How do i look after my new kitchen?
One of the best ways to look after your kitchen doors is with a micro fibre cloth. A wipe over with a lightly damp cloth and an appropriate mild detergent, then buff the door with the micro fibre cloth which should leave you with a streak free finish. Different worktops will have different ways to clean them. Corian for example, can take powder based cleaners such as Bar Keepers Friend which will remove any surface stains or fine scratches. All good worktop manufacturers will have care and maintenance instructions.
Who should i get to install my kitchen?
Short answer, someone you trust. If you can find a good kitchen fitter or carpenter who comes recommended and you’re able to inspect their work then you may be able to save some money. A good fitter will be keen to see your design to give an accurate quote up front. They should also complete a pre-fit survey You may find yourself being charged for extra labour or materials because the fitter is finding the job more complicated than anticipated. There is a good chance you will bear the costs in this scenario.
By using your kitchen retailers appointed fitter to install, they will take responsibility for the whole project to give customers peace of mind. Check to make sure your installation contract is not a 3rd party contract.
How do i choose the right appliances?
With so much information online and sites like ‘Which’ finding the right appliance is much less of a minefield. Online reviews and customer feedback are a good indicator of quality when is comes to appliances. Some will have different positions in the kitchen which can completely change the look and feel of your kitchen. A range cooker for example, will induce the feeling of a country cottage as oppose to an eye level double oven. Make sure you put across your cooking and entertaining requirements so they can help you make the right choices when it comes to appliances.
Are induction hobs worth the hassle of changing?
Get ready for an extremely biased opinion because we love them. Induction hobs are very quick to heat up and cool down. In most cases the most responsive of all fuel types. If you like a juicy steak seared in a griddle pan or melted chocolate without having the faff of boiling water under a bowl, look no further than an induction hob. They really do take the hassle out of cooking.
However, there are two considerations. The first is your existing saucepans mat not work with your new induction hob. Contrary to popular belief they do not need to be specifically made for induction, they just have to have Ferris based metal (iron) content in the mix of metals. SO stainless steel pans with some iron mixed in will still work. The easiest way to find out if your pans will work is by putting a magnet to them, if it sticks then your onto a winner. The second consideration and most important is that induction hobs may interfere with pace makers. So, if you have a pace maker then induction is not for you.
Can i trust a company with poor online feedback?
Poor online feedback can ruin a company, thats why we all work hard to try and get the best scores possible. If a consumer has a bad experience they can be quick to leave a negative review in the heat of the moment. You can tell a lot about a company by looking at the detail of complaints online and gauging how well that company reacted to issues.
If you google for issues on specific companies the results can be quite scary. For example, search for a well know kitchen retailer and add ‘kitchen disasters’ to the search – your head may well spin. All we would say is delve in a little before taking things at face value. Online review sites can be very helpful when used in conjunction with your other research.
Is my money safe with an online kitchen retailer?
The retail market is shifting more and more online and as you so with the high-street, you will find good retailers and bad retailers. We would recommend avoiding any kitchen company that only interact with you online, particularly if they don’t offer to measure your kitchen in person.
I our case, we don’t have a showroom but are very much a family run Hampshire based company which take pride in selling good quality bespoke kitchens in Romsey, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth and surrounding areas. We are considered a new company, but with a huge amount of experience. With us your initial kitchen journey will begin online but the following steps are continued with one to one interaction with your designer and installation teams.
The best impartial advice we can give is if you’re not happy with a kitchen company before you buy the kitchen, there’s a very good chance you won’t like the finished product.
Should i pay extra for a bespoke kitchen?
The major benefit of having a bespoke kitchen is having a kitchen that has been designed around the space available, meaning there are no wasted corners or ugly large panels to fill the gaps, maximising all the usable space.
Every kitchen can be bespoke to capture the users individual needs and in a competitive kitchen market, you can achieve a kitchen with individuality and kudos, but without an over inflated price.
Should i avoid wooden worktops?
Wooden worktops are not for everyone as they do require care and maintenance. As detergents and general use strip away the oil from the surface, you need to replace it. Throughout it’s life, wooden worktops will need oiling.
If you’re worktops are getting a lot of use you will be spending time maintaining it’s beauty. Hot and wet areas will probably need oiling at least once a month, with the rest needing treatment roughly every six months.
Bear in mind, the more you use it, the more maintenance it will need. And, if it starts to feel rough in some areas, then it’s probably time to give your wooden worktops a sand.
