6 Types of Kitchen Islands and How to Choose One
Reviewed by Johnathan BrewerFact checked by Jillian Dara
Kitchen islands are among the most in-demand features for new or remodeled kitchens since they add functional space in a typically unused area: the center of the room. Choosing the right kitchen island can be complicated since your options range from simple, portable units to complex permanent structures that incorporate built-in appliances, and plumbing or wiring service.
Kitchen Island
A kitchen island is a cabinet or countertop unit accessible from all sides and not bounded by any walls. A kitchen island can be a portable or fixed piece, ranging from a simple small work surface to a large unit that is virtually a self-contained kitchen all on its own.
The 9 Best Kitchen Islands of 2023
Fully Functional Kitchen Island
The fully functional kitchen island has everything that the primary countertops do: electrical, sink, drainage, and ample countertop space. Plus, with a countertop overhang, it can provide space for seated prep work, in-kitchen dining, or entertaining.
The cost of installing a fully functional island can skyrocket due to the addition of plumbing. The sink's supply and drainage do not conveniently tap into the main plumbing lines hidden inside walls. Thus, your island's lines will have to run into and under the floor to connect to the main water supply and drain lines.
Providing proper drain venting adds a further complication to this installation. This is often done through a special high-loop inside the cabinet that then routes down below the floor to link up with a traditional wall vent stack running up through the roof. Another option, if allowed by code, is a special air-admittance valve (AAV) that fits inside the cabinet to allow fresh air into the system to prevent siphoning which can occur as water drains.
Tip
In the planning stage, arrange empty boxes in the shape of the intended island for a real-world, 3D sense of how the island will look and feel.
Best Uses
Large, open-concept kitchens are best suited for this type of full-function kitchen island. Adding all of these services to the island isn't cheap, so you'll need to have a good reason for adding them. Unless you're a cook who needs an auxiliary cooking and prep area, it's often best to stick with a more basic type of island.
Pros
Doubles work space
Adds value to home
Good for open kitchens
Cons
Expensive
Difficult to move
More expensive to install
Double-Tiered Kitchen Island
Is it a kitchen island for cooking or is it a kitchen island for eating? It can't quite make up its mind, so it has decided to be both. A double-tier kitchen island combines the two functions but delineates them so that cooking is done on a lower level and eating on a higher level. This type of island can be as all-encompassing and as expensive to install as a fully functional island.
A double-tier kitchen island is ergonomically correct: the optimal counter height for a standing cook is 36 inches, and the best height for a bar top is 42 inches. But the ledge from the cooking surface to the eating surface cuts back on total preparation space.
Best Uses
A double-tier kitchen island is best for large family kitchens, entertainment kitchens, or for residents who do a lot of in-kitchen dining.
Pros
Ergonomically correct
Good for open kitchens
Adds real estate value
Cons
Divides the space
Cuts off kitchen from adjacent area
Expensive option
Base Cabinet Kitchen Countertop
This classic type of island is built out of pre-existing materials: a base cabinet (or two or four, positioned back-to-back), topped with countertop material. These configurations are normally fixed in place, often anchored to the floor with cleats. Such islands are sometimes matched with upper cabinets suspended from the ceiling.
Because this type of island is a fixed-in-place unit, building codes consider it to be a built-in that will require electrical service if the countertop is larger than 12 x 24 inches.
Best Uses
A base cabinet kitchen island can be installed in a wide variety of kitchens, and it's a good starting point even if you think you may eventually want more services.
Tip
Running electrical power to a fixed island is costly and invasive, especially if your house foundation is slab-on-grade, with no basement to conveniently run electrical wires to outlets in the island. An option is to run wires from the ceiling through a pillar.
Pros
Easy to build
Flexible
Can done DIY
Cons
Countertop must be cut to size
Carpentry work needed
Limited by cabinet sizes
Work Table Kitchen Island
A work table is essentially a countertop without built-in storage features. It is normally elevated to the same height as perimeter countertops, though it's also possible to use a small ordinary dining table, which has a lower height, for this purpose. Larger countertop work tables can be permanently anchored to the floor, but smaller ones can be left unattached to be moveable. Remember that larger, fixed work surfaces will need to have electrical service installed.
A work table kitchen island can be good for smaller kitchens since it has a lighter visual footprint. It can also be a good choice if you prefer to sit on a stool with your knees beneath the counter while doing food preparation.
Best Uses
A work table kitchen island is best for adding affordable working space with a light visual imprint. Work tables can be tucked away when not needed. Plus, they give you a chance to try out the kitchen island experience before making the costlier decision to install a permanent kitchen island.
Pros
Can double as an eating counter
Light visual footprint
Relatively inexpensive
Cons
No storage
Style may not match kitchen
May slide on floor
Small, Non-Portable Kitchen Island
These islands differ from the portable, rolling cart islands listed above in that they do not have wheels on the bottom. More importantly, they actually strive to emulate a traditional kitchen island. Normally 38 inches tall, they are the right height for prepping food. They don't have the tendency of those rolling carts to slide away when you're trying to cut something.
To avoid triggering the electrical code's requirement for the installation of receptacles, do not affix this type of island to the floor. In this way, they technically are considered portable units. You may also be surprised at the smallness of these islands: Since they are sold flat-packed and are often freighted or mailed to you, they need to be rather compact, and four feet long tends to be the maximum length.
Best Uses
This kitchen island is ideal for small but heavily used kitchens. It works well in apartments, condos, or in galley- or corridor-style kitchens.
Pros
Simple design
Inexpensive
Good for small kitchens
Cons
Flip-up sides can be unstable
Difficult to move
Prep space is small
Mobile Kitchen Island (Rolling Cart)
Rolling carts are more like portable prep areas that you keep to the side of the kitchen rather than featuring prominently and permanently. The butcher block cart is a familiar type of rolling island. These can be good options for small kitchens, where they can be brought out only when needed.
Rolling carts can also be locked in a central location on a semi-permanent basis in a small galley, U- or L-shape kitchen layout, but moved when more open space is required. There are even small portable dishwashers with butcher block tops that provide a moveable work surface around the kitchen.
Best Uses
Mobile kitchen island/carts work well in any small kitchen or for homeowners who move frequently. Even if your kitchen has a larger, full-service island, adding a mobile cart gives you more flexibility and options for storage.
Pros
Affordable
Simple to move
Convenient to hide away
Cons
Cart may slide
Little storage space
Prep space small
Choosing a Kitchen Island
Kitchen islands come in a wide range of styles, from simple portable units that offer a small additional work surface and minimal storage, to enormous fixed units that hold kitchen appliances, sinks, and sometimes even eating spaces.
The right choice depends on your available space, your budget, and whether or not you will need electrical and plumbing service on your island. Although the investment in a full-featured island may seem prohibitive, its impact on home value may make it the best choice in the long run.
Space considerations include more than just square footage. For example, although you may technically have the space for a large kitchen island, it may not make sense for the way the appliances are placed.
For example, if the refrigerator is across the room from the oven, you don't want to have to walk around a large obstacle every time you need an ingredient. In such cases, a smaller island—or even a portable unit—might make the most sense.