible up to a point.

OP posts:

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Home improvement
mummyh2016 · 27/12/2023 12:37

If you're having new appliances make sure you try out the extractor fan in the store. The one we were going to have had been discontinued so we ordered the newer model, the showroom had the older one fitted. The newer model it turns out sounds like an airplane is about to take off in my kitchen so it's not used - biggest waste of money.

Landlubber2019 · 27/12/2023 12:37

We converted a small cupboard into a bin storage using the IKEA products, kitchen company had quoted £300 and it was big, but we had a small cupboard and for £50 we have bins next to the dishwasher.

We have a lot off wall cupboards so use the extra lighting when preparing food.

We didn't have a boiling tap due to the space in the cupboard,don't regret that.

We do have units which reach up to the ceiling, this cut out the need for pelmets on top of the units and provides extra wall storage capacity.

We love the pull out unit, it houses all out juice, bread products, cakes, sauces.

We got rid of our double oven, had a single oven and Combi micro fitted above. Don't miss the double oven not even at Christmas!

We wanted to extend our kitchen but it was too expensive, so like you we made do with what we have and I don't regret anything x

TonTonMacoute · 27/12/2023 12:38

Mines not quite finished yet but I don't think there's anything I would change.

I did get these supplied with my pull out units though and I have no idea what they are for!

If you’ve had a new kitchen in the last few months
Landlubber2019 · 27/12/2023 12:39

We also bought the ex display extractor, it's 3 yrs old but was £100 compared to £800 for the latest model, so worth asking about!

SiobhanSharpe · 27/12/2023 12:41

KindleGirlie · 27/12/2023 04:33

We never use the fancy under the cabinets lighting set.

Nor do we. In fact, I forget to use them most of the time.

SiobhanSharpe · 27/12/2023 12:44

We have a boiling tap and it's fine but you have to be careful using it. DS was taking bets on how long it would be before I scalded myself with it.
It's very handy for adding boiling water straight to saucepans etc when cooking veg. As well as not having to have a kettle for tea and coffee.

Seaitoverthere · 27/12/2023 12:45

My kitchen isn’t finished yet and we used it the first time on Christmas Eve. Am very pleased with the breakfast cupboard or whatever it is called - sits on top of worktop with bifold doors.

BIossomtoes · 27/12/2023 12:45

SiobhanSharpe · 27/12/2023 12:41

Nor do we. In fact, I forget to use them most of the time.

Show quote history

We use ours all the time.

SiobhanSharpe · 27/12/2023 12:49

On the undecided side we have a huge cooker hood which looks like a 40-inch tv screen on the wall above the hob.
And we still haven't worked out all the bells and whistles. It's connected via an infrared thingy to the hob so it comes on automatically when you light the gas or put a pan on the stove -- sometimes. Must read the instruction booklet.🙄
The extraction is good, though.

Lemsipper · 27/12/2023 12:50

Boiling water tap is brilliant but yes you need to be careful

Insinkerator is great too, no more scooping minging bits out of the sink! Saves space in the bin too

TiredInPerpetuity · 27/12/2023 12:56

My boiling tap is the thing I wouldn't be without now. So handy and quick. But yes have to be very careful!

My cupboard with pull out deep drawers is used an awful lot and I wish I'd had another one of those.

SiobhanSharpe · 27/12/2023 13:01

One thing I like very much is the gadget cupboard which opens out to the work surface.
The back of the cupboard has all the electrical sockets so the toaster, coffee grinder, processor etc are all stored there, ready for use and not out on the work surface. You just open it and pull the toaster etc forward. (Shouldn't use the toaster in a cupboard or under one.)
The only thing i should have thought of would have been to have the whole shelf slide forward somehow.
I should also have had a main oven with a slide-under door. And the top oven/microwave combi with a door that opens at the side, as most stand alone microwaves do. This one has a drop down door which due to the height it's placed at, makes it difficult to remove hot dishes. (The oven and micro/combi oven may well be replaced sooner rather than later...)

SheriffCallie · 27/12/2023 13:01

Our boiling water tap and under counter lighting were the two things I was ambivalent about, but that I am most glad that we spent the money on. We use the tap constantly for hot drinks, filling pans, and topping up the washing up basin. And the lighting is used constantly as mood lighting in our open plan area, and is frequently commented on by visitors. Although I would probably use it less if our kitchen was a self contained room?
I am also really glad we got a downdraft extractor hob, as it allowed us to fit feature lighting above the island (where our hob is).
And I love our breakfast cupboard (for storing coffee machine and toaster) as it helps keep the worktops appliance free and tidy.

We spent more than intended by the time we added all our extras, but don’t regret it as we love our kitchen and spend a lot of time in the space.

Original poster
Rogerstreasures · 27/12/2023 13:10

Thanks everyone for your input. I do like the idea of cupboards up to the ceiling otherwise it’s just wasted space above? There’s only two of us, so no kids to worry about using a boiling tap. I do enjoy baking and cooking so I need cupboard space for my mixer etc. I have a range cooker at the moment, but I’m thinking of a gas hob and single oven to free up some space.

OP posts:
SiobhanSharpe · 27/12/2023 13:34

Our kitchen cupboards go up almost to the ceiling (there's about a 4 cm gap, enough to slide something flat into, eg a serving platter or the like) as we were told there were practical reasons why they could not be absolutely flush. Possibly due to an uneven ceiling, not sure. It's fine anyway.
It's a fairly modern house , btw.

ExpensiveDecorations · 27/12/2023 13:37

We love our boiling water tap but if you are filling a heavy pan eg full
of potatoes under it you need a strong arm. I sometimes fill a measuring jug with boiling water and carry that to the pan on the hob instead.

Also love the under counter lights, we use those all the time and I only tend to put the ceiling lights on to clean the floor.

We decided against a breakfast cupboard and that was a good decision as we don't have huge amounts of counter space and it is more flexible to have the appliances out and still be able to use the counter in front of them (stand mixer and coffee grinder, we don't have a kettle, microwave or toaster as we have an Everhot range cooker). I don't like bare counters though, I'm not a fan of the minimalist look.

Having deep drawers instead of cupboards under the counters has been a major win too, so much easier.

SiobhanSharpe · 27/12/2023 13:51

Yes, the wide and deep pan drawers are really good, you can fit a lot into them. I have three under the hob, the top one for cutlery and the other two for pans.
I also have a separate warming drawer under the main oven, it's extremely useful. It even has a defrost setting.

grayhairdontcare · 27/12/2023 13:57

I went the opposite way with my new kitchen.
I have one massive larder cupboard
One cupboard for crockery
One pan draw
One cutlery draw
And a few spice draws.
No top cupboards at all.
It's a breeze to keep clean and I only put in it what I use

whitebeads · 27/12/2023 14:01

We bought a secondhand one so we could spend more on appliances then fitted it ourselves. Love the integrated coffee machine.

StBrides · 27/12/2023 14:05

No new kitchen here but last year installed sensor lights under the cabinets which come on at night and when someone walks near them, they're brilliant - means when I get up in the middle of the night for a drink I don't need to put the big light on!

endlesscraziness · 27/12/2023 14:06

Our very pricy boiling tap stopped working after 2 years so I wouldn't bother with that! Love our charging drawer, built in larder cupboard and built in bins. Plus pan drawers. I wish I'd invested in more than we have as they are great

OhhhhhhhhBiscuits · 27/12/2023 14:20

My most loved things in my new kitchen are my bin cupboard and my built in microwave above the oven.

When you say a small kitchen how small? Mine is tiny so I can't have all the singing and dancing kitchen stuff but it is so practical for us. Otherwise you will get people suggesting 2 x dishwashers and all sorts which you won't ever fit in. A boiling tap is great but it takes up most of the under sink cupboard so be warned if your kitchen is really small. We stuck with our kettle!