Kitchen Revamp

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doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Kitchen Revamp

Post by doodles »

Ok, so DH has agreed to the smallest kitchen in the world being moved into the playroom - YEEEEEHAAAAAA - and I need some help please as my mind is becoming confused and befuggled by brochures and reviews (are they actually written by real people?).

I want a range cooker but they seem to vary hugely in cost - any thoughts - we are at the cheaper end of the market I hasten to add, I really couldn't justify over £2000 on a cooker :shock:

Also our kitchen man, who is fab, has recommended a worksurface called Mistral - any experiences.

I cook an awful lot - love it - any must haves now I will have the space?

Integrated or not?
stroudydad
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Kitchen Revamp

Post by stroudydad »

Doodles, with respect to the range, we have had a 'leisure' range for over 15 years, thety are part of the rangemaster brand but at the cheaper end. We have only had to replace a door seal in that time..we are about to redo our kitchen and will certainly be buying the same brand.
Hope this helps.
SD
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Kitchen Revamp

Post by Tinkers »

Very happy with our rangemaster
Would not go the intergrated route. Stuff was intergrated when we moved in. The fridge died and we struggled to get a replacement to fit. Oven was on its way out and we couldn't find anything that fitted properly.


From experience (very long two year story), before you start check your stopcock works and if it doesn't check your external stopcock works.
stroudydad
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Kitchen Revamp

Post by stroudydad »

Personally I would not go down the integrated route but that is more of a 'style' choice than because of any problems, our cooker will also be full gas, as DW and I both hate electric for cooking
Reading Mum
Posts: 1841
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: Kitchen Revamp

Post by Reading Mum »

I'd echo the stopcock point. Our house does not have an internal one at all so the bathroom guys had to turn off in the street all the team and that one doesn't look good anymore.
Integrated was a pain for us when the fridge died soon after we moved in and integrated dishwashers are never as feature rich as free standing ones.
stroudydad
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Kitchen Revamp

Post by stroudydad »

We still wash dishes in the sink, so couldn't comment about the dishwasher, but I am intrigued, what features do you get on a dishwasher??
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Kitchen Revamp

Post by Tinkers »

Reading mum, its worth reporting your outside stopcock to Thames water for replacement, especially if it is your only means of turning off the water.
Unfortunately they won't give a timescale for fixing. However if you offer to pay (was about £100) it will get done within a couple of weeks. Unfortunately we werent told this was an option when we reported it and waited 2 years before making a complaint.
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Kitchen Revamp

Post by scary mum »

Ditto with stopcock here - the council had paved over ours!

We have a Stoves range-style cooker, wasn't too expensive a few years ago (compared to some). Gas top & electric oven which is the best of both worlds IMHO. We have integrated dishwasher - no problems with it.

I remember Sally-Anne asking questions about ********* a couple of years ago. When Bucks appeals quieten down she might have some advice :D
scary mum
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: Kitchen Revamp

Post by mike1880 »

Curious re: integrated dishwashers not being "feature rich". Advice to us from John Lewis was that integrated wasn't worth bothering about (which is what we'd already decided anyway) except dishwasher because there was so little difference between any of them in terms of features and prices that it didn't really matter what we chose there.

When we did the sums we found that the fancy modern laminates worked out even more expensive than granite, and are when all is said and done still laminates, so we chose granite. I expect it to end up propped on piles of bricks while the cabinets and the rest of the kitchen (and indeed, the house and me) crumble around it. (I suppose I could have it carved into a headstone when I go???)

(The granite is fabulous, but unfortunately doesn't show the spills and splashes. You'd think that would be an advantage but it isn't...)
marigold
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: essex

Re: Kitchen Revamp

Post by marigold »

Mike, I agree about the granite. My parents have brown speckly granite and my sister in law has to go round every now and again and sweep three weeks worth of toast crumbs off the surface as they just become invisible. I luckily live too far away for this job and have my own toast crumb issues anyway.

It took me until this morning to read this thread as I have been waiting nearly 10 years for a new kitchen and came over all bitter and twisted when I saw that someone was about to live my dream.
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