Redesigning a kitchen- any tips?

Muahahaha · 12-07-2019 5:23pm #1

Currently trying to redesign a kitchen and wondering if posters who have done likewise and have any tips or advice. Especially about modern kitchens and their features- are there features that really appeal and others that annoy you? Storage space that is difficult or easy to access ingredients? Sister of mine hates having her bins inside a drawer whereas other people I know much prefer it to a free standing bin.

Also any tips/advice on new technologies welcome, especially pyrolytic (self cleaning) ovens- do they work well? Island extraction via down draft extractors that rise up out of the counter top- do they get rid of smoke efficiently enough?

MightyMunster · 12-07-2019 8:56pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Currently trying to redesign a kitchen and wondering if posters who have done likewise and have any tips or advice. Especially about modern kitchens and their features- are there features that really appeal and others that annoy you? Storage space that is difficult or easy to access ingredients? Sister of mine hates having her bins inside a drawer whereas other people I know much prefer it to a free standing bin.

Also any tips/advice on new technologies welcome, especially pyrolytic (self cleaning) ovens- do they work well? Island extraction via down draft extractors that rise up out of the counter top- do they get rid of smoke efficiently enough?

Bins in drawer are great, self cleaning ovens are fantastic. There weren't fully pyrolytic double ovens a few years ago so got 2 single ovens.
all drawers below counter level, wider units are cheaper as less hinges, drawer runners etc.
Draw out what's going in each unit before finalizing the plan
A downdraft will take up cupboard space, you can get ceiling island extractors, cost was around 1200 I think but happy with it

Muahahaha · 13-07-2019 10:15am

Thanks for the tips MightyMunster. I had looked at island cooker hoods but as its a small kitchen it would dominate the space. Hopefully going with a downdraft as I like that they are hidden away when not in use, I know they take up a bit of cupboard space but the carpenter says he can work around it. They've also come down in price a lot, last year most were €1000+ but now there is one on the market for c€400. But I'd love to hear feedback from someone who has one, my main worry would be they struggle to clear a smokey kitchen after using something like a wok.

Regarding your self cleaning oven- how exactly do they work, I think they heat up to really high temps like 450c+ and burn any food gunk to ash? Wondering can you use it to cook up to 450c+ for stuff like pizzas, that would be a handy side benefit.

Staph · 14-07-2019 3:24pm

1. Regarding appliances, go for standard sizes -especially if having built in. You don't want to have to replace the fridge in a few years and have limited options for a replacement as only a few fit.
2. Think of where you will place your kettle, toaster, slow cooker, food processor, etc. now. This will aid in planning where you need sockets and suitable counter space for use.
3. Try have storage near where you will use your bulkier items. If you are not keeping your food processor on the counter, store it near where it will be used.
4. Same goes for dishes, store near dishwasher/sink so you won't be walking all over the kitchen to put everything away.

MightyMunster · 15-07-2019 6:42am

For the self cleaning oven, it only cooks up to 300. You remove all the racks and run the cleaning cycle. Wipe it out afterwards to remove the ash. Wouldn't be without it.

The island fans are built into the ceiling so don't take up and space in the room , check out Falmec for examples.

heebusjeebus · 15-07-2019 6:50am

I came to the realisation yesterday that he dishwasher is he most used appliance in our kitchen. If I was designing the kitchen again, I'd have it up a bit higher to save me the back ache.

the beer revolu · 15-07-2019 10:28am

Built in, eye level oven/s.
While stoves look lovely, you don't want to be bending down every time to the oven.

TheShow · 15-07-2019 10:33am

definitely pyrolytic oven. At the press of a button, you'll never have to physically clean an oven again.

Muahahaha · 15-07-2019 1:33pm

MightyMunster wrote: »

The island fans are built into the ceiling so don't take up and space in the room , check out Falmec for examples.

Yeah I had looked into getting it placed in the ceiling but as its a retrofit the direction joists wont allow for this. How do you find the fan you have anyway? From years of rentals with under powered fans I always ended up with smokey kitchens, especially when cooking steaks or on the wok. So dont want to repeat that problem here

TheShow wrote: »

definitely pyrolytic oven. At the press of a button, you'll never have to physically clean an oven again.

I think Im sold on these pyrolytic ovens. Even though I dont use my oven that much (around once a week, Airfryer does everything else) the idea of not having to scrub them out definitely appeals. Oven cleaning is such a pain so something that solves the problem sounds great.

Has anyone installed a hot water tap like Quooker or similar and how do they find them

MightyMunster · 15-07-2019 1:44pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah I had looked into getting it placed in the ceiling but as its a retrofit the direction joists wont allow for this. How do you find the fan you have anyway? From years of rentals with under powered fans I always ended up with smokey kitchens, especially when cooking steaks or on the wok. So dont want to repeat that problem here

I think Im sold on these pyrolytic ovens. Even though I dont use my oven that much (around once a week, Airfryer does everything else) the idea of not having to scrub them out definitely appeals. Oven cleaning is such a pain so something that solves the problem sounds great.

Has anyone installed a hot water tap like Quooker or similar and how do they find them

Depending on where the hob is you could have a false ceiling with the extractor pipe in it. Plenty of examples on Houzz etc.. works well, It has a serious motor in it and a 6inch pipe!

Eye level ovens are also great.

Tall larder units with drawers hold a huge amount and are very user friendly.

Muahahaha · 15-07-2019 1:51pm

Actually hadnt thought of a false ceiling, will look into that. How do you find your fan working if the kitchen is very smokey from wok or high temperature cooking- does it clear smoke and odours pretty quick or take a bit of time? Ive never used any of the more modern units and have always had problems before with extractors just not being up to the job. Im also knocking a wall to create an open plan layout so its important that the fan is good enough to prevent kitchen smells and smoke infesting the living area

unhappyBB · 15-07-2019 3:05pm

Something I thought about but don't know if they even exist. An extractor where the fan/motor is mounted outside the house to make the kitchen quieter. I know the reason I never use mine is the insane amount of noise they create.

Marcusm · 17-07-2019 9:22pm

Hate the idea of bins in a drawer. I prefer free standing bins of the old garbage can style where you have to lift the lid. This leaves a nice open gap to put things through. The number of Brabantia style pop up bins I see with stains etc irks me. I use an open plastic laundry basket for recyclables as it can easily be moved.

I have pyrolytic cleaning ovens and they are fantastic (although there is an understandable smell when they are cleaning). I am an advocate of buying two single ovens with internal grills. Much better than double ovens. Mine were low end Bosch ones which were about 450 3 years ago.

I have a wide induction job. Have had induction since 2005 with a 2 year break in a rental with a ceramic and gas job. So glad I am back to induction.

I’m tall (6’5”) so I had kitchen cabinets made approx 6 inches taller than normal ones. The countertops are higher which make food prep much easier for me. Other family members of as little as 5’5” have no problem using the same counter height. The extra space allowed for extra drawers/storage space. I only have drawers under the countertops, no shelves or cupboards. What you lose in total storage space you more than make up in usable storage space. No crawling on the floor to get into the back of cupboards.

Finally, and most importantly, a pantry press, full height in a corner (lots of deep storage) with simple shelves. I would say it provides the storage of 10 or more standard cabinets. Plus it looks good.

Rows Grower · 17-07-2019 9:43pm

I don't know what type of worktop you have in mind but if you are using a laminate one then I would recommend that you have the fitter mitre where the two lengths of top meet in the corner instead of using one of those trims that are both a germ trap and an eyesore.

MightyMunster · 17-07-2019 9:49pm

unhappyBB wrote: »

Something I thought about but don't know if they even exist. An extractor where the fan/motor is mounted outside the house to make the kitchen quieter. I know the reason I never use mine is the insane amount of noise they create.

Yes these are available for ceiling fand

HeidiHeidi · 17-07-2019 9:52pm

Drawers below counter top all the way.

Think of the number of sockets you might need, then double it.

If you have a corner cupboard(s), look for carousel interiors or some other design that means you won't lose stuff to the back of that corner until the house is being cleared after your death.

There are dishwashers with drawers, and ones with lifting trays, so your back isn't broken emptying the thing. I really wish I had one.

Small bins in drawers x 3, each of which get regularly decanted out into the big bins outside, saves on stinky smells.

namenotavailablE · 17-07-2019 9:59pm

Carousel storage units in corners-great for ensuring access to EVERYTHING in the unit.

Somewhat gimmicky but we also had 'pop up sockets' installed in our worktops- keeps a wall socket-free if you want to have a minimalist look. They typically have 2-3 sockets per unit.

Pull out larder drawer units- huge storage capacity.

Muahahaha · 17-07-2019 10:21pm

Marcusm wrote: »

Hate the idea of bins in a drawer. I prefer free standing bins of the old garbage can style where you have to lift the lid. This leaves a nice open gap to put things through. The number of Brabantia style pop up bins I see with stains etc irks me. I use an open plastic laundry basket for recyclables as it can easily be moved.

I have pyrolytic cleaning ovens and they are fantastic (although there is an understandable smell when they are cleaning). I am an advocate of buying two single ovens with internal grills. Much better than double ovens. Mine were low end Bosch ones which were about 450 3 years ago.

I have a wide induction job. Have had induction since 2005 with a 2 year break in a rental with a ceramic and gas job. So glad I am back to induction.

I’m tall (6’5”) so I had kitchen cabinets made approx 6 inches taller than normal ones. The countertops are higher which make food prep much easier for me. Other family members of as little as 5’5” have no problem using the same counter height. The extra space allowed for extra drawers/storage space. I only have drawers under the countertops, no shelves or cupboards. What you lose in total storage space you more than make up in usable storage space. No crawling on the floor to get into the back of cupboards.

Finally, and most importantly, a pantry press, full height in a corner (lots of deep storage) with simple shelves. I would say it provides the storage of 10 or more standard cabinets. Plus it looks good.

You've almost read my mind with this post. Have been skeptical with bins in a drawer as I just think a free standing bin is more convenient. Also with the benches, Im tall myself and find the standard 80cm benches give me a pain in the back from leaning over when prepping. So will definitely get higher cabinets than the norm. And the pantry press is essential, Im limited in space but hoping to have a narrow tall one with about 6 or 8 shelves that slides outwards for easy access to ingredients.

Can I ask why you prefer induction over gas? Thinking of going induction myself but do like how gas is easily controllable.

rubadub · 18-07-2019 4:47pm

heebusjeebus wrote: »

I came to the realisation yesterday that he dishwasher is he most used appliance in our kitchen. If I was designing the kitchen again, I'd have it up a bit higher to save me the back ache.

I heard the idea of 2 dishwashers, marked clean & dirty with removable signs. So they are never emptied in 1 go, you take from the clean one as though its a cupboard, and then put the used stuff in the dirty one. Then wash the dirty one when full and switch signs.

Your "clean" one might not have been emptied out fully when you start loading it with dirty stuff.

dudara · 18-07-2019 4:58pm

Keep gadgets/gimmicks such as carousels, lifting hinges, pop-up sockets etc to a minimum. They can look great, but in my experience are breakages waiting to happen. And then you’re left with a space designed for something that’s broken. Don’t use drawers for storage of heavy items. I don’t like bins inside of cupboards. It’s the old adage of KISS for me.

Think about how you use the kitchen, then design storage around that flow of movement. A big pantry clipboard is something that I’ve wanted for a while and the more I’ve thought about it, the more I’m convinced it’ll be one of my next investments.

Oh, and you’ll never had enough power outlets. Think about where you want lighting when you’re prepping and cooking food.

I’m also short, only clearing 5 foot, so I actually like low down storage, I can’t reach high shelves or to the back of shelves. For me, when we redo our kitchen, everything will have to be easily viewable from eye level.

Toto Wolfcastle · 18-07-2019 5:00pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Can I ask why you prefer induction over gas? Thinking of going induction myself but do like how gas is easily controllable.

We changed from gas to induction recently and one of the things I love about it is the precise control when compared to gas. It was one of the benefits that people mentioned to us when we were making the decision and it's actually even better than I expected.

Alun · 18-07-2019 5:03pm

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

We changed from gas to induction recently and one of the things I love about it is the precise control when compared to gas. It was one of the benefits that people mentioned to us when we were making the decision and it's actually even better than I expected.

I agree, all the controllability of gas but much easier to clean plus other advantages like timers and flexible cooking zones. Even some professional chefs are now using induction hobs in their kitchens.

L1011 · 19-07-2019 6:59am

If you cook using a wok frequently, or don't want to have to potentially replace some other cookware; avoid induction.

A wok is in the air a lot of the time not in contact, it won't (can't) be getting any heat at all from induction during that time.

Suspect there'll be a push to get people off using gas for emissions reasons soon enough so if that's your concern, induction all the way

There are Michelin starred chefs working entirely off induction now, and I suspect it makes the kitchen a slightly less hot working environment

19-07-2019 7:51am

A big sink, large enough to fit your biggest roasting pan fully under the water. Larder presses too.

blindside88 · 19-07-2019 8:06am

We’ve just had a new kitchen fitted last week. I’ll echo what has been said a couple of times.

1. Deep pot drawers under counter level. We have one beside the dishwasher and it’s a peg drawer for taking crockery. Best decision we made, dishwasher unloaded in seconds into it.
2. Large larder press with pull out drawers takes a massive amount of usable storage
3. Ovens at eye level save all the bending down when cooking
4. Carousel or similar unit in corner press to avoid items being pushed to the back and never seen again

Best of luck with your new kitchen

looksee · 19-07-2019 8:27am

Deep drawers + a shallow one on top for cutlery etc instead of presses. Throw out the space-wasting moulded liner that comes in cutlery drawers and buy a couple of the big useful ones from Tesco for 2 or 3 euro.

A large, 30cm deep press, about 120cm wide with two doors and as tall as practical - 6 - 7 ft. Bottom shelf high enough to take cereal boxes and tall bottles. Brilliant as a larder press, you will never lose anything at the back out of reach again, and can be placed in a shallow corner, say beside a doorway.

I had a pull out larder press beside the corner where the electric kettle stood, everyday mugs, tea, coffee, etc all to hand when the larder was pulled out, and pushed away out of sight between-whiles.

If the kitchen is narrowish have facing rows of presses but don't fill in the bottom of the U. It makes two corners inaccessible - if you have a mobile chopping block or press just standing between them it is easy to move it out of the way to access the presses/drawers on the side walls.

Integrated equipment is mostly not worth it. Not too long before free-standing equipment comes back into sleek modern kitchens, it makes so much more sense. Integrated stuff wastes so much space - dishwashers and fridges are much smaller than freestanding.

Consider vinyl flooring, dropped things have a passing chance of bouncing that they don't have on a tiled floor, its warmer and easier on the feet.

the beer revolu · 19-07-2019 8:48am

Disguise your appliances as cupboards and disguise your cupboards as appliances.
Oh the laughs you'll have with visitors!

greenttc · 20-07-2019 2:03pm

i would have said everything that blindside said. I love my drawers with pegs for crockery and couldnt live without my eye level double oven. love my whirly corner cupboard thingy (to use a technical term)

maybe I am behind the times etc but when I was getting our kitchen redone I looked at my old kitchen and wondered what the story was with all that space in between the top of the cupboards and the ceiling, such a waste. so, I asked for my cupboards to be full height, right up to the ceiling. great for storing stuff that you never really use but want to keep. (i have my grandmothers old crockery and glassware like champagne flutes and my special mulled wine glasses that get used once a year up there). maybe this cupboard height is standard now but I can get my head around why all cupboards dont do this.

really wish i got a self cleaning oven now. just thought to myself that I was paying extra for something that the guy in the shop told me tended to break alot. next time...

Gloomtastic! · 20-07-2019 2:15pm

greenttc wrote: »

i would have said everything that blindside said. I love my drawers with pegs for crockery and couldnt live without my eye level double oven. love my whirly corner cupboard thingy (to use a technical term)

maybe I am behind the times etc but when I was getting our kitchen redone I looked at my old kitchen and wondered what the story was with all that space in between the top of the cupboards and the ceiling, such a waste. so, I asked for my cupboards to be full height, right up to the ceiling. great for storing stuff that you never really use but want to keep. (i have my grandmothers old crockery and glassware like champagne flutes and my special mulled wine glasses that get used once a year up there). maybe this cupboard height is standard now but I can get my head around why all cupboards dont do this.

really wish i got a self cleaning oven now. just thought to myself that I was paying extra for something that the guy in the shop told me tended to break alot. next time...

Anything we store on top of our cupboards gets covered in a dusty/greasy residue so needs to be cleaned before it’s used. Good idea!

mikeymouse · 20-07-2019 2:28pm

Two dishwashers, if you have the space!

Ectoplasm · 20-07-2019 2:32pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Currently trying to redesign a kitchen and wondering if posters who have done likewise and have any tips or advice. Especially about modern kitchens and their features- are there features that really appeal and others that annoy you? Storage space that is difficult or easy to access ingredients? Sister of mine hates having her bins inside a drawer whereas other people I know much prefer it to a free standing bin.

Also any tips/advice on new technologies welcome, especially pyrolytic (self cleaning) ovens- do they work well? Island extraction via down draft extractors that rise up out of the counter top- do they get rid of smoke efficiently enough?

I've had a pyro oven for years and don't know how people cope without them. Turn it on, leave it, come back, give it a wipe and it's done.

If you want to make sure your extractor fan works, you need to measure the volume in your kitchen. All hoods should come with information about their extraction rates. For example this:

Speed 1 2 3 INT
Air m3/h 415 480 540 600
Noise dB(A) 62 64 68 70

If you measure your kitchen volume [Length (m) x Width (m) x Height (m) = Volume (m3)] and then multiply that answer by 10, that will give you the required capacity for your kitchen.

So if your kitchen was 4m long by 3m wide by 3m high, the capacity of your kitchen would be 360 which means that, based on the numbers in the table, that cooker hood would be effective at every speed for your size kitchen. HTH

Muahahaha · 22-07-2019 4:20pm

L1011 wrote: »

If you cook using a wok frequently, or don't want to have to potentially replace some other cookware; avoid induction.

A wok is in the air a lot of the time not in contact, it won't (can't) be getting any heat at all from induction during that time.

Yeah wok cooking is a problem on induction but I think I'll still go for induction and just do more stirring than flipping. I only use a wok about once a fortnight so its not a major compromise

Ectoplasm wrote: »

If you want to make sure your extractor fan works, you need to measure the volume in your kitchen. All hoods should come with information about their extraction rates. For example this:

Speed 1 2 3 INT
Air m3/h 415 480 540 600
Noise dB(A) 62 64 68 70

Thanks for the tip on extractors. I think I might be overthinking it having come from lots of rentals where the fans were ancient and usually clogged with grease. The fan in my kitchen now is about 10 yrs old and even at full tilt and a new fliter I put in it is still next to useless and leaves odours behind. But from research modern extractors are a lot more powerful so hoping this problem gets resolved, especially as Im knocking a wall to go open plan so really want to prevent the entire room stinking of food odours.

seannash · 22-07-2019 4:38pm

newbie85 wrote: »

A big sink, large enough to fit your biggest roasting pan fully under the water. Larder presses too.

This! I hate washing a frying pan and having to tilt it to clean it. Always causes a mess.
Currently designing a kitchen. My first thing was no upper cabinets. They just make the space more closed in than is necessary.
Someone mentioned pop up sockets, very gimmicky. I've opted to put the sockets into the riser. The riser is the same wood as the countertop so it should look better than plugs mounted on the wall.
Drawers instead of cupboards for the most part however have a large cupboard for pots which you can hang on hooks. Much easier than trying to stack them.

Zaph · 22-07-2019 7:17pm

seannash wrote: »

Someone mentioned pop up sockets, very gimmicky. I've opted to put the sockets into the riser. The riser is the same wood as the countertop so it should look better than plugs mounted on the wall.

If you're doing this just remember that a lot of appliances have quite inflexible molding where the cable meets the plug, so you don't want to get caught out with sockets that won't take the plugs of some of the appliances you planned to use there. In this case you may have no option but to go with at least some wall sockets.

And just to reiterate what was mentioned above about the sink, go as big as you need for your biggest baking tray/roasting dish, and include a half sink too if you can. My wife wasn't convinced when we were choosing a sink that either a big one or a half sink was absolutely necessary, but she was quickly converted when she started using them.

seannash · 22-07-2019 7:29pm

Zaph wrote: »

If you're doing this just remember that a lot of appliances have quite inflexible molding where the cable meets the plug, so you don't want to get caught out with sockets that won't take the plugs of some of the appliances you planned to use there. In this case you may have no option but to go with at least some wall sockets.

And just to reiterate what was mentioned above about the sink, go as big as you need for your biggest baking tray/roasting dish, and include a half sink too if you can. My wife wasn't convinced when we were choosing a sink that either a big one or a half sink was absolutely necessary, but she was quickly converted when she started using them.

Yeah we're leaving room for that alright.

lawred2 · 22-07-2019 7:31pm

blindside88 wrote: »

We’ve just had a new kitchen fitted last week. I’ll echo what has been said a couple of times.

1. Deep pot drawers under counter level. We have one beside the dishwasher and it’s a peg drawer for taking crockery. Best decision we made, dishwasher unloaded in seconds into it.
2. Large larder press with pull out drawers takes a massive amount of usable storage
3. Ovens at eye level save all the bending down when cooking
4. Carousel or similar unit in corner press to avoid items being pushed to the back and never seen again

Best of luck with your new kitchen

What's a peg drawer?

seannash · 22-07-2019 7:50pm

lawred2 wrote: »

What's a peg drawer?

I'm wondering what the advantage is. If the plates fit with the pegs there won't they fit without the pegs. I'm assuming all the plates stack as normal also.

meeeeh · 22-07-2019 8:09pm

seannash wrote: »

I'm wondering what the advantage is. If the plates fit with the pegs there won't they fit without the pegs. I'm assuming all the plates stack as normal also.

Pegs are supposed to keep them in place. We have them but I'm not sure pegs were ever needed to prevent plates crashing into each other.

Anyway insinkerator is what I wouldn't be without. It just makes food prep and cleaning so much easier. In general I think you have to adapt kitchen to your needs. If you like cooking easy access beats streamlined look. If you like everything clean looking then you need plenty of presses for appliances. I like pull out baskets for pantry press because I 'm known to just stuff things in and I need good access to see what I have.

Muahahaha · 23-07-2019 12:52pm

Zaph wrote: »

And just to reiterate what was mentioned above about the sink, go as big as you need for your biggest baking tray/roasting dish, and include a half sink too if you can. My wife wasn't convinced when we were choosing a sink that either a big one or a half sink was absolutely necessary, but she was quickly converted when she started using them.

Zaph what do you use the half sink for, mainly handwashing and the other for dishes?

seannash wrote: »

Currently designing a kitchen. My first thing was no upper cabinets. They just make the space more closed in than is necessary.board for pots which you can hang on hooks. Much easier than trying to stack them.

Yeah Im going with 2 x 2.5m long open wooden floating shelves above the countertop to hold things like plates, cups, glasses and the odd appliance that doesnt get used every day like a stand mixer. Will also be a good spot for growing herbs as one end of the shelving is close to a window. Like yourself I think open shelves give a better feeling of space and much better access than opening/ closing high presses to get stuff . The hobs will be on the opposite side of the kitchen from the open shelves so (hopefully) there will be no issues of grease getting on plates, cups, etc. The wall the shelves are on will be a kind of feature wall in that I'm tiling it with brick slip tiles and then putting a led lightstrip under the shelves to shine upon the brick tiles at night time.

On sinks- can anyone think of a bad reason for not going with a draining board? Im short on space and feel a draining board takes up a fair bit of space for little overall benefit when 90% of stuff goes through the dishwasher. It would mean drying stuff like chopping boards/pots/pans after washing rather than drip dry but I think thats a small inconvenience in exchange for gaining more counter space. Thoughts?

blindside88 · 23-07-2019 1:39pm

lawred2 wrote: »

What's a peg drawer?

See pic attached, the pegs can be placed where ever you want to stop plates and bowls sliding around. The pegs themselves may not be necessary to stop this but I find them handy

meeeeh · 23-07-2019 1:43pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Zaph what do you use the half sink for, mainly handwashing and the other for dishes?

If you have soapy water in main sink you can pour remains of the tea or coffee into other sink. Single sink very impractical for me. We actually have sink with half sink on wall side used for washing and single sink on the island besides dishwasher with before mentioned insinkerator attachment. That one is used for food prep and scraping food remains off dishes before they go into dishwasher. but we were not stuck for kitchen space.

Also invest in a good kitchen tap (pull out or similar and spray nozzle). They save you a lot of hassle.

What kind of a work top are you going for. If it's stone or reconstituted stone they can grind a few groves into the area beside sink and you can avoid draining board. Also Joseph and Joseph do cool enough draining rack that can be put away when not needed.

greenttc · 23-07-2019 1:53pm

actually, i second the waste disposal unit, dont know why i didn't think of it originally, i could never ever live without one now, soooooo handy for food prep, just throw everything in. except for things like banana skins and celery and also stones like avocado and mango stones. everything else is gone within seconds. I was slightly hesitant about drain blockages but have not had any problems in five years so i know believe that it really does pulverize stuff to a small enough consistency. have to say though we dont put any significant amount of animal waste or fats or grease in it, mainly fruit and veg peelings etc.

Muahahaha · 23-07-2019 1:55pm

Thanks meeeh, that explains it well.

On the Insinkerator- would you say that having one of these eliminates completely the need for a brown food waste bin in the kitchen? My main waste is stuff like coffee grinds, fruit and veg peels. The idea of putting chicken bones down the sink plug hole sounds bizarre to me but is it up to the task like they claim? If so I think thats a bit of a game changer as it negates the need for a stinky brown food waste bin in the kitchen that has to be emptied out regularly even if there is not much in it.

meeeeh · 23-07-2019 2:00pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Thanks meeeh, that explains it well.

On the Insinkerator- would you say that having one of these eliminates completely the need for a brown food waste bin in the kitchen? My main waste is stuff like coffee grinds, fruit and veg peels. The idea of putting chicken bones down the sink plug hole sounds bizarre to me but is it up to the task like they claim? If so I think thats a bit of a game changer as it negates the need for a stinky brown food waste bin in the kitchen that has to be emptied out regularly even if there is not much in it.

I did put some chicken bones through it once and while it did munch them and there were no blockages it did not sound healthy. Also if you decide to go for one spend a bit of money on it and buy more powerful one. We had a cheaper one and it was noisy and prone to clogging when I was putting through loads of potato peel (when cooking for more than four people). I didn't try chicken bones in current one and while I suspect there wouldn't major issues don't like doing it.

greenttc · 23-07-2019 2:01pm

only small bones would go into it really, well, at least i only put small bones in mine. as I was saying, when i try put things like the stone of a mango in it doesnt really work to grind them up so I imagine that a larger bone would struggle in the same way. we rarely use our brown bin, its all garden waste and banana skins and large stones from fruit!

oh, actually the only other things that my disposal unit didnt like actually was fine rice noodles if you have good clump of them, that needed unblocking for some reason!

have read egg shells arent a good idea as they turn into sand and sit at the bottom of your drain but I have never heeded the warning and have never had a problem and I use plenty of eggs!

Muahahaha · 23-07-2019 2:04pm

meeeeh wrote: »

Also invest in a good kitchen tap (pull out or similar and spray nozzle). They save you a lot of hassle.

What kind of a work top are you going for. If it's stone or reconstituted stone they can grind a few groves into the area beside sink and you can avoid draining board. Also Joseph and Joseph do cool enough draining rack that can be put away when not needed.

Re kitchen tap- are you referring to one of these ?

BUNVN10XBHOMESKL70526_4_LargeProductImage.jpg?width=450&height=450&v=11

Re counter top- I havent yet decided but at the moment Im leaning towards getting a custom made 304 food grade stainless steel countertop, similar to a professional kitchen. Im still himming and hawing on this decision as I love the look of stainless steel countertops but fear it would scratch easily in heavily used areas and then not look great in 2 or 3 years time. Ive to do more research but theres not a lot of info out there about people using stainless steel countertops in a domestic setting.

Muahahaha · 23-07-2019 2:08pm

greenttc wrote: »

only small bones would go into it really, well, at least i only put small bones in mine. as I was saying, when i try put things like the stone of a mango in it doesnt really work to grind them up so I imagine that a larger bone would struggle in the same way. we rarely use our brown bin, its all garden waste and banana skins and large stones from fruit!

oh, actually the only other things that my disposal unit didnt like actually was fine rice noodles if you have good clump of them, that needed unblocking for some reason!

have read egg shells arent a good idea as they turn into sand and sit at the bottom of your drain but I have never heeded the warning and have never had a problem and I use plenty of eggs!

Ah right thanks that clarifies things a lot, I think Im sold on one now

I dont have kids so theres very little food waste in this house, whats on the plate gets all eaten so its just fruit and veg peels, coffee grinds and the odd time small chicken wng or fish bones.

On banana skins though- does the manufacturer say not to put these down or does it struggle with them or something? Bananas are something I always have in the house. Also apple cores, how does it handle them?

rushfan · 23-07-2019 2:09pm

Interesting thread this, anyone any thoughts on the Quoccker tap?

meeeeh · 23-07-2019 2:17pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Re kitchen tap- are you referring to one of these ?

Re counter top- I havent yet decided but at the moment Im leaning towards getting a custom made 304 food grade stainless steel countertop, similar to a professional kitchen. Im still himming and hawing on this decision as I love the look of stainless steel countertops but fear it would scratch easily in heavily used areas and then not look great in 2 or 3 years time. Ive to do more research but theres not a lot of info out there about people using stainless steel countertops in a domestic setting.

Yeah that's the type of tap I was talking about but even pull out taps would work if that one is too high. I have both and type in your link is much handier.

I think part of the attraction of stainless steel counter top is that it it kind off buffs and becomes less shinny so I wouldn't overly worry about scratches. every type of surfaces will have it's pluses and minuses. Whatever you do, do not go for white marble because it soaks up anything. Anyway you still don't need to have sink with draining board. Just buy something that you can plonk on the counter when needed.

greenttc · 23-07-2019 2:34pm

yes supposedly banana skins and things like celery that have stringy fibres can get caught up around the blades so I have never tried them out of fear!

unfortunately we have lots of food waste with two very small children so our unit is well used!

Muahahaha · 23-07-2019 3:10pm

rushfan wrote: »

Interesting thread this, anyone any thoughts on the Quoccker tap?

Im keen to hear real life feedback on them myself but dont think I will go for one. Kettles boil so fast these days and Im usually doing something else when it does anyway. I think they are circa €500 so a lot of money to pay for just boiling water on tap. Plus you've the energy costs associated with keeping water at a constant near boil too.And then you're not going to leave it on all night boiling so needs to be switched on/off every day or several times a day for use in the morning then later in the evening. They seem like a great idea but also a bit of an indulgance. Maybe for large familes who are tea/coffee addicts they are a good purchase but I dont fit that description.

meeeeh wrote: »

I think part of the attraction of stainless steel counter top is that it it kind off buffs and becomes less shinny so I wouldn't overly worry about scratches. every type of surfaces will have it's pluses and minuses.

Yeah I suppose scratches add character. Was just a bit worried about spending a lot of money on something that could look like crap in a few years time. Stainless steel countertops are not really sold for domestic use yet, I can see them getting more popular and mainstream kitchen companies making them but for now theres nothing out there. A salesman in Noyeks Kitchens told me that they dont sell them but are getting asked if they do by a lot of folks lately. He said they are looking into sourcing them but nothing yet. So for now it means getting it made in a metal fabricators who supply them for commercial kitchens, ergo the prices of them are not cheap.

greenttc wrote: »

yes supposedly banana skins and things like celery that have stringy fibres can get caught up around the blades so I have never tried them out of fear!

unfortunately we have lots of food waste with two very small children so our unit is well used!

Regarding the unit itself, is it possible to easily open up and clean any gunk inside from the blades? If I had one Id probably still throw banana skins into it and clean it out periodically if possible. As said the main selling point for me on them is not having any need for a stinky brown bin so it would be great to be able to put all the different kinds of waste I have down into it.

Redesigning a kitchen- any tips?

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