Here you can find a few tips for choosing the best kid kitchen set. You can scroll down (or use the navigation) to top toy kitchen reviews or the "Sum Up" section for conclusions. Or, if you wish to learn some general information, start first with the buying guide. Thanks for being here!
Best Play Kitchens Reviewed in This Article and DadProgress Top Picks
  | Best Overall toy Kitchen |
|---|---|
  | Best toy Kitchen for Older Kids |
  | |
  | Best Wood Play Kitchen for 1- & 2-Year-Olds |
  | |
  | |
  | Best toy Kitchen for Babies |
  | Best Plastic Play Kitchen for 1- & 2-Year-Olds |
  | |
  | Best toy Kitchen for Outdoors |
Why to look for Best Play Kitchens?
Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay are two top names in the long list of celebrity chefs. And both men have played a role in turning cooking into a cool hobby, even for men.
As a modern dad, you are destined to have a kid’s kitchen playset somewhere in your home:) Both girls and boys will enjoy having their own tiny kitchen to pretend-cook and role-play the family life that they see every day.
Every parent should aim to raise an adult who doesn't starve in front of a full fridge. Why not start early with the lessons and maybe even raise the next Masterchef?
Benefits of Buying the Best Play Kitchen
- When you purchase a play kitchen, remember that you are looking at a toy that is going to offer years of play time for your little one. At first, a younger child will bang some pots and pans together. But as your little one gets older, she will be running a full-service restaurant for you and her friends.
- They are excellent learning toys! Not only are they great for pretend play, but they also provide an interactive way to teach your little one colors, counting, cooking, and different types of food
- Play kitchens are a favorite of playdates! When you have other kids over, they will all head to the play kitchen
- The best kid kitchen set is easy to upgrade! There are always food play sets that can be added to the original kitchen. You can start with a basic assortment and then add pizza, cupcakes, waffles, and burgers to the menu. You can also find play blenders and toasters that make noise to add to the fun. If you develop a sound storage system, then it won’t be a problem adding more items to your little one’s repertoire. You can also save empty boxes of cereal and breakfast bars to create a real kitchen feel at a low cost.
How to Choose the Best Play Kitchen?
How Old is Your Kid?
It’s best to buy a kitchen that your child can enjoy now and avoid purchasing a too advanced item thinking that she will grow into it.
- Babies and 1-year-olds: One-year-olds are just learning to walk and try to balance themselves against all items. This means that a play kitchen should be very sturdy or small and lightweight in case it flips over. A couple of accessories is enough.
- 2- and 3-year-olds: Many older toddlers try to climb wherever they can. This means that mini kitchen sets are less risky. Alternatively, if you have a stand-alone kitchen playset, then make sure that it’s stable (and maybe attach it to the wall?). Older toddlers have honed their motor skills and enjoy playing with a wide range of accessories. My two-year-old loves to „cut“ wooden fruits with his „knife.“
- Preschooler: The best kitchen set for preschoolers is more advanced and contains many accessories so he or she can adequately pretend play.
- Older Kids: You can find many very advanced play kitchens for older kids. They enjoy playing with stand-alone kitchen playsets and having a ton of accessories to mimic real cooking. Alternatively, depending on the kid, you may want to start introducing your kid to actual cooking.
How Much Space You Have And How Many Features You Want?
Available in various sizes, you can find the right kitchen playset for toddlers, preschoolers, and even older children.
You can categorize play kitchens by size:
1) Mini Kitchen Playsets
They feature mini accessories and a smaller size, which can make them the best kitchen set for toddlers. You can set them up on a table. This is great for families that don’t have as much space for a free-standing play kitchen set or who like toys packed away after they are used. Small and lightweight, they tend to be safe for one-year-olds
2) Stand-Alone Kitchen Playsets
Varying in size, you will find a single unit kitchen playset all the way to large multiple-units kitchen sets that allow many children to play at one time. Keep in mind that some of these larger playsets can take up a lot of room in your home.
Large-scale kitchen sets have a lot of exciting features to offer. That said, young toddlers may not yet understand the concept and will abuse them. It’s expensive to replace accessories and damaged parts, and they can splinter. Bigger kitchens are also harder to clean (like real kitchens).
If you are thinking about buying a stand-alone play kitchen, remember to consider if you have the space for it in your home and if your child is old enough for it.
Is the Material Important to You?
Best play kitchens are made of either plastic or wood, but you will often see steel and aluminum in the mix as well.
1) Toy Kitchens Made of Solid Wood
Wood is excellent for its durability and sturdiness. It also has a more realistic feel and look, plus it can be passed from one child to the next thanks to the long lifespans. Wood is a natural material so you don't have to worry about harmful chemicals.
Wooden toy kitchen sets are perfect for all ages.
2) Toy Kitchens made of Plastic
Plastic is also a good choice when it comes to kitchen sets. These items are lightweight, so you can effortlessly move them around if the kids want. Plastic play kitchens are also super easy to clean, and they usually cost less than wooden alternatives.
On the negative side, plastic items can be flimsy and will tip over if young toddlers pull upon them. If you buy a large plastic play kitchen for a toddler, then make sure that it's stable.
Plastic kitchen sets don’t last as long as wooden ones, and it’s best not to keep them in direct sunlight (it can make the material brittle). You should also make sure sure that the plastic is BPA-free.
You Kid Needs Accessories for the toy Kitchen
Depending on the playset, you will find that some come with a ton of accessories, while others are just the kitchen and some cabinets. Some come with a few kitchen utensils or food while others go full out with pots and pans, flatware, dishware, all sorts of seasoning, salt and pepper shakers.
The best kitchen set for toddlers doesn’t need to have all these items, but little ones enjoy playing with kitchen utensils.
If you're not a fan of nicks and scratches on the floor (you can see my kitchen flooring in the picture), then it’s better to buy lightweight play items.
Best toy Kitchen set Should be Easy to Assemble!
While you want to get your little one the kitchen set of his dreams, it doesn’t hurt to check out the assembly of the toy and see what you are getting yourself into. Depending on your skill level, you may end up spending hours putting one of these sets together, including all the extra little accessories. Best play kitchen should be easy to assemble.
List of 10 Best Kid Kitchens Sets for DadProgress With Reviews
Featuring a realistic stovetop and molded-in storage, the Fun With Friends Kitchen also has an oven and a fridge to mimic a real kitchen. Also included are a microwave, a single-serve coffee space, and tons of counter space. With all the accessories in the package, your little ones can start cooking right away. After they are done with the cooking, the swivel sink provides a fun place to "wash "dishes and putting them away on the shelves and the dish rack.
Encouraging hours of playtime fun, the Step2 Fun with Friends Kitchen uses real sounds to allow your little one the joy of hearing their food sizzle and bubble. Kids can practice motor skills by closing and opening doors, turning knobs, and using and grasping smaller utensils and accessories. Plus, using a play kitchen will help young children improve their social skills as they make up stories and tell them through their play. Assisting kids to engage in pretend play, storytelling, and communication, the Step2 Fun with Friends Kitchen allows them to improve their language skills and expand their creativity.
Measurements: ~13 x 36 x 41 inches, weighs 23lb
Material: Plastic
Manufacturers' age recommendation: From age two
Accessories: About 30
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
Using sounds and lights, the Kidcraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen provides hours of interactive playtime fun. With an innovative corner design, this play kitchen will easily find a spot in your kid's playroom.
Your little chef will enjoy the realistic ice maker and stovetop burners that use sounds and lights while they play. Appliance doors close and open while the oven knobs click and turn. The kitchen set also includes functional cabinets and shelves which provide handy storage for the included kitchen accessories. The removable sink will make the cleanup easy.
Created for kids that love to cook like their parents, the Kidcraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen brings a child's imagination to life with real sounds and burners that light up. Large enough for several children to play at once, this kitchen playset encourages improved social, and language skills as children play out stories together in a stimulating and interactive environment.
Measurements: ~33 x 42 x 37 inches, weighs 54lb
Material: Fiberboard/wood and plastic
Manufacturers' age recommendation: From age three
Accessories: 1
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
Providing endless imaginative fun, the Boley My First Kitchen Playset comes with plastic food, plates, utensils, and a colorful oven. Featuring realistic sounds and lights, this fun mini kitchen playset provides your young child with tons of ways to expand his creativity. This is a great educational gift that will help to increase your child's vocabulary and developing coordination and fine motor skills.
Safe and child-friendly, the Boley's My First Kitchen Playset is free of phthalates and lead, and it meets the ASTM and US safety standards.
Measurements: ~12 x 9 x 7 inches, weighs 2lb
Material: Plastic
Manufacturers' age recommendation: From age two
Accessories: 14
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
Featuring a classic design and compact size, the My Creative Cookery Club comes with everything your little one needs to start cooking. The set includes a refrigerator, decorative sink, utensil rack, stovetop, and an oven. All these features encourage your child to create and imagine through role-playing games and practice motor skills. Your kid will also get wooden play food, utensils, pots, and pans (20 items in total). Using durable wood and safe paint finishes, this toy will last your child years.
Measurements: ~21 x 12 x 31 inches, weighs 13lb
Material: Wood
Manufacturers' age recommendation: From age three
Accessories: 20
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
This wooden kitchen playset by Melissa & Doug is made of high-quality wood so it will last. Additionally, it features a ton of realistic details. As a result it's one of the best play kitchen for older kids.
Perfect for kids three and up, this kitchen playset allows kids to have fun while learning hands-on skills. Play kitchens cultivate social and language skills as children play out stories together in a stimulating and interactive environment.
Featuring a realistic stovetop, microwave, and a sink, this kid play kitchen also has an oven and storage to mimic a real kitchen. Additionally, the refrigerator features an "ice" cube dispenser for added realism.
Measurements: 15,5 x 39 x 43,25 inches
Material: Wood
Manufacturers' age recommendation: From age three
Accessories: 0
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
Your little chef will love the Step 2 Chefs Kitchen that includes realistic appliances and lots of other details. Light up stove burner makes realistic sounds and will delight your little ones as they turn the dials on the oven. The coffeemaker even comes with pods, and the kitchen features a swivel faucet and a faux-granite countertop.
With all the little details, your kids will feel like they are in a real kitchen. From the fun recycling bin, the oven, and a refrigerator, kids will enjoy hours of playtime fun. The Step 2 Chefs Kitchen set also comes with a ton of accessories like mustard, ketchup, salt and pepper shakers, flatware, dinnerware, a pot and a pan, and utensils. And with tons of storage, your kids can easily put them away after they make their favorite dish.
Just imagine all the hours of imaginative playtime fun your kids will have with this modern-style kitchen playset with realistic sounds and lights.
Measurements: ~12 x 34.5 x 35,8 inches, weighs 21lb
Material: Plastic
Manufacturers' age recommendation: From age two
Accessories: 25
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
With four fun ways to play, the Fischer Price Laugh & Learn Learning Kitchen uses interactive settings to help youngest children learn and also have fun.
When your child uses the Learning mode, she will learn letters, numbers, shapes, and names of different foods. He can also enjoy songs and phrases in both Spanish and English thanks to the Bilingual mode. Imagination mode helps her learn through role-play, and the kitchen also has a Musical mode. It also has a real working light switch to teach cause and effect to babies. They can also work on their fine motor skills by sorting and grasping food shapes, turning pages, and spinning the roller bar.
The Fischer Price Laugh & Learn Learning Kitchen comes with two sides of play. Using role-play accessories and realistic layout, kids can create all types of cooking scenarios.
It’s easy to store as this kitchen playset folds up when your little one is done playing.
NB! As this toy kitchen is very popular, it's often "out of stock".
Measurements: 9 x 12 x 9 inches, weighs 2lb
Material: Plastic
Manufacturers’ age recommendation: From six months
Accessories: 5
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
Perfect for little ones 18-months and up, the Little Tikes Cook 'n Grow Kitchen features a modern design that will inspire hours of fun playtime. With actual moving doors to all the appliances, this kitchen set comes with 26 accessories that include play food, dishes, cups, cookware, and utensils. Featuring electronic cooking sounds, the Little Tikes Cook ‘n Grow Kitchen also comes with hooks and slots that are molded-in for plates and cups.
You can choose between two configurations. If you expand the kitchen, you will find the sink in between the oven and refrigerator. You can also configure it so that the sink fits above them, making it the perfect height for a taller child and a compact room.
Measurements: ~15 x 47 x 33 inches (when opened), about 21lb
Material: Plastic
Manufacturers’ age recommendation: From 18 months
Accessories: 26
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
Adding even more fun to your playroom, the Pink Retro Kitchen and Refrigerator has a two-piece design that lets you create unique layouts that fit any room.
Packed with fun interactive features, this kitchen playset comes with tons of accessories, storage, and a working door. You also get clickable oven knobs that move stove burners that are made of realistic looking molded plastic. All the appliances feature working doors allowing your little one to cook up a feast.
With great colors and cut details, this modular kitchen set is made with durable wood so that it will last you through years of playtime fun. It also includes storage under the oven and a sink that is removable for easy cleanup.
Measurements: Stove: ~26 x 14 x 26 inches; Fridge: ~12 x 14 x 31 inches, about 39lb
Material: Wood
Manufacturers’ age recommendation: From age three
Accessories: 0
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
With a fun twist on a kid’s kitchen playset, the Little Tikes Cook 'n Play Outdoor BBQ allows kids also to pretend to have a cookout. This is a fun way to develop sharing and social skills during active play. Equipped with play food and utensil, kids can have tons of fun grilling outside just like their parents.
The dual grill comes with a lid and a side burner. You kids can also learn how „fun“ it is to clean after the grilling thanks to a play sink. Pegs are molded-in, so your kids can hang pans and kitchen utensils. The Little Tikes Cook 'n Play Outdoor BBQ is a great way to encourage imaginary and creative play, and it’s perfect for boys and girls.
Measurements: ~29 x 12 x 35 inches, 18lb
Material: Plastic
Manufacturers’ age recommendation: From age two
Accessories: 10
PROS |
|---|
CONS |
|---|
To Sum Up
Keep reading to find out the winners of the best kid kitchens set roundup! All links take you to Amazon for the latest price!
The best overall play kitchen for me is the Step2 Fun with Friends toy Kitchen. It comes with a ton of accessories and has many possibilities for interactive play. This play kitchen isn't too small even for older toddlers and it usually doesn't cost too much.
What's the Best Kitchen set for 1 Year Olds and 2 Year Olds?
Fischer Price Laugh & Learn Learning Kitchen is my top pick for babies because it’s such an interactive toy thanks to its four modes of play. They can also practice motor skills by closing and opening doors, turning knobs, and using and grasping smaller utensils. This all said, this model is often out of stock.
Any of the reviewed items could be the best kitchen set for young toddlers. That said, Little Tikes Cook ‘n Grow Kitchen is probably the best plastic one starting from age one because it grows with your child. Hape My Creative Cookery Club Wooden Kitchen Set is a beautiful wooden item that’s also perfect for younger toddlers. Both kitchen playsets come with a ton of accessories, so your little ones can start cooking right away.
What's the Best Play Kitchen for Older Kids?
Starting from age three, the best play kitchen should be more advanced, and so the Kidcraft Ultimate Corner Play Kitchen is my top pick for them. That said, you have to buy all the accessories separately.
Another excellent big kid kitchen set is the toy kitchen made of solid wood by Melissa & Doug.
Other Things to Consider When Choosing a Toy Kitchen for your Kid
If you’re searching for a mini play kitchen, then the Boley My First Kitchen Playset is perfect for younger toddlers.
And if you wish to encourage outdoor play, then the Little Tikes Outdoors Kitchen is my top suggestion.
Hopefully, this round-up review helps you to find the best kid kitchen set for your little one! And who knows...maybe he or she will become the next Masterchef.
Thanks for reading!
Last Updated on March 27, 2023