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Best kitchen brands 2025
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 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 general public who own kitchens from these brands about their experiences.
Only the best kitchens from the top-rated brands were named Which? Best Buys.
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Best kitchens overall
Looking for the best kitchen brand to create your dream space? Explore our expert reviews of popular kitchen brands to help you find the best for your home.
We gave all the kitchens we assessed an overall score based on their performance in the lab and customer ratings from our survey.
Log in to unlock the scores in the tables below. If you're not already a member, join Which? for instant access.
| Brand and range | Overall score | Lab score | Customer score | Visit retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B&Q GoodHome Caraway | Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableFull Access first month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? Log in | |||
| 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 tableFull Access first month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time.
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Table notes: The overall score is based on the lab assessment of the units and feedback from our customer survey. The customer survey was conducted online in February and March 2025 among 4,580 Which? Connect members and members of the UK public who have bought a new kitchen in the past 10 years. Survey sample sizes: B&Q (477), Benchmarx (66), DIY Kitchens (168), Howdens (955), Ikea (413), Magnet (228), Symphony (76), Wickes (357), Wren (395).
Since our last round of testing, Homebase has gone into administration and is not taking any further orders on kitchens. For further information, visit the administration FAQs section of the Homebase website.
John Lewis relaunched its kitchen service in summer 2024 with a new supplier and a new range. We were not able to get enough survey responses to rate its new service. We were also unable to test their new kitchens in our lab as the brand did not respond to our request within the deadline.
Which is the best kitchen brand?
The best kitchen brand achieved an overall score of 82%. Our 10 best kitchens all scored 75% or over.
As the Which? kitchens expert, I was impressed by the quality of the majority of kitchens that we tested. It's clear 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 kitchen brands?
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%.
How we choose Best Buy kitchens
Six kitchens were good enough to become Best Buys.
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.
Which? members can use our data, sourced in collaboration with the Building Cost Information Service, to find out how much a new kitchen costs in 2025
Best kitchen units
Looking for top-quality kitchen units? See which brands scored highest in our detailed assessments of kitchen unit quality.
Which? is completely independent, so we buy all of the kitchens we test in our lab. That means our tests are unbiased, accurate and thorough.
Log in to unlock the scores in the tables below. If you're not already a member, join Which? for instant access.
| Brand and range | 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 tableFull Access first month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? Log in | ||||
| 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 tableFull Access first month £5, then £11.99 per month, 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. In fact, 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, as you might do if you were using the door to help you stand. With two of the kitchen ranges we tested, the hinges ripped off the cabinets.
This test 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.
Shelving systems
We also carefully examine the stability of the shelving systems in all of 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
Best kitchen suppliers
Want to be confident you've chosen a reliable kitchen supplier? Check how each brand performed in our customer survey.
We survey real kitchen owners to see how satisfied they are with the kitchen they bought.
Log in to unlock the scores in the tables below. If you're not already a member, join Which? for instant access.
| Kitchen brand | 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 tableFull Access first month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? Log in | |||||
| 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 tableFull Access first month £5, then £11.99 per month, cancel at any time.
Already a member? Log in
Table notes: In our customer survey, conducted online in February and March 2025, we surveyed 4,580 Which? Connect members and members of the UK public who have bought a new kitchen in the past 10 years. 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.
Check out our individual brand reviews for more in-depth information from our customer survey, including the most common types of wear and tear and design service ratings. Plus, read real kitchen owners' experiences in their own words.
Victoria Purcell, Which? Home content editor
'Our survey respondents have owned their kitchen for up to 10 years, so they know the product inside out. Which?'s combination of lab tests and customer surveys delivers the fairest and most rigorous kitchen reviews.'
Discover the 7 most common kitchen design regrets – so you don't make the same mistakes
Best kitchen brands for installation
In our consumer survey, we also asked respondents how they installed their kitchen.
A total of 797 respondents reported using their kitchen brand's in-house installation service, providing us with enough data to generate ratings for five leading kitchen brands: B&Q, Ikea, Magnet, Wickes and Wren.
However, brands like Howdens and DIY Kitchens don't offer their own installation service, so we also asked respondents who used an independent trader – or chose to install it themselves – to rate their experiences.
To discover which companies and installation methods came top, visit our guide to the best kitchen fitters. It also reveals which of the flatpack kitchens we tested are easiest to install yourself.
How much do the best kitchen brands cost?
As well as surveying and testing the most popular brands in the UK, we also set up mystery shopping appointments to find out which are the most expensive.
We booked a design appointment with each brand, posing as a real customer. We created a standardised model of a 12-unit kitchen, and asked the design teams to provide prices.
To find out the quotes we were given for each kitchen, visit our individual brand review pages.
See our guide on working with your trader for more information on building an effective relationship with your kitchen fitter
How to choose the best fitted kitchen for you
We've used the data we gathered from our lab tests, customer survey and pricing research to help you choose the best fitted kitchen for your home and your budget.
Our expert recommendations include the kitchens that offer the best value for money, and the company that offers the best end-to-end service.
Log in or join Which? to access this information.
You can see and buy the brands and ranges we've tested below:
- B&Q We tested the GoodHome Caraway and GoodHome Caraway Innovo cabinet lines. Read our B&Q kitchens review to find out which was best, or browse all kitchens from B&Q.
- Benchmarx We tested the Grey Kitchen cabinets and Essence flatpack lines from Benchmarx. Read our Benchmarx kitchens review to find out which range was best, or view all kitchens from Benchmarx.
- DIY Kitchens The Innova range comes in a variety of styles, but how well did they perform in our testing? Read our DIY Kitchens review to find out, or view all DIY Kitchens.
- Howdens We tested the ready-assembled, handleless, and flatpack kitchens. Read our Howdens kitchens review, or view all kitchens from Howdens.
- Ikea We put the Enhet, Knoxhult and Metod kitchens through our rigorous testing to see which one is the best. Read our Ikea kitchens review, or browse all ranges from Ikea.
- Magnet We tested both Magnet's pre-built and ready-to-assemble units in our labs. Find out which scores best in our Magnet kitchens review, or view the full range from Magnet.
- Symphony We put three of Symphony's kitchen ranges – the Laura Ashley, Gallery and Linear kitchens – through our testing programme. Read our Symphony kitchens review to compare them, or view all kitchens from Symphony.
- Wickes We tested the Bespoke and Lifestyle ranges in our lab for quality and stability. Read our Wickes kitchens review to compare them, or view all kitchens from Wickes.
- Wren We lab tested Wren's Infinity ready-assembled units, Infinity Plus bespoke kitchens, and the flatpacked Vogue range. Read our full Wren kitchens review to see the results, or visit Wren to view all their kitchens.
Check out our guide to the best kitchen appliances for our expert recommendations on kitchen ovens, fridges and more
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:
- Look for inspiration with our kitchen design ideas.
- Read our tips on kitchen planning and how to measure your kitchen.
- Get advice on how to choose the best kitchen worktops and cabinets.
- 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