Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Kitchen brand recommendations please

26 replies

Scottishgirl85 · 30/04/2022 17:47

We're fitting a new kitchen as part of extension work and wondering where on earth to start looking. It will be a large kitchen and our house will be worth about £1.3m after the work, so we're expecting decent spend on the kitchen. It's our forever home so intend to be here for several more decades! Any recommendations for lovely kitchen brands please?

OP posts:
AuntieDolly · 30/04/2022 17:54

I've got a Schmidt kitchen and it's lasted really well.

Scottishgirl85 · 30/04/2022 17:55

We're in Buckinghamshire in case anyone happens to know independent makers. Will likely be shaker style, big island, fairly standard. Thanks!

OP posts:
Scottishgirl85 · 30/04/2022 17:56

Thanks not heard of them, will look it up

OP posts:
DockOTheBay · 30/04/2022 17:56

I was going to recommend IKEA but maybe not for a 1.3million pound house...

Scottishgirl85 · 30/04/2022 18:01

We fitted an IKEA kitchen when we moved in 8.5 years ago and promised never to do it again. Most stressful experience ever, half boxes were missing/wrong items!

OP posts:
MarmiteCoriander · 30/04/2022 18:03

What is your budget for the kitchen? We are doing up an old property. I've read good things about German made kitchens- if there is one near you. We got quoted £60,000 from a local joiner to hand make one for us- South East, so having is made is obviously an option to. Also read good reviews from English Rose kitchens and Benchmarx. Mixed reviews for Howdens and bad reviews for wrens.

PicpoulDeMeNay · 30/04/2022 18:07

Bucks here too, and have just had my kitchen refitted by an independent fitter, who recommended Benchmarx (owned by Travis Perkins) - Benchmarx came in 25% cheaper for the same kitchen than howdens, and I’m really pleased with it!

The fitter had also put the same brand in his own house, so I decided that was a good factor.

CorsicaDreaming · 30/04/2022 20:43

We fitted Howdens Shaker style in our old house. Lived with it for 12 years. We were really pleased with it and it lasted very well.
The cabinets are very solid and strongly made.

Planning a kitchen renovation currently in new place, and planning on Howdens again.

Plantstrees · 30/04/2022 20:46

Martin Moore, Smallbone or Neptune all offer high quality kitchens. Not sure if any are local to you.

QueenMabby · 30/04/2022 20:48

Not me but a neighbour had one from here recently and was very happy.

www.tomhowley.co.uk/about-us/

Badger1970 · 30/04/2022 20:50

We splurged on a German design by Rational about 18 years ago. It's still as good as the day we put it in, but god I'm sick of looking at it. It may take another 18 years to start falling apart........... we got it through a local independent designer and employed a local fitter.

www.rationalgb.com/kitchen-ranges/

MsShopper · 01/05/2022 00:38

Olive & Barr do lovely in-frame shaker kitchens.

GoldenMalicious · 01/05/2022 00:55

We have a Stoneham kitchen that we’re very happy with. If you have a dealer nearby I’d suggest you take a look.

Justtoshare · 01/05/2022 01:21

I really like my German Haecker kitchen with silestone worktops. Might be worth a look if you have a dealer in your locality. They did have a shaker option when I last looked.

Justtoshare · 01/05/2022 01:24

www.haecker-kuechen.com/en/kitchens

SoosanCarter · 01/05/2022 01:54

Burbidge kitchens have their HQ in Coventry. Very pleased with mine.

Scottishgirl85 · 01/05/2022 08:36

Thanks so much everyone, lots of suggestions to research.
Anyone used devol?

OP posts:
NewHouseNewMe · 01/05/2022 19:04

We are pondering the same q. Many people here use DIY kitchens here but you need to have your own fitter/painter and be confident in designing and measuring. I don’t know if I can take the stress of it! Where I live it’s hard to get fitters and my builder says that most builders aren’t good at fitting kitchens (full marks for honesty!) so I’d rather a single company to manage the whole thing.

I considered Tom Howley but heard they’re £££. Would anyone here share their quote and size of kitchen?

I’ve had a £££ quote from John Lewis of Hungerford but when I’ve thought about their excellent design, they’ve got the dimensions all wrong but they don’t give you a copy until you commit. It sounds like I’d be in for a surprise forced redesign once committed. The doors are a veneer too, not wood.

Devol did a much less fancy 2D initial design which we got to keep but it actually would fit unlike JL of H! It was also cheaper although still ££ - the fitting is expensive if you use theirs. Wood doors which felt substantial.

I looked at a local guy who had the same price as Devol for wood doors and dovetail wood drawers.

John Lewis - Longest lead items but good value. Again a veneer type door or if you upgrade, a wood frame with a veneer centrepiece. The drawers are metal though so you don’t get the dovetail finish.

I haven’t explored Howdens etc as they have the same metal type drawers as JL, Ikea etc. They look good though and they’re good value for money.

How big is your kitchen or run of cabinets?

jaundicedoutlook · 01/05/2022 21:46

I’d second the Stoneham suggestion - we had one last year in the handleless style and really like it, but they also do more traditional styles if that’s your thing. For a decent sized kitchen they start at around £40k and upwards.

Africa2go · 01/05/2022 22:11

DeVol is beautiful, friend has DeVol in a £1m + house and it is gorgeous. Absolutely stunning and they're over the moon with it. Also relative with Tom Howley, also lovely but it's 4yrs old but having a few issues with it now and TH not being particularly helpful.

MarieG10 · 02/05/2022 07:59

There are a lot of multi million pound houses around us, and a lot have used www.diykitchens.com. Despite their low price, the quality is excellent. Pay separately for a designer if you wish

NightmareSlashDelightful · 02/05/2022 08:05

The fancy holiday cottage we go to has a Newcastle Furniture Company kitchen. I always get kitchen envy whenever we go! It must be 10 years old now but it still looks good and seems to wear well. Their stuff is very trad style but I think handmade.

croon979 · 02/05/2022 09:13

On DeVoL kitchens there is a fab programme called “For the Love of Kitchens” which I became obsessed with. Beautiful kitchens. I found them on Discovery + but you can probably find episodes on YouTube which tells you what they are all about.

I am also looking at a new kitchen for my house - same value as yours. I am looking at Mereway and Sheraton at the moment - so there are a couple of others to throw into the mix. They do lovely wooden traditional shaker kitchens which is what I am looking at. They do more modern kitchen too if that is your vibe.

DeskInUse · 02/05/2022 09:29

It's less about the kitchen and more about the fitting. You could buy a b&q kitchen but get a really good fitter and it will look outstanding. Expensive kitchen with a
Shit installer, it'll look shit! As for wear and tear, I've had a b&q kitchen and a wren kitchen, they both lasted, and wore the same. I'd get b&q again over wren and save the money, spend it on a good quality worktop

coolmum123 · 02/05/2022 09:58

Hi,

There is Kitchen Art near Beaconsfield. They do lovely kitchens. My one in my old house was a Hacker kitchen installed by NJC kitchens in Ealing. They were lovely to deal with, great advice and very efficient. When I come to do my kitchen in my new place those 2 will be top of my list to approach.