New kitchen, oven / hob/ worktop clearances

Rotty · 31 Jul 2021 at 14:24

Having a new kitchen at the moment specced with 20mm worktops

having a right hard time sorting oven/hob clearances

really wanted a double oven (built under) and have a Smeg one on order but now it seems that there won;t be enough clearance to the gas hob, even if I go for a thicker worktop I can't seem to get it all to come out right

even with some single ovens the clearances don't seem right

surely I'm doing something wrong

any ideas?

Mr.Cookie · 31 Jul 2021 at 18:14

You'll struggle with that, I've seen installs with the really slim worktops where they put an induction hob over a draw unit. Then can't open the top draw :rolleyes:

You could fit oven with units either side both with end panels and use that as mounting point for double oven allowing it closer to ground.

Rotty · 31 Jul 2021 at 18:16

I'm changing to 30mm worktops but still don't see how it can be done

there are units with end panels each side so we could drop oven a little but I don't reckon it would look great

Steampunk · 31 Jul 2021 at 18:38

Rotty said:
I'm changing to 30mm worktops but still don't see how it can be done

there are units with end panels each side so we could drop oven a little but I don't reckon it would look great

The oven will basically be a cube that goes under the worktop, sitting on a shelf. The hob that goes into the worktop is thicker than the worktop, and its bottom (that you can't see) protrudes under the bottom of the worktop. That means the oven needs to be lower to allow this, so you make the shelf lower. Then there is normally some sort of trim across the front that hides the gap, such as a stainless strip that looks like part of the oven, but is actually there to hide the space. It could also be done by cutting out a hole lower down the cabinet and leaving wood as the trim. It's worth having some sort of reinforcement on that narrow strip in front of the hob (my quartz worktop has steel rods embedded into it, and I have seen marble worktops broken in that spot if they are abused).

Depending on the hob/oven, you may need to have ventilation gaps in the back and bottom of the unit to allow airflow into the bottom and out the top/back.

Rotty · 31 Jul 2021 at 19:00

Steampunk said:
The oven will basically be a cube that goes under the worktop, sitting on a shelf. The hob that goes into the worktop is thicker than the worktop, and its bottom (that you can't see) protrudes under the bottom of the worktop. That means the oven needs to be lower to allow this, so you make the shelf lower. Then there is normally some sort of trim across the front that hides the gap, such as a stainless strip that looks like part of the oven, but is actually there to hide the space. It could also be done by cutting out a hole lower down the cabinet and leaving wood as the trim. It's worth having some sort of reinforcement on that narrow strip in front of the hob (my quartz worktop has steel rods embedded into it, and I have seen marble worktops broken in that spot if they are abused).

Depending on the hob/oven, you may need to have ventilation gaps in the back and bottom of the unit to allow airflow into the bottom and out the top/back.

yes unfortunately the oven is 720 high and the units are 720 so lowering the oven will put things out of line

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 31 Jul 2021 at 19:23

Get a range maybe, they come in 60cm so its going to end up just like you were in effect going to get?
Or maybe look to see if you can fit a wider range for those times when oven space is a premium?

Steampunk · 31 Jul 2021 at 19:35

Rotty said:
yes unfortunately the oven is 720 high and the units are 720 so lowering the oven will put things out of line

Are you using an oven that is not meant to go under a hob or is meant to go at eye level in a tall unit?

Rotty · 1 Aug 2021 at 12:51

Steampunk said:
Are you using an oven that is not meant to go under a hob or is meant to go at eye level in a tall unit?

it's def a under hob one, eye level ones are 890mm

Rotty · 1 Aug 2021 at 12:52

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
Get a range maybe, they come in 60cm so its going to end up just like you were in effect going to get?
Or maybe look to see if you can fit a wider range for those times when oven space is a premium?

a 60cm standalone cooker is an option but the cooker/hob is close to the end of a row with just a 150mm cab on one side so I am concerned that a unattached piece of worktop that size would look odd

Mr.Cookie · 1 Aug 2021 at 14:46

We had a 150 cabinet next to a 900 range at last house and it looked fine.

Double built unders do have quite small cavities but obviously christmas is the biggest hurdle there.

Delvis · 1 Aug 2021 at 16:30

Rotty said:
it's def a under hob one, eye level ones are 890mm

Under hob and non-freestanding?

200sols · 1 Aug 2021 at 16:54

Rotty said:
a 60cm standalone cooker is an option but the cooker/hob is close to the end of a row with just a 150mm cab on one side so I am concerned that a unattached piece of worktop that size would look odd

I think that'll look odd despite what others will say, that is not a good design choice IMO.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 1 Aug 2021 at 16:57

We have a 100mm one right next to our range (we keep trays in it) it looks absolutely fine (our range is 900 as well)

Delvis · 1 Aug 2021 at 17:43

Need pics. Plans etc

b0rn2sk8 · 2 Aug 2021 at 20:53

We swayed away from double under counter oven for this reason, I hadn't realised how tiny the cavities were until I went to look at one. You also can't get 'self cleaning' in double form (you still have to clean it...just not as much).

For those talking about cabinets, a double undercounter oven is a free standing appliance, there is no cabinet for it to sit within. A normal single undercounter oven sits in a cabinet though.

dlockers · 2 Aug 2021 at 21:09

Pfft. All that money and you won't have an eye-level oven. Sacrilege