New German Kitchen Recommendations

Marlie_Marlie

Hello All

We just had out planning permission approved and are now in the process of shopping for a new kitchen.

We are ideally looking for a white gloss kitchen with a mixture of different colour doors depending on high or low level cupboards.

Can anyone recommend good german kitchens to look into in terms of quality V value.

I have been recommended by a colleague to stay away from Alno and Intoto due to the excessive costs.

Any help is much much appreciated to get things started.

Many Thanks
Mel

J_B

Why a German kitchen???

Richard_Overton_2911

J_B wrote: »

Why a German kitchen???

Apart from being a bit more flexible with unit sizes people think (wrongly) that German Kitchens are better quality when in fact they are made from the same MFC (chipboard) and 95% of the time use Blum hinges and runners that are also used by UK manufacturers.

I also think people think they somehow have bragging rights because they have a "German kitchen"... The kitchen industry is no different than the Upvc window market where the products are pretty much all the same so sellers try all manner of things to make themselves stand out.

Just to add I'm not having a dig at the OP but just a view of German kitchens..........:)

BananaRepublic

They’re not made from the same MFC (chipboard). I’ve seen kitchens made from the cheapest chipboard fall apart after a few years due to moisture ingress. Better ones are made from higher grade chipboard, which resists damp and lasts much longer. Then of course there is the quality of the laminating of Formica, melamine, or whatever to the substrate. Some have wafer thin layers that peel easily, others are much stronger.

It’s odd to talk about grades of chipboard, but that’s the modern kitchen industry. I think even top end kitchens are made from chipboard or MDF.

Marlie_Marlie

J_B wrote: »

Why a German kitchen???

I thought these were the better quality modern kitchens? I could be wrong as I am a complete newbie.

Marlie_Marlie

Richard_Overton_2911 wrote: »

Apart from being a bit more flexible with unit sizes people think (wrongly) that German Kitchens are better quality when in fact they are made from the same MFC (chipboard) and 95% of the time use Blum hinges and runners that are also used by UK manufacturers.

I also think people think they somehow have bragging rights because they have a "German kitchen"... The kitchen industry is no different than the Upvc window market where the products are pretty much all the same so sellers try all manner of things to make themselves stand out.

Just to add I'm not having a dig at the OP but just a view of German kitchens..........:)

Great answer, i think your right. Thats why i was told to look for a german kitchen lol.

As mentioned I have no clue about kitchens and wanted to get a view on good recommendations for something that is quality and of good value...

Marlie_Marlie

Just want a start of what brands i should consider in the mix so i can go and do some visits.

It will be for quite a large kitchen replacement so want to ensure i get the best i can afford whilst getting the good ones based on your recommendations.

Lizabeth21

Just go and look like you would when shopping for anything else. Go to the show rooms, open and close doors and draws, scrutinise have plans/designs drawn. When you’ve looked at a few google them - see what others have said or experienced. It’s a big purchase and deserves some time spending and research. I went for magnet - enjoyed the whole experience and still delighted with my kitchen. However there are others who would say stay away from magnet - sales aren’t real etc. However I liked the price so paid it. No problems at all.

There are so many to choose from because we are all looking for different things. Leg work is what’s needed. Enjoy the process.

J_B

Marlie_Marlie wrote: »

Just want a start of what brands i should consider in the mix so i can go and do some visits.

Not sure where you are based, but we just ordered Masterclass Kitchens for our three flats that we are developing in N Wales
We found it a satisfactory blend of quality and price.

Not German, sorry ... think that are Welsh!
http://www.masterclasskitchens.co.uk/

Richard_Overton_2911

BananaRepublic wrote: »

They’re not made from the same MFC (chipboard). I’ve seen kitchens made from the cheapest chipboard fall apart after a few years due to moisture ingress. Better ones are made from higher grade chipboard, which resists damp and lasts much longer.

There are no doubt different grades of Chipboard as there are with any particle board.MDF is a good example where you can get the cheap ,nasty,poor quality Chinese MDF which is not very dense and the flip side is MEDITE which is excellent quality.

German units are made from chipboard from either EGGER or Kronospan and the same goes for UK kitchens.

One of the jobs I have (when I have time) is to make a new kitchen in our house as our current one was the cheapest Howdens 600 kitchen put in when the house was built in 1993, my point being even the cheapest,most basic kitchen will last decades if looked after and the only part of a kitchen which may at some point come into contact with water are the plinths and end stadards and even the best chipboard will expand and fall apart a very short time in contact with water. The question should be asked why ,if German kitchens are such good quality why aren't they build with waterproof MDF ? if water ingress is such an issue. Even the most vulnerable parts like the plinths and end standards are made of "water resistant"chipboard.

Then of course there is the quality of the laminating of Formica, melamine, or whatever to the substrate. Some have wafer thin layers that peel easily, others are much stronger.

Agreed but German kitchens don't have a monopoly on decent melamine or Formica (trade name). If you look at say a Poggenpohl kitchen the melamine on their worktops is wafer thin and their unit carcase is only 15mm thick .I buy sheets of Formica which can be anything up to 3mm thick but 99% of laminate worktops are less than 1mm.

It’s odd to talk about grades of chipboard, but that’s the modern kitchen industry. I think even top end kitchens are made from chipboard or MDF.

Thats my point though . MRMDF is a better product than any chipboard but I don't know a single company which uses it for their carcases and the only reaso is Chipboard is cheap. Kitchens are all about marketing fluff with each company trying to appear different to the rest but the simple fact is they aren't.

Kitchens are very simpley chipboard boxes on plastic legs with a worktop on..:)

SuzieSue

Do a search on DIY-kitchens (http://www.diy-kitchens.com) on this forum.

Lots of people have used them (including me because of the recommendations on here).

They are a great company to deal with and their kitchens are very good quality.