Up to 41% Off: Kid-Tested, Editor-Approved Play Kitchens for Budding Junior Chefs (2024)

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• How We Tested

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Why We Recommend It

The Little Tikes Real Wood Kitchen with Island tops our list because of its 2-in-1 design that stood out among the other 21 play kitchens we tested. The design includes a wooden kitchen and island—both easy to assemble and durable. The only tools we needed for assembly were a pair of screwdrivers and pliers, and fitting it all together only took about an hour. Once finished, we introduced the kitchen to an ecstatic 4-year-old, who adored the kitchen’s vibrant blue color and accessories, like pots, pans, a butcher block, and pretend food—including a realistic turkey with removable legs to share with friends and fish you can cut in half.

Our 4-year-old kiddo used the island as a prep space before placing food in the oven, which opened like a real oven (pull down) rather than a door (to the side). With additional sounds and lights, like one in the oven to see food cooking, and easy-to-use knobs for appliances, there’s no shortage of pretend play opportunities with this play kitchen.

Between the durable wooden material and separate kitchen pieces, the $153 price tag is about average compared to other play kitchens. Additionally, you’re paying for a trusted name brand (Little Tikes), so the play kitchen should last you through multiple years or kiddos—and, indeed, in long-term testing, this one held up like new.

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: 3 years and up
• Dimensions: 30.50 x 14.00 x 35.00 inches (kitchen), 19.30 x 15 x 18 inches (island)
• Product Weight: 52 pounds (play kitchen and island combined)
• Material: Wood
• Accessories Included: 12+ total (pots/pans, butcher block, play food)

Why We Recommend It

If you’re working with a small space, choosing the Hape Gourmet Kitchen means you don’t have to sacrifice functionality or style. Coming in at fewer than 2 feet wide and less than 1 foot deep, it has a sink to wash the dishes, a double-rack oven with clickable and turnable knobs, a spice rack, and a two-burner stove to “cook” multiple dishes at once. It doesn’t have any additional accessories, but this is still enough to keep a child busy.

Assembly of the wooden design took only 30 to 45 minutes to complete—a fast construction time compared to other play kitchens we tested. Moreover, the entire setup felt sturdy once finished, and we appreciated the gender-neutral design for all children to enjoy.

Overall, this children's play kitchen has a classic, beautiful design that fits in with any home decor. In addition, its small footprint is simply a bonus for those working with limited space.

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: 3 years and up
• Dimensions: 21.7 x 12.6 x 27.8 inches
• Product Weight: 17.7 pounds
• Material: Wood
• Accessories Included: None

Why We Recommend It

“This is nicer than mommy’s kitchen,” said a 3-year-old tester when he encountered KidKraft’s impressive Farm to Table Play Kitchen (thanks, kid!). While the overall design of the play kitchen is sleek, the initial impression was anything but: It arrived in more than 30 pieces. However, the assembly process was simple. Thanks to its clear instructions, it took an hour and a half uninterrupted to assemble.

The large farmhouse sink not only looks stylish but has enough space for washing tiny dishes and hands and rinsing veggies—complete with running water sounds and a light-up faucet. A spacious refrigerator opens to keep play food fresh, and it comes equipped with an ice maker that dispenses pretend cubes (another hit with kiddos who played with this kitchen). Additional features include a fire-inspired light and sound cooktop, chalkboard (chalk not included), pot rack, and two collapsible storage bins with a wood print. Plus, 18 accessories come with this play kitchen, including a cutting board and pretend knife to slice the “choppable” veggies from the pretend herb garden.

After a month of testing, the play kitchen showed no wear and tear. Even when we accidentally spilled a cup of coffee on it, it wiped up easily.

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: 3 years and up
• Dimensions: 44.2 x 13.6 x 43 inches
• Product Weight: 49.5 pounds
• Material: MDF, wood, metal, and plastic
• Accessories Included: 18 total (cutting board, choppable veggies, and pots/pans/utensils)
  

Why We Recommend It

Aspiring chefs will have a blast with this kid's play kitchen that features sounds and lights for a realistic cooking experience. The cooktop and griddle activate easily thanks to motion sensors that turn the burners red and play sounds to replicate a real stovetop. The knobs also turn and click. The light and sounds of the microwave were a big hit with our kiddos, who loved pressing the buttons to watch the appliance light up and see their food heating up. Additionally, a functional ice maker dispensing plastic ice cubes completes the fun.

We were very grateful for the simple assembly of the KidKraft Uptown Elite Play Kitchen. The kitchen took an hour to assemble, and we only needed an additional screwdriver to finish the setup. Plus, the easy-to-understand directions were a nice bonus. Once completed, the play kitchen boasts a large refrigerator, dishwasher, shelf space, deep freezer, and sink.

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: 3 years and up
• Dimensions: 38.46 x 13.9 x 40.32 inches
• Product Weight: 46.3 pounds
• Material: MDF (medium-density fiberboard) and plastic
• Accessories Included: 1 (plastic ice cubes)

Why We Recommend It

This two-sided play kitchen is double the fun for imaginative play. On one side, you’ll find a home garden where toddlers can plant flowers, turn lights on and off, spin plastic tomatoes, stir honey, and sort shapes using fruit and veggie pieces. On the kitchen side, you’ll find a blender to mix smoothies, a recipe book with flippable pages, a sink, and plenty of space to prep a meal. We loved the accessories included with the Fisher-Price garden-to-kitchen playset, like utensils, pretend food, an egg basket, and more—it really makes a kid’s cooking experience come to life.

While the setup was quick (only 30 minutes), the refrigerator portion on the kitchen side did not close properly. Otherwise, we appreciated the many sounds, lights, phrases, and songs the play kitchen features—a great toy for 18-month-olds and up—offering great value for what you spend.

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: 18 months and up
• Dimensions: 17.40 x 22.72 x 30.00 inches
• Product Weight: 13.78 pounds
• Material: Plastic
• Accessories Included: 30 total (egg basket, pan, meal tray)

Why We Recommend It

There are plenty of opportunities for imaginative play with this toddler play kitchen, which includes a coffee station, cooktop, sink, oven, and refrigerator. We loved the design of Step2 Fun with Friends Kitchen because it wasn’t overly fancy, yet still had a modern style. However, the three-hour assembly of this kitchen was its biggest downfall. We struggled to get screws through the plastic with no holes, leaving us confused and with tired hands (we recommend an electric drill). Once assembled, though, everything felt sturdy and durable, and it held up well after multiple uses.

There aren’t too many sounds and lights in the kitchen, which can be a pro or con, depending on your family’s preference. For example, the stove makes a bubbling noise when kiddos cook with the included pot or pan, while the built-in coffee station features a pod machine to feel like the grown-ups. In addition, many other accessories come with this play kitchen for toddlers, such as condiment bottles, utensils, cups, coffee pods and cups, and more, to add to the kitchen experience.

Bonus: The kitchen is available in four color schemes, including pink!

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: 2 years and up
• Dimensions: 35.75 x 12.5 x 40.88 inches
• Product Weight: 24.25 pounds
• Material: Plastic
• Accessories Included: 37 total (condiment bottles, cell phone, coffee supplies)

Why We Recommend It

The spacious refrigerator in the KidKraft Mosaic play kitchen is about as close as it gets to the real thing. In addition to the working ice maker that dispenses plastic ice cubes, the refrigeratorandtop freezer doors are magnetic. Nine accessories come with this kitchen, including various magnets such as a to-do list, numbers, shapes, and a picture frame (but you can add your own magnets, too). Children can cook meals for the family with the included pan and utensils, then add some seasoning with the salt and pepper shakers.

We loved the little details that added to this play kitchen’s overall character, like the mosaic backsplash and gold accents. In addition, it has plenty of storage space to hold the included accessories and more. However, our biggest flaw with this KidKraft kitchen was its assembly. Because the directions were confusing, we had to disassemble everything and start over again. We wish the directions were more precise, and we recommend an electric drill to do the job.

Despite the initial assembly issue, everything was sturdy upon completion, and the play kitchen has proved its durability over time. We’re happy to report that despite having to disassemble everything, there were no cracks to any pieces, and all screws survived the ordeal—even after contact with a high-powered drill. Plus, it's weathered well, even with an excited toddler who loved slamming doors.

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: 3 years and up
• Dimensions: 40.55 x 12.99 x 39.76 inches
• Product Weight: 37.9 pounds
• Material: Wood and MDF
• Accessories Included: 9 total (pan/utensils, salt and pepper shaker, and magnets)

Why We Recommend It

The cooktop of the IKEA Duktig Play Kitchen is nothing short of impressive. It has an electric stovetop with two “heat” settings (but with no actual heat) that glow red with the touch of a button. While these run on batteries, they shut off after a few minutes to conserve energy. Of course, the modern stovetop isn’t the only part of the play kitchen’s sleek design. We appreciated several other thoughtful details, like windows on the oven and microwave door, S-style hooks to hang accessories (all sold separately), a sink, and extra storage space. One of our favorite features? A three-position adjustable height so kiddos can use the kitchen as they grow.

Setting up the play kitchen was cumbersome with lots of parts and pieces, but we assembled everything in about an hour and a half by following instructions closely (in typical Ikea fashion, these have pictures only). The fiberboard and birch plywood showed no wear and tear, even with a 5-year-old slamming the doors out of excitement.

While no accessories come with the IKEA play kitchen, we think this kitchen still has value thanks to its attractive (and durable) design.

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: Not listed
• Dimensions: 29 x 16 x 43 inches
• Product Weight: Not listed
• Material: Fiberboard and birch plywood
• Accessories Included: None
  

Why We Recommend It

Between the lights, sounds, and included accessories (dozens of them!), the Step2 Elegant Edge Kitchen is full of features to keep kiddos busy. It will also keep caretakers busy, especially initially: This play kitchen took four hours to assemble and includedthree boxes(see our picture below!) of pieces and parts to comb through. We realized the kitchen didn’t come with pre-drilled holes, so we had to break through the plastic ourselves to finish the job. The one-time pain of assembly was worth the excited reaction of the four brothers (ages 3 to 8) who tested this kitchen for us. The kitchen's overall design is stunning, with features like faux granite countertops, subway tile backsplash, a frost effect on cabinet windows, and a farmhouse sink complete with a stylish gooseneck faucet you’ll wish was in your kitchen.

There are 78 accessories included with this Step2 play kitchen, from pretend food and pots and pans to utensils and condiment bottles. For example, when you put a pot or pan on the stovetop, children hear a sizzling sound to replicate real cooking noises. There’s also a light in the refrigerator that automatically turns on when the door opens and a light in the oven for visibility. A big hit with our testers? The realistic blender and popcorn maker stovetop attachment—the latter has tiny white balls that pop on the inside to mimic the real thing.

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: 3 years and up
• Dimensions: 65.75 x 14 x 50 inches
• Product Weight: 69 pounds
• Material: Plastic
• Accessories Included: 78 pieces (blender, popcorn maker, coffee pot, and condiment bottles)

Why We Recommend It

Toymakers Melissa & Doug encourage kiddos to tap into their imaginations with this play kitchen. The design mimics a real kitchen with features like a stove, oven, microwave, storage space, and refrigerator with a working ice dispenser. The setup process was about average and took us about 90 minutes to complete. There were 26 steps to follow, but the company labeled all the pieces and the hardware. The only additional tools we needed to finish assembling the play kitchen were screwdrivers, a wrench, and an extra pair of hands during the early steps.

A downside to this children’s kitchen was the lack of accessories. While it comes with two pretend ice cubes and a pretend grocery list, it doesn't have any pots, pans, food, utensils, or other play kitchen accessories. Otherwise, the Melissa & Doug toy kitchen set showed very little wear and tear after a month of use and remained sturdy and durable during many playtimes.

Key Specs:

• Age Recommendation: 3 years and up
• Dimensions: 42.5 x 19.5 x 8.5 inches
• Product Weight: Not listed
• Material: Wood
• Accessories Included: Two ice cubes and pretend grocery list

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much is a play kitchen?

  The prices of play kitchens vary on several factors, like material, brand, and size. We tested play kitchens with price tags as low as $80 (the Little Tikes Home Grown Kitchen, which didn’t make our list) and other kitchens costing as high as $430 (the Step2 Elegant Edge Kitchen). It’s important to consider how many children will play with the kitchen, the material you prefer, and the brand. Toy brands such as Melissa & Doug, KidKraft, and Hape may hold a higher price due to their well-known names.

• What age is best for a play kitchen?

  According to Dr. Ross, children typically start engaging in pretend play between ages 18 to 24 months. However, older and younger children can benefit from a play kitchen.

• What do children learn from play kitchens?

  Children who play with a pretend kitchen benefit from imaginative play, also known as symbolic play. Pretending to drink out of an empty cup inspires pretend play. “Some of the benefits of symbolic play is it encourages imagination, utilizes social interactions, and helps with communication skills," explainsDr. Ross. She encourages parents to let their children imagine whatever they want, even if it's unrealistic. Allow children to get as creative as they want, but always ensure toys and furniture are safe and age-appropriate, Dr. Ross adds.

• Are there benefits to pretend play?

  Children who entertain themselves in a pretend kitchen reap the benefits of pretend play in return. Imaginative play allows children to experiment with various social roles and learn to cooperate. Moreover, this type of play encourages the growth of language, communication, and complex negotiation skills.

  Parents and caregivers can encourage pretend play by leading by example. Dr. Ross suggests families take toys and start creating a story while encouraging a child to engage in pretend play.