Everyone Wants One Thing In Their Dream Kitchen

Over the past century, the kitchen has morphed from a little-seen area of the house to the crown jewel of any remodel. Kitchens are now meant to be displayed, showed off, and entertained in, and they've only gotten bigger to accommodate all those expectations. So it is unsurprising that in a recent survey published by Talker (conducted by OnePoll on behalf of luxury kitchen appliance brand Signature Kitchen Suite), respondents seemed to want one thing above the rest: lots and lots more space.

In a survey of 2,000 people, here are the top 10 things that respondents said they wanted in their dream kitchens, sorted by the percentage of respondents that cited each feature:

• An extra-large fridge: 50%
• Extra counter space: 50%
• Additional pantry space: 48%
• Extra shelf space: 45%       
• An in-wall oven unit: 42%
• An island: 40%      
• A basin sink: 38%
• An induction oven range: 37%
• A faucet above the oven range: 29%
• Built-in sous vide equipment: 23%

See what those top four items on the list have in common? More surface area. For anything and everything imaginable.

Personally, I think countertop space is most important; extra fridge space would only give me an excuse to hoard more condiments, which is a huge (and embarrassing) problem in our home. Additional shelving and cabinet space would be nice, but those spaces aren't typically large or strong enough to hold clunky appliances. If I had expansive counters, all those appliances—even the ones I barely use—would have a designated spot.

At the restaurant where I used to work, we were blessed with plenty of counter space, which meant I could spread out during my prep shifts and get more done at once. If you're baking bread or making pizza, it's difficult to knead, shape, and stretch out dough on a tiny counter.

One particular item in everyone's wish list sticks out to me, and that's the desire for built-in sous vide equipment in a home kitchen. As much as I extoll the virtues of sous vide cooking for certain applications, a plug-in sous vide device is actually fairly small and can be put away easily in a cabinet or drawer. I didn't even know built-in sous vide machinery was a thing, but it sure doesn't feel necessary, even when we're talking about things we'd splurge on.

Despite my small apartment kitchen, I'm still able to crank out some great food. For all their constraints, home chefs in tiny kitchens can still accomplish pretty much anything—after all, have you ever seen the inside of a food truck? And yes, you can even get by with a tiny fridge, which probably would be the best way (okay, the only way) for me to curb my condiment hoarding habit. So, while we can dream with the best of 'em, don't feel terrible if you're far from achieving the kitchen of your dreams. I promise, you can make anything happen in yours.