Hob on island? Or sink?

[allnewname]

Planning our new kitchen. Will have large rectangular island which looks out through sliding doors up the garden.
We’re considering having either hob ( with in built recirculating extractor thing) or sink on the island (or even both, but probably too squashed). Any other location of these two would be facing away from both the garden view and the social end of the room.
Can anyone share their do’s and don’ts on this? Which to choose?
Do those built-in extractors actually work? Thanks for any advice.

My hob is on the island and I love it. My sink faces a wall but I spend very little time at the sink because I put everything in the dishwasher.

I think having something functional on the island stops it becoming a clutter trap. I can see the benefit of a sink for prep but I just spend a lot more time cooking than washing.

I have a double butler sink in my island and no drainer. It means that stuff either goes straight in the dishwasher below or into the sink. The left one is used to wash in and the right is occasionally used to drain. Because it’s low down the island is always clear. The range is opposite the sink so everything is convenient and I can prep and wash up looking out at the garden

Neither for me @allnewname. We installed large islands in two out of three of our most recent kitchens and loved them just being big prep/eating spaces.

If I had to choose one, it would be the hob, but only if it was induction so gave a seamless surface. As we prefer cooking on a gas hob, that's unlikely to happen.

We’ve got a neff induction hob on the island and the sink behind it with no view. Works for us. It’s sociable and gives a big prep space.

things to think about, the ducting for the downdraft extractor, we were getting an extension built so it was east to duct it, but the longer the ducting the louder the fan is. Ours is quite loud.

I also wish we’d put a little pull out cupboard in the island for oil bottles and herbs etc that are used a lot.

but all in all it works well.

We have hob as we too had to have either sink or hob due to the size of the kitchen. I felt dirty plates around the sink would be worse on an island. We have an induction so doesn’t look too bad. We have plenty of island left for food preparation and seating at the opposite end to the hob. I love that can cook and chat with people set on the island also cook any face the table and chairs, and sofa.

Also team neither, sorry! It's so nice to have a big clear surface for cooking, hosting, laying out a buffet etc. we have a small kitchen but still managed to keep the peninsula clear (no space for a full island)

Please can you tell me the width of that worktop? Looks like standard 60cm units then 30cm extra worktop?
I'm trying to decide between that as a width, or 60cm units backed with 30cm units plus the 30cm overhang, but that feels huge! I like the proportions of yours.🙂

I would also be team neither. But if you could fit it in- I have friends with a small cupboard at end of island- just one jar/tin deep so they know exactly what's in the cupboard. I think it's fab- and will ask for one when I get our kitchen redone

Do you have small DC? We've just started planning a potential extension and our architect (who also has small DC) recommended we do sink instead of hob on island if they will be sitting across from it as then they are far less likely to lean over and accidentally burn themselves. I hadn't considered that point before but we thought it made sense.

I would always say a shin over a sink. In my house, an island with a sink would just get built up with dirty glasses and stuff during the day. Being on the island, vs on a run of cupboards means that the mess is far more prominent. But maybe that just because we are super messy people - perhaps you’re a clean as you go kind of family!

It is exactly 94cms in one solid piece.HTH ☺️

I wouldn't put either of them on the island. They should be out of sight and in some place where there can be an adjacent backsplash.

Your island will look like a massive mess if there are pots or soaking pans or any other signs of kitchen tasks on it.

If you use an induction hob then this is not an issue

We went for hob in the island, sink in the side run. DH really wanted a gas hob and he does the cooking so went for that. I really wanted an induction for cleaning and for clean lines, and if I was the chef I would go for that definitely. With teens we inevitably end up with dishes and glasses around the sink. Plus my wet teabag dish is there as well have a boiling water tap and have to wait for the teabags to cook before putting them in the food waste bin. Now also had DH’s fancy coffee machine.
Dh cooking facing the island makes it more sociable for everyone. We have a big island so food spitting around isn’t an issue.
We went for no extractor in the end - not officially recommends but the building control didn’t seem to care. I had looked into the ones that suck air down into the counter, and they seemed good. Just need to think about where the ducting will go to get outside.

I think you have to be incredibly honest with yourself about how you live eg

• do you like leaving the washing up to dry for ages
• does anyone dump dishes in the sink for someone else to find
• do you like like oil by the cooker but your partner likes all the knives

Personally I am team empty island means we can use as a buffet/cake location even for a meal seated at the table.

I thought having a sink on island would be a compromise, but I actually love it. Can chat to people while I wash up, and that bit behind the sink is always a bit manky but isn't at all when just quartz. Can't imagine just having a featureless island now. There's plenty of room for sitting at it too.

I have an induction hob and love it on the island. I have three young children and when cooking it’s great to be able to look out and see everything going on when cooking. A sink would look very cluttered all the time - even when I don’t have dishes to do there’s always things drying on the side. I’d say definitely not a sink but depending on your kitchen either nothing or a hob.

Don’t get a gas hob - an induction is much safer and looks far neater.

Neither if you can get away with it. If you have to put something on the island go for the hob

I have a hob on the island with a really good extraction unit and a really expensive standalone extractor on the wall. It can handle daily Indian cooking.

But isn’t what a serious cook wants. We have a gas hob on our island. DH does all the cooking, is good at it, and likes to talk to people when he’s cooking.

Hob

I have an induction hob and cook 3 multicourse meals from scratch and they work beautifully. Extraction units don’t work as well for gas hobs so there will come a time within 5-10 years that you’ll find yourself needing a repaint / kitchen replacement if you cook a lot.

I completely agree with this. I love a clear space on my island. When I have visitors I put all the food out on the island. This wouldn’t work with a sink or a hob there.

I’d have a sink simply because I wouldn’t want to be cooking where my small children are sitting.