Brand new kitchen - things you love or hate...

[anonymousbird]

We are in the fortunate position, now we have planning permission to extend our property, to go to town a bit on a completely new kitchen. Nothing of the current will remain, other than the (pretty modern, installed 2 years ago) Rayburn. It is pretty exciting and have got the wheels in motion as to basic look/function of the new kitchen.

It's not a case of "money no object" but I am prepared to spend money on sensible things or features that make it as useable and practical as possible for life with 2 young DC's, but also want to consider any seriously good modcons/kitchen fittings that make a difference to its use. Our current kitchen is 30 years old so has absolutely nothing modern or modcon about it!

For example, and it's not the best example, is it worth spending the extra on things like a built in Brita filter?
Usefulness of cupboards versus the big deep drawers that now seem to be all the rage?
Fridges with icemakers/cold water taps?
On another level of expense, I gather that you can build in steam ovens and Nespresso coffee makers, but I suspect I will be stopping short on those - but open to any ideas really to at least think through.

ANY tips you have on things you installed, and wished you hadn't or didn't and wish you had, or did and think "thank goodness we have one of those" would be very gratefully received. The kitchen runs straight into our Breakfast Room and Playroom/daytime TV room if that influences anything!!

Thank you.

Our kitchen was installed last year and I love all the things which I was bit dubious about needing;

my boiling water tap (have it on a timer to save electricity).

Filtered water/ice dispenser in the fridge freezer.

Induction hob - really fast - bit had to buy new saucepans.

Soft close drawers and cupboards - small boys can't slam doors.

Larder unit - can see everything in one place.

Pull out corner cupboards things which whizz out when you open the doors.

Black granite worktops. Indestructible and look smart.

Wine cooler - bottles don't clutter up the fridge.

Warming drawer. This is totally fantastic. Food doesn't get fried if you need to keep it.

We had a butler sink with wood worktops last time but we've decided on Quartz worktops, black with the mirror fragments this time out. We're keeping our butler sink though for the reasons Enomarse states. Great for washing larger items. From past experience, wood tops with a butler sink was a bad choice and the wood tops around the sink area looked awful after just a few months. We've also got two small 6 inch base pull outs either side of the cooker for having spices and sauces close at hand.

Our brand new kitchen just about finished, has: boiling water tap, filtered water tap, soft close drawers/cupboards, larder, not too tall fridge/freezer with deep shelves (ie lots of room) and ice maker. Also, induction hob, corner unit with whizzy drawers, cooker hood that draws outside as opposed to just pretending to absorb smells.

I can't wait to use it

Such a handy thread - we're just about to embark on 2 extensions and complete re-model of kitchen. Has anyone tried setinstone.co.uk for more affordable quartz worktops? Friend has recommended them so might well go for that rather than laminate. Can't afford Corian

I love my white corian worktop with integrated sink. it is so easy to keep clean and you can bleach stains off if needs be. Ours extends down ends of the units to the floor and I think it looks fab. We have had it for six years and it really is as good as new.

I also love the fact that our units go straight to the floor with no kick plate iykwim - so much nicer.

We also have no wall cupboards - I loathe them.

A pantry cupboard is great for food storage etc.

We are thinking of having no wall units but a propper walk in larder cupboard thing for storage.
Friend has a reverse osmois unit for filtering the water, uber healthy.
What do people think about flooring? Best case would be tiles with under floor heating I think.
Steam oven? Not sure, they are quite expensive.

We're looking at Amtico for flooring although they are expensive a friend has them and they look fantastic. Anyone have an opinion on these? We're getting our Quartz worktops from T Foley Interiors, kitchensfitted.co.uk and are pleased with the price and payment terms and they were also recommended by a friend. Can't wait to have them put in. We had to have wall units and I like them but an added extra is a big pull out larder cupboard which I love.

Gosh, there are so many great ideas here and a few common themes coming out as to really great gizmos that lots of people are agreeing are winners!!!

The boiling water tap isn't really on my list to be honest - I was just interested to know more about it, as you rightly say, we have a Rayburn. It is not on full time, as it is a programmable one, but yes, of course, when it is on, it boils our kettle. The rest of the time, I will stick with a trusty electric kettle I think. We aren't the biggest tea drinkers in the world, so it will be extra clutter (as someone pointed out!) that doesn't actually get much use in this house.

This is all so exciting, just a shame I need to get all the building work done first - so the kitchen is at least 6 months away.....

have y ou thought of a waste disposal unit in your sink to dispose of food waste? Grinds it down so no mucky food in the bin.....

Maidinheaven - we're going for Karndean, like Amtico (I think it's the same company but could be wrong) but cheaper.

Definitely more sockets than you think you'll need.
Also sincerely recommend glass splashbacks instead of tiles all round - best thing we did by far.
Deep pan drawers brilliant.

Dont make worktops too deep to reach window catches and blinds etc

Two dishwashers, side by side for plumbing considerations etc. Sounds mad but is so practical as one is used as if laying the table for every day items from a cupboard rather than putting them away...think about it.

Housemum - Smug is definitely posher!

was coming to add the 2 dishwasher thing

I LOVE the two dishwasher thing, have seen that but I just won't have the room I don't think.... which is a real shame.

I do like the idea of two ovens which I will have, since we have the Rayburn but also having a "normal" oven too. I could not manage with only one oven at busy times, so I have that covered.

Waste disposal - my mum swears by hers, but we put most of our waste/clippings on the compost but it's a good point, I will definitely ask about the option as depending on cost, it might be one to have anyway.

My ears are ringing with "more sockets than you think you need" and oh yes, I agree with you. My DH has this kind of allergy or I don't know what about plug sockets. When we were renovating a couple of the bedrooms 3 years ago, he was freaking about having an extra double socket. He could not see why we needed it.... it was just the most ridiculous argument at the time. I just told the electrician to put them in on a day when DH wasn't here.... solved that one! But yes, loads needed for the kitchen for sure, and he won't win this one either!

As big a sink as you can accommodate.

A fridge that is plumbed for filtered water and ice

A water softener

Granite, wood, or other solid quality worktops.

An self-cleaning (pyrolytic?)electric fan oven as well as your Rayburn. You really don't want to be running it in the summer - too hot and too expensive.

Avoid gloss-finish units - a nightmare to keep clean and smear-free.

However many sockets you think you need, have more!

Does the self cleaning oven work? Guy at the designer recommended it and said "the old ones didn't really work but they do now" and I gave him a kind of and he said "NO, Really, They Do". I was still a bit . Do they steam themselves or something??! Must need some scrubbing??!

Watersoftener, check. In already
Fridge with water and ice, definitely got my eye on that.

Sockets, sockets, and more and more sockets. Oh yes. DH will just have to lump it.

My new kitchen is quite modest but the thing most people covet is the double bin in a cupboard, one half rubbish and one recycling. No more tea-bag stains on our walls, dontcha know?

The lock and then heat up really really hot, like a kiln for about two hours. All burnt on grease turns to ash and you just sweep it out with a damp cloth afterwards. It's ace. The only thing that still needs a bit of attention is the inside of the glass door, but even that is better than the standard cleaning methods.

I have that as well - it's good.

A-ha, with my Rayburn, I just turn it up high, it carbonises then I sweep/hoover out the dust... like the idea of this oven. The one he mentioned was Siemens.. can't remember the model. I really want my bin out of sight, tea bag scenario and b*stard dog trying to lick it and pull it over. so that is high on my list.

I adore my waste disposal, my fridge freezer with water/ice, granite work tops, (I also had the windowsills changed and had granite on them, underfloor heating is fab in winter. I have 2 little pull out cupbairds next to cooker which are great. Corner cupboards have the metal pull out trays which work but are a nightmare ! Things fall off (might be my cramming stuff in them though)

Don't like mt "pimp" LED lights at the bottom of my units, never use them. I had sockets put everywhere and as yet haven't run out of sockets

Would like one of the hot water taps as less clutter on the top - am contemplating having one installed but thing its a big job if already have granite.

Have breakfast bar stools but in hindisght would have had folding ones to tuck them out of the way. Need a big cupboard for mop, brush, hoover etc

Have downlighters and uplights on top of the units which look cool. Halogen lights in ceiling cost a bloody fortune to run !

Yes, mine is Siemens as well, it's excellent and the oven goes really high, 250 degrees.

Forgot to say waste disposal! that's something once you've had, you'd never be without.

Ha i love my waste disposal. Have to stop DH ramming random food down there just to see if it eats it. Takes most things except, bizarrely, mango stones.

I think the most useful thing in a new kitchen is a utility room to shut it all away so only the shiny things are on display.

we've got a small kitchen but figured in 2 slimline dishwashers rather than 1 large one we hand wash pans but barely fill a slimline in one day with 5 of us.