When designing your new kitchen, it’s only natural to want to add a touch a luxury to ensure that you love it for years to come. But a luxury item for you, might not be useful to someone else, and some might be costlier than others, but your priorities will differ based on your kitchen needs and preferences. What do you use your kitchen for? That might sound like an obvious question, but to some people, a kitchen is more than just a space to heat up a ready meal. Whether you are a master chef using the space to practice and experiment your culinary delights, or the ‘hostess with the monsters’ utilising the space to entertain guests, luxury items will make the most of the space.
Domino hobs
If you think of yourself as quite the master chef and have longed for an appliance that allows you to make an array of dishes using several cooking methods, then treat yourself to a domino hob. Combining undeniable benefits of induction and the brilliance of gas for preparing stir-fried food, these dual hobs are perfect. These two-zone cooktops – usually measuring 30 x 60cm come in a variety of different types. As well as gas and induction models, you can also buy charcoal-style grills for all-year-round barbecuing, steel teppanyaki plates for Japanese style griddle cooking and even fryers for perfect southern-style chicken. Whichever you choose it’s best to buy from the same manufacturer to keep the materials, design and size consistent. If you’d prefer to keep costs down with just one worktop cut, then AEG, Caple and CDA all have a single glass topped hobs that include both a powerful gas burner and induction plates, proving that in some things, you really can have it all!
Coffee machines
Can’t function on a morning without your caffeine fix? Then a built-in coffee machine might be a worthwhile addition to your list. Although they might seem pricey at first, many aren’t much more expensive than top-of-the range countertop models and think of all that money you’ll save not buying a coffee on your way to work every day. If you’re planning an appliance bank in your kitchen design then it’s worth noting that most manufacturers are designing coffee machines to match their ovens and as a result, a combination of three ovens and a coffee machine are becoming a popular configuration. Price points vary, from the very affordable semi-automatic models from Hotpoint to the pricier all-singing, all-dancing bean-to-cup coffee machine from AEG. If you can’t bear the thought of messy beans or grinds, then a Nespresso pod machine by Miele is a good option.
Wine fridges
Everyone loves to have their favourite tipple served at the perfect temperature, so what better appliance to treat your kitchen to than a wine cooler? While there might not be space for a wine cellar, the latest wine coolers are very sophisticated machines that will ensure all wines – both red and white are kept in the optimum conditions. Undercounter models from companies such as Liebherr, Caple and CDA vary in size from space-saving single columns to those with room enough for up to 48 bottles and featuring several temperature zones for keeping reds and whites at exactly the right temperature. Perfectly placed on the dining side of an island so that guests can help themselves while you cook, look for coolers that also include UV protection and anti-vibration – to keep harmful light and stop the disturbance of sediments – as they’re important features to keep your wine at its best for longer. Larger models look great in a bank of appliances and many, such as those from Miele have elegant wooden shelving, three temperature zones and even a sommelier unit for sampling your best vintages.
