What is a Quooker tap?

In a nutshell, a Quooker tap gives you instant access to boiling, 100°C water on demand. No more waiting for pans or kettles to boil, just a quick turn of the mechanism is all it takes. With its minimalist contemporary look, it would be fair to assume that the Quooker tap is quite a new invention, but it’s not! First designed by Dutch engineer Henri Peteri all the way back in the 1970s, throughout the last three decades it’s evolved through various designs and additional features, but the basic concept has stayed the same.

High tech convenience

When Henri first developed the Quooker tap, he was working for Unilever to develop instant soup for the wider public. Instead of waiting for the pan to boil, he hit on the idea of having the boiling water come straight from the tap to make the soup truly instant, and a beautiful, revolutionary idea was born!

Nowadays, though, you can make so much more than soup with it. The video demonstrates a few uses, and you can also:

• Sterilise dummies
• Cook vegetables
• Cook rice and pasta
• Clean pots and pans
• Fill hot water bottles
• Make tea, coffee or hot chocolate

“The safest and most sustainable option”

Almost all of us have had brushes with boiling water at some point, and the designers of the modern Quooker tap are all too aware of the importance of care and safety. That’s why they’ve designed a number of features to help you avoid scalds and burns. For example, in order to access the boiling water you’ve got to use the unique push and turn mechanism, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally brushing a lever with your elbow or wrist! (There are a couple more of these useful features, too – the video goes into greater detail.)

Of course, if you can’t watch the video for whatever reason, or if you’ve got more questions about the Quooker tap, we’re only too happy to answer them here at Kitchen Design Centre! Our expert designers know our high-tech kitchen gadgets inside out, and we’d love to help you figure out which ones you want most in your kitchen. You can stop by any of our designer kitchen showrooms in Manchester, Blackburn and Barrowford for a chat about how to bring your ideas to life.

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Storage Is Essential

As any successful baker knows, you need a treasure trove of ingredients in order to make the most delicious meals when baking. That means you’ve got to be able to reach your flour, sugar and lemon juice at a moment’s notice – you won’t want to have to keep crossing the kitchen to fetch them! It’s not just those, either; there are all sorts of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger that you’ll want to keep close by, too. For that reason, you’ll want deep drawers to keep your baking ingredients in, if at all possible.

You’ll also be grateful for deep drawers – or at least tall ones – when bringing out and putting away your trays and baking pans. For these reasons alone, if you’re redesigning your kitchen it’s the drawers and cabinetry that you’ll want to have a look at first. (If space is at a premium, some people even find that a rolling cart can be helpful, so you can bring your ingredients trundling across the kitchen with you!)

Give Yourself Plenty Of Elbow Room

Kitchen worktops and islands are key considerations at the best of times, but giving yourself enough counter space to work should be at the top of your list of priorities when designing your kitchen for baking. You’ll need bowls, scales, whisks, ingredients, utensils…and preferably the ability to use them without sending anything crashing to the floor, too. Many cooks find that kitchen islands fulfil this role beautifully, as rather than tucked up in one cramped corner of your worktop, you’ve got plenty of room to prepare.

It’s also worth noting that lots of bakers actually prefer their work surfaces to be slightly lower than they might normally be in other kitchens. This is so they can get the right amount of leverage to press down and roll out dough or knead bread. If you’re designing your kitchen from scratch, this might be something worth considering. Of course, if you’ve not got the budget or the time for it, you can always achieve the same effect with a dedicated ‘baking stool’ (yes, it’s a real thing), and standing on that for anything that needs that extra bit of force.

Be Smart About Kitchen Technology

There’s one other final point that’s possibly not quite as well known as the others – in recent years, more and more cooking professionals are singing the praises of ‘tech corners’. “What’s that got to do with baking?” you might ask. Well, bakers often need a variety of electronic appliances and utensils like food mixers and processors, and they often need several to be running at the same time. A dedicated ‘tech corner’ complete with the right number of power sockets, can really make your job easier, rather than stretching wires and cables across your worktops.

Even if you’re not planning on baking on that sort of scale, casual bakers can still get a lot of use out of a tech corner. If nothing else, it can be a place to plug in your iPhone, iPad or laptop to follow online how-tos or tutorials, so you can learn as you cook. Obviously, make sure to keep any electronic devices well out of the way of whisks or chocolate-covered spoons!

Finally, if you’re planning on transforming your entire kitchen into one that’s perfect for baking, you’re going to need appliances that are up to the job. A wall-mounted oven is the perfect solution to all your baking needs, especially as it saves you having to bend down all the time to put your meals into it. At Kitchen Design Centre, we’re proud to be an official Master Partner for Neff, a leading industry supplier of ovens and other powerful kitchen appliances.

If you want to see them in action, you can pop into any of our designer kitchen showrooms in Manchester, Blackburn or Colne, where one of our talented designers will be only too happy to perform a demonstration!

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter: @modernkitchens

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Vegetarian Meals Made Easy With Neff Hi-Tech Ovens

At Kitchen Design Centre we’re very proud to be a Neff Master Partner. We’ve talked in detail about the achievements of this industry-leading kitchen supplier before, so it probably comes as no surprise to learn that Neff ovens are not only impressively powerful, but also versatile enough to cater to a range of cooking styles. The latest model – the 3 series – is complete with a ‘Pizza setting’. This incorporates bottom heat and a fan oven to create a more crispy base on your classic margherita pizza – ideal for all you lovers of Italian food!

It’s not just pizza that this setting can be used for, too – it’s much more than that. The pizza setting can also be used for ‘blind baking’. Sometimes known as pre-baking, this is the act of baking a pie crust of other sort of pastry without the filling, so you can fill it with whatever delicious vegetarian option you have in mind. It’s amazing if you’re cooking a vegetarian quiche for example, or even a lemon meringue. For the more culinary adventurous amongst you, it also has dough proving and bread-baking settings, too. Whatever you’ve got in mind, the raw power and beautiful design of the Neff oven can help you make it absolutely perfect before you plate up.

Grill Your Way To Greatness With FlexInduction Hobs

Induction hobs are a constant source of pride for many of our customers, as you can see from a quick glance amongst our case studies. Now, they’re made even more versatile with add-on grills; marvellous for grilling asparagus, peppers or corn-on-the-cob for an indoor BBQ-style dish. Try it for any length of time and you’ll be convinced – vegetarians can enjoy barbecues too!

And, if you’re lucky enough to own one of Neff’s Domino Hobs, you can enjoy all the benefits of a Teppanyaki add-on grill plate. Teppanyaki is a Japanese style of cooking that was popularised in the mid-twentieth century, and it’s had plenty of time to evolve and produce some mouth-watering dishes since then. The smooth grill plate lets you enjoy a wonderful vegetable stir-fry with onions, bean sprouts and peppers all cooked with a hot Asian style sauce. The hob itself is designed to be intuitive, efficient and easy to clean. Trust us; it’s an absolute dream to have in your kitchen.

We hope this post has given you some inspiration to cook delicious vegetarian meals in your kitchen. Even if it’s not generally your thing, maybe give it a go – you might be pleasantly surprised at the results! These are just a few examples of some of the top-of-the-range appliances we have here at Kitchen Design Centre. If you’re curious to see them in action – and we don’t blame you – why not pop into any one of our designer showrooms in Manchester, Colne or Blackburn, where one of our talented designers will be happy to show you round.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter: @modernkitchens

The post Cook Amazing Vegetarian Meals With These Kitchen Appliances appeared first on Kitchen Design Centre.

The Most Wonderful Designs Of Kitchen Island Extractors

One of the greatest draws of a feature extractor is in the design. While traditional cooker hoods are purely functional, a typical feature extractor combines cutting-edge technology with breathtaking design aesthetics to create a piece which is more than just a kitchen appliance – it’s a work of art. It’s fantastic at getting rid of lingering cooking smells in your kitchen, while at the same time making an elegant focal point and a fantastic conversation piece that’s perfect for impressing your visitors and dinner guests!

As a designer kitchen company, we can appreciate the work that goes into making an exquisite feature extractor. They draw the eye with high-end materials like glass and stainless steel, sometimes also making use of warmer-coloured metals like bronze or copper to make an extra visual impact. These materials are used in conjunction with innovative and often highly advanced technology that beautifully complement a contemporary design scheme.

For example, the Faber Skylift descends from the ceiling for use while cooking, and smoothly retracts back into place when you’re finished with it, leaving a clear line of sight across your kitchen. It’s mesmerising to watch, and it’s exactly this kind of design aesthetic that makes feature extractors so popular amongst so many of our customers.

Feature extractors are also outfitted with ambient LED lighting, giving you extra control over the feel of the space. (At Kitchen Design Centre we’ve got a range of options for you to choose from when it comes to the colour of these lights, depending on what you want the mood of the space to be.)

Here Are Some Of Our Favourite Designs!

We’ve seen a number of intriguing feature extractors over the years here at Kitchen Design Centre, and we’re always keeping an eye out for new innovations or inventions! Some of our current favourite feature extractors come from industry-leading manufacturer Faber, and include:

The Faber Pareo

This sleek cylindrical island cooker hood is tucked away in a compact form until activated with a remote control. At the touch of a button it extends to its full length with a hypnotic, gently spiralling motion. It’s complete with four LED lights on its underside, which cast a soft glow on the kitchen island beneath. It’s resplendent in either a wonderful stainless steel or burnished bronze ‘Tibetan Silver’ finish.

The Faber Skylift

This is a particularly popular extractor amongst our customers. We’ve previously discussed the attractions of recessed ceiling extractors,  which are built directly into the ceiling so as not to impose on the space, leaving a clean and spacious aesthetic.

As we touched upon above, the Skylift works on a similar principle; it’s a stainless steel design that rests in a ceiling cavity until required, at which point it descends to hover above the cooking hobs. Once you’ve finished cooking, it withdraws to fit snugly back into the cavity, maximising the feeling of space in your kitchen. Its ultramodern look is complemented by its rectangular white glass panel, with LED light strips that run along its borders.

The Faber Talìka

This feature extractor is a powerhouse of state of the art technology. It uses a Nautilus motor design which has been meticulously engineered to provide the optimum dynamics for powerful extraction, which is why it’s been awarded an A-rating for energy efficiency. What’s more, this technology is installed vertically in the extractor rather than at an angle, which means its especially compact, even by feature extractor standards. Its pure white base panel can be outfitted with a number of stunning finishes: copper, concrete or cross-titanium.

If you’re looking for a classy, powerful appliance that with a real wow factor, at Kitchen Design Centre we’d definitely recommend making a feature of your extractor. We’re staffed by a talented team of expert designers who are only too happy to help you make your final decision – just pop into any one of our showrooms in Blackburn, Manchester or Colne to have a chat with us in person!

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter: @modernkitchens

The post Clear Cooking Smells With A Stunning Feature Extractor appeared first on Kitchen Design Centre.

Large appliances loved by the experts

The Great British Bake Off tent is always home to some of the best kitchen appliances. The tent is carefully kitted out with many top appliances, including the Neff Slide & Hide Oven. The revolutionary oven design features a door that drops down and slots away underneath the oven – making for easy access to perfectly-baked cakes. The Slide & Hide also has Neff’s famous CircoTherm technology – making baking and cooking quicker and easier as there’s no need to pre-heat.

Mary Berry herself has an Aga oven – known for its style and traditional appeal. The Aga’s not just stylish though, it’s practical too – helping chef up everything from tasty stir fries to tricky soufflés. It’s gentle heat cooking also means finer food – so you’ll benefit from lots of flavour and moisture in Aga-cooked meals.

Another iconic appliance favoured by the celebrity is the Smeg. Stylish and cool – it’s no wonder the Smeg has such a cult following.

Small appliances to invest in

Small appliances are vital in creating delicious meals too. For Thomasina Miers, Masterchef winner and chef behind the Wahaca chain, it’s the Braun MultiQuick hand blender that’s a kitchen essential. Although simple, she uses it for almost every dish – ensuring dinner perfection. Clare Smyth, on the other hand, the head chef at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, favours a more expensive appliance – the Big Green Egg barbecue. It makes cooking simple and ensures tasty food made with absolutely no stress.

Other popular appliances used by the experts include the Gaggenau baking stone – used by Raymond Blanc for baking the best bread – through to the simplest of appliances – like the potato ricer – loved by celebs like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Celebrity-loved appliances at Kitchen Design Centre

If you’re looking for a celebrity-inspired designer kitchen, why not visit your nearest Kitchen Design Centre showroom? Our kitchens are influenced by the latest trends and feature the best in modern appliances. The majority of the appliances we fit are manufactured by Neff – but we’re always flexible to your needs. We offer everything from ovens to compact appliances to hobs and extractor hoods and just about everything in between.

Get in contact with your nearest Kitchen Design Centre team to find out more.

In the meantime, why not check out some of the contemporary kitchens designed by our team? You’ll find a fantastic range of designs, all including the latest in ideas and finishes.

What appliances would you love in your kitchen? Join the conversation over on Twitter @ModernKitchens

The post Celebrity kitchens: What do the experts use? appeared first on Kitchen Design Centre.

With décor, appliances and furnishings like the kitchen table and island to think about, it’s easy to forget the small – but all-essential details – like your kitchen sink. While it may not be top of your to-do list when it comes to kitchen renovations, choosing the right materials does make a huge impact on the overall look and functionality of your space.

1. Budget

Stainless steel is a great option if you’re on a budget. Not only is it affordable, it also has other great qualities such as heat and stain –resistance, along with strength.

Cast acrylic is another good choice if you’re on a tight budget. A few of its other benefits include its sleek, chic surface and the fact it’s easy to clean.

2. Style

Style has never been so important in a kitchen as it is today. While you might be trying to keep to a budget, it may be worth splashing the cash to get a sink that complements your new designer kitchen. Composite granite can be a good choice – as it looks good, while being durable. The material also comes in a range of natural colours, allowing more options to fit with your colour scheme.

If the popular industrial style is influencing your kitchen design, you might want to opt for copper. Rust-resistant and antimicrobial, copper is not only functional – it looks great too! 

3. Compatibility

When designing a kitchen, it’s essential that everything fits together to give a streamlined, modern finish. Solid surfaces that use the same material as the countertop, like Corian, are perfect for this streamlined look. Made-to-order, you’ll be able to choose all the exact specifications with this type of sink.

4. Durability

If you’re a keen chef, you’ll want a professional-grade sink to cope with all the work you’ll be sending its way. When it comes to durability, stainless steel reigns again and remains durable no matter what you throw at it.

While maybe not the best choice for a chef, stone is another durable material that has the added benefit of looking great too.

5. Depth

If the only time you use your sink is to rinse your hands, a sink’s depth won’t matter too much. However, if pots and pans regularly find their way into your kitchen sink, you’ll want a sink that has a deep bowl and plenty of capacity.

If you’re opting for a deep sink for the reasons above, you’ll also want to make sure that the accompanying draining board is efficient too, to prevent the build-up of soapy water on the surface. 

Create your designer kitchen

If our ideas have got you all inspired, why not visit your nearest designer kitchen showroom to begin working on a brand new designer kitchen today? We’ll not only be able to revamp your kitchen sink, we’ll be able to modernise your whole space, giving you a kitchen that’s the envy of all your friends!

What would be your dream designer-style kitchen sink? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @ModernKitchens

The post Get The Look: 5 tips for choosing your kitchen sink! appeared first on Kitchen Design Centre.