What are the best uses for a kitchen island?

[Dover]

I know this is going to be an individual thing, but I don't have an island (yet) and wonder how best to use one.
For instance, is it best to have a sink in it or keep it as a dry work area only? What about putting a stove
top on it? Is it a good place to put a dishwasher?

I'm asking questions like this because I'm designing a new kitchen and need to think about how to configure it.
It's not a huge space, but big enough for an island if I choose to add one. What is on your island and how has
it worked for you?

Maybe there's a good book out there
that covers this subject.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

1. All of the above if you have the space and money.

At the very least, a place for stools/chairs and some electricity for your mixers/gadgets and lap-top.

I have nothing in my island as it was done as an afterthought/add on and not part of a co-ordinated design. Our kitchen is 15 yrs old but in great shape. The island was added for extra storage/drawers. It makes a great staging area for dropping groceries in the kitchen. Also makes a nice place to set out an ice bucket and booze.

But if I was starting from scratch......

An extra bar sink? Maybe one of those neato trough sinks that can double as an ice holder for whine and beer?

Maybe a cook-top if you want to cook and watch over the guests or TV.

On a practical note, plumbing an island gets a little tricky - you probably have to do a vent loop to introduce vent air behind the drain. That will add to the plumbing costs.

Here's one I did for a friend - just power. And seating on three sides. Butcher block top. Pots and pans drawers and dual waste basket. They said they never leave the kitchen island. We just had turkey left-overs there on Fri.

[Dover]

4. Beautiful! I'm not surprised to hear they like it.

You are a talented cabinet maker.

That's about the size I'd need...maybe just a smidge larger. So maybe it would be too crowded with a sink/stovetop.

[Warpy]

2. I know if I were going to put anything on it

and I'd gotten stuck with another open plan kitchen, I'd insist on a bar height riser facing whatever room the kitchen looked into. That way people could sit at the bar with their drinks and chat but the mess of dirty pots and pans and spills couldn't be seen once they sit down to dine.

Other than that, it's a tossup whether I'd want a sink or stove. If I were a big entertainer, I'd probably choose the cooktop, just so I could face my guests while I was actively cooking and plating stuff.

However, in a closed kitchen, a flat island with an overhang on one side for stools would be just fine, and perfect with nothing on it for rolling pastry and parking hot pots and pans.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

3. Yes. Good point. The bar height counter top/riser is great for drinks etc.

My neighbor has that set-up. She cooks (for us) a lot and it's fun to hang out at "the bar" while she cooks.

[Dover]

5. Yeah, a friend has that arrangement and that's exactly right.

Her stovetop and oven are in her island. with some space for food prep, and then there is the level change for the
bar/eating area.

It is fun to talk and cook at the same time, and watch the cooking process too.
And when it's only the four of us we end up being served dinner right there at the 'bar'.
They have said their diningroom table gets much less action now that they have their 'eat-in' island.

[Major Nikon]

6. The best use is simply completing the 'work triangle'

...which consists of the stove, the sink, and the fridge. There's been a few other schools of thought on this, but the triangle seems to have held out as a pretty good kitchen design consideration.

Naturally the fridge probably isn't going to be part of the island, so that leaves the stove or the sink. Which one it should be depends on your kitchen layout.

[NMDemDist2]

7. my first island had the stovetop in it

just across from the sink, with seating on the opposite side. pot and pan storage underneath and a beautiful pot rack above, it was a jenn-aire stove that had a pop up downdraft vent. it was great, ovens were off to the side but that kitchen was HUGE!!!

my island now in a much smaller area, my island is dry prep and i keep all my small appliances under there, the toaster, crock pot, rice cooker, mixer etc and it's wonderful, but if you are using it as an appliance 'garage' be sure it had power on the island

edit to add, here i don't have a 'triangle' at all, it's fridge on one side, sink in the middle and stove around the 'el' on the end but since it's only around 8 feet from one end to the other, it still works well