https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 08 May 2026 02:04:28 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1938124 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:52:17 +0000 erinpye 1938124@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: We have the same one! Super sturdy and our LOs love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937993 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 16:04:08 +0000 Pirouette 1937993@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pinkb: yea i just wanted to see the quality in person - i think that would sell DH on it!</p> <p>@Mrs Green Grass: ooh that's a good idea...appliances that do stuff might be the way to go! that way when she just wants to do her own creative play it's not obnoxious with all the noises, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937976 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 15:52:29 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 1937976@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have the Uptown Espresso too (I think) and it the dials on the do make noises...they click. We also got some accessories that you can turn on (like a blender, coffee pot). I love it and it does feel like it will last forever. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937955 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 15:42:31 +0000 stargal 1937955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: I have no idea but he managed.to get the box down off it lol! </p> <p>@Mrs. Sunshine: haha indeed!.I just took that pic like 2 days ago BC all of a sudden.I look up and he crawling up it! Many ways to play with it I guess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937921 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 15:28:32 +0000 pinkb 1937921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: nope didnt get to see it in person. DH is worried it will be too big. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937733 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 14:16:08 +0000 Pirouette 1937733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: ok thanks, good to know! it's hard to tell how sturdy it is online.</p> <p>@cascademom: cool, thanks! </p> <p>@lamariniere: yikes! i feel like toy companies are paid by battery companies to make the toys drain as many batteries as possible, haha.</p> <p>@dolphin: see this is going in our basement, which is i think why i feel silly picking something because i like the way it looks. i mean, not that i won't spend time in the basement, but it's really going to be her playroom, not where we entertain or anything. that said, i really like the way it looks!</p> <p>@pinkb: that's why i liked it too! did you see it in person anywhere? it seems like it's only sold online everywhere. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937626 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:33:29 +0000 pinkb 1937626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't love it yet (cause it is still in the box waiting for Santa to put it together) but we just got Kid Kraft uptown in expresso. I picked it because I wanted the kitchen to have everything (fridge, micro, oven,cupboards) and I like the way it looks since it will be in our living room. LO has played with the Ikea one and loved it, but I got this one for $20 more and I like that it has everything I listed above. LO could care less I am sure lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937618 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:31:13 +0000 mrs. tictactoe 1937618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: we put batteries in when we assembled the kitchen almost two years ago and haven't had to replace them yet! Maybe he doesn't turn them on much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937603 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:24:52 +0000 luckypenny 1937603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We love our ikea one! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937602 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:23:33 +0000 dolphin 1937602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have the uptown espresso kitchen and love it. Honestly, I picked it because it looks the best with our furniture. Its in our living room so I wanted something that would look nice with our decor, not super kiddie and colorful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937575 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:11:59 +0000 lamariniere 1937575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have the ikea one. I like that it doesn't make noise. The burners have a red light that turns on but it takes 6 AA batteries (!!!), so we don't put them in very often. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937503 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:40:49 +0000 cascademom 1937503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: We bought accessories later like pots and pans off of Groupon Goods. My mom got us play food from Lakeshore company. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937500 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:40:02 +0000 Bao 1937500@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pirouette: We have this one:</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Step2-LifeStyle-Custom-Kitchen-Brown/dp/B0090I53LY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1415641141&#038;sr=8-4&#038;keywords=step+2+play+kitchen" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Step2-LifeStyle-Custom-Kitchen-Brown/dp/B0090I53LY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1415641141&#038;sr=8-4&#038;keywords=step+2+play+kitchen</a></p> <p>It's very sturdy, it's not that cheaper plastic like some of them are. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937494 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:39:17 +0000 Pirouette 1937494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: interesting idea, especially since she's so young for it right now, so we could build on it as she gets older...</p> <p>@mrs. tictactoe: @beesknees: will have to look into ikea! </p> <p>@plantains: see that's exactly what i was thinking - she loves our real kitchen so much. turns on the microwave every morning!</p> <p>@lawbee11: omg so many annoying toys! too true. and she definitely prefers real things to toys (every time i turn on the tv she's put it on spanish haha), which was my initial thought behind the kidkraft one. DH kinda threw me off when he said it needs to "do" stuff!</p> <p>@mrskc: for about 5 minutes i thought about DIY, but we just moved so we're in over our heads with DIY projects at the moment :)</p> <p>@cascademom: which pots/pans and food and accessories did you buy? i was leaning towards that one but not sure what would work well with it. it doesn't come with anything, right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937489 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:36:17 +0000 merriment 1937489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have the kidcraft retro. I choose it because it is nice looking (it sits in our living room), but most importantly it has a ton of storage space. Pots and pans and play food all take up a ton of space! I like being able to close it all up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937478 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:32:15 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 1937478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stargal: because apparently it doesn't have to be used as only a kitchen as he is demonstrating in the picture lol what a little daredevil! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937462 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:24:40 +0000 beesknees 1937462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Get the Ikea one. it is awesome. inexpensive, but looks way better than the plastic ones. We got one a year ago and it looks brand new and is played with everyday by my 3 yr old and now her 10 month old sibling is always in it too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937455 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:21:01 +0000 cascademom 1937455@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love our Uptown espresso. LO loves to make food in his or have his food everywhere in the house. I always ask him to cook or do other stuff. He likes it a lot. We've had it for a year now and it's fantastic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937445 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:12:16 +0000 mrskc 1937445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think you can go wrong either way. We ended up DIYing our son's kitchen but I considered the Kid Kraft ones. My friend got one for her daughter and it looks really nice! </p> <p>@stargal: how in the world did he not fall?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937444 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:11:39 +0000 lawbee11 1937444@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got our LO the Kidkraft vintage kitchen for Christmas. The fact that it doesn't make noise is a huge plus for us...she has so many annoying toys already that make noise! Also, in our experience, she prefers to play with non-toys more than her actual toys (she loves coasters and remotes). So maybe she'll actually be more willing to play with it since it looks less like a toy?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937436 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:05:01 +0000 plantains 1937436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a Kidkraft modern kitchen and DD loves it. It doesn't makes noises or light up, but it looks a lot like our kitchen so she is a big fan. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937434 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:02:37 +0000 mrs. tictactoe 1937434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have the ikea one and Liam loves it. The lights turn on for the burner and that's its only "trick", but I think play kitchens are more for imaginative play anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937432 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 11:59:19 +0000 looch 1937432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like the sets that have the stove/sink/fridge separate. It allows you to buy a piece at a time and see if your kid is even into the play kitchen. </p> <p>My son has no interest in his kitchen, but what he does like are the cutting food and the accessories, like a microwave and toaster. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937429 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 11:53:59 +0000 Pirouette 1937429@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bao: which one do you have? </p> <p>@stargal: he's so cute!! i agree kids are imaginative enough on their own - that's why i'm torn.</p> <p>@Amelieisme: haha she sure loves clanging things for noise! i'm definitely going to get metal pots and pans, but figuring out which fit in which kitchens is starting to make my head spin! so i might have to get one that includes them ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937423 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 11:45:00 +0000 Amelieisme 1937423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a smaller version of the KidKraft Uptown. We got it last Christmas when LO was 1.5. He loved it and played with is ALL THE TIME. He has become less interested in it these days but still plays with it some. I like the look of it and it isn't obnoxious colors since its in our family area. The only negative to me is that the doors can stick and be a little difficult for LO's to open. I'd buy it again hands down though!</p> <p>ETA: I also like that it includes metal pans and utensils. He loves clanging them together for the noise it makes. So if you go with one that doesn't have it included, I would look for metal accessories! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937421 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 11:40:10 +0000 stargal 1937421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have the kid craft vintage blue wooden one. I like it BC its small and looks great. My lo loves it. He doesn't mind that it doesn't make noises or anything, I think kids can be imagative and don't need anything fancy. He loves his play kitchen so much! </p> [attach=2335/14/neu0yz.600x600.IMG_20141108_214231.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937420 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 11:39:27 +0000 Bao 1937420@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I'll be in the minority but we love our Step 2 kitchen! It does make noises but we like it just...because! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/help-me-pick-a-play-kitchen-2#post-1937417 Mon, 10 Nov 2014 11:35:59 +0000 Pirouette 1937417@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was all set to get the uptown espresso play kitchen after reading online how great it is, but then i showed it to DH and he was like "but it doesn't do anything!" and i realized yea, he's right...but then i did a little research and most of the kitchens don't. </p> <p>so it got me thinking maybe there's a reason for that - like maybe the wood ones are more long lasting and better quality and the ones that make noises, etc. tend to break? I like the look of the wood ones, but are they better than the plastic ones like step2 that make noises? they seem to get good reviews on amazon but i wasn't sure if they were as good as the wood ones. I want something long lasting and i have plenty of space for it.</p> <p>so...tell me why you love your play kitchen and what I should be looking for! </p>