To put hob on kitchen island or not to put hob on kitchen island?

6 years ago

Hi there,

We are renovating an old arts & crafts style house. We are knocking wall down between existing kitchen & living room & adding an extension which will turn the back of the house into a backward capital L shape. I do all of the cooking in the house & like the idea of a hob on the island facing outwards into living & dining areas. However, I'm not sure it's the right thing to do! I favour a traditional style kitchen & do love the look of a large decorative hood but yet don't want to be left facing a wall with my back to everyone. I think a hood creates a good focal point in a kitchen. I can't seem to think of another focal point for large wall behind island if I don't have a good on it. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

Featured Answer

PRO

Hough Architecture Ltd

6 years ago

I wound always advise from a practical standpoint that a hob is ideally located on an external wall. This allows for supply of utility (electric or gas), as well as providing ease of extract. It would also allow the island to be used to its maximum in terms of preparation space, and could even incorporate a breakfast bar / seating area.

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Comments (28)

PRO
Inside Studio Ltd
6 years ago
An island hob does work great if you want to socialise while cooking. Induction hobs are great as they look sleek and cool down so quickly. You have to carefully consider what extraction fan to use. You can have an island mounted extractor, but not the most efficient. Ceiling mounted ones are good, but consider how high is your ceiling, and they affect what kind of lighting you will put above the island. For a feature on the wall you could put some shelves with interesting accessories.
alant1000
6 years ago
I'm currently planning with exactly a similar scenario as yours, and we are using the design attached. The island will have an extraction hob, and after lots of debate and consideration I'm using an island recirculating hood ( this one - http://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p/efa50700w/electrolux-efa50700w-50cm-island-hood?refsource=APadwords&crtag=AP&gclid=CKuPk8ygxsgCFUUOwwodV4oHxg )

With this layout, I can cook and still chat to everyone, and behind me will be a tall tower unit with built in fridge freezer and microwave. The oven is beneath the hob which is induction.
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Well, you could certainly provide some counter height stools without adding onto the counter. I would make the stools simple ones that don't call attention to themselves. Look at how the ones below are there to be sat upon but there's no overhang. The height you will need is called a counter stool. Or you have space for 2 at each end of the island with just a big of an overhang. People just like a place to perch while they chat with you while you're cooking. White stools would blend right into the island and be inconspicuous.
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HI... always lots of decisions when building a new house. When working with a neutral color palette- adding a material that provides contrast is always visually interesting. If you plan on adding red accessories- gray would certainly work. You could use a solid color quartz material or even Vermont soap stone which is inherently gray. Shades of brown with red and cream is also quite pretty. I just snapped a photo mixing some materials from a project in front of me-- this is arrowroot (the stone) and you can see on the fabric motif how pretty it is-- the brown and red next to each other in the fabric pattern. Hope the photo came through. Hope that helped.
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Hi would be good to see the whole floor plan to judge properly. But first impressions would be that it looks like you want a modern handleless design and therefore the J shape kitchen is too complicated for the design concept and the U shape with the island I would say the island is too small. A more simple L shape and larger island I think would work better. CK
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I love frying on the island hob. Only one easy flat surface to clean unlike the Aga which is my alternative. You do need reasonable space around the hob so splashes can land on it rather than the floor, or alternatively only fry in the centre. Any other pans I'm using are on the Aga, so don't have the worry of how to accommodate others round the frying pan when it's splattering away. Which reminds me - splatter guards work!Good luck.
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PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
Hoping this link will take you to an idea book with drawings for a kitchen we did with an island hob with sink and wine rack directly behind ...
https://www.houzz.co.uk/ideabooks/23257060/thumbs/oneplan-project-trs-kitchen
It's good to have something interesting to look at while you are cooking - and interaction with family is always good ! I'd say ( as long as it's done safely ) go for it !
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
Link didn't work !! If you click on my name it will take you to my pro page - the idea book is 'OnePlan project TR's kitchen '
Actually there's a few others on there with island hob's too !! Have a browse !
Victoria
6 years ago
Love my island hob
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
This one has a very useful bank of ovens behind the hob!
OnePlan project V&S Kitchen · More Info

It's on my page under V&S kitchen I think !
PRO
Cooper Bespoke Joinery Ltd
6 years ago
A great idea for the layout of your kitchen is always try to make sure that your appliances are in a triangle layout such as fridge, oven/hob and sink.
clairerafterdalton
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks so much for the advice. Think I'll stick to my guns & Python on island!
PRO
BetterHaus
6 years ago
Hi, a hob on the island always looks stunning and makes the room more accessible to entertaining, like you said who want to be stood staring at the wall. Our advice if you are going to do this is to ensure there is adequate space for pan handles either side and I would go for induction hob to make it safer and easier to keep clean. In addition we are selling lots of compact steam ovens which means our client use the hob 60% less than they did before as many things go in the steamer..it's the future.
PRO
Kitchenkart
6 years ago
It's not always necessary to have a traditional style kitchen with a traditional country cottagy looking house. Modern kitchens can look great in traditional settings. An Island works well as long as there are no restrictions for the island hood which is important. I designed a kitchen using a range cooker integrated in an island which worked very well
PRO
Kent Blaxill
6 years ago
A hob on the island is a real game-changer if you like cooking!
Ceiling mounted extractor fans can hang from high ceilings and they can even be turned into a feature:

We even sell unique over-head extractors such as this:
PRO
Net Kitchens Direct
6 years ago
Hob on an Island is always great. It gives you freedom of working in an open plan room & engage with people in the room. no one wants to look at a blank wall whilst cooking!!
PRO
Nathan Kingsbury Limited
6 years ago
Hi Claire. I often design my kitchens with hob fitted into an island unit and it can work really well, especially if you have seating on the island and can enjoy chatting to friends or family when you are cooking. You just need to ensure that the extraction works as it should and therefore organise sufficient ducting through the ceiling. In terms of design, I think that you can successfully pair contemporary design with traditional elements into a more traditional house. I hope that this helps.
PRO
Ashburton Interiors
6 years ago
We often install kitchens with a hob installed into an island unit and works perfect if you enjoying being sociable whilst cooking with family and friends. hope this information helps
PRO
Tulip
6 years ago
Hi Claire,

Just catching up with this conversation...

Island hobs are a great feature for any kitchen, as you said... they allow the area around although you will find them orientating towards the contemporary style of kitchens. I know you mentioned you prefer the traditional style so you'll just have to be clever with your extractor choice/design... (i'm sure you've already achieved the look you are after being that we are a few months late to the discussion).

I think everyone will be keen to see pictures of the final project.
PRO
Antrona Kitchen Design
6 years ago
Hobs on islands will allow you to look into the room while preparing food and therefore be more sociable. A ceiling mounted/down-draught extractor will not interfere with the view across the room.
PRO
London Kitchen Designer
6 years ago
Yes you can, works best with a ceiling extractor.
winterfloods
6 years ago
I spend vastly more time preparing food and dishing up than actually hovering over the hob whilst it cooks so on that basis alone I'd already decided to put the hob on the wall and the prep sink on the island.

I'm also treating myself to a steam oven in my new kitchen and Blanco's new (to the UK) steamer sink. It'll be be more visible on the island than I'd prefer but I'm going for more practicality this time round than style.
PRO
Kitchens by JS Geddes
6 years ago
We offer kitchens with hobs on the islands. It's a trend that we have found to be getting more and more popular!
j9rob
6 years ago
I purposely kept my island free of hob/sink to ensure the mess stays away from entertaining area. I love open plan kitchen but I want people to be near the kitchen and worry that cooking can be messy /smelly so guests would stay back from an island with hob.

I also like to be able to encourage people to sit at bench, including the kids, and keep anything hot away safely.
Sarah
5 years ago
I'm also thinking of putting the hob on the breakfast bar. As I want to create an open plan space and intend on having seating at the breakfast bar, extraction is critical. I have found a great induction hob by Bora with extractor fan built in. This means you're not relying on an extrator fan at leat one meter above your benctop to suck away all the steam and smells. I have seen it in operation and it's very impressive. See http://www.bora-australia.com.au/#bora_products
PRO
London Kitchen Designer
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Simples, A Bosch downdraft hood about 1500.00 but there are cheaper ones.

They can be recirculating or extract to outside. Set behind the hob. There is one pictured on our homepage. Mike
Luke Jeffery
5 years ago
Hello all, I am designing my kitchen and as most comments above I think they look amazing. However, I note that currently - most hobbs ( on external walls) give off a large amount of grease, and spit out over the back wall/ work surfaces, If this is on an island , this would be un practical ?? Has anyone had this issue or any suggestions of how to overcome it ??
Sarah
5 years ago
Hi. I'm looking at using a Bora hob on an island to avoid the issue of grease etc. The function the Bora system has is that it has a strong extractor fan in the hob so all grease and steam is sucked downwards into the extraction system and not into the air. Haven't installed this yet but pretty sure it's the answer. Has anyone else used one?
amfork
4 years ago
Hello Claire,

I was wondering which option you went with and what is your verdict now, please?

I am currently in this dilemma and I think I have opted for the wrong option - the hob on the island. I fear grease and splashes on floor and island. Also, ugly - looking extractor?

If you share you're opinion, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you:) AM
clairerafterdalton
Original Author
4 years ago
Hi amfork,

I went ahead & put the hob on my island & am delighted I did. I find it really is so much nicer looking out at the kids/my husband & being able to chat to them while I prepare meals as opposed to facing the wall with my back turned on everyone. I put a 4 ring induction hob on the island & put a 5 ring gas hob on counter facing wall. I did this as I have a large extended family & we frequently have get togethers. It’s great for catering for big events. However, I use the 4 ring induction hob on a daily basis. Hope this helps! Best of luck with your project,

Claire
amfork
4 years ago
Thank you so much for your reply. I've chickened out. I'm gone back to wall with hob. It suits us as only the 4 of us and really no need. I see you have certainly made the correct decision. I hope I have to. Thanks againAM

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To put hob on kitchen island or not to put hob on kitchen island?

Hough Architecture Ltd

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To put hob on kitchen island or not to put hob on kitchen island?

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