Any of you that have ever renovated a kitchen before will know that choosing the right height for your kitchen worktop and cabinets is critical to the functionality of your space. Too high and you won’t see into your cupboards, but too low and you’ll get back ache from chopping. Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, is that one of our most-asked questions is this: what’s the ideal height for kitchen worktops and cabinets?
Unfortunately, the right answer is that there is no right answer. The 'perfect' height for units will depend on the characteristics of your room, as well as on your needs and wants and, to put it simply, your height. The ideal kitchen worktop height for a person measuring 5ft will be different to someone measuring 6ft.
What height should worktops and base units be?
At eba, we consider your kitchen’s characteristics as well as your needs in order to determine the correct kitchen worktop height for you. We offer a modular system for our base units, comprising of the unit, its feet and a worktop, with different heights available for all three parts. This allows us to create practical, functional units that are adapted to each user.
For users who are shorter than 5’2”, base units of 88cm will be very comfortable, whilst users over 6’2” will be better suited to a unit height of 98cm. For family kitchens, where users will be a range of heights, we recommended the standard kitchen unit size of 92cm, inclusive of the worktop.
In total, we offer three different heights for base units, (66, 78 and 84cm), which, when combined with the different heights of worktops and feet, allows us to create personalised systems for each of our clients.
What height are kitchen wall units?
When it comes to kitchen cabinet heights, we usually recommend using the full height of the room by adding tall units at the maximum height, or adding top box units that go up to the ceiling. This maximises storage space and makes the kitchen feel sophisticated.
Concerning the spacing between wall and base units, it’s generally recommended to leave a gap of 55-60cm. If this is done, wall units are usually installed around 150cm from the floor.
Aside from kitchen cabinet heights, it’s worth considering other ways to make your kitchen more ergonomic. Alternative opening systems such as our flap-door and folding systems provide a clear view into cupboards and easier access for wall units. This system also reduces the risk of hitting open cupboard doors.
What height should a breakfast bar be?
An increasingly popular feature in kitchens, breakfast bars are either directly added to a base unit worktop, island or peninsula in the form of a high table, or as a stand-alone feature. As such, the height of a breakfast bar will be determined by its location. If the bar is an extension of the worktop, its height will automatically be the same as the base units. For a standard base unit of 92cm, 65cm-high stools will be the best seating option.
However, if it's fixed to the floor, either in continuation of the worktop as a high table, or independently, its height is often higher: around 110cm, with 77cm-tall stools.
As you can see, choosing the right height for your kitchen worktop and cabinets isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. For each of our clients, we take into account their heights, the dimensions of the space, their needs, and the appropriate distances between units. With this in mind, we can offer custom-made kitchens that suit the individual needs of each user.
If you’re in the market for a practical, ergonomic kitchen and need advice on kitchen cabinet or worktop heights, get in touch to organise a meeting with our team.
