Counter space beside stove?

14 years ago

How many inches of counter space do I need on either side of my stove? Is 18 on each side enough? If not, I may have to get rid of my wall oven or corner pantry.

Featured Answer

Buehl

last year

last modified: last year

This thread is 13 years old!

However, now that it has been resurrected, the answer to the OP's question (for the purposes of helping others who have the same question) depends on where the cooktop is located and what is around it.

If it's on an island, then, no, that is not enough room. A minimum of 24" should be on each side of the cooktop as well as 18" behind it, 24" if there's seating behind the cooktop. (No, 9" behind it isn't enough "safety" margin for someone walking by -- any steam/smoke/grease will still "attack" people walking by. In addition, if you are using gas, the back flames could be an issue to others.)

If it's next to a door, 18" is the bare minimum, with 24" much better.

If it has walls on either side, then 18" would be OK, but we would need to see the actual layout/configuration to be sure. Note if that 18" (or 15") is also going to be landing space for the ovens, then, no, that's not enough room.

Again, it all depends on the layout and surrounding area.

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Comments (6)

plllog
14 years ago
You have to work with the space you have. Eighteen inches should be okay. It's enough space to shift a pot in a hurry, to hold a cutting board and spoon holder, to do a quick bit of prep on the fly. It might be a bit more useful to go 21" and 15", just to have a slightly larger side, but if you prefer symmetry, it's not that big a difference. People can make do cooking right against a wall, and in unfitted kitchens with no landing space at all, so I'm sure you can make do too. Do you have an island or counter right behind the range that will make for a good prep space? That would help a lot.

Ovens and pantries are important, too, but a big complaint about some kitchens concerns a lack of counter space. Are you installing induction? Because you can also use the inactive parts of an induction cooktop as extra counterspace, esp. with a cutting board on it.
remodelfla
14 years ago
It also depends on how you cook and what personally is a priority to you. For me, increased prep space was a driving notion. I did though have options as I increasing the size of the kitchen from microscopic to medium.
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chiefy
14 years ago
It depends on what other prep space you have available, and what's on the other side of your measurements. I have 14" to the right of my stove currently and I hate it! The counter ends and it's not large enough to work on, so it ends up being a junk magnet.
dianalo
14 years ago
I agree about needing more prep space. If your kitchen is tiny and you have to make do, I'd do the 15" and 21" as suggested, but only if it were necessary.

I have 36" one both sides of my stove and love love love it. I could probably make do with less on one side as long as I had the 36" one. I also would never go less than 15" if possible. In our last kitchen, we had 12" on the short side and it was very wasteful. It did collect junk and really could not be prepped on. It was even awkward to try to put a pot on that side to cool off. It's only purpose was to allow handles from things on the stove not hit the wall.

I'd lose the wall oven and get a range.
janice herberger
last year
I have a 15" to the right off my stove - all there was room for - I put my Keurig & pod carousel on it -