best play kitchen around ??

amber31288

Hi, I am mostly a lurker on this board but did have a quick question for you ladies that I thought you could answer better than my BMB.

What play kitchen do/did you have? What's the best one, in your opinion? there's so many cute ones, I'm feeling overwhelmed! Also, what age did your LO start to enjoy playing with the kitchen? I know my DD has a ways to go (she's 6 months now), but we're thinking of Christmas and birthday gifts. I'm a planner and love to shop early.. and we already have family asking for ideas. TIA!

synchrosally

We got DS a Step 2 kitchen. It wasn't the tiny one and it wasn't the gigantic one so I think we got the right one. It has sounds and the pot bubbles when you put it on the stove. We got it for him when he was 18 months, but he had enjoyed the one at his sitter's house since about 15 months.

 

nanabanana06

DD has a KidKraft Retro Kitchen. It's pretty awesome. She really does love it. I have never been a huge fan of the plastic kitchens. So I got her a nice looking wooden one. Plus it will last a long time and DS will be able to use it once he gets old enough.

catycate

We love the Ikea kitchen! I hate plastic ones that makes sounds (it really inhibits open ended play, IMO), and the Ikea one is a simple wooden one with burners and a "fridge" and a "stove" DS has loved play kitchens out and about since about a year and we got ours at about 15 months.

Wufroggy79

Plastic, I would say the Step 2 Kitchens.  Check CL for awesome deals so as not to pay the strap $120 and up for them.  Wooden, I think it is KidCraft and Ikea are good.  Though Ikea ones are a little plain for my liking.

Wufroggy79

Plastic, I would say the Step 2 Kitchens.  Check CL for awesome deals so as not to pay the steep $120 and up for them.  Wooden, I think it is KidCraft and Ikea are good.  Though Ikea ones are a little plain for my liking.

racegrrl714

synchrosally:

We got DS a Step 2 kitchen. It wasn't the tiny one and it wasn't the gigantic one so I think we got the right one. It has sounds and the pot bubbles when you put it on the stove. We got it for him when he was 18 months, but he had enjoyed the one at his sitter's house since about 15 months.

 

We have the cheap one from American Plastics and my DD hardly ever plays with it. It was hard to put together and it's just poorly made. My MIL has the above Step2 kitchen at her house and DD LOVES to play with it. So another vote for Step2.

amber31288

thanks everyone! now i have to decide if i want plastic or wooden. i appreciate the input!

lmpdjc

We have this one from KidKraft and DS loves it:

lrn327

catycate:

We love the Ikea kitchen! I hate plastic ones that makes sounds (it really inhibits open ended play, IMO), and the Ikea one is a simple wooden one with burners and a "fridge" and a "stove" DS has loved play kitchens out and about since about a year and we got ours at about 15 months.

We have the Ikea one too.  It dropped in price a lot from last year so I think it is a great deal at $79!  We bought the microwave hutch part too but it's too tall for our space so just have the lower portion.  He doesn't seem to care though.  His only frustration is that the faucet doesn't have real water coming out, lol!

anneimal98

lmpdjc:

We have this one from KidKraft and DS loves it:

I'm debating between this Kidcarft model and the non-corner version:

hmp1

I have a no plastic rule downstairs. We have the KidKraft Retro Kitchen in Red. We bought it when DS was about 13 months old. He still plays with it.

Kitiara5512

synchrosally:

We got DS a Step 2 kitchen. It wasn't the tiny one and it wasn't the gigantic one so I think we got the right one. It has sounds and the pot bubbles when you put it on the stove. We got it for him when he was 18 months, but he had enjoyed the one at his sitter's house since about 15 months.

 

I think the Step 2 Welcome Home kitchen we got is about the same size or a little smaller - it doesn't seem to have as much stuff. C likes to cook us dinner a lot, but he plays mostly with his smaller toys he can run all over with and then comes back to this as a base. Step 2 has it listed on their website as $90-110. We got it at Walmart.com, it had been on sale for $75 bundled with a play food set (101 pieces).

We also got him the table and chair set that matches it pretty well.

 

Kitiara5512

racegrrl714:

synchrosally:

We got DS a Step 2 kitchen. It wasn't the tiny one and it wasn't the gigantic one so I think we got the right one. It has sounds and the pot bubbles when you put it on the stove. We got it for him when he was 18 months, but he had enjoyed the one at his sitter's house since about 15 months.

 

We have the cheap one from American Plastics and my DD hardly ever plays with it. It was hard to put together and it's just poorly made. My MIL has the above Step2 kitchen at her house and DD LOVES to play with it. So another vote for Step2.

We were really considering that little one from AP also. I am glad after reading this that we chose to get the Step 2 instead.