OT - Which toy kitchen?

[c.w.e.m.]

As someone pointed out on the Budget Board, Christmas is only TEN WEEKS away! I know that DH and I would like to get DD (2) a play kitchen for Christmas. I have looked at the huge plastic ones in Toys R Us, the small wood one in Target, and the very expensive ones in Pottery Barn. Which one do you recommend and why?

 

[kaw1218]

I recommend one made from Little Tykes or Step 2. They are very durable. My DD had one when she turned 2 and it is still like new 8 years later. It has lasted through her and her sister, the twins next door, and then went to a mom that does at home day care. The woman I gave it to had a wooden one that slowly fell apart. The kids would climb on it and the screws eventually loosened too much. The plastic one has held up. and there are no sharp edges on the plastic ones.

 

[labdogs42]

I bought the Little Tikes Prep and Serve Kitchen for $99 at Wal Mart. DS will be getting it for Christmas (he's 20 months old). I looked at a bunch of kitchens and decided I liked the plastic ones best. They really hold up and they have great resale values if you keep them in good condition! They have a cool Step 2 one at BJ's but it is really big and cost $200. I didn't want to spend that much!!

 

[Schachteles]

We have the Step2 one and it is GREAT...very durable and looks great. I think we paid about $180 for it at Sam's Club two Christmas' ago...I know that Toys R Us sells one that is a little smaller and cheaper.

Good luck...I know my daughters both love it and we have gotten more then our money out of it.

 

[Desnik]

We bought DS the Lifestyle one by Step 2. Here's a link:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/inde...0010001/09999999&kw=kitchen&parentPage=search

It is small and compact, has everything in it like sink, fridge, stove, etc..
There is a light over the sink and one of the burners makes sounds when each pot is on it. It's really cute and was about $100. We love it because of the size. It fit right in his room and he plays with it all the time.

 

[NotUrsula]

I really like the ones from Berchet. IMO, European toy companies tend to make the best "just like the grownup's, only little" toys, and Berchet's kitchen is a great example of that.

Here's a site with a good close photo of the Berchet : http://store.platinumgalleria.com/berchet-traditional-play-kitchen.html

 

[Fintastic]

We got this one for DD last Christmas. She loves it!

 

[kathi29]

We bought this one when it first came out (maybe 4 years ago). It has been the best investment ever for toys. It's big enough that it hasn't been outgrown yet (DD is almost 8) and every kid from age 1 to age 13 plays with it when they are over.

http://www.step2.com/product.cfm?product_id=1218&stp2ssid=582C4C7C-1143-E489-2D193FFC8EADE79A

 

[kathi29]

I really like the ones from Berchet. IMO, European toy companies tend to make the best "just like the grownup's, only little" toys, and Berchet's kitchen is a great example of that.

Here's a site with a good close photo of the Berchet : http://store.platinumgalleria.com/berchet-traditional-play-kitchen.html

I generally like the Berchet stuff. But we had a nursery that was a flimsy piece of junk. I'm a little leery of them after that.

 

[bjakmom]

Since you mentioned the $$$ pieces sold at Pottery, here's a link to the one we bought the grandkids (for our house, though ) from Hearthsong.com: http://www.hearthsong.com/hearthsong/product.do?section_id=2&bc=1005&pgc=492
It is extremely! sturdy - just what we wanted - not a lot of bells and whistles, but all the kids play with it every time they walk into the house! It is probably sturdy enough to hand down to the great-grandkids once I'm gone - so it was worth the price to us knowing it would become somewhat of a family heirloom.
We filled it with the wooden Mellissa and Doug food, which will also last forever and they love, but if they try to actually eat it , the paint chips off a little.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

We bought this one from Little Colorado:

http://www.littlecolorado.com/stock9294.html

It is now five years old and has been played with almost daily, and it still looks great. We wanted something to put in our kitchen that wasn't plastic and bright colored. It doesn't make any noises or have any lights, and our kids have had a great time with it. We have so many plastic toys that we try to buy wooden when we can just for variety! We will save this for the grandkids to play with!

 

[monorailsilver]

This is what we have & it is by Little Tykes:

We have had it for 2 or 3 years now & I want a new one for my kids & the reason why I want a new one is because I want this one (basically for me) but I am not getting it since this is only sold online & is $250:

That one is by Step 2. I just love it. My 5 yo wants it but she isn't getting it.

I did get another kitchen for my dd (I think it was her 3rd birthday) & she picked it out because it baked treats. But it was so fliimsy that I returned it & got that one since I had a coupon for $10 off & it was on sale too. The other kitchen was a FP one.

 

[GEM]

We bought this one when it first came out (maybe 4 years ago). It has been the best investment ever for toys. It's big enough that it hasn't been outgrown yet (DD is almost 8) and every kid from age 1 to age 13 plays with it when they are over.

http://www.step2.com/product.cfm?product_id=1218&stp2ssid=582C4C7C-1143-E489-2D193FFC8EADE79A

We got that same one for DS (age 3) last Christmas and it's been GREAT!! Definately a good investment. He uses it every day! $200 well spent!

 

[labdogs42]

That one is by Step 2. I just love it. My 5 yo wants it but she isn't getting it.

I did get another kitchen for my dd (I think it was her 3rd birthday) & she picked it out because it baked treats. But it was so fliimsy that I returned it & got that one since I had a coupon for $10 off & it was on sale too. The other kitchen was a FP one.

I saw that one on the Step 2 website and thought it was SO cool, too. If I had a HUGE house, I'd get it, but that thing would take up a whole room in this house! I"ll stick with the little one I got him for now!!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

This is what we have & it is by Little Tykes:

We have had it for 2 or 3 years now & I want a new one for my kids & the reason why I want a new one is because I want this one (basically for me) but I am not getting it since this is only sold online & is $250:

That one is by Step 2. I just love it. My 5 yo wants it but she isn't getting it.

I did get another kitchen for my dd (I think it was her 3rd birthday) & she picked it out because it baked treats. But it was so fliimsy that I returned it & got that one since I had a coupon for $10 off & it was on sale too. The other kitchen was a FP one.

Wow!!! I love this!!! If I had seen this when the kids got their kitchen last year dh would have killed me! I so would have bought it and found a way to keep it in the house!!! We do have a Step2 kitchen that we love. It is the really big one. I think it was about $200 last year. We love it and so do the kids. It has enough room for the 3 of my kids to play at once.

 

[gabbysmom04]

we have one from toysrus that works with food to make different sounds and tells you what you are cooking. It is really nice but I really really really want the step 2 one. I might have to tell grandpa about it and hope for the best!

 

[Disney4Drew]

We bought this one when it first came out (maybe 4 years ago). It has been the best investment ever for toys. It's big enough that it hasn't been outgrown yet (DD is almost 8) and every kid from age 1 to age 13 plays with it when they are over.

http://www.step2.com/product.cfm?product_id=1218&stp2ssid=582C4C7C-1143-E489-2D193FFC8EADE79A

I

We have one that is just a little smaller than this. DS got it 2 years ago (he just turned 2 that year) and has been playing with it ever since. I think it was around 150.00, and it was money well spent.

 

[karenTX]

Wow! This thread could not have come at a better time! DH & I have been trying to figure out which one to get DD for Christmas too. I bought a pink wooden retro one from Costco just to have just in case, but I'm not real happy with it. We're thinking more of the Step 2 Lifestyle Deluxe that some of you really liked. I had seen the "walk-in" kitchen on the web and fell in love! But...again not enough room. Not to mention, I think the Deluxe has more cabs and drawers. Anymore good reviews on the Deluxe? I trust you guys more then the reviews on other websites!!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Wow! This thread could not have come at a better time! DH & I have been trying to figure out which one to get DD for Christmas too. I bought a pink wooden retro one from Costco just to have just in case, but I'm not real happy with it. We're thinking more of the Step 2 Lifestyle Deluxe that some of you really liked. I had seen the "walk-in" kitchen on the web and fell in love! But...again not enough room. Not to mention, I think the Deluxe has more cabs and drawers. Anymore good reviews on the Deluxe? I trust you guys more then the reviews on other websites!!

We have the Deluxe and the kids love it! It is really cute and a good size. It uses about a million batteries but totally worth it!

 

[sandiegosusie]

If it were me, I would buy another Little Tikes kitchen in a heart beat. We have owned two. I seem to like updating them as the years go by...The one of am eying is an outdoor barbecue on one side and an indoor kitchen on the other. Toys R Us has them...Costco also has play food right now. A really nice package...