Kitchens - is Howdens the best?

[ReeReeR]

I’m after modern style (handleless) units in white, probably matte rather than gloss, wooden worktop. I think of Howdens as being good quality. Got a quote and it’s not and. Had a quick look in B&Q and they looked cheap. Is there anywhere I should be looking? Not sure I’m keen on Wren.

We used Buildbase as we did not like the way a base unit of draws from Howdens was configured.
Our fitter recommended both, so we went purely on kitchen design terms.

We currently have Howdens, currently 6 years old and good as the day it was put in. Good quality

Previous house had b&q - was ok but not as good as howdens

I have had friends who used wrens and had nothing but ooor customer service. As in dreadful. So wouldn't touch them on that account

Dh is a carpenter. Fits kitchens. Wren are god awful. Dh refuses to fit for them- they take NO responsibility after their "design" even if it's 50cm out! Not to mention shoddy quality.

Howdens are good. Ikea too. But his number 1 (not true as his fave is a local bespoke but that wouldn't apply here) is magnet as their after care and snagging allowance is second to none. But they are more expensive.

I have a recently installed Howden’s kitchen. It looks great, the price was good and my fitter liked it too.

My mum has a Howdens kitchen and it was really good, lasted really well, and we had it in the old house. She has wren now and doesn’t recommend it.

I’ll look at Magnet. Hadn’t thought of them as I’m not sure we have them around her otherwise might stick to Howdens. Thanks all

Had Howdens in a large utility room in our old home, then again in our new home, was already in situ. Such good quality. Magnet are also good. We did have a bespoke kitchen local business in our old house which was also excellent.

It turns out there is a Magnet in the local town. Does anyone know how Magnet compares to Howdens on price? I got a quote from Howdens and it was very reasonable.

They are the same company I think, Howdens is trade only Magnet public and trade

Not impressed with howdens quality. Just lost another cupboard handle yesterday and I can’t even get a replacement at Howdens cos I’m not trade.

I’d be very surprised if they’ll sell you just handles... unless you have a trade account.

We've just had one fitted DIY kitchens, very impressed with the quality, and a good price too. They come out top in Which reviews, with IKEA a close second.

That’s not good mosquito There must be a way you can get a candle?

I might go have a look at Magnet as I don’t think Howdens has proper showrooms showing full kitchens

I have heard about diy.com but I want to be able to see and feel it in person before I buy

You can order sample doors from DIY but obviously not the same as seeing a full display kitchen. They do have a showroom somewhere but it was too far for us.

The DIY Kitchen's showroom is in Pontefract. They have a showroom tour in their website. Quality is excellent and the units are supplied rigid so you don't have to spend time building them. Really impressed with our kitchen from them.

Looks like the showroom is about an hour away from me is we could get there 🤔

Is DIY.COM part of B&Q?

Diy.com IS BandQ

Ah - DIY.com is B&Q's website. DIY Kitchens is a completely different company.

Oh ok not sure why I jumped to DIY.com! Thank you

I would second DIY kitchens. Used them in my last flat and about to order from them again in new house. The units come ready made and we were really pleased with the quality. There's no kitchen designing offered, so you need to know what you want and be willing to trust your own measurements etc, which suited me perfectly!

@Holymosquito

I hate how Howdens do that! And also how they tell you a £250 washing machine has a 800% discount when you know It’s a relabelled Beko machine.

Your handles are called “boss bar” they’re the old handles before the new “key handle”

They’ve been sold for years and not exclusive to howdens

Search the terms online also search “mfi boss bar” for bulk cheap

Not sure if this is cheapest but here is a one link

rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F182890371908

Also I’ve had a howdens kitchen for 10 years it was great and still looked 95% new when I sold the house.

HUge Howdens fans chez nous. Our builders recommended for a commercial job and I then had them in two houses so far.

I'm just about to order my new kitchen from diy after no less than 6 local friends recommended them

I'm been to the showroom near pontefract, it's not far off the A1 and it was well worth a visit

So is the idea with diy kitchens that you don’t need a kitchen fitter to fit it and can DIY or is it call DIY kitchens because there ready made cupboards?

I have a Howdens kitchen and an really disappointed with it. The reason builders recommend them is because they are easy to fit because they leave so much space behind the units.

The drawers I have won't fit my long knives and knife sharpeners in because out of the 60cm unit depth only about 43cm is drawer space. I have 14 deep drawers so I worked out I'd actually lost the equivalent of three and a half drawers because of the wasted space.

My last kitchen was Ikea and I loved it, my next one certainly won't be Howdens!

As far as I can tell it's diy in that you supply them with a plan from elsewhere or one that you've drawn yourself in order to get your kitchen in an online basket and then order it yourself, they will check it for you to make sure you have all the bits you need
You'll still need a kitchen fitter, my builder is installing mine