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Original poster

Hob on island - yay or nay?

49 replies

365sleepstogo · 19/02/2022 22:29

On a 3m island, positioned to one end with the sink near by on the run behind it?
I think island should be long enough so we can have seating set at the other end going round the corner.
Will the area around the cooker get very messy? Currently, the splash back rarely gets messy so I am hoping it will be ok.
Anyone have problems with it being on the island? Or do you find it works well?

TIA

OP posts:
NononoBruno · 19/02/2022 22:50

I put my induction hob on the island (similar size) facing out to the room. We have seating for four at the other end of island, two at end and two on side (opposite side to hob).
I like it, we have kitchen/diner/family room in one so it’s nice to be able to cook and chat.
I went for an induction and love it, one of the best things is that it is so easy to clean, wipe down after cooking, do occasionally get splashes on worktop but easy to mop up.
I have sink behind me so easy to drain and can serve up to side of hob.

Chestofdraws · 19/02/2022 22:52

Only if you’ve no where else to put it. And a hob is fine if you need to but a sink is a total no for me, who wants to sit looking at the dirty dishes in the sink. Pull a stool up next to your sink now and see how comfy you feel…

Original poster
365sleepstogo · 19/02/2022 23:07

Thanks both.
Agree re: sink - we were going to have it on a short run along the back wall but prefer to extend the bifolds so we see the garden when we walk into the kitchen, rather than a sink & dishes

OP posts:
MissFritton65 · 20/02/2022 00:27

I totally disagree; I've a 3m island and have a sink and champagne trough on it. We have sitting for 3 on bar stools opposite the sink but in arm's reach of the champagne trough.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 20/02/2022 01:01

@MissFritton65

I totally disagree; I've a 3m island and have a sink and champagne trough on it. We have sitting for 3 on bar stools opposite the sink but in arm's reach of the champagne trough.
What is a champagne trough? I’ve no clue but I’m pretty sure I want one just from the name!
MarieG10 · 20/02/2022 07:04

I'm a nay!

I have a 3m x 1.8m island and was having the hob on it. Was persuaded out of it by the designer. Is now a large social space, with 4 chairs, flowers etc and I love it. Can use to prep food.
Of course, I am in a position where there was space elsewhere for the hob and sink etc

Mumdiva99 · 20/02/2022 07:08

@difficultbloodywoman same question here!! (And is it acceptable to put cava in the champagne trough!)

JustJam4Tea · 20/02/2022 07:45

We don’t have a champagne trough but I really wish we did.

We put hob on island with sink right behind.

It’s induction and got an integrated fan. That meant we had to have ducting put in the floor before screed went down, new extension.

There’s a bit of space lost in cupboard underneath.

Really like it, we clean up after cokoking and it looks neat most of the time.

The sink area less so!

Wish I’d had a small pullout cupboard put under island for oil, salt and pepper etc.

bouncydog · 20/02/2022 07:50

A champagne trough appears to be a long oblong sunk into worktop that you fill with ice and put bottles in. Sure cava is fine! I would find it time consuming to fill with ice and then drain it all and clean it after use!

Buildingthefuture · 20/02/2022 07:53

Nay from me. I hate the look of extractor fans over islands, even the expensive ones look crap and they are harder to vent so don’t always work as well. I also don’t like guests sat watching as crap spits from the hob all over everything! I have a massive island with 6 bar stools and the sink in it and it’s a really well used social space.

JustJam4Tea · 20/02/2022 07:54

I think they have drainers built in. Friends made one out of an old Belfast sink.

MissFritton65 · 20/02/2022 08:00

A champagne trough is a small sink that you fill with ice/cold water for any type of wine. It doesn't need cleaning as it has a plug hole so just drains away.

Loopytiles · 20/02/2022 08:03

Dislike hobs on islands, because of the extractor fan and spitting.

TizerorFizz · 20/02/2022 08:31

Your island is quite large and similar to mine. I have an added circular seating area at one end away from the hob. The hob has 500 mm at one end and 2000mm at the other side of it. At the non seating end I have a stainless veg prep sink. Guess what? You can put champagne in it! We tend to use the wine fridge though!

I like cooking and looking out over my garden. Much better than looking at a wall. I can also easily chat to family and guests. Far more sociable than looking at the wall. More space and definitely have large double sink behind you. People know it’s a kitchen so expect a degree of washing up etc. We always eat meals with guests in our dining area which is round the corner!! Or we go into the dining room.

DarleneSnell · 20/02/2022 08:37

I wouldn't. Hobs are often dark so draw the eye. If it would mean an extractor above, even more so. Spit flying around isn't sociable.You'll end up with more cooking stuff taking space on the island while you use it.

We chose sink on the island, to the side. Dishes go in the dishwasher so it's empty most of the time. It's very deep, so if anything IS in there you don't notice unless stood over it. Any crumbs on the island can be swept in!

Given the choice we'd have had the island clear though, neither is ideal!

FlossMoss · 20/02/2022 08:59

Mine is in the middle of the room and I don't like it because it meant I had to have an extractor fan that doesn't actually extract. It just 'cleans and recycles' the air.

Woahthehorsey · 20/02/2022 09:10

We went for hob on island because I hate having my back to people when cooking and socializing and I like to prep next to the hob, not across from it. We have an integrated extractor fan.

It's personal preference.

Original poster
365sleepstogo · 20/02/2022 09:28

Hmm food for thought

  • food spitting is not necessarily an issue as we will have the seating at the opposite end of the 3m island so I think that should be enough distance
  • I hope the garden view should distract from the black induction hob on the unit
  • will need to have a think about the extractor fan

I am pretty much set on not having a sink in the island - it’s the most cluttered part of our kitchen and I can’t see that changing unless I get a new husband and children.
That’s the main reason I want to get rid of it from back wall and sight line when you enter our kitchen; move it to the side run, where the hob was originally meant to go and move the hob on to the island.
Can’t do a direct switch between hob and sink because it would be a safety issue for those getting to the kitchen from the dining area.
Will see if I can attach a diagram.

OP posts:
redandyellowbits · 20/02/2022 09:34

I have a completely clear island and I love it. The designers tried to get me to either have the job in there, or some plug points on top and I am so glad I refused both.

I prefer cooking before guests arrive so I am just heating up, and hated sitting at a friend's island which has a job on it and didn't leave lots of space around it.

Original poster
365sleepstogo · 20/02/2022 09:44

@redandyellowbits - do you know how big your friend’s island is?

OP posts:
KendallRoysRabbit · 20/02/2022 10:20

We had the same dilemma about whether to put the hob in the island and eventually decided against it due to the issue of the extractor fan.

We've now got a clear island like @redandyellowbits and I think it was a good decision for us but will depend on your individual layout and how you want to use the island. We also have seating for four at one end and it's a really sociable space for casual dining or drinks/nibbles etc. we wouldn't have had been able to use it that way as much if there had been a hob there.

KendallRoysRabbit · 20/02/2022 10:24

This is our layout.

Hob on island - yay or nay?
Hob on island - yay or nay?
GinIronic · 20/02/2022 10:27

I have a clear island. It’s so practical for food prep and buffet meals. I’ve had one with a hob - and one with a sink - they never looked neat and tidy - I was forever wiping the island down. Now I do it once a day after meals.

Original poster
365sleepstogo · 20/02/2022 10:29

Lovely kitchen @KendallRoysRabbit ! What size is your island?

OP posts:
WicketWoo · 20/02/2022 10:35

We have an induction hob on our island with a pop up extractor that extracts outside and acts as a splash back. It works really well and avoids the need for an extractor over the island which I really don't like.

I completely agree about not having a sink on an island though.

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