Induction introduction

Precision, speed and convenience in the kitchen are prized assets of modern life.  And for those characteristics many people choose and use the traditional gas hob.


But when the much loved gas is not available, or not desired, can modern electric hobs fill the void and match the responsiveness and speed of gas. 

Welcome to the induction hob.  Powered by electricity, they can be twice as fast as a conventional gas hob, are more economical and much safer. 

With induction hobs magnetic induction heats the pan, not the hob.   So only the bottom of the pot gets hot, and the hob surface only heats where it is in contact with the pot.  Accordingly, any hob surface not in touch with the pot stays cool and safe to touch. And once the pot has been removed from the induction zone, or the induction zone has been switched off, the temperature of the hob surface drops rapidly. 

Instant fingertip control means there is no danger of the pot contents boiling over once you turn the power down.  Just like a gas hob.   But unlike a conventional gas hob you have a cooler solid glass surface.  So once the surface has cooled, cleaning takes a quick wipe with a damp cloth followed by a wipe with some glass cleaner for that "as new" shine.  And that should be that.

Any pot with a ferromagnetic bottom can be used for cooking on an induction hob.  This can be easily checked with an ordinary fridge magnet; if the magnet sticks to the pot base then you can use the pot on an induction hob.

So remember, it's the pot that gets hot not the hob. Meaning the hob uses less energy, improves kitchen safety, and provides a wipe clean surface.  Overlooked for many years, the induction hob may be the answer for those looking for speed, responsiveness, safely and easy cleaning all from an electric hob.

Laminate worktops, forgotten quality?

 
Laminate worktops are practical and highly cost effective, but still suffer from a image born of poor 1970's quality and ugly metal joining strips. 

But time, and quality, have come a long way with a modern German laminates now providing a quality alternative to the more expensive stone or composite offerings. 

Modern bespoke design, the ability to form the worktop to virtually any shape, including circular, and the availability of many colours means they provide a flexible and inexpensive solutions to your worktop choice.  In fact, German laminates from Nobilia are manufactured to your design from your kitchen plans.  So if you can draw it, Nobilia can make it. No more cutting and fitting on site.

And these modern laminates only need to be joined when they negotiate corners. Even then, with a proper mitre fixing, this only leaves a hair line join.

Nobilia laminates are available up to a maximum length of 5.1 metres with a maximum thickness of 1170mm but also down to 13mm in slim line form.  They offer a good quality, cost effective alternative to more traditional worktop materials.

In fact a forgotten modern alternative that should be given much more consideration for a modern designer kitchen.

Top Drawer

It’s unlikely over this festive period, that kitchen drawer technology will be a major topic of conversation.  But if you’re considering a new kitchen for the new year, then it just may be worth a second thought.

The life of a kitchen drawer can hardly be considered comfortable.  Carrying home a set of good quality cast iron pans or a full canteen of cutlery can be the “eye opener” of just how hard these forgotten kitchen wonders have to work.

Fortunately, such details are not forgotten by our friends at Nobilia.  When it comes to the longevity of a kitchen, the absolute best is barely good enough, which is why, as from 2012, Nobilia made the innovative drawer system Profi+ standard equipment.

Profi+ stands for unrivaled smooth running action, extraordinary stability, comprehensive design aesthetics and versatile possibilities for equipment options. Even more storage space as well as easy fitting and adjustment possibilities are further plus points for this one-of-a-kind drawer and pull-out system.

Rated up to 70kgs, the Profi+ drawer system delivers effortless German efficiency and build quality.  A pleasant working environment in the kitchen has a lot to do with perfect organisation, so while a good quality drawer system may not be your holiday hot topic, it should certainly cross your mind when choosing your new kitchen.

Come and see the Profi+ at Kitchen Solutions Kent.

Worktops from the first millennia

Very few products are able to remain unchanged over time, and keep the properties of resistance, durability and looks without change.   But that’s exactly what ceramics can do. Ceramics are familiar to us all and have been made by man over many millennia. And now you can add those superb, enduring ceramic properties to your kitchen worktops.

Kent KitchenSolutions are able to offer Neolith ceramic counter tops by THESIZE.

THESIZE has created Neolith; a high performance, large format, slim porcelain slab technology. But why choose a Neolith ceramic worktop for your home?  Well you may like to consider a few characteristics of Neolith ceramics:

• 100% Natural mineral composition
• Non absorbent; near 0% water absorption
•  Lightweight; 7kgs/m² in 3mm thickness
• Easy to clean; impervious to chemicals
• Hygienic; food safe
• Resistant; fire and high temperature resistant, Neolith does not emit toxic fumes when exposed to fire.
• Green; Neolith is recyclable and has high % of recycled content
• Flex resistant; Neolith has a high flexural strength
• Freeze and thaw resistant
• Chromatic property; Neolith colours are mineral based and do not fade with UV exposure
• Heavy duty; Neolith resists high traffic abrasion

For flexibility NeoLith ceramics come in a range of formats:

• XSS:    300x600mm
• XS:      600x600mm
• XM:     600x1200mm
• XL:      1200x1200mm
•  XXL:   1200x3600mm

(NeoLith is the largest high performance porcelain slab on the market at 3600x1200mm)

And NeoLith slabs are available in 3 thicknesses: 3mm, 5mm, or 10mm with or without reinforcing fibreglass backing.  But for added flexibility the slabs can be laminated: 3+3mm, 5+3mm, and 5+5mm.

With a wide choice of colours to suit all aesthetics why not consider ceramics for your home.

Welcome Masterclass

Kitchen Solutions Kent welcomes Masterclass to their range of quality, affordable kitchens.

Offering 46 distinct ranges – everything from sleek, high gloss style statements to more classic and elegantly finished solid wood with traditional features. All Masterclass kitchens are made to order by highly experienced specialists and supplied fully assembled with soft close as standard. Masterclass also have a 10 year warranty for your complete peace of mind.

Made in the UK since 1975, Masterclass use the latest technology combined with traditional manufacturing techniques to produce a quality product with a superb finish.

Offering a more traditional range and style than many continental manufacturers, Masterclass kitchens have over 35 years experience and expertise.  All their kitchens are made in the UK at their state of the art South Wales manufacturing facility.

There's over 200 different doors to choose from to suit all tastes, styles and budgets. A wide selection of creative storage solutions make the best use of your space while more challenging designs can be developed bespoke, no matter how unusual or awkward the space may be.

Quality materials, highest standards of manufacture and supplied ready assembled with their 10 year warranty on all cabinets, hinges and drawers means you can have total peace of mind.

Kitchen SOS

Kitchen Solutions Kent have been working with TV personality Nadia Sawalha and award winning designer Kerr Drummond on a new TV show called Kitchen SOS.

We worked alongside them for 3 episodes of the first series. Kitchens that we had already designed and installed for some of our clients served as inspiration for members of the public who were lucky enough to gain a place on the show and have their kitchen designed and remodelled by the team. You can see the outcome by visiting the Kitchen SOS homepage here.

New Franke EPOS EOV glass sink.

New from Franke, this Epos EOV glass sink from Franke, would be a stylish, practical addition to any kitchen. Available as a single bowl and a one-and-a-half bowl option with accessories that include a strainer bowl, drainer basket and rollamat. Manufactured from toughened glass, it is able to withstand the rigours of the hardest working kitchen environments.The EPOS EOV's striking looks are achieved by combining glass and stainless steel. The Epos EOV is in the Franke Specialist range and like all Franke sinks, comes with a 50-year guarantee.

Kitchen Solutions Kent are authorised Franke sink dealers.

Kitchen Solutions Kent Press release

Here is a recent press release from Kitchen Solutions Kent. Independent Kitchen Retailers Like Kitchen Solutions Kent Grow in Popularity Across the UK Many people in the UK are considering renovating their kitchens in order to add value to their homes. This trend is catching on across the country as people realise all the benefits of having beautiful new kitchens. The kitchen is often the first thing that gets noticed in a home, so installing a new kitchen is almost like giving the whole house a makeover. The surprising trend is that these consumers are not turning to large chains to purchase their kitchens. Instead, a growing number of clients are purchasing kitchens from independent retailers because these companies possess special expertise that general retailers lack. As a result, one of these independent retailers — called Kitchen Solutions Kent — has been receiving a lot of attention lately. “Consumers are realising that specialists offer a level of product knowledge, design flair and service levels that larger chains struggle to deliver. It is perhaps not as widely appreciated that, not having to pay for the upkeep of large showrooms and shop staff, independents can often offer better value for money when it comes to buying kitchens, appliances, and worktops,” declares the Kitchen Solutions Kent website. Those looking for German kitchens from Nobilia can browse the Kitchen Solutions Kent website to find a range of kitchens in various styles, including high-gloss kitchens, modern kitchens, cottage kitchens and wood-finished kitchens. Visitors can also read about the features that make German-designed kitchens so special, with high quality digital imagery to illustrate the different design features. There are even videos on the About Us page for potential clients who want to witness just how durable German kitchens are. The videos include footage that reveals tests implemented by Nobilia to ensure that kitchen colours will not fade and kitchens can withstand extreme temperatures. Customers who want to see these exceptional kitchens in person will soon be able to visit the new Southwest England kitchen design studio in Devon, which opens in autumn 2012. In 2013, 12 new kitchen ranges will be added to the line of products offered by Kitchen Solutions Kent. By visiting KitchenSolutionsKent.co.uk, potential clients can read about German kitchens, English bespoke kitchens, worktop installation and kitchen design services — all of which are offered by this independent retailer. The site also provides a plethora of testimonials from satisfied customers. About Kitchen Solutions Kent: Kitchen Solutions Kent is the UK's largest independent retailer of German kitchens from Nobilia. The company buys the kitchens directly from the Nobilia factory in Germany, allowing Kitchen Solutions Kent to offer quality kitchens at excellent prices. Clients can also request bespoke kitchen design and installation services with full project management. Kitchen Solutions Kent is capable of undertaking any associated building work, electrical, plumbing, plastering and general building. For more information, please visit: http://kitchensolutionskent.co.uk/

New Corian 2012 Colours for Kitchen Worktops

Dupont have just released the new colous for kitchen worktops. This is a significant change to the colour palette with the introduction of more solid colours like elegent grey, serpentine green and imperial yellow.

New introductions to the non solid colours include burled beach and Juniper

Due to popular demand discontinued corian colours will be available until June 2013. Some of the new colours look great, can't wait to use them in our kitchen designs.

Black High Gloss Kitchen

Well, not strictly a black high gloss kitchen, more of a combination of black and white high gloss. We designed and installed this modern high gloss kitchen in an 18th century house just outside Maidstone in Kent, all tho oak beams you can see in the images are original. The outside walls of the kitchen are in white high gloss with black quartz worktops and the kitchen island is in black high gloss with a white quartz worktop.



The extractor hood is from Elica and the induction hob features and special wok cooking zone. Having 2 sinks in the kitchen allows for easy food preparation and cleaning.



The railing handles lend a particular look and make opening and closing of the deep pan drawers under the hob and elswhere in the kitchen very easy. Deep pan drawers are a very efficient use of space in your kitchen as, unlike a cupboard all of the contents are easily accessable.



The black and white quartz worktops contasting with the kitchen units they sit on are extremely hard wearing and very good looking. The worktop on the island had to be cut around on of the aged oak beams in the kitchen.



So, you see it is possible to design a very modern kitchen in a traditional property and achieve a very pleasing outcome. You can see more examples of high gloss kitchens here.

Kitchens in Kent

Here is a kitchen that we recently designed and installed in Bromley, Kent. The client brief was for clean, simple lines and a light, bright environment.

The range we used was Linera, a handleless kitchen in matt white lacquer from Nobilia.



The architectural lines created by the handleless kitchen door profile gives a pleasing sense of symmetry and proportion to the overall kitchen design.



The large fridge is placed between pull out larder towers and next to the ovens we built a custom appliance tower to house a free standing washing machine and tumble drier. This had the advantage of making both of these less audible when in use and freed up under counter space by the kitchen sink.



The worktop is Compaq quartz in grey and gives the kitchen an understated but classy appearance and also helps to keep the kitchen light and airy as per our customers brief. Teemed with a large stainless steel undermounted sink and contemporary tap the whole kitchen design is good to look at and very practical - what do you think?



For advice, kitchen designs and kitchens in Kent follow visit http://www.kitchensolutionskent.co.uk/ which is Kitchen Solutions Kent's main site.

The Prime Ministers Kitchen

Below is a picture of Michelle Obama and Samantha Cameron sat in the kitchen of number 11 Downing Street. Interesting little details of the Prime Minister and his family's domestic life, not normally afforded to us, are revealed. It all looks very contemporary and I like the kitchen cabinet ( excuse the pun) colour. The picture was released by the White House after Obama's recent visit.