New Kitchen fittings need HELP

Yasmin1_2

Hi everyone

I'm getting a new kitchen fitted from my housing associates.

They are providing the standard tiles, flooring and worktop. But I really don't like the choices they have given me.

So I decided to add some money by buying my own worktop and tiles.

But first I want to purchase a built in cooker because they will be starting work on the kitchen in two weeks.

Could you please recommended me a good built in cooker, max price I'm willing to pay is £400.

I'm thinking of buying electronic cooker purely because the hobbs looks nicer but I understand electronic hobbs are troublesome. I'm not sure whether to just stick with gas?.

Also where is the best place to buy worktop and tiles which are cheap?

White cabinets or wood effect cabinets which is a better option?

I would appreciate some advice on this

Thanks

Yasmin

LadyDee

Hi, can't advise on electronic hobs, but if you are used to cooking with gas then stick with it. My feeling is that gas is so controllable. I don't know what an electronic cooker is to be honest, but if you mean electric then it's a steep learning curve after gas. Currys is a good place to start with a cooker - they do have most makes. Then shop around, find the best price and haggle!

White cabinets would be my preference - mainly because they don't date. Wood effect can look very nice but if you decide on wood stick to a light finish. I had a 'beautiful' cherrywood kitchen but after about ten years it really did look very dated. If you get fed up with white after a few years you could always just replace the handles or decorate the doors with stencils.

As regards worktop, the beech effect laminate looks nice.

Pay a visit to somewhere like B&Q - they have so many tiles to choose from and you can see examples of how they are applied - you'll get lots of ideas.

One thing I would advise is keep everything light-coloured. You sound young, and I can understand your wanting the latest colours etc. but they do date and you'll get fed up with it. Far better to jazz up your kitchen with 'things' which you can easily replace, such as brightly coloured accessories - toaster, kettle etc.

Best of luck - it's lovely having a new kitchen!

Yasmin1_2

LadyDee thank you for your thread. I decided to take your advise and go for lighter colors.

I like the idea of the beach worktop. What you think of Walnut laminate worktop with white cabinets

I found this built in oven from Samsung that looked stylish and practical but having looked at the reviews it had on John Lewis website it has put me off buying it

What you think of the following built in ovens

http://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-bq2q7g078-dual-cook-electric-single-oven-black-glass/p2316145

http://www.johnlewis.com/beko-oif21300b-single-electric-oven-black/p231722614

http://www.johnlewis.com/hotpoint-sh53ks-single-electric-oven-black/p231882242

Yasmin1_2

This is the one I wanted that had bad reviews:

http://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-bt621vdst-dual-cook-electric-single-oven-stainless-steel/p231632765

LadyDee

Walnut looks nice!

Regarding your cooker. Have you decided on electric oven and hob? I find it difficult to advise on electric as I am strictly a gas person, and I'm convinced it's more economical. Are you having a gas hob? It's a shame your preferred oven has such a low number of reviews, but don't be too swayed by what other people have written. It is generally accepted that people complain more readily than praise, so I always treat reviews with a little scepticism.

It looks as though JL has a 5-year guarantee on this cooker at the moment anyway so if you really want this one then Samsung is a well respected brand.

Have you looked in Currys? They have a very wide choice, several in your price range. A little extra tip - stay away from stainless steel - it's a devil to keep clean and shiny. Looks lovely when it's new but you'll spend ages trying to keep it looking like that (ask me how I know!).
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/built-in-appliances/built-in-cooking/ovens-3802-m.html

Yasmin1_2

Hi LadyDee

I agree with you I've had stainless steel and I didn't like it. I'm going for black oven as it will go nicely with white cabinets.


I went to currys the other day looking for gas oven and hob because my preference is gas cooker but they informed that they only had 1 built oven in gas and that the rest of them were electric.

Because there is more choices in electric that's why I decided to opt for it. If I found good gas built oven I'm happy to buy it.

The reviews all over the internet on the samsung oven I wanted to buy express the same problem about uneven cooking and temperature adjustment. The oven is not cheap so It would be silly of me to ignore it and take the risk.

Now after looking at the best rated oven on several sites. 1 number is another samsung built in oven which looks stunning but is WAY out of my price range.

http://www.johnlewis.com/samsung-bq2q7g078-dual-cook-electric-single-oven-black-glass/p231614518?kpid=231614518&s_kenid=5e8ba70f-e2ab-d348-5281-00007cec1147&s_kwcid=ppc_pla&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

If I could another built in oven which is looks like this one(I want a black screen) but cheaper it would be ideal

Thanks

Yasmin