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Best and worst kitchen brands 2024
A new kitchen is a big investment, so to help you choose the best kitchen company for you, we've rigorously tested and researched some of the leading brands.
Not only did our experts assess the units of 19 kitchen ranges in our lab, but we also asked 4,378 Which? members to rate the kitchen brand they bought from.
Only the best kitchens from the most highly rated brands were named Which? Best Buys.
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Best kitchens: overall scores
We gave all the kitchens we assessed an overall score based on their performance in the lab and customer ratings from our survey.
| Brand and unit (link to review) | Overall score | Lab assessment score | Customer score | Customer service | How well the kitchen lasted | View retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B&Q GoodHome Caraway | B&Q kitchens | |||||
| B&Q GoodHome Caraway Innovo | B&Q kitchens | |||||
| Benchmarx Grey Kitchen Cabinet | Benchmarx kitchens | |||||
| Benchmarx Essence Flat Pack | Benchmarx kitchens | |||||
| DIY Kitchens Innova | DIY Kitchens | |||||
| Howdens Ready Assembled | Howdens Ready Assembled kitchens | |||||
| Howdens Handleless | M | Howdens Handleless kitchens |
Table notes: The overall score is based on the lab assessment of the units (60% weighting) and feedback from our customer survey (40% weighting), which incorporates the customer score, plus ratings for customer service and how well the kitchen lasted. The customer survey was conducted online in February 2023 among 4,378 Which? Connect members who have bought a new kitchen in the past 10 years. Survey sample sizes: B&Q (133), Benchmarx (86), DIY Kitchens (96), Howdens (983), Ikea (186), John Lewis (110), Magnet (248), Wickes (297), Wren (342).
The best kitchen achieved an overall score of 81%. Our five best kitchen suppliers all scored over 75%.
At the bottom end of the table, our lowest-scoring kitchen earned 59%. In fact, eight kitchens from four brands all got scores of less than 70%.
Best Buy kitchens
Five kitchens were good enough to get our coveted Best Buy recommendation.
Best Buy kitchens need to achieve an overall score greater than 75%, a customer score of at least 70% and a minimum of three stars in every customer survey category.
Why you can trust our kitchen reviews
We test kitchens every two years in our UK lab facility. We install them to examine how they will perform in real life and test the strength and quality of the units, shelves, runners and hinges so we can find the most durable kitchens.
We combine this with a customer survey. Our surveys are only sent to homeowners who've had a new kitchen installed in the past 10 years. We analyse hundreds of responses per brand, and then assess how people feel about things such as quality, value, durability and customer service.
As the Which? kitchens expert, I was impressed by the quality of the majority kitchens that we tested. It's clear that you don't need to spend vast sums of money to get a functional, durable kitchen. Don't rely on brand name alone when judging the quality of a product.
Find out more about our testing and scoring process in how we test kitchens
Lab assessment scores
Kitchens were assessed in our lab to find out how well they stand up to everyday use.
Table notes: The kitchens we assessed are listed in alphabetical order. Lab assessment scores are calculated based on a kitchen's performance in 19 tests across four areas – quality of units, loading shelves, drawers and runners, and hinges. Ratings are combined to create an overall assessment score.
The best kitchen range achieved 89% – over 30 percentage points more than the lowest-scoring model.
In fact, the lowest-scoring model failed one of our tests. Another model was damaged on delivery.
Remember that installation will impact the quality and performance of your kitchen. During testing, we install all our kitchens ourselves to mimic real-life conditions. If you want to ensure the best quality build, hire a professional kitchen fitter.
Shelving systems
As well as running tests on different aspects of each kitchen, we also carefully examine the stability of the shelving systems in all of the units.
Log in or join Which? to find out which units posed a tipping risk.
When buying a new kitchen, always consider your specific needs. For example, if you have kids or mobility issues then it's more important to choose a kitchen rated highly for the stability of its shelving.
Which? members can use our data, sourced in collaboration with the Building Cost Information Service, to find out how much a new kitchen costs in 2024.
Non-members can access our FREE planning advice, including:
- 8 budget kitchen remodel ideas
- 7 things people regret most about their kitchen design
- Kitchen costs have soared by 22% in 4 years: how to save money on your renovation
Customer survey scores
Our customer survey scores are based on the experiences of real fitted-kitchen owners.
| Brand (link to review) | Customer score | Customer service | Quality of cupboards, drawers and worktops | Quality of finish | How well the kitchen lasted | Value for money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B&Q | ||||||
| Benchmarx | ||||||
| DIY Kitchens | ||||||
| Homebase | ||||||
| Howdens | ||||||
| Ikea | ||||||
| John Lewis |
Table notes: Based on the responses of 4,378 Which? Connect members in an online survey conducted in January and February 2023. Customer score is a combined score based on customer ratings of satisfaction with their kitchen and likelihood of recommending to a friend.
Customer scores ranged from 86% to 64%.
The top brand shone in our customer survey, scoring six percentage points higher than our second place brand.
We also used our reader survey to find the 7 most common kitchen design regrets (no log-in required)
Homebase and Symphony kitchens
We couldn't give Homebase or Symphony kitchens an overall rating or a lab assessment score because we weren't able to test these kitchens in the lab.
When we approached Symphony with a test request, the company opted not to participate. Homebase didn’t respond to our request within the deadline.
We were able to collect survey data on both brands, however. See what their customers had to say on the Homebase kitchens review or Symphony kitchens review pages.
Next steps towards your new kitchen
Alongside deciding where to buy your kitchen, consider the following to help design your kitchen, find a good installation service and keep your kitchen renovation on track:
- Look for inspiration with our kitchen ideas.
- Read our tips on kitchen planning and how to measure your kitchen.
- How to choose the right kitchen worktops, cabinets and doors.
- Find the best kitchen appliances, including fridges, built-in ovens and kettles.
- Discover the best kitchen fitters, plus everything you need to know about kitchen installation.
- Find out how much a new kitchen costs.
This article uses insights from the Which? Connect panel, collected from research activities with our members. Find out how to get involved