Looking to get a little kid kitchen for Adelaide for Xmas. I don't want anything that looks really cheap or a lot of plastic. Something nice, generic enough for both kids, and sturdy. Hit me with what you've got.
We have a red retro kidcraft and it has held up surprisingly well. I got a deal on it otherwise we would have done the ikea one. Definitely do the ikea pots and pans they are metal and the kids love them more than the plastic ones. Wait till after Christmas to get lots of Melissa and Doug food sets on clearance. These are good to save and pull out later for something new.
We have a KidKraft one. Seems like the sets now are constructed a bit better. The best thing about it, is if a part gets broken or stripped, they send a new one for free!!!
i got the vintage style kidkraft one last year and we love it! it has held up well and doesn't look like a disposable plastic toy. i scored it off of craigslist last year before xmas (with wooden food and metal ikea pots) for a steal - this time of year a lot of folks are clearing out last year's big gift for this year's big one and you can find some great deals on very gently used kitchens (some even never used).
We have the Ikea one and C loves it and plays with it everyday. We have it adjacent to the end of our own cabinets so don't have enough room for the microwave hutch but he doesn't seem to mind.
Re: Kid kitchens
We have the IKEA kitchen and love it. I made a little curtain for the open space behind to dress it up a bit. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mingaling/5854501575/
We have this Melissa and Doug kitchen for the boys. https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Classic-Deluxe-Kitchen/dp/B000GYUYC4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1352929170&sr=8-3&keywords=melissa+and+doug+kitchen
I found it brand new on Craigslist a few years ago for half the price. The boys still play with it now and love it!