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Must-Have Kitchen Fixtures To Make Life Easier

April 18, 2017

streamlined kitchen design with grey and white colours

Everyone knows the standard kitchen fixtures that can be found in nearly every home: Sink, stove, refrigerator and so on. However, there is an assortment of unique and novel fixtures that could revolutionize the way you approach your kitchen space. Here are some of the most unexpected and innovative kitchen fixtures and appliances you should consider adding to your layout:

Double Ovens
If you are a family that entertains frequently or otherwise likes to prepare elaborate meals, a double oven is a great way to prepare food that may require more than one cooking temperature. Roast a chicken in one oven while you bake a batch of cookies for dessert in the other!

Separate Stove Burner Range
While a stove traditionally includes an oven and burner range heating component on top, separating the burner and stove can actually make cooking easier and more efficient. By separating the burner and oven, you can raise the oven higher so you need to do less bending and stooping. Meanwhile, the area under your stove range can be used as storage. Alternatively, having a cooktop on a centre island can also make your kitchen more attractive and functional.

Undercabinet Lighting
Often cabinets, while functional, may create logistical issues by obstructing your overhead lights and creating dark areas. Installing LED undercabinet lighting can fight these shadowy areas and make it easier to prep for meals.

Double Bowl Sinks
While Houzz characterized these sinks as somewhat "controversial" as a must-have, many homeowners prefer the ease and efficiency of having a sink broken into two basins. For homeowners who find themselves hand-washing dishes might find a double bowl sink easier to work with. Alternatively, a double dishwasher can accomplish the same basic effect, and is particularly useful if you entertain or have highly attended meals often.

The double sink can make meal cleanup a breeze. The double sink can make meal cleanup a breeze.

Special Prep Sink 
Another sink alternative is having multiple sinks with different uses. A prep sink – distinct from a sink devoted to washing dishes – is a great way to make use of space and streamline cooking while someone else cleans up.

Two-Person Table
If you have a smaller kitchen or live in a house with only your partner or spouse, a full-sized dining room table might not be needed. A simple two- or three-person table can save space while still maintaining an attractive and utilitarian overall design.

Counter Garage
Confused by the name? Do not worry, it is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: According to Better Homes & Gardens, an on-counter garage is an area that houses an appliance you use frequently, but would prefer to remain out of sight when not in use. Like a garage for a car, an on-counter garage often has a roll-up door that can conceal devices like mixers, blenders, microwaves or other appliances.

Counter-Depth Fridge
As fridges expand and hold more and more food, kitchen space comes at a higher premium. If space efficiency is your top priority, something like a a counter-depth fridge – a refrigerator that is under 72 centimeters deep, often making up from the shallowness with greater height – can visually streamline your kitchen by sitting flush with counters and cabinets.

"Induction is generally safer and easier to clean."

Induction Cooktops
Induction cooktops are one of the latest innovations in cooking technology: Using an electromagnetic field below a glass surface rather than direct flame or warming electrical coils, induction cooktops heat up the pans rather than the cooking surface. The primary result is faster cooking. For example, according to Consumer Reports, boiling 6 quarts of water takes 2 to 4 minutes less time than a traditional cooktop. At the same time, since the surface of the cooktop is not heated directly, induction is generally safer and easier to clean, particularly if the house has small children. However, for it to work correctly, the homeowner must have induction-capable cookware.

Deep Drawers
Many kitchen designers make the mistake of only putting in large drawers or cabinets far from stoves and sinks. Better Homes & Gardens recommends that deep drawers be situated next to the kitchen range for easy access to pots and pans. These drawers are much more accessible than cabinets, able to be pulled out so the appropriate cookware can be removed at a moment's notice.

Hot Water Dispensers
If you drink a lot of tea or boil water frequently as part of meal prep, a hot water dispenser can be indispensable. Similarly, a cold-water dispenser – ideally paired with a reverse-osmosis filtration system – can act as your faucet designated for drinking water.

Stop by a Wolseley Kitchen and Bath Classics showroom today to get a few ideas for how you can remake your kitchen!

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