How much weight is safe on a kitchen worktop?

Brie

Just as a comparison I googled the weight of microwaves - a normal expectation in many kitchens.

A microwave weighs approximately 55lbs on average. This varies depending on size and type – from a minimum of 20lb (small countertop microwaves) up to 100lb (bulky built-in microwaves).

So on that basis a normal kitchen counter would be able to easily handle 25kg (55lbs) plus have capacity to have other things on the counter as well.  So the fish tank should be fine.

But I'd be happier to think it had some lobsters in it waiting for Sunday lunch.....

grumbler

My weight is safe on my worktop. And it's 75kg.

BTW, granite worktop weighs about 65-90kg/m2

casper_gutman

Brie said:

A microwave weighs approximately 55lbs on average. This varies depending on size and type – from a minimum of 20lb (small countertop microwaves) up to 100lb (bulky built-in microwaves).

I'd be astonished if a typical microwave for the UK market weighed 55lb or 25kg. This is the largest capacity non-integrated microwave on ao.com - and it weighs 11kg: https://ao.com/l/microwaves-free_standing-standard_microwave_oven/1-9-85/42-50/

Money_Grabber13579

ripplyuk said:

@DullGreyGuy Here’s a photo. You can see the tank I have at the minute. The new one would be a couple of inches longer. 

I’m not sure if it’s just my eyes at this time of night but has that worktop got a dip in it, over the tumble dryer? Maybe it’s just the way the light is shining on it as it is that bit where I think I can see a dip…

Silvertabby

grumbler said:

My weight is safe on my worktop. And it's 75kg.

BTW, granite worktop weighs about 65-90kg/m2

When we asked about changing our worktops for granite, the first thing the kitchen fitter asked was the make of our cabinets.

Our solid Second Nature cabinets will be fine.  Not so much had they been from a flat pack range.

silvercar

We stand on our worktops to change light bulbs. I never thought about the weight they could carry. 

ripplyuk

Money_Grabber13579 said:

I’m not sure if it’s just my eyes at this time of night but has that worktop got a dip in it, over the tumble dryer? Maybe it’s just the way the light is shining on it as it is that bit where I think I can see a dip…

No, it’s perfectly level. It’s maybe just a bad camera angle. 

Ganga

silvercar said:

We stand on our worktops to change light bulbs. I never thought about the weight they could carry. 

The only bits i wont stand on is the cut outs for the sink and hob unit but have stood on the rest to decorate and i weigh 100 kilo,s ( i am trying to reduce this at the gym ever week ,11 kilo,s down so far )

outtatune

Brie said:

Just as a comparison I googled the weight of microwaves - a normal expectation in many kitchens.

A microwave weighs approximately 55lbs on average. This varies depending on size and type – from a minimum of 20lb (small countertop microwaves) up to 100lb (bulky built-in microwaves).

25 kilos for a microwave? What are these people cooking in their ginormous microwaves? Entire lambs?

Mnoee

outtatune said:

Brie said:

Just as a comparison I googled the weight of microwaves - a normal expectation in many kitchens.

A microwave weighs approximately 55lbs on average. This varies depending on size and type – from a minimum of 20lb (small countertop microwaves) up to 100lb (bulky built-in microwaves).

25 kilos for a microwave? What are these people cooking in their ginormous microwaves? Entire lambs?

I have a combi microwave/oven/grill thing that weighs about that - Google says 21kg. Most of them seem to be that sort of weight. It's got a normal sized interior, but a larger than average footprint. I've reheated a lamb curry in it? 

24L is still teeny tiny for a fishtank - my partner is the fishy one and I asked the size of his tanks for reference and it's much smaller than I'd been imagining. 28x40x26 cm is one I googled, nowhere near big enough for even a single lobster!