New kitchen - what are your essentials

[Shefliesonherownwings]

DH and I are planning to completely replace out kitchen next year. It's hideous and we haven't changed it since we moved in three years ago so it's time for an overhaul. So, we're starting to think about it now and decide what we must absolutely have and I thought i'd see what others think.

We live in a standard three bed terrace. Kitchen is average for that size house, no room for an island or dining table but that's ok. We have a passage way that runs along the side of the house where we currently have our American style fridge freezer and washing machine. We have a separate dryer in the kitchen which we will probably move to the passage way freeing up room for a pantry cupboard which we definitely want. We also have room under the stairs where we keep hoover, golf clubs etc... so no issue with storing that stuff.

We're ripping out all cupboards, worktop, oven and moving the boiler too so it'll be a pretty blank canvas. Aside from two sinks, i've no idea what we should think about having, maybe a wine fridge? What would your absolute must haves be?

We are just arranging our new kitchen. Last put in by previous owners in 1974! ( still had the reciepts in drawers)

Breakfast pantry is what I really want with pocket doors. Kettle, toaster and breakfast items will all be stored here to easily use, free up tiny worktop and hopefully look tidier when closed.

Also one of those little washing up liquid dispensers built into sink so a giant bottle of fairy isn’t always on show.

Hidden bins. Full recycling system in large drawer as we have to sort metal/ plastic/ paper/ compost/ regular

Far more plug sockets than you think you will ever need. We thought we put in extra but I still occasionally want more!

We've not long done our kitchen which is an average size around here. I've always wanted my oven higher up as I hate bending down to check my food. I always wanted no 'upper units' to make it look more spacious whilst the other side compensates the lack of storage with the lader units.

I used to have an big sized dining table but I swapped it for a small round one which makes the room more nice to walk through (I used to have to shimmy around the table).

Not sure how you feel about induction or electric hobs. We do prefer gas but cleaning up an induction hob is a god send.

Think about lighting as well. Some decent lighting really helps. I like the drawers we've got - 900mm and 800 mm - take all the crockery and pans.

Somewhere handy near the hob for putting oil, salt herbs - stuff you use often. Someone on here suggested a little pull out cupboard next to the hob for that.

Flexi hose on tap. We got a deep sink and wish I'd got a flexi hose too to help clean it - love the sink though.

Pull out bin under the counter so you can sweep stuff straight into it. Ours is in a 300mm pull out and takes a full swing bin full.

We got a wine fridge - which will be handy for keeping people looking for beer etc out of the main kitchen!

I'd have like a 600mm tall pull out larder but got talked into a tall cupbard with 2 drawers instead - should have stuck to my guns as I like to be able to see what I've got.

Big tall fridge and separate tall freezer are great.

Induction hob is fab.

We put all our appliances up high to minimise bending, and drawers below for storage. It meant less counter space but has been a great decision. Also we have a full size pantry with slide out drawer/shelves so it’s very easy to put packages and cans into the back.

Some fab ideas thanks! I forgot to mention we are looking at induction jobs. We have a gas one now but had an induction on holiday last month and I loved it. We had the whole house rewired when we moved in so we have loads of plugs in the kitchen as we knew we wanted to rip it out eventually.

What do you all think of hot water taps? I’m not convinced but DH likes them.

Agree with hitchy about wall cupboards - when we had kitchen done (long 'galley') we had floor to ceiling larder cupboards on about half of one side and floor units on the other half, and floor units along the other side. Completely opened the room up, and far more storage. DH and I are both really tall and wall units always make us feel a bit 'hemmed in'.

I wasn't convinced about hot water taps but DH really wanted one and now I love it. It's a Quooker with pull out hose. Also, our kitchen is a long way from our hot water tank and it took ages to run normal hot water through, this model of quooker gives instant normal hot water as well as cold and boiling.

I'd say the only drawback is you have to fill pans with boiling water at the sink and carry them to the hob rather than carrying a kettle to the hob and pouring it into a pan. Then again, we've got induction rings so can boil water very rapidly on the hob anyway.

And of course the expense, it is a luxury.

We got a Qooker, I thought it was a bit of a luxury - but really like it now. Wish we'd got the flex hose one though.

It's useful for all sorts of stuff having boiling water just there.

But by now means an essential!

Hmmm ok jury still out on the hot water tap. I like the idea of the taps with flexible cords. With a toddler running around the amount of things I have to clean in the sink is ridiculous so a flexible tap would be good I think. Keep them coming!

Don't put your sink opposite cooker (round a corner is better) or you just get lots of water drips and floor gets dirty in that area.

I would like an eye level oven. Drawers, drawers, drawers - better for nearly everything than cupboards. I love Ikea's storage ideas - larger cupboards with pull out 'drawers' were brilliant for me. Hidden bins and separated recycling depending on how your area does it.

I would also personally check energy efficiency on things like the hot water tap. Does it take much energy to keep it hot all day? Less or more than boiling kettles. This is for environmental reasons and cost now prices are so high

I redesigned my kitchen and later moved to a house that was new build. I changed the gas hob to a Neff induction hob straight away. Got rid of the stainless steel sink for a composite one. Changed the taps to a tap with a pull out hose. What I really miss is my Neff warming/proving drawer.

Double sink (one side with insinkerator in), Quooker tap (or equivalent), double oven, induction hob.

Maybe one of those pop up extractors that comes up from the hob itself rather than needing one above the hob and wasting space?

A stretchy tap
All Drawers along the bottom - no cupboards they are pointless
Some open shelving for crockery etc
Slim drawer under the oven for oven trays

Also ikea units have no service voids at the back so you get loads more space in them

Two sinks . Most useful thing I ever did . Can do so much in one while leaving one just for washing up .

Induction hob
Wall ovens with slide and hide plus steam
Boiling tap
Hidden bins with recycling
Floor to ceiling cupboards
Deep pan and crockery drawers
Cupboard over fridge freezer so it's not used as an open dumping ground!
Hard wearing surfaces like silestone

The Quooker combi has an A rating for energy, it has a vacuum insulated tank so very little heat is lost in the tank and there's no waste, you only boil what you use so the running costs are pretty low. It saves us a considerable amount of water now we don't have to run hot water down from the main heating tank too.

The best thing in my kitchen is the waste disposal unit. All vegetable peelings, leftover food (including cat food), apple cores, things like that, all go in there, so the bin doesn't smell at all.

Mainly drawers ratber than cupboards
Large four section waste unit
Wine fridge
Large pull out larder
Induction hob
Tall cupboard for mops, brushes as no other storage for them
Island unit with seating

If work surface space is in short supply I would have one sink and a half rather than two.

Drawers galore. Whether pan drawers or pull out baskets within cupboards. Anything which makes space accessible.

Two ovens. Invaluable. Even if I was short of space I would have a clear out of crap and still fit in two ovens.