Plinth drawers in the kitchen

GDB2222

I'm thinking about redoing the kitchen here, which is short of space. It occurs to me that plinth drawers would give us a bit more storage. 

Does anyone have any experience/views on this, please?

travis-powers

I’ve fitted a couple,  normally under the oven I’m sure you have to have a decor panel each side for the running gear.

Doozergirl

In 22 years of buying kitchens, I've never seen or had a conversation about plinth drawers.  I'm not entirely convinced that they aren't an urban myth although I have seen them referred to on here, maybe.   Whatever they are, they're not going to be massive - the height is only 15cm in total and not all of that can be storage because the base needs to be away from the ground.  

I'd really recommend a pantry unit.  Ours fits vast amount of stuff in the space that might usually have two base and two wall units.  It's not even comparable.  I'm just reheating my lunch, so here's a reality shot of ours.  

You could have a worktop in them if you wanted to, even, it's the doors that hide a multitude of sins as well as act as storage too.  

Drawers everywhere too.  They are more expensive than cupboards but you can fit huge amounts in them if they are the right depth, easily double what fits in a cupboard.  

These ones, in particular are built as boxes so are nearly 100% efficient in terms of storage capability and because they pull right out, they can be packed and everything is still visible. 

A small internal drawer behind one large pan drawer front is also an efficient use of space - the drawer fronts themselves can waste space.  Perfect for cutlery and then a deeper drawer directly underneath.  

I think most older kitchens can be improved on, design wise.  Try not to replicate what you have if it isn't good enough. A decent designer could really maximise storage.  

GDB2222

That pantry unit is excellent, but the kitchen here is only 1.8 x 2.5m. It needs to contain a cooker, a FF, and a washing machine. We have 1m of worktop (which includes the toaster and kettle). It gets quite cramped when there are two of us in it. 

Having somewhere where we could keep the tea towels would be a surprisingly large leap forward!

 

GDB2222

travis-powers said:

I’ve fitted a couple,  normally under the oven I’m sure you have to have a decor panel each side for the running gear.

Do they have a handle on the front, or do they have spring catches?

travis-powers

GDB2222 said:

travis-powers said:

I’ve fitted a couple,  normally under the oven I’m sure you have to have a decor panel each side for the running gear.

Do they have a handle on the front, or do they have spring catches?

I pretty sure it had a handle, it was a Howdens kitchen 
https://www.howdens.com/kitchens/kitchen-storage/storage-drawers/plinth-drawers?u_s=Plinth+draw

FreeBear

travis-powers said:

I’ve fitted a couple,  normally under the oven I’m sure you have to have a decor panel each side for the running gear.

I have a drawer under my cooker. Not deep enough for anything more than a couple of baking trays.

I can see a bunch of problems fitting drawers to the plinth - The legs would get in the way, and there would have to be side panels added to take the drawer slides.. That said, it may be possible to get drawer units with an overhead runner system. Still don't think they would be practical though.

DullGreyGuy

GDB2222 said:

travis-powers said:

I’ve fitted a couple,  normally under the oven I’m sure you have to have a decor panel each side for the running gear.

Do they have a handle on the front, or do they have spring catches?

They can be push to open or some have a lip style handle at the top which is predominately hidden by the fact they are recessed -v- the unit's draws etc above. Ultimately its your kitchen and if you wanted matching visible handles you obv could but most are trying to hide them.

In a tiny kitchen you can see the value of using every bit of space you can but they aren't deep and they aren't convenient so really for keeping those rarely used things like cake tins (in our house anyway) rather than something you use daily.

GDB2222 said:

We have 1m of worktop (which includes the toaster and kettle). It gets quite cramped when there are two of us in it. 

Since getting an induction hob we've gone back to a stove top kettle as it boils faster than the electric kettle did, (hob can do 3.6KW -v- the kettle's 3KW) but it saves work surface space as it can live on the hob as we rarely use all 4 "rings"

travis-powers

FreeBear said:

travis-powers said:

I’ve fitted a couple,  normally under the oven I’m sure you have to have a decor panel each side for the running gear.

I have a drawer under my cooker. Not deep enough for anything more than a couple of baking trays.

I can see a bunch of problems fitting drawers to the plinth - The legs would get in the way, and there would have to be side panels added to take the drawer slides.. That said, it may be possible to get drawer units with an overhead runner system. Still don't think they would be practical though.

I’m mistaken it fits to the legs all I can remember is it was a pita!
The break in the plinth looks better with panels but as you mentioned all that for a small drawer.

Spinybif

https://www.drawerboxes.co.uk/New-Plinth-Pods.html

My parents had plinth drawers in a Rational, really useful for things like shoe polish.

plumb1_2

travis-powers said:

FreeBear said:

travis-powers said:

I’ve fitted a couple,  normally under the oven I’m sure you have to have a decor panel each side for the running gear.

I have a drawer under my cooker. Not deep enough for anything more than a couple of baking trays.

I can see a bunch of problems fitting drawers to the plinth - The legs would get in the way, and there would have to be side panels added to take the drawer slides.. That said, it may be possible to get drawer units with an overhead runner system. Still don't think they would be practical though.

I’m mistaken it fits to the legs all I can remember is it was a pita!
The break in the plinth looks better with panels but as you mentioned all that for a small drawer.

The legs on howdens ohu fit on the side of the unit, unlike a normal base unit. Ya you’ll need 2  full height base end panels, but would presume you’ll get a 500 plinth draw.