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Best kitchen brands 2026, according to over 4,000 owners and 19 expert lab tests
Hannah has over three years of experience overseeing investigations around health, environment, pet care and home improvements.
To help you find the best kitchen, we've meticulously tested and researched leading brands, including Howdens, Ikea and Magnet.
We assess kitchen brands in two ways: via our expert independent lab tests and a survey of real kitchen owners.
This year, our experts evaluated 21 kitchen ranges from nine brands in the lab. Then we surveyed 4,580 Which? members and members of the public about their experiences with these brands.
Only the best kitchens from the top-rated brands were named Which? Best Buys.
How we test kitchens
In the lab
We buy all of our kitchens at market price and send them to a specialist laboratory, where expert assessors run 19 tests across four key areas.
Our surveys
We survey Which? Connect members and the UK public who've bought a kitchen in the past 10 years. We never ask people to test kitchens for us.
Editorial independence
The writer and editor have no contact with the brands, laboratory, or survey respondents during the testing process.
More than just reviews
Which? members can also access our expert kitchen planning, budgeting, and money-saving tips.
Best kitchens overall
Looking for a quality kitchen from a reputable brand? We've combined the results from our lab tests and customer survey to help you find the best kitchen.
Log in to unlock the table below. If you're not already a member, join Which? for instant access.
| Brand and range (link to brand review) | Overall score | Lab score | Customer score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B&Q GoodHome Caraway | Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Full Access for just £5 per month for your first 3 months. Cancel at any time. Already a member? | |||
| B&Q GoodHome Caraway Innovo | ||||
| Benchmarx Grey Cabinet | ||||
| Benchmarx Essence Flat Pack | ||||
| DIY Kitchens Innova | ||||
| Howdens Flatpack | ||||
| Howdens Handleless | ||||
| Howdens Ready Assembled | ||||
| Ikea Enhet | ||||
| Ikea Knoxhult | ||||
| Ikea Metod | ||||
| Magnet Pre-Built | ||||
| Magnet Ready to Assemble | ||||
| Symphony Gallery | ||||
| Symphony Laura Ashley | ||||
| Symphony Linear | ||||
| Wickes Bespoke | ||||
| Wickes Lifestyle | ||||
| Wren Infinity | ||||
| Wren Infinity Plus | ||||
| Wren Vogue | ||||
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Unlock tableGet Full Access for just £5 per month for your first 3 months. Cancel at any time.
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Table notes: Overall score is based on a lab assessment of units and a customer survey of 4,580 Which? Connect members and members of the UK public, conducted online in February and March 2025. Price data is for a 12-unit kitchen, including VAT and sales discounts. Prices were collected in May 2025 and are subject to change.
We did not test Homebase kitchens because the company went into administration during our testing window. However, the company has now relaunched. For further information, visit homebase.co.uk
John Lewis relaunched its kitchen service in summer 2024 with a new supplier and a new range. We were unable to test its new kitchens in our lab as the brand didn't respond to our request within the deadline. We were also unable to generate enough survey responses to rate its new service.
Which is the best kitchen overall?
The best kitchen achieved an overall score of 82%. Our three best kitchens all scored 80% or over.
Our testing reveals that you don't need to spend vast sums of money to get a functional, durable kitchen – but remember not to rely on brand name alone when judging the quality of a product.
Which are the worst kitchens?
At the bottom end of the table, our lowest-scoring kitchen earned 63%.
In fact, six kitchens from four brands all got scores of less than 70%.
Our Best Buy kitchens
Six kitchens performed well enough to receive our renowned Which? Best Buy endorsement.
Best Buy kitchens need to achieve an overall score of 78% or above, a customer score of at least 70% and a minimum of three stars in every customer survey category.
Join Which? for instant access to our Best Buy across the website.
How did each kitchen range perform in our lab tests?
Looking for top-quality kitchen units? Our experts evaluated 21 kitchen ranges from nine brands. See which ranges scored highest in our independent lab tests.
Log in or join Which? to unlock the table below.
| Brand and range (link to brand review) | Lab score | Quality of units | Loading shelves | Drawers and runners | Hinges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B&Q GoodHome Caraway | Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Full Access for just £5 per month for your first 3 months. Cancel at any time. Already a member? | ||||
| B&Q GoodHome Caraway Innovo | |||||
| Benchmarx Grey Cabinet | |||||
| Benchmarx Essence Flat Pack | |||||
| DIY Kitchens Innova | |||||
| Howdens Flatpack | |||||
| Howdens Handleless | |||||
| Howdens Ready Assembled | |||||
| Ikea Enhet | |||||
| Ikea Knoxhult | |||||
| Ikea Method | |||||
| Magnet Pre-Built | |||||
| Magnet Ready to Assemble | |||||
| Symphony Gallery | |||||
| Symphony Laura Ashley | |||||
| Symphony Linear | |||||
| Wickes Bespoke | |||||
| Wickes Lifestyle | |||||
| Wren Infinity | |||||
| Wren Infinity Plus | |||||
| Wren Vogue | |||||
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Unlock tableGet Full Access for just £5 per month for your first 3 months. Cancel at any time.
Already a member?
Log in
Table notes: Lab assessment scores are calculated based on a kitchen's performance in 19 tests across four areas: quality of units, loading shelves, drawers and runners, and hinges. Ratings are combined to create an overall assessment score.
The best kitchen range achieved 89% in our lab tests – a full 35 percentage points more than the lowest-scoring model.
The two lowest-scoring models failed the hinge-strength test.
Common issues identified in our lab tests
Hinges
We test the strength of kitchens' hinges by applying weight to the cabinet doors.
This not only measures the strength of hinges, but also the density and stability of the wood used to make the kitchen. If the hinges can be ripped out of the cabinet, this means that the kitchen is made of a less durable material.
Two kitchens failed our hinges test – the hinges were ripped out of the cabinet when we applied weight to the door.
Shelving systems
We also carefully examine the stability of the shelving systems in all the units.
In most kitchens, the shelves rest on top of support pegs – they are not held in place. That means they can tip if weight is applied to the front or back of the shelf.
Some of our top-rated kitchens had more stable supports that prevent this from happening.
Other kitchen problems
We also identified dangerously sharp drawer runners on one of our kitchens, which comes from a very popular brand.
Find out more about our testing and scoring process in how we test kitchens
How did customers rate each kitchen brand in our survey?
Want to be confident you've chosen a durable and reliable kitchen brand? We surveyed 4,580 Which? members and members of the public about their experience with the kitchen they own. Check how each brand performed in our customer survey.
Log in or join Which? to unlock the table below.
| Kitchen brand (link to brand review) | Customer score | Quality of build | Quality of finish | Durability | Value for money | Customer service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B&Q | Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Full Access for just £5 per month for your first 3 months. Cancel at any time. Already a member? | |||||
| Benchmarx | ||||||
| DIY Kitchens | ||||||
| Howdens | ||||||
| Ikea | ||||||
| Magnet | ||||||
| Symphony | ||||||
| Wickes | ||||||
| Wren | ||||||
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Unlock tableGet Full Access for just £5 per month for your first 3 months. Cancel at any time.
Already a member?
Log in
Table notes: Customer score and star ratings based on an online survey of 4,580 Which? Connect members and members of the UK public in February and March 2025. Customer score is a combined score based on customer ratings of satisfaction with their kitchen and likelihood of recommending to a friend. Survey sample sizes: B&Q (477), Benchmarx (66), DIY Kitchens (168), Howdens (955), Ikea (413), Magnet (228), Symphony (76), Wickes (357), Wren (395).
Customer scores ranged from 80% to 65%.
Some of the lowest-scoring brands received just two-star ratings for value for money and customer service.
Hannah Healey, Which? Home researcher
'Our survey respondents have owned their kitchen for up to 10 years, so they know the product inside out. Which?'s expert analysis of lab tests and customer surveys provides rigorous and fair reviews.'
How well do kitchens last?
We also asked customers who reported buying their kitchen between 5 and 10 years ago whether it showed any signs of damage or wear and tear.
This gives a sense of how different brands hold up in the long term.
Log in or join Which? to unlock the table below.
Table notes: Damage and repairs based on an online survey of 2,496 people Which? Connect members and members of the UK public who reported buying a kitchen between 2015 and 2021, conducted in February and March 2025. Survey sample sizes: B&Q (477), Benchmarx (66), DIY Kitchens (168), Howdens (955), Ikea (413), Magnet (228), Symphony (76), Wickes (357), Wren (395).
On average, 44% of our survey respondents reported that their kitchen was showing signs of damage or wear and tear after at least five years of ownership.
The most common issues were scratches on the cabinets' finish (15%) and soft-close mechanisms failing (12%).
Just 34% of owners from the most reliable brand reported damage to their kitchen.
Independent kitchen companies
As well as surveying the top brands, we also asked customers who used independent kitchen companies to rate their experience, so we could see how well they stood up to the large chain stores.
These ratings are based on an average of all scores given for all independents – not any one company.
This means we were unable to include individual independents in our results tables, since they didn't meet the minimum sample size for us to report on.
Log in or join Which? to see how they performed.
To find a reliable, independent kitchen company, use Which? Trusted Traders
How to choose the best fitted kitchen for you
We've summarised the data from our lab tests, customer survey and pricing research to help you choose the best fitted kitchen for your home and your budget.
You might expect the most expensive kitchen to be of the highest quality, but we’ve assessed kitchens from premium, mid-level and budget brands, including Howdens, Magnet and Wren, and that isn't always the case.
Log in or join Which? now to discover the:
- best kitchen for durability
- best kitchen for quality
- best kitchen for value for money
Next steps towards your new kitchen
Alongside deciding where to buy your kitchen, consider the following to help design your kitchen, find a good installation service and keep your kitchen renovation on track:
- Read our kitchen planning and layout ideas.
- Get advice on how to choose the best kitchen worktops and cabinets.
- We evaluated installation services from major brands to help you find the best kitchen fitter.
- Find the best kitchen appliances, including fridges, ovens, washing machines and kettles.
- Discover how much a new kitchen costs.
This article uses insights from the Which? Connect panel, collected from research activities with our members. Find out how to get involved