Cooker Hoods - What They Are For And Which To Choose Getting steamy in the kitchen might sound fun, but sometimes clearing the air is the best thing for you while you’re cooking up a storm – this is where your cooker hood comes in. It’s the one kitchen appliance that’s always overlooked in kitchen fitting, though it’s just as important. Without it you run the risk of getting too hot under the collar, as well as causing yourself more headaches from a cleaning perspective too. In short, cooker hoods draw in the dirty air from your kitchen. What you do with the air after that is entirely up to you, though it often depends on your kitchen layout as to which is the best method. Either clean the air with a metallic grease filter and blow it back in to the room – known as recirculation –

Wake Up And Smell The Coffee…In Your Kitchen! There's no doubt about it, coffee's popularity has grown dramatically over the past couple of decades. Ever since US sitcom Friends introduced many of us to the notion of waking up and heading for their own versions of coffee shop Central Perk, we can't seem to get enough of our morning brew. Whatever your favourite – be in a blast of espresso, a skinny latte for the health conscious, a cappuccino, or something else – hoards of coffee shops were spinning up on every high street keen to fuel us for the day ahead. You only need to look at the number of Starbucks or Costa Coffee to know that it's big business. But, wouldn't it be great to have that perfect coffee in the comfort of your own kitchen, rather than drinking on the go? Maybe you should have a

Solve Your Wine Worries So, you’ve come in from a long, hard day at work. All you fancy is being able to relax, and opening a nice bottle of white wine but disaster strikes! You meant to make room for your bottle of white in the fridge, and left it on the worktop. Now, instead of being crisp and clean, it’s nowhere near the right temperature. Aarrggh! You just can’t drink white wine if it’s not been chilled correctly. And if you’re more of a red wine person, then your favourite bottle (or two, or three!) needs to be at the right temperature, too. The exact correct temperature to keep wines stored is open to some debate, however, as a rough guide white wine usually at its best stored around 10˚C, while reds are best stored at between 15-18˚C and then allowed to warm slightly at the table. (Don’t

Don’t Cook Up Trouble For Yourself In The Kitchen Unless you’re some kind of workaholic who lives off ready-meals, or you just like the idea of dining out every evening with no dishes to wash afterwards, most of us - at some time or other - are going to indulge in a spot of culinary creation in our kitchens. For a lot of people these days experimenting in the cooking sense has become quite a hobby (just go to your local Tesco store and see how big the cookery book section is!). So, it’s important, then, that you get the right cooker for your needs. But how can you tell what’s a good cooker and what makes a bad one? And, more importantly, if you’re getting a kitchen re-fit, then what are you going to replace your old one with? At My Beautiful Kitchen in Glasgow we look

Need Some Help Choosing Kitchen Work Surfaces? Sick of the sight of your current kitchen but can't afford to get the whole room redone? Then a good compromise is to invest in new kitchen work surfaces. We say ‘invest’ because new work surfaces won't just cheer you and your family up, they will also lead to your home looking better and therefore easier to sell if you ever fancy moving on. The worktop counters, with the exception of the main table, probably show the most wear and tear in your kitchen anyway as they tend to become ingrained with food stains, knife marks and dents, regardless of how carefully you look after them. Today ther's a huge range of materials for kitchen counters to choose from. At My Beautiful Kitchen the most popular varieties we've personally fitted are listed below: Types of kitchen worktops available Laminate – this is probably

Induction Hob Technology’s Now At Great Prices We all know that appliances using the very latest technologies are ultra-expensive when they very first come on to the market. Many consumers simply think ‘I’ll never be able to own one of those’. But isn’t it great when you realise that you can have the thing you really wanted, and you really can afford it? That’s exactly what’s happening now, with induction hobs. Although you might not realise it, induction hobs have been on the market place for a number of years now. Indeed, the very first patent for the technology was made in the early 1900s, and General Motors’ Frigidaire division displayed the technology in the USA in the 1950s. But exactly what is induction technology? Well, it’s slightly complex, but here’s the science part. A copper coil is placed beneath the cooking surface, through which an electrical current is passed through,

You Won’t Get That Sinking Feeling With My Beautiful Kitchen The area of the kitchen where we spend most time – apart from at the table – is the kitchen sink and it’s a major feature in any kitchen. So it’s important to get the right sink for you when it comes to designing a new kitchen. There’s an enormous range of different types and brand names to choose from not just in terms of design but also materials and size. Remember you’ll be filling your sink with scalding hot water, dropping huge weights into it such as copper pots and casserole dishes and it’ll be the most scoured place in your home. So a sink doesn’t have to simply look good – it also has to be tough. Another issue to think about is the depth of the sink. Sure, it’s good to have a deep sink

Sparkling Tips For Choosing A Dishwasher Getting the best fit for your appliances is paramount when it comes to designing a new kitchen. Dishwashers are need a little extra attention as they come in lots of different shapes and sizes, but don’t worry one bit. At My Beautiful Kitchen we know everything there is to know about dishwashers and can help you get the fit, style and personality you’re after. There are three main styles of dishwasher: freestanding, integrated  (those have a kitchen door fitted to them) or a semi-integrated model (still has a fitted kitchen door, but the control panel is on the front). But if you haven't got masses of room, then you could always consider a compact table top dishwasher, which will sit neatly on your work surface. There are some key things to look out for, too: Size Matters Under counter dishwashers come in either a standard 60cm width or in a slimline 45cm width. Make sure you’ve got enough room

Choosing The Right Hob For Your Kitchen Gas or electric? White or black? Simple or technological? These are all questions to think about when you are choosing your new hob. As always, at My Beautiful Kitchen we are the experts when it comes to everything kitchen design related, so read on and find which hob will add that spark in your kitchen. Gas versus Electric hobs You may have the choice of gas or electric already decided based on the current fuel supply which runs into your kitchen. If not, then the choice comes down to your personal preference when it comes to cooking. A gas hob provides instant controllable heat. It needs to be installed by a gas safe registered engineer (of course we’ll make sure that happens) and most will feature a flame failure safety device so if the flame goes out then the gas supply cuts