Kitchen appliances & positioning

[Sunisshining12]

Hi all, after your opinions please:

Option 1: 2 ovens + microwave + coffee machine in a grid/quad with full height larders either side.

Option 2: 1 oven + 1 oven/microwave combi (side by side), full height larders either side & coffee machine elsewhere.

I feel like the coffee machine gets a bit ‘lost’ in a grid & want it to be a bit of a feature.

But then I’m not sure what an oven/microwave combi is like in reality. Can’t get my head around it having no turntable. Are they as easy & quick to use as standard microwaves?

I have small kids & do an average amount of cooking I guess. Have family over weekends.

Warming drawers: good or never use?

Dishwasher - 1 or 2?! Does anyone have 2 & regret it?

Hose tap or standard tap?

AEG, Neff or Siemens? Or Miele if budget allows?

Opinions & advice welcome :)

Hob is on the island with a prep sink & the pull out bin

I really can’t get my head around the combo oven microwave - this gives me more space & flexibility but I’m so used to a standard microwave & I really do use my microwave loads. Not sure what ovens to go for or how many

I have two ovens. They have different capabilities and settings. I have a Neff combi microwave oven too. If I’m honest I don’t use its oven capabilities anywhere near as much as I use the microwave capabilities. If you really use a microwave only, just get a decent built in microwave. I tend to think these look better than a free standing one but they are sometimes considered less good technically and, of course, they cost more.

You could get a built in microwave under the hob. I’m assuming the bins are not going under the hob. I too have two bins in my island and my hob and my prep sink. But I also have a lot more storage space. I would definitely consider having the microwave under the hob and match the ovens in the wall cupboards - side by side.

My neff slide and hide (brilliant) sits next to the combi, which has a warming drawer underneath so they are the same size. Pan drawers below and cupboards to ceiling. Combi can be used as a microwave or standard oven, and gets used regularly if we either don’t need to use the full size or need extra capacity. Also recommend full height wine fridge. We got an AEG one, which was a lot cheaper than other makes and is brilliant. Much better investment than a coffee machine imo!

We also have a fabulous pull out larder unit which is not at all rattle!

I have a wine fridge in my laundry room. We like ours. It’s a built under.

You don’t have anything on your island, bouncydog. I would have had the hob on there so you are not facing the wall. You have a huge prep area on the island but the cooking zone is all close together.

Nice to critique a done deal of someone’s kitchen . Not good form.

Fab kitchen @bouncydog

Are you set on having 2 ovens? I changed my mind last minute and went for 1 with microwave and coffee machine next to each other. I don’t regret only having the 1 oven.

Definitely recommend a pull out tap, I love mine and would never want a normal one now.

We only have 1 dishwasher, friend went for 2 but says she regrets it’s as it’s a waste of space for her as she very rarely uses it.

Can also recommend pull out larders, absolutely love mine, I’ve got 2 of them and they are definitely not rattly or awkward in anyway. I’d love more of them if I had the space!

Thanks ladies. It's not an island (I have an aversion to islands unless there is massive space all around them :-)). It divides the working part of the kitchen from the L off the side of it. It has cupboards both sides and sofas which you can't see. Cooking zone is great with plenty of space on either side of the hob and further worktop space not visible. Recommend a quooker boiling water tap with the pull out hose - it's fab. Didn't go for a coffee machine as it was a lot of money for something we wouldn't use very much. With hindsight, I would probably have put 2 full size ovens, combi microwave and warming drawer, in the bank where the wine fridge is, and put the wine fridge and fridge/freezers where the ovens are, but it's minor and not really need as there are only 2 of us!!

Definitely don’t get a combination microwave and oven - we have a fancy Neff one and it’s rubbish - the oven is alright but not nearly as good as the ‘normal’ one below, the microwave isn’t a patch on a standard one and heats everything really unevenly as it doesn’t rotate, and also can’t be used immediately after the oven has been on. Would go for option 1 every time in your position.

I have 2 full sized dishwashers. There are only 2 of us mostly but this is the most brilliant thing about our kitchen, no dirty stuff on show ever and the clean one acts as a cupboard until it is needed for dirty things by which time it is pretty empty and hardly needs unpacking. When entertaining they are invaluable. Also 2 ovens, 2 microwaves and a warming drawer, additional freezer and fridge are in the utility. Standalone coffee machine is on the counter. I can't imagine I could have a better set up.

No flora - that’s a lot of stuff! :-)

Well - no one has to post what they have on a kitchen forum and not expect a poster to take a view! Many of us have kitchens where we might have changed something. We are not all perfect living in perfect houses.

Everything is easy to see & say in hindsight I think.

This bloody coffee machine still hasn’t got a spot - I’m really contemplating free standing. But my OH is convinced integrated is somehow ‘better’. Like some sort of weird social status thing to him that will make us posher overnight! I really don’t care.

With the freestanding - do you just literally pour beans in the top?

What would you say the pros & cons are of both? Same with the wine cooler - he now wants the full height. I’m happy with undercounter. I’m sure it will turn into a beer fridge!

@Sunisshining12 if you go for the full height wine fridge, there will be room for his beer as well. If you go for the under-counter you won't necessarily have much room for your wine!! Unless you drink a lot of coffee, I would go for a countertop one personally as if you get fed up of it, it can go in the cupboard. If its a built in that you don't use much, every time you look at it you'll remember the c£2k you spent on it and think what else it could have been spent on!!! The wine cooler we have has two zones - top for white wine and bottom for red - John Lewis do a very similar one to the AEG and both, when I looked, were a lot cheaper than some of the upmarket under-counter ones.

Perhaps you could compromise - full height wine fridge and countertop coffee machine!

I’m getting some plans drawn up today so will post back with options :)