KidKraft Toy Kitchen Review 2008

When looking at the KidKraft toy and furniture collection as a whole, the crown jewel of their offerings is a fine selection of pretend play toy kitchens. Their original item was the famous 53101 pastel large kitchen. This was the best selling children's wood kitchen for years. Like a good company should, they listened to customer feedback and have improved and updated the unit with the 53181 pastel large kitchen. Like the original, this play kitchen it is over 4 feet tall and is an all in one toy that has a refrigerator, freezer, oven, sink, cupboard, and microwave in one convenient space. The Pastel colors of sky blue, pink, and yellow match just about every girls room so there is no worries about color schemes. The main upgrade is the raised burners for a more realistic look to the cooking counter top, better quality, and simplified assembly instructions.

In 2006 KidKraft released the "Ultimate kitchen"; they wanted to find out if they could create an even more popular item than their 53101. The Ultimate Kitchen is just what the title suggests . . . the ultimate play kitchen for young girls. As an essential element in a girl's bedroom or play area the play kitchen you are considering should make her say wow and this kitchen does not disappoint. The pastel colors are a bit more subdued and give gentleness to the kitchen so it does not overpower the space. The open air design also makes it more airy, light, and understated. In addition, Kidkraft added a toy telephone as an added feature

Of course if you are the mother of a boy you have probably noticed that they like to get in on the pretend cooking action just as much as the girls. This really should not surprise us considering some of the best chefs in the world are men, but we tend to think of girls when we review a play kitchen. KidKraft has heard this message from Moms loud and clear and they have come up with a couple solutions so that boys can stop sneaking into their sisters rooms for pretend play fun. There are two kitchens this year that can be proudly used by both boys and girls and could even go into a boy's room without looking out of place. The Let's Cook Kitchen is a combination of white and primary colors typical of most boys' room furniture. It is in essence the same design as the standard large kitchen but has primary colors instead of pastel. It is the same size and storage space, allowing boys the ability to keep their culinary toys, puzzles, army men, and cars neat and tidy. Aslo for 2008 is the prairie toy kitchen. Although it has some heart cut outs the white and natural wood color with silver hardware has a traditional country style that can meet the needs of boys and girls alike.

Lets recap the KidKraft Kitchens available to the market for 2008:

• Pastel Large Kitchen
• Ultimate Kitchen
• Let's Cook Kitchen
• Prairie Kitchen
• Pink Retro Kitchen
• Blue Retro Kitchen

KidKraft also makes private label kitchens for the big brand stores that generally come out before the holidays. These are typically a one-time run and very limited.

It is important to note that these wooden toy kitchens are big and take up a lot of space, so measure carefully before considering these types of items. In addition, you should allow at least 3 hours of assembly time. We suggest having two people for assembly and a power screw driver. This will help cut down on frustration and mistakes.

We're almost half way through 2008 and we're already waiting to review the 2009 models! See you then.