first and foremost, you should only go for a german kitchen if it has been well designed. good designers will always spend time properly assessing your requirements, convincing you to use more functional units and encouraging you to be more adventurous with colours and materials. a good designer will always be thinking long term in trying to design a kitchen that stands the test of time giving you much better value for money.

back to the question in hand, and its true that german kitchens are in the medium to high end of the market but with good reason. surreal designs are now in our tenth year of working with german kitchen manufacturers and this time span has helped us to understand better why german kitchens are superior to your normal run of the mill kitchens available in Ireland

manufacture – touring the manufacturing plants of hacker and nobilia was an unforgettable experience. sure I had seen these kind of factories on TV but to see them first hand was something else. the factories are state of the art using some of the most advanced manufacturing technologies available anywhere in the world. Giant intelligent robots with multiple limbs manufacture the units in front of your eyes with speed and precision. the result is greater speed and economies of scale but for the kitchen purchaser the benefit is that the quality of the kitchen cabinetry is second to none and the kitchen made on monday morning will be just as good as the one made on friday afternoon!

materials – the germans do not scrimp on materials. they use the very best right down to the hinges, drawer runners and lighting. for the most part the materials are also german made, often manufactured within a few kilometres of the kitchen factory. the upshot for you is that after a few years the hinges don’t start falling off and the drawers don’t come apart. the germans build their kitchens to last and they can only achieve this by using the best materials

innovation – yet again, the germans are world leaders in innovation in the kitchen industry. every year each manufacturer adds new units, accessories and materials to their range – each time with the intention to solve a particular problem. Whether it’s a super smart pullout larder that stores more and is easier to use or if it’s a new door material that is easier to keep and clean. yet again, a german kitchen isn’t really a german kitchen unless you use all the great units and innovations that german kitchen can provide and this goes back to the designer. if they design a kitchen that just uses basic units then you may as well look elsewhere for better value for money

choice – even the starting price range german kitchens offer incredible choice with a wide variety of styles, doors, units, materials and accessories. the benefit is that it gives a designer much more scope to create a kitchen custom made to your exact needs and you’ll also notice that you are not being pushed down a particular route that you are unsure of. the higher end the manufacturer, the greater choice available

quality control – one of the most interesting aspects of my most recent visit to nobilia kitchens was the amount of quality control inspections being made on a continuing basis on the factory floor. as well as this, they are regularly testing and exposing materials to heat, water and other elements to ensure that the finished product standards are maintained at all times. during its lifetime a kitchen is often exposed to rough treatment (as a father of 3 kids I have first hand experience) and one of the most impressive aspects of german kitchens is how well they stand up to normal day to day wear and tear

reliability – yes it’s a stereotype but thankfully a true one, the germans are incredibly reliable from service to quality to delivery, everything is as promised and if not they take it very seriously

buying a kitchen is a little like buying a car, you could spend €10k on a new car or €100k – they both do the same job but differently and within that range you will find some cars that are great value and some that are not. But german kitchens – like german cars – are generally great value for what you get

With a well designed german kitchen you get a great looking kitchen that will last a long time and will be a joy to use during that time!

and of course I slipped into showroom speak and advised her to make sure she chose an induction hob instead of a normal ceramic electric hob. Marie had already looked at the options and said “yes I’d love to but they are alot more expensive and I’d have to get a whole new set of pots as well!” – all of which is true and such pragmatism is very much the norm nowadays.

so this exchange got me thinking – is choosing induction over an ceramic electric hob really a better option? sometimes when you work in a showroom you become detached from the practical day to day considerations and are consumed with sales jargon from appliance brochures. so I decided to have another look at this question, is induction REALLY a better option than ceramic?

to tease out the answer to this, we need to look at both options a little more closely. a ceramic electric hob is the normal electric hob we are all familiar with, probably having a glass like ceramic top – we have all used them so no need for any more description.

an induction hob is also electric powered and looks identical to a normal ceramic hob, however there the similarity ends. in a ceramic hob, the element heats the hob top and this in turn heats the base of the pot whereas in induction an electric current directly heats the base of the pot.

so what are the practical differences

• induction pots heat up much much quicker, almost instantaneously, a customer of ours described it as being “quicker than a microwave” and they were not exagerating
• with induction, the only the part of the ring that heats up is the part that touchs the base of the pot so if you have a spillover (milk being the favourite) it does not burn on the hob and leave a nasty ring behind
• one the biggest problems with ceramic hobs is that it can take a long time for the hob to cool down to a safe level of heat after being switched off. if there are children in the house then this becomes a big problem. however with induction hobs the ring cools down very quickly – as soon as a minute after switching off, the ring could have cooled to a safe level
• back to Marie – her domestic disaster started when a glass bowl was sitting on the hob and accidentally heated up when a wrong ring was selected. this would not happen with an induction hob, because the ring will only work if a suitable induction pot is on it.
• Maries biggest concern was cost but one important thing to take into account is that induction hobs are much more energy efficient than normal electric hobs and indeed gas hobs. figures vary but I think its fair to say that you can save up to 30% on the cost of running your hob by choosing induction
• induction hobs require special pots with electromagnetic bases so if you are changing to induction then you probably will need to change all your pots too

getting back to Maries point that induction hobs cost more (approx 15-20%) than normal electric hobs and you would need new pots. The first point is easy to handle because the first 3 years of use of the hob will easily pay the difference in cost for the induction in energy savings. the second point – well that depends on the individual and how many pots you like to keep in your kitchen. if you replace a lot of pots then the cost could be quite high however i would suggest buying an induction hob that comes with a free starter set of pots. siemens and neff both offer a set of 3 pots and a pan with every induction hob purchased which is a great offer (valid as of 26/04/2012).

all of this brings me to believe that choosing an induction really is a better way to go for the majority of people. its quicker, cleaner, safer and more cost effective. yes, it is more expensive to purchase initially but over the long term it will work out much more cost effective. replacing pots is also a nuisance but for most people, buying a hob with a free set of pots will probably mean they will only need to add one or two more pots to their collection so its not such a problem.

oh – and most importantly – using an induction hob day in day out is so much easier than a ceramic hob and you cannot put a price on that!

surreal designs are agents for many different appliance brands including neff, siemens & gaggenau, all of whom have an extensive range of extractor hoods.

added to this, we also supply elica and falmec who are specialist extractor manufacturers who have a reputation for cutting edge design.

in recent years, the options in kitchen extraction have increased greatly to include:

downdraft extractors – an extractor which sits on your worktop and extracts either under the floor or through a charcoal recirculating filter. perfect for islands and rooms that do not lend themselves to island extractors. some downdrafts have the feature where at the end of use they can sink back into the worktop at the press of a button to hide the hood

feature extractors – falmec and elica manufacture a range of hoods that look more like light fittings suspended from the ceiling rather than extractors. yet again, perfect for your island hob and they look great often becoming the focal point of the kitchen

ceiling extractors – these hoods will fit flush into any standard suspended ceiling and are hardly noticeable. available from a wide range of brands including gutmann, neff and falmec. in most cases they come with an external motor which can be mounted in the attic or on the exterior of the ghouse depending on the model thus reducing noise in the kitchen

recirculating hoods – the quality of hoods has improved alot especially in the area of recirculation where instead of ducting your hood outside, a charcoal filter cleans the extracted air before blowing the clean air back into the room. often solves a multitude of problems for kitchen designers and allows customers more flexibility on where to position their hob

have a quick look now through our gallery of assorted hoods below to get a taste of some of the many varied styles of extractor available from leading brands such as gutmann, elica, falmec, gaggenau and more

elica-adagio

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corian has beauty, strength and versatility built into its very nature. ideal for a range of kitchen styles from hi-tech to traditional. corian offers extraordinary design flexibility and comes in over 100 colours. joined in a way that creates inconspicuous seams and a sleek, hygienic, non-porous surface, corian is ideal for worktops, splashbacks and integral sinks and many other exciting applications.

at surreal designs we love to use corian for our kitchen worktops and backsplashes because it is such a beautiful material that is extremely practical in the kitchen environment. its non porous nature means it is very difficult to stain which the polished in seams help create very impressive upstands and upright gables making the worktop appear to be all one piece.

most significantly we have found from experience that customers who previously had a corian worktop will most likely choose a corian worktop again and you cannot get a better testimonial for the product than that.

to view the range of corian colours available for kitchen worktop s click here >>

of course the designers at eggersmann have taken the application of corian just a little further. in 2009 the introduced the above corian kitchen into their UNIQUE collection. the kitchen worktops, panels, doors and drawer fronts are completely clad in white corian. even the mood lighting features are manufactured using corian.

initially introduced as a concept kitchen, the UNIQUE collection is now part of their product catalogue and we have designed and installed a number of eggersmann UNIQUE applications since with dramatic results

to learn more about eggersmann UNIQUE click here >>

to summarise, it would seem that despite all the new materials and innovations in kitchen worktops in recent years, corian is here to stay and as a progressive company they are constantly refreshing both the colour ranges and the application potential of corian for use in kitchen worktops

with the help of our friends in NEFF we have compiled a few reasons why you should consider a steam oven for your kitchen

the benefits of steam cooking health benefits

• preserves the vitamin and mineral content of food (vitamins dissolve in water)
• no need to use cooking fat or oil
• lower temperatures mean that less energy is used
• gentle cooking process – no sealing of meat or boiling is required

quality of food

• maintains form and texture of food
• retains natural juices
• preserves colour, flavour and aromas
• food remains moist and does not dry out

ease of use and effectivenes

• no risk of over cooking or burning food
• preparation of complete meals using multi-level cooking
• no intermingling of flavours
• regenerates or refreshes previously cooked items
• simple to use
• lower temperatures so less energy is used
• prevents build up of steam (as in hob top cooking for rice etc.)
• owners are more likely to use fresh ingredients
• combisteam ovens now allow roasting and baking in the same way you would use a normal fan oven but with even better results

firstly here are a few pictures of the old kitchen and seperate living room before the wall came down. click on the images to enlarge

old utility

old kitchen

old living area

old kitchen

and now here are a few pictures of the room after we installed the new kitchen and living area. click on the images to enlarge

living area

utility hidden on right

kitchen

kitchen

the overall result was a combined kitchen, utility, living area and dining area in the one confined space. the benefit to our clients was that as a family they spend more time together relaxing and chatting in the one room.

this was a particularly enjoyable project because the benefits of our design to the family were so evident.

designing a kitchen, need some ideas – well then check out what our customers regarded as the very best kitchen design features in their surreal kitchen. over the past couple of weeks, surreal customers have been voting for their favourite kitchen features. check out the results now and if you know anyone planning a kitchen, why not direct them to this page – they might find it a great help.

we asked our customers – what do you love most about your kitchen – it could be anything from a large feature island to a small cutlery insert – anything! Some of the results were surprising but as we get closer to number 1 we found all the usual suspects……

20. lighting

good lighting is essential in any well designed kitchen whether its soft mood lighting emanating from under wall units or lights illuminating a glass display unit. effective lighting is especially important in darker rooms and works great with gloss reflective surfaces pictured across are floating glass light shelves which have always been popular in our kitchen – a great way to break up a flat design and introduce light and vitality to a room. 19. wine cooler i loved this suggestion and was surprised more poeple didn’t vote for it. we generally prefer built in wine coolers and most major appliance brands offer something in their range for the wine buff

18. franke rollamat a simple but really effective kitchen accessory. it can be used for lots of purposes from draining on a sink to resting hot pots after they are taken from the oven. Best of all, when you are finished with it, roll it up and put it in a drawer out of the way. simple, clean, effective and cool – just like every kitchen should be!

17. quartz worktops

we are big fans of quartz worktops and in the last couple of years they have become increasingly popular. extremely durable, heat resistant, stain resistant and now available in a huge range of colours and styles. click here to learn more >>

 16. colour and material combinations

here in surreal our designers revel in mixing and matching colours, materials and shapes to create something unique and individual to each client. such designs often require a leap of faith on our clients behalf as they are taking on design concepts they may never have considered before. for that reason we were delighted to hear from a number of clients who listed colour and material combinations as they favourite feature.

15. combination microwave oven

such ovens have been available for years but in recent times the technology has improved so much. the combination ovens use the microwave and oven functions together at the same time to give you far quicker cooking times without compromising on taste or texture. The best example is a standard 1.3kg chicken which might normally take an hour and 25 minutes to roast in a fan ove. in a combination oven, this cooking time is reduced to approx 40 minutes. perfect for the busy family who like to cook.

14. worktop height

something most people (and designers) take for granted, but here at surreal designs we ensure to carefully select a worktop height to suit the homeowner and deliver the best ergonomic solution for working in the kitchen. after all, this is the room you will spend most time working in so its very important that you are comfortable at all times and worktop height is just one area that requires special attention. we were surprised and delighted by how many of our customers noticed that the worktop height we gave them was more comfortable than in their previous kitchen.

13. insinkerator

it won’t dominate a kitchen like a large fridge, it doesn’t have elaborate control panels like an oven but for many customers, the insinkerator is the most important feature they put it into their kitchen. the ISE insinkerator will grind, mulch and dispose of all common food waste in your kitchen. everything from potato peelings to chicken bones with almost zero maintenance required.

12. glass splashbacks what a simple, practical and great looking design concept. no more tiles, no more grouting – now you can have easy to clean glass splashbacks. even better, why not liven up your kitchen with a bold red or vivacious yellow. 11. roller shutters ever since we opened in 2002, we have been designing roller shutters into kitchens – why? – because they look great and work great. ideally designed sitting on the worktop, the roller shutter allows you to keep your worktop need and tidy and clutter free. in my kitchen, after use, the kettle and toaster are pushed back into the unit and the shutter pulled down – nice and simple. in recent years, the style options have increased to include glass roller shutters (pictured across) in various colours

10. hot and cold tap instant boiling water and cold filtered water all rolled into one tap. whether you are using it to prep veg for dinner or just to make a quick cup of tea – the hot water tap and perform a multitude of purposes. no more waiting for the kettle to boil, you have boiling water on call anytime during the day or night. click here to learn about the insinkerator hot and cold tap hc1100 >>

 9. breakfast bar

over the last 20 years, the kitchen  has evolved from being a closed off room at the back of the house to being the fulcrum of the house – a room where people congregate to cook, chat, eat and socialise. with this new found status, kitchen design progressed and one of the chief requirements was a casual seating/dining area or a breakfast bar as it became known. breakfast bars can be in many different shapes, sizes, materials and heights – whether it’s a raised glass breakfast bar on legs or just a recessed area at the back of an island to allow leg room

8. soft close drawers and doors

the feedback from our customers mirrored my own personal experience – the soft close drawers and doors are great for a house with small children because the reduce the chance of fingers getting caught and even if they do, the drawer will be closing at a much slower speed than normal thus reducing the chance of injury. added to that we have no more slamming doors and drawers and rattling presses in the kitchen

7. handleless for many, handleless kitchens are all about the sleek lines and minimalist look which is so desired in a contemporary kitchen. however, the handleless design has many practical considerations including how easy it makes cleaning the kitchen and also, one less thing for a child to bang their head off! 6. induction another must have in the kitchen, induction hobs have many benefits including: heats up quicker and cools down quicker than a normal ceramic hob, more energy efficient, easier to keep clean and as responsive if not more responsive than a gas hob.

5. corian worktops

perfect whether its in a contemporary or traditional style kitchen. corian (or solid surfacing) worktops are very practical with no visible joints, moulded upstands and non porous all which means they are easy to clean and hard to stain. corian is also a designers dream because it is such a flexible material and is available in many different colours and textures. the overall result is a stunning kitchen which is easier to keep

4. plate holders

a very simple but practical idea – the plate rods help organise your kitchen in a more efficient manner. they work even better with extra deep drawers which are available in the Hacker systemat and Eggersmann collections. having used these at home, i can vouch for how great they are and all the better if positioned beside or close to your dishwasher

3. larder press larder presses come in many different shapes, sizes and styles but the pullout tandem unit is by far the most popular with people choosing their kitchen and also with our customers who have been using their new kitchen for some time. these units are designed to make more effective use of the space available whilst at the same time making it easier to find items you have stored away. the days of rooting around in the larder are now gone – the pullout tandem will make life much easier in your kitchen and much more organised as well.  2. combi steam oven its no surprise to us here that the combi steam oven has proven to be so popular with our customers. not to be confused with a regular steam oven, the combi steam oven combines a steam oven with a hot air oven with extraordinary results. whether you are roasting a joint of meat or baking a cake, the combi steam oven has many advantages. Food items such as joints of meat and poultry tend to shrink less and retain their moisture. cakes, tarts and scones baked using steam tend to keep fresh longer than with a normal fan oven. combi steam ovens are used the world over in all top restaurants because they deliver better taste and are easier to use. the likes of Gaggenau, Neff and Siemens have all developed high quality combi steam ovens for the domestic kitchen, all of which are available from surreal designs

time and time again, our customers mentioned their island when casting their votes. often for differing reasons but constantly mentioned – it was a clear winner. a number of people remarked how much extra worktop space they had because of their island, perfect for prepping and serving when catering for a large number of people. for others, the big benefit was the extra storage afforded by the island especially in conjunction with extra deep drawers. more revealed how they loved their hob in the island because it meant they could cook and chat with others in the kitchen at the one time. my kids love our island because they can cycle their trikes around it : )

So many reasons – but a clear winner nonetheless. I hope you found this article useful and don’t forget to forward it to any of your friends who are planning a kitchen at the moment.

the German Karlruhe Institute of Technology has just developed a robot for households. the ARMAR humanoid robot understands voice commands and can execute them perfectly without guidance.

using cameras and sensors the robot can move around the room, lift up items on command such as cereal boxes or it can open a dishwasher door and remove items.

the answer to all our prayers has arrived – watch the video and see for yourself!

we came across this robot originally in an article on the fantastic website http://www.engineeringnet.eu

unique soapstone

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unique by eggersmann german kitchens

the materials used very much reflect the UNIQUE concept of individuality. Each kitchen is inimitable as defined by the individual charachter of materials such as soapstone, limestone, antique granite and quartz.

the UNIQUE collection started out more as a concept collection which was meant to define the kitchens of the future, however very quickly the collection became the mainstay of the eggersmann range.

the designs are free spirited and completely open to suggestion yet the aesthetics are timeless.

call to surreal designs today to learn more about the eggersmann collection or visit http://www.eggersmann.com/en/unique.html

we also like the fact that within the top 20 they have included our suppliers Hacker & Eggersmann!

http://www.european-kitchen-design.com/italian-kitchen-design/my-personal-top-20-european-kitchen-brands

let us know what you think of this blog article….