Higher end kitchens

Welcome to the forum Richard.

Both the aforementioned are German manufacturers, although Poggenpohl belong to the Swedish Group Nobia along with Magnet and Gower and Alno is the upmarket division of a group that

includes In-Toto and Wellman.
There is in my opinion no doubting the superior quality of german cabinetry and ranges in comparison to the market leaders in the UK but that isn’t to say that you cannot source

similar by using a number of providers here, thereby saving you money in the process.

What you are paying for is the wraparound service, and a high quality kitchen that is tailored to your needs both practically and ergonomically. Accessories, drawers, cabinet

guage/quality and specifications in general are of a higher standard but whether this warrants the relative increased cost is a question for the consumer once they have been made

aware of the distinguishing factors.

To clarify an exception to the above statement, traditional kitchens remain the forte of UK manufacturers and they are, again in my opinion, the undisputed world leaders in bespoke

kitchen design.

To the consumer there doesn’t appear to be a middle ground for those who wish to source the same high end components independently but it does exist and design. preparation, supply

and installation is available from professionals who can manage your project in liaison with you but who work outside of the constraints of one manufacturer.

Top end components are available through UK Distributors/Cabinet/Door Manufacturers who will, quite rightly, only deal within the trade, yet a number of independents can cater for

your needs if this is the route by which you wish to source your products.

Let’s face it, if you go to a restaurant and serve yourself a buffet style meal you will pay less than eating at a high class eaterie where you are pampered. The food may not differ

in quality but being mollycoddled is, for many, the deciding factor. You can sit back and enjoy the produce and the service is part of the cost.

Buying a kitchen “buffet style” can result in a design of as high a quality but it takes a co-ordination, product knowledge, tolerance and stamina that you should not require if you

choose top end manufacturers.

There are a number of European Manufacturers attempting to gain a foothold in the UK market and it suprises me somewhat that disounts are not more forthcoming in order to win your

business. After all we are talking about a substantial sum here and most likely the second largest expenditure you will make after your house.

My biggest issue with manufacturers, having spent over twenty years installing kitchens is the lack of an effective barrier against leaks or floods in the sink cabinet in particular.

An interesting point to make here is that the current trend and increasing popularity of solid surface worktops, warrants this more than ever before. Given that even the top end units

are still made of melamine faced chipboard and that it will be irreparable after any water ingress, it seems crazy to me that, should a leak occur and perish your sink unit through

ingress, you will have to remove, and in some cases renew, your worktops in order to replace the unit.

I may be using this post as a sounding board for my own invention, Unitsaver, but the alternatives currently on offer are merely slide in trays that are ineffective against ingress

and ultimately deterioration of the cabinet. A cabinet, should a leak occur under your sink, will swell and perish the cabinet regardless of being a new or existing kitchen.

Sorry to have deviated for a while there but it’s a passionate issue with me and I receive a number of e-mails asking how Unitsaver can be purchased. Truth is that unless a forward

thinking company with good business sense comes to the same conclusion, they can’t. The only one in the world was fitted by myself in a Better Homes TV makeover in Leyland in 2002.

Unfortunately for me it never made the final edit. Sour grapes – yes, but only because I know through experience that it works and can act as an insurance against the upheaval,

inconvenience and substantial reperatory costs in the event of a leak.

Ok, sound off over, back to the post.

Scavolini are the largest of the Italian manufacturers and again one of many trying to trade in on the 1 million kitchens sold annually in the UK.

As in fashion, the Italians have a good flair for design that is reflected in the ranges and innovations they offer and similarly the German efficieny and reliability are reflected in

the robustness of their designs although of late they seem to have learned from the Italians in the innovative design stakes.

To sum up, distinguish the specifications each of the providers offer and this, in addition to your personal preference of the ranges they produce, standard and extent of the service

they offer and the comparitive cost should be the criteria in making your decision regardless of who is the supplier.