New Kitchen Advice

BiMGuy

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+1 for granite.

You'll get lots of sales patter about how wonderful stuff like quartz and Corian is, and wood block is very fashionable right now, but granite is the dog's nuts. End of.

Not sure if materials that have been used for decades count as being fashionable right now.

Having put Corian in our previous house, and Quartz in the current house. I would recommend both if in budget and suit the look you want.

I'd stay well clear of wood worktops personally.
 

Lord Tyrion

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I don't think Howden sell kitchens direct to the public, or do they ?
They don't. You have to buy through your joiner / fitter. We have a Howdens kitchen, fitted 12 years ago and still going strong.

As others have said, the fitter is key. Ideally you want a recommendation to go off but the good news is that the actual Howdens products are very decent. We would use them again.
 

RichA

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My Dad bought a recently built house 3 years ago that has a Howdens kitchen. The cabinets and worktops are great quality and really well fitted. It's only let down by their "own brand" cheap Lamona appliances, which are awful.
We replaced the faulty oven in the first week. The hob is still in place, but various bits have come off or are in the process of coming off. The extractor hood fits poorly and vibrates noisily.
 

Bunkermagnet

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I have a Wren kitchen, excellent quality and the fitter did a fantastic job (did it myself;j )
IT doesn’t really matter which kitchen label you buy, the person installing it makes all the difference. I have seen absolute horrendous installations by all sorts.
Hood that’s blow nowhere, or reciruclate and don’t fit a charcoal cartridge, integrated fridge freezers that have no or minimal venting. This will invalidate the manufacturer warranty and kill the fridge freezer after next to no time.
Definately decide on what you need or want in your kitchen, but remember no one gives anything away.
 

Dellboy

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Stay away from Wren, kitchens are mediocre at best and the after service is rubbish.
Howdens are not bad, and forget what people say, they will sell to the public if you get ask nicely to your local branch, last I heard there was a long waiting time on some kitchens and a price increase coming very soon.
 

two-clubs

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I'm a kitchen fitter, I forget how many Howden kitchens I have fitted but it's a LOT. Probably the best all round choice in that price bracket is Howdens, usually good stock levels and if something is missing they usually get it in a few days. DIY kitchens would be my second choice, really good product but usually waiting times are longer and you have to self design, Howdens will do it for you.

I would swerve Wrens - a quick google will tell you why.
 

fundy

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Neither for me, would find a small local independent kitchen company and get them to source and install a kitchen for you, if you are determined to have one of those two then definitely Howdens but again find a decent independent fitter

We did this in the last house and got a better kitchen for similar money
 

cliveb

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I'd stay well clear of wood worktops personally.
Maybe the way I worded it wasn't clear. I was trying to say avoid wood even though it's fashionable and you'll get a sales pitch for it.
I also think none of the synthetic options are as good as granite.
 

Bunkermagnet

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Maybe the way I worded it wasn't clear. I was trying to say avoid wood even though it's fashionable and you'll get a sales pitch for it.
I also think none of the synthetic options are as good as granite.
Quartz is fine and doesn't need the yearly sealing granite does (not that many know or do that)
 

BiMGuy

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Does granite not about double the total cost of the kitchen?

Depends on the quality. Like everything, there are cheaper options.

If I ever do another kitchen, I will have Corian again. Its expensive, but worth it.
 

BrianM

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I’ve had 3 Howdens kitchens with no issues and 1 DIY kitchen, again no issues, the quality is excellent in both.
Just pricing up a new kitchen and went to Wren, seems expensive compared to the other 2.
 

bobmac

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Do your homework on lighting.
No point having a gorgeous kitchen if you cant see it.
I've run a 5m reel of LED lights under the top cabinets and the same on top.
Wired into an Alexa controlled plug.
A nice even light with no shadows
 

Yorkhacker

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Whatever kitchen you get, make sure you get a Quooker. Expensive to buy, but so convenient for making drinks and cooking
 

Pants

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Whatever kitchen you get, make sure you get a Quooker. Expensive to buy, but so convenient for making drinks and cooking

I don't know/care about what safety measures they have, with my wife that would be disasters waiting to happen.
 

BiMGuy

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I don't know/care about what safety measures they have, with my wife that would be disasters waiting to happen.

Having seen enough of these type of thing break. I'll stick with boiling the kettle. Seems like a waste of energy keeping water that hot just in case you want to make a drink. And with indication hobs. It takes not time to boil water in a pan.
 
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