Hob on an island

[pasok1000]

Please I am considering hob an island now, what would you advise in terms of position on an island, sink position in the run, where would I put dishwasher in this case?

@uggmum
You certainly can gather around on an island and cook. A deep island makes this possible and I have an attached circular breakfast bar at one end. It far enough away from the hob to not pose any issues. Friends and family always sit there. It’s the social hub of the kitchen and I don’t need to face a wall to cook or prep. I stay as part of the group and I can prep at the island too because it’s long. The ops is tiny at 1.8m.

You need to allow plenty of space between an island hob and the sink. I have 1.5m. You don’t want a corridor. The sink behind the island is not my only sink though. Never had any issue with people getting in the way.

@LittleOverWhelmed and @TizerorFizz - what are the dimensions of your islands?

[quote LittleOverWhelmed]@noworklifebalance 3080mm x 1300mm excluding quartz overhang.

It did go through a few redesigns - originally the seating area was all in a line, but changed it to be around the corner and much happier. Would say “think how it is being used”.

Our hob is a venting induction and there are 3 sets of 800mm drawers (one false drawer and two large cutlery drawers in the top level, then three rows or two deeper drawers below) along the other side of the island. All works really well. The 600mm wide larder (to the right of the ovens) has spice racks and a shelf for oils and things.[/quote]
Sounds amazing! Is that your kitchen in the photo? It’s lovely

@noworklifebalance

My island is 3200 x 1300. 600 deep back to back cupboards with cavity for electrics etc. No overhang but we have a 1m circular wood Hugh level table with cupboards under offset at one end.This is where guests sit.

Picture for clarity.

I'm sorry but I keep reading this thread today because my stupid brain reads 'Hop on an island' and I'm intrigued because I live on an island, can't hop and wonder if it's a new sport. Then I read again, go 'duh' (again!), remember it's about something totally different and try to practice hopping again.

I need help!

But I do have an island in the kitchen of my house on the island I live on and do think a hob on there (or a sink) would be better situated.

I shall now make a hasty retreat...! 😁

@OldTinHat
I’ll join you in a nice relaxing glass of wine!

@TizororFizz I think I should get some wine to calm me down - I've been stuffing face with a box of Jelly Babies from Christmas. I don't recommend it!!

@TizerorFizz I apparently can't spell either as well as not be able to read today. The evil ways of Jelly Babies...! Now, where's the wine?? 😂

I don't understand this bar stool at the island thing. Surely you would just sit at the table which is right beside it? Bar stools are really uncomfortable and I would have no desire to have anyone taking up my worktop when I'm trying to cook or prep. I can't imagine when I would want to waste the space I could use for storage on folk getting in the way. Maybe if your dining space was miles away? Even then...

I think having a hob there is fine as long as you can have a decent extractor fan.

Do you have young kids?
If so an island job could be tricky? If they can climb bar stools

Especially an induction hob where pans seem to slide along the surface

Unless your island is deeper than average

@TizerorFizz and @LittleOverWhelmed - thanks both, very helpful, esp with pics . It seems that 3000+ X 1300mm is a good size for the island, if there is space.
Agree re: corner breakfast bar, which is more sociable than all in a line and also makes it easy to separate food prep from those at the bar.

@pasok1000 our island is same size as yours, kitchen just fitted week before Christmas. We have an 80cm 5 ring induction hob, there's plenty of space. We're having a pop up down draft extractor which is being fitted next week (was a supply chain delay so wasn't available when kitchen was fitted).
I have a utensil drawer and pan drawers below hob with a cupboard either side of drawers. In hindsight I wish I'd had one of the cupboards a pull out for oils/salt/pepper/herbs & spices. One cupboard is good for chopping boards.

I’ve just had an Island put in and opted for no hob or sink in it as we have 4 stools around it. I kept bora induction hob and sink on low Run behind with open shelf. Means little space on that run but lots pf island prep space 240cm x 120 with 4 stools (2 end and 2 on one side )

@noworklifebalance

For those with the hob on the island and sink directly behind on the counter run - do you have space to have someone cooking with another using the sink?

Standard gap is 1.5 m. Tight but doable

I have a hob on my island and I love it as I never have my back to the kitchen, can see the dc, chat with guests etc. We have the extractor in the hob which means that cutlery drawer is offset which is a little awkward in terms of layout for cooking.

I would put the sink opposite the main prep space rather than opposite the hob. I don’t move from sink to hob as much (once to fill and once to drain) but much more when I’m prepping.

We have 1.1m gap which is a comfortable pivot space. Before I had 1.5m and there was always an irritating extra half step. But because hob and sink aren’t opposite it still works perfectly for two people.

We have sink, dishwasher, bin and plate cupboard in the same area so you tend to fill dishwasher on one side and empty it in the other.

I would always go for 60cm over two 30cm cupboards and try and have at least one wider cupboard too if you can fit it somewhere. Kitchen designers tend to be obsessed with symmetry but I’d always prioritise functionality.

I have space beside my oven but in practice unload to the island.

I spent a lot of time thinking about how I do things in the kitchen. I’m right handed and dh is left handed so that made it a bit trickier but if everyone has the same dominant hand you may find that you want your condiments on a particular side, or to unload your dishwasher from a particular side. The design process tends to focus on the visuals but how you move through the space will ultimately be more important.

if I have induction hob on island - I could use it as a surface as well? to put hot items etc? so that it is still can be used as a buffet??

Yes we put hot trays from the oven in the induction hob.

Yes I use mine as normal surface all the time when not cooking on it!

I love my hob on the island as it means I'm facing the rest of the room (and tv!) when cooking so am still able to be sociable.

I rarely put anything g on my induction hob, other than the pans designed for it. After 11 years it’s like new. I’m careful with it. One advantage of a larger island - I’ve plenty of space!

We had hob on island at our old house and I wasn’t keen. New house, we have a completely free island which I much prefer. One side has smaller drawers for cutlery and big deep ones for utensils. other side has 2 bar stools and the top is completely clear for food prep, buffets, packed lunch prep, kids to do homework while I’m cooking tea etc. We have a bookshelf at one end for recipe books and towel rail on the other. I much prefer this to the old set up. We have a big larder cupboard at the opposite end of the kitchen in the corner next to the dining table.

I have space for all of that and a hob. Lots of islands are small so they cannot accommodate everything. Size matters!