Island .. Hob or a sink?!?

5 years ago

Currently going around in circles with a kitchen design.
Run of units on a back wall 4400mm with a 2400mm x 1200mm island in front. Currently handless. The plan was to have the sink in the island and the hob central on the back wall.

Issues we see with this are..
- Back to room when cooking
- we can have nice high units along the back wall above a sink
- high units don’t work above the hob - need a powerful extractor and don’t really want to stare at a unit

My issues are I’ve just never been a fan of Hobs in islands ... they scare me. Possibly because I have young children. Plus the island will have stools along the back for breakfast area. I’m scared of spits and spills from cooking - it will be a big 5 ringed hob. Husband says an induction hob will be safest.

Another point is the extractor needs to be good so I thought straight out through a wall best. Plus extractor vs pendants over an island.

Am I wrong on the safety aspect? Is a hob better in the island .. my husband who does most of the cooking thinks so

Thank you in advance.

Featured Answer

Daisy England

5 years ago

This has been asked numerous times on here and I think everyone will have a different opinion. It’s a hob in the island for me. I have a hob in my island but it’s square, has no seating and I look at a dining area and a tv so for me it’s more sociable.

I cannot recommend an induction hob enough. Why anyone would want to clean a messy gas hob after spits of grease have landed on it is beyond me.

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Comments (20)

hapiak
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you this is really helpful.

I’m also questioning the need for stools on the island .. as it will be open plan there’s a dining table and seating etc. Again my children like to help cook so it’s a good place for them to help (current kitchen has a peninsula where they sit on stools and do this) and friends to socialise.
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The other luxury of doing it the way I did is you can have a double sink, as well as gas and induction hobs. Amazing for a keen cook (like me!). Seating on the other side of the island means that people are naturally drawn there to sit and have a drink and chat/help whilst I cook, rather than being in the cooking area. Dishwasher is on "my" side of the island, to the left of the sink for easy loading - and again having the door down means I block off access to that end, so am not bothered whilst loading. Effectively I've zoned off a cook's area. There's also a cook's fridge on that side of the island, so that I don't have to go anywhere once I am in my zone...ovens are also there, so I feel pretty self contained wven when the kitchen is full of people.
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Daisy England
5 years ago
My grandchildren help me with cakes and pastries in the kitchen and I just let them use a dining chair and stand or kneel depending on their age. I find chairs more comfortable to sit on than stools.
Sarah
5 years ago
You can get an induction hob with a built in extractor flush with the hob, which draws the air down. Worth looking into as then you wouldn't need an extractor on the ceiling or infront of you when cooking.
Gabby Wong
5 years ago
We're planning an extension with an island in the new kitchen and I'm going for a hob on the island due to sociability...

Options I've come up with - a downdraft extractor that pops up and acts as a screen (but I also use a pressure cooker quite a bit, so am keen on having a ceiling mounted extractor) both can be externally vented.

or if you have the hob off centre more at one end, you could have the seating curving around the opposite end of the island so that people sitting there aren't as close to the hob. Which is hopefully what we'll end up with.
PRO
User
5 years ago
I think in reality the safety of the hob on the island is probably no different to a hob anywhere else. Common sense dictates that if you've something on a hob, no matter where it is, then you turn your handles in when the kids / grand kids are about and watch them like a hawk.

In an Island, on the back run, wouldn't make any difference, you keep the handles out of their grasp and it wouldn't change, wherever you put the hob. So, just down to personal choice.

I do agree that there is one difference though, and that's the splashing. If you have the hob on the island and you have seating, then it is possible that the guests on the stools could get splashed.

I'm sure if the Island is wide enough or long enough, then they can sit well out of the way.

My wife bans everyone from the kitchen and so does my daughter at her house when she's cooking. Less distraction etc . So for them they don't want anyone near.................

We do have one stool in our kitchen which I perch on regularly, but she prefers me or whomever out of the way so that she can concentrate on what she's doing without interruption. When the grand kids come round and want to help, they pull up chairs and help out of the way of the ovens and hob.

The long and the short of it, is I vote hob in run and sink on the island, or preferably and so many people don't do it..........................neither.

To me the best island is a beautifully clear, large surface, with nothing on it and keep the cooking all to the back.
hapiak
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you everyone ... trouble is I agree on all points.

I would love a clear island and the hob on a side run so your back not entirely to the room but struggling with the design. We have sat with a designer for 2x 2 hour slots too and not got there yet either.

Love how our original Ikea kitchen we designed, bought and ordered in one day ... many years ago. Sometimes less money and choice makes it easier.
J
5 years ago
I'd go for neither in the island.
I don't know if it's just me but I never spend that much time standing and stiring at the hob. It's a quick check and stir when I have people over. Doesn't affect conversation much. And I find the sink is where all the mess collects while your cooking and after. I like to not have that on centre display. Every island sink I've seen has splashes around it on the counter when used. But now I think if it they are all undermount sinks which may not have helped.
When I entertain it tends to be larger groups. And I find a clear island is great for final prepping with friends perched on the stools. Then a quick clean up the island converts into a drinks station and a run where crockery, cutlery and dishes are laid out (buffet style). People then take their filled plate to the table to eat.
All mess is confined to the perimeter. Sink, bin and DW is located at the end of the run close to the table, so a quick scrape and into the DW or sink and that means noone moves through the kitchen.
But of course that's what works for me. It might not for how you cook.
But I'd always vote for a induction hob :D
Juliet Docherty
5 years ago
I have a peninsula (doesn't that sound daft) and don't have either on there. If I designed it again I would do the same. The depth and space is great for baking and serving up food, I much prefer hob and sink away out of the way.
eightyearwait
5 years ago
Gosh, I've been going through the same thing so lots of great comments to draw on here.

I've planned to have a vented induction combination hob but am desperately trying to find one that actually works as described.

The sales pitch is that they automatically adjust to the steam level or as you lower the heat, but with the AEG and the Bora I noticed a lot of steam escaping when below 7.

Such a problem for when dishes have strong odours and the room is completely open plan and you dont want all the noise.

Just wondered which extraction system you were considering or anyone could recommend?
hapiak
Original Author
5 years ago
I’d love that answer too as never considered hob on island before untilnow. So not thought about the extractor

Needs to be powerful and quiet and preferably in the ceiling flat.
eightyearwait
5 years ago
I've been looking at Aeg 2.5k, bora 4.4k, and Neff/ Siemens Domino 1.8k (£), these are built into the hob and don't rise out. They can be recirculating or vented outside.

I'll post back when I've found a ceiling one as that's also a possible option. I think there is a brand called Lisser .
Gabby Wong
5 years ago
I found this luxair one

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CH90ANZIslashSS.html?source=adwords&ad_position=1o4&ad_id=45425533757&placement=&kw=&network=g&matchtype=&ad_type=pla&product_id=CH90ANZI/SS&product_partition_id=452929347794&version=finalurl_v3&gclid=CjwKCAiAodTfBRBEEiwAa1haupCq6bON4iafFgkohks8xJZb-Y1G9gNcvVQnfNw2oBVEOpQOAMLODxoCV40QAvD_BwE

There are a few slimline ceiling options that fit in between the joists so hopefully don’t need a lowered section of ceiling.
PRO
Anderson Sinclair Ltd
5 years ago
We prefer a hob on the island, we also agree with your husband that new induction technology will be the safest option for you and your family. The rings only get hot when a pan is on them and when a pan is removed, yes there is still heat there, however it is not scalding hot.

It is also more sociable in our opinion to have the hob on the island is you are entertaining people.

In regards to the extraction, you could ask your builder/kitchen installer to build a drop ceiling detail the same size and shape of your island to set the island location and have an extractor built into it which wouldn't be in your eye sight, you can also get external motors which boost the power and strength making the extraction work better.

Call us on 0208 508 1941 or email us on info@anderson-sinclair.co.uk if you want to discuss or get some inspiration.
K Owen
5 years ago
I’m having a similar dilemma. I have decided on the hob in the isl and because I have teenagers who’s dishes are always left by the sink and not in the dishwasher.. I figured if I had a sink on the island it would constantly look messy and cluttered.
hapiak
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you everyone .. I’ve been convinced on the induction hob on island .. island is 1200 x 2400. Next debate is husband wants slate grey island with white quartz .. I was leaning more towards everything being white - the rest of the kitchen will be all white. I’m actually starting to think he may be right on this one too?!!

At least we both agree on the herringbone style floor.
Gabby Wong
5 years ago
The slate grey would work well with the white quartz worktop. But I think your option would also work, we’re going for a different colour on our island just because I want to add in some variety.

I wish we could agree on a herringbone floor - my OH has enacted a veto against it *sigh* And there was me thinking that would be something he didn’t really have strong opinions about!
hapiak
Original Author
5 years ago
My OH says he doesn’t care then cares the day before ordering :-)
Just put the deposit on the kitchen - all white! Not ordered yet .. survey first so we have got time to change

Now the discussion is where we have sockets in the island.
LTS
5 years ago
We don’t have either on our island which helps to keep it clutter free. I’m happy cooking with my back to the room so that I can concentrate on not burning the food (!) & use the island to plate up/buffet/bake. We have 5 stools in an L configuration at one end which works for socialising.
With regards to sockets on the island, we have a double socket at either end, a charging drawer for phones/tablets etc with sockets p/USB points & a double socket in a cupboard where we hide the microwave (we keep the cupboard door open during use & for 15 mins afterwards for h&s). It sounds like your new kitchen is coming together nicely...exciting!!
hapiak
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you - we are thinking sockets either side of the island - I’m wondering about how the leads will flex over the side? Only be used really when using blender and baking.

Island .. Hob or a sink?!?

Daisy England

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