Hiding plug sockets under kitchen cabinet

[ChillinwiththeVillains]

Is there any clever way of doing this? I want no plug sockets in splashback and want to avoid pop up sockets. It will be for occasional use (rice cooker, slow cooker, stand mixer). Any ideas very grateful received as my electrician tells me they will stick out really low and look awful. Thank you

Is there space for an appliance garage? Where you have a nook where you keep the electrical gadgets and sockets and have a sleek door which slides to cover the whole thing.

You could get these recess ones just as deep as worktop fit flush in worktop don’t affect cabinet underneath like pop up ones do

under cabinet one do look shit

Get the socket outlets in a colour that matches your splashback?

I will have appliance garage and the toaster will be in there (on a pull out tray) and built in microwave. Hot water tap. Really really don't want sockets in splash back. Wondering about hidden floor in wall cabinets. Sparky is a bit eeyore and just tells me nothing possible. Which might be true but he has accepted solutions I've suggested for other things. Just need to work out if there is a fix.
Counter will be granite so keen not to chop that up, splash back commissioned glass so want that to stay intact. Having wooden cabinets built in so might see if carpenter can think of any clever tricks. Otherwise maybe side of cupboards thin that's not ideal. Have watched YouTube videos but they seem to be to American standards which seem less prescriptive (safe?)

There are various regulations about positioning and heights of sockets for safety reasons, building regs especially in wet areas like kitchens so if the sparky is saying it isn't possible he may be right. I think I've seen sockets hidden on the underside of high cupboards before, would that work?

Something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HANNELORE-Recessed-Socket-Aluminum-Worktop-Silver/dp/B0BRSZ6SCM/ref=asc_df_B0BRSZ6SCM/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=641737618217&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2712071588241914613&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9044910&hvtargid=pla-2194240780289&psc=1&mcid=e3603e681e85357fb24080a18133619a

Just put them inside the cabinet? That’s where mine are. I have to open the door to use the socket but it’s not a problem.

We have sockets fitted on the side of our island, as I didn't want pop up ones. You could do the same if you have an end unit you could fit them to? We got them in black as kitchen is a kind of dark olive green colour.

Ah so inside cabinet or side of units probably the solution if it's infrequent. Good point about regs - I think it was more that he said it would look awful. And he just kept telling me that no one does it. We've emphasised being keen to get it right as our existing inherited kitchen wiring is currently on a wing and a prayer. So I want to make sure it's not dodgy. But good looks also on the agenda.

Quick question, why is everyone so keen to avoid pop ups. We’re just finalising out kitchen design and we’re going to put these in. Is there a problem with them we haven’t thought of?

Imagine this. Appliance full of hot water (kettle etc).

Dangling cable that goes into plug underneath worktop inside cabinet.

Toddler comes along and starts pulling cable.

What is going to happen ?

That is one of the reasons people probably don't normally do it.

That and accessibility. Sockets need to be accessible.

Oh and plus worktop appliance cables don't tend to be that long.

@Aposterhasnoname I've heard lots of tales of them failing and or having stuff spilt on them and mechanism failing that way. For me it's just trying to minimise anything that will get grubby. So trying to streamline as much as possible and keep everything inside (or at a pinch underneath) cabinets and cupboards. We'll have a charging cabinet, appliance garage and a hot water tap in desperate quest to keep things clear. Even under plinth drawers. Trying to max on storage. Good luck with planning your kitchen. I feel like I am constantly running through mental checklist! Don't want to forget something critical.

Well you don’t leave your appliances unattended or the doors open. The sockets inside cupboards are not for permanent items like kettles. They’re for things you’re actually getting out specifically to use, like a hand blender. Then you unplug them and put them away.

In fact some of my appliances (kettle and toaster) plug in inside the cupboard and just stay in there, you close the door on them.

I do also have a pop up socket on the other side of the kitchen. It’s been 7 years and it hasn’t broken or got dirty.

That's stupid because of the lack of ventilation and increased fire risk.

It's likely that using hot appliances in enclosed spaces will cause damage to the cupboard surfaces as well, either by the increased heat, or by condensation.

Plus if you leave the toast in too long or it burns it will stink the cupboard out and it will be hard to get rid of the smell.

There is a reason most people don't run appliances in cupboards. And a reason why most manufacturers do not recommend running them in enclosed spaces.

That’s literally what it’s designed for 🙄

My cupboard is lined with granite to make it heat proof. The coffee machine is built in. The kettle and toaster are plugged in. You use them inside the cupboard with the door open. When they’re cool you close the door to hide them.

Have you honestly never seen an appliance cupboard before?

It's designed by an idiot then.

You don't put heat generating electrical appliances in cupboards.

Just google the manuals on the internet.

Here is one for a toaster.

Note. Page 1. Never use the appliance below wall cupboards or shelves.

Friends have toasters on a pull out tray in their cupboard- like this one from ikea www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/komplement-pull-out-tray-white-30246374/.
So not enclosed when toaster is on .
But tucked away afterwards.
Microwave is designed to be built in and again door will be open when functioning.
Didn't know about lining cupboard with granite. Will talk to builder about that. We will likely have spare off cuts.

Why not reduce the height of the splash back by 9cm and tuck the sockets up tight to the cupboards above? Seems infinitely more practical than hiding them in cupboards, leaning down to use them on the ends of the island etc. A kitchen must be practical and safe. It’s a work zone.

Hmm will talk to electrician about this. I think I can continue splash back to full height as they will be cabinet mounted. It's just if they stick out horribly.
Oh or do you mean have them wall mounted but above splashbacks and tight to base of wall mounted cabinet. That might look neater. I will search google images. Thank you for the suggestion.

I have pop ups midway on a 1300 deep island. Would not use them for a kettle but food mixer, blender and laptop charging etc - they work well.

Never use a toaster in a cupboard! You really should pull it out to have air above it for safety. By all means keep it in an alliance cupboard. Just don’t turn it on whilst in the cupboard.

You don’t have sockets in a sink splash back. Splash being the important word here. I think suckets must be 600 mm from sink.

We have a short granite upstand then sockets above that and no wall tiling. So easy to install sockets . You don’t want them high up as leads can be short. You don’t want them too low or thick end of cable at the plug end won’t fit over the upstand. Around 49-50mm above upstand is ok.

You can get a charging drawer for phones etc. I have toaster and radio plugged in all the time on the work top. Fan when it’s hot. Kettle replaced by boiling tap. Coffee machine is built in. So I don’t have many trailing leads and all other appliances are in cupboards until I use them. Not keen on clutter so we don’t keep much in work surface. The toaster reality could be put away!

Second option. Splash back from worksurface to 9cm below cupboards, then the sockets, then the cupboard.
The back boxes need to be chased into the brickwork anyway, and you can get slimmer back boxes. The faceplates will/can be practically flush with the face of the splash back.
You can get coloured face plates and/or different designs.

Thank you. Will take a look at nice coloured switch plates. Mumsnet app playing up (again) so only just seen your response. Appreciate it.

We have light switches fixed the the underside of our wall cabinets so I can’t see why that is not possible to do for power sockets. Perhaps it depends also on the design on the cabinets as we have shaker with trimmings so perhaps that hides it better than a more modern sleek design…
good luck !

What is wrong with having sockets in standard places? Many kitchen pictures show toasters sitting in front of unseen sockets - but they are there! There are few pictures that show sockets and many are hidden with storage jars and staged out of the pictures. If they are too high, they are obvious.