KidKraft Vintage Kitchen Review
The KidKraft Vintage Kitchen in your choice of blue, red, pink, white, and bubblegum colors is literally a small replica of a real kitchen. The attention to detail is exquisite. The materials are solid, sturdy, and kid proof. This is not just a children’s kitchen, it’s a great piece of furniture.
Parents should note its small size when comparing this unit to others. It’s great that it fits so much play into a compact size but this also means it’s perfect for smaller children. About four and under is the perfect age.
Read the rest of the KidKraft Vintage Kitchen review:
Table of Contents
(click a title to jump ahead!)
1. Features
2. Material
3. Noise and Lights
4. Included Accessories
5. Optional Accessories
6. Age Range
7. Dimensions
8. Ease of Assembly
9. Consumer Reviews
10. Pros and Cons
11. Price
KidKraft Vintage Kitchen Features
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This play kitchen comes with lots of working stations for the size and price:
- Refrigerator with working door and thermometer gauge on the outside of the door as well as faux ice and water dispenser and one removable shelf inside
- Freezer with working door
- Microwave with working door and pretend control panel – knob under the microwave can be turned to rotate the plate inside the microwave
- Sink with hot and cold handles and tall, curving water faucet – removable for easy cleaning
- Stove top with two burners
- Oven with working door and removable shelf
- Cabinet with working door
- Open Shelf
- Open cubby area under the cabinet
- 3 knobs control match the oven and stove top
- Phone
- Can be screwed to the wall
- Wooden legs hold the unit a couple of inches off the floor
All doors are hinged and close securely into place. They won’t swing free but also might be hard to open for very young children. They’ll grow into that.
As I mentioned, there are a number of great, vibrant color choices: blue, pink, red, white, and bubblegum. The blue is a very soft, pale blue. The white is nice and bright. The pink is also a soft, pale pink. The red is a true, bright red and the bubblegum – a special Costco item – is truly bright pink.
The prices vary by color in some cases, too, so if you want to save a few bucks, compare all the color options you’d consider for your child:
Depending on how this toy kitchen is positioned, several children may be able to play comfortably. Two to three children could use this while it was up against the wall and another child or two might be able to play if the unit is free-standing. The number of different “stations” gives each child an area in which they can play.
Material
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The KidKraft vintage kitchens are made of painted MDF which is a wood product that is made by mixing wood with resins and wax. This makes for a more dense construction material that is also more efficient to use in a manufacturing process than unaltered wood.
All the trim is painted in silver to mimic the look of chrome except for the pole around the shelves which is real metal. This unit is very solidly made and, when assembled, feels like a solid piece of furniture. There are some plastic pieces like the drip trays under the stove burners, the knobs, the phone and some trim.
The color choices let you pick a version that works for you based on the gender of the children who will be playing with the unit but also the location in your home where you’ll be putting this toy. Some parents really want to put it in their own kitchen so their child can pretend to prepare dinner side by side with mommy and daddy while they prepare the real family meal.
It’s certainly weighty enough to stay in place but can be moved by adults, although it might take two of you. However, if multiple kids are playing with the unit and get carried away they might manage to tip it over. One parent used a large piece of Velcro on the bottom of the unit and the floor of the play space to keep the unit from being pushed along the floor during play.
Noise and Lights
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Knobs click and turn but there are no other noises and no lights.
Included Accessories
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NONE – you will need to buy any kitchen accessories like pots, pans, utensils, and food.
KidKraft Vintage Kitchen Optional Accessories
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There are lots of play kitchen accessories that you can buy to go with this unit. There’s a ton of storage so you won’t be limited in any way. You’ll eventually want pots, pans, utensils, and food. Melissa & Doug pots and pans fit nicely inside the oven.
Age Range
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Manufacturer suggests 3+ years as the age range for the KidKraft Vintage Kitchen.
Based on the small dimensions, this is ideal for children 4 and under. After that, the child may be too tall to play comfortably with this unit unless they play on their knees.
If you’re unsure if this is the right size, mark out the dimensions noted below using a cardboard box or newspaper and see if the unit size will work for your child or children.
Dimensions
33L x 13W x 35.7H inches
(from the floor to the top of the oven/stove top is only 19 inches)
Weight: 43 lb.
Ease of Assembly
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Instructions are easy to follow but it does take awhile to put this together. Estimate 2-4 hours to assemble. The less experience you have with tools and toy assembly, the longer it can take. There are a couple of steps that will go much easier if a second person can help – such as attaching the doors. This means you aren’t going to want to wait until Christmas Eve to tackle assembly of this unit if you intend on having it all ready to go and under the tree come Christmas morning.
This play kitchen comes with a wall anchor kit to secure to the wall if you’re worried about the unit tipping or being pulled over by a rambunctious child. The kit works with wood studs or drywall and is anchors a pair of straps to both the back of the kitchen and the wall against which it will rest so that you can have a small amount of space in between but will also catch the unit and keep it from tipping. Don’t wait until the last minute on Christmas Eve to put this together!
You can find instructions and information at KidKraft.
Consumer Reviews
So many moving parts and a great design have earned high ratings from other parents who have purchased this toy kitchen for their own children. Even things not intended as primary use (like dropping things through the hole that holds the sink) provide lots of interaction for children. It’s sufficiently sturdy and durable. You can read more comments here: KidKraft Vintage Kitchen Review
Rating: 4.6
Pros and Cons
Pros: Comes with lots of storage space considering the cabinet, the refrigerator, the oven, and the shelves. It’s a solid, long-lasting piece of furniture – not a plastic toy. There are a variety of kitchen “stations”. Great choice of color options.
Cons: Doors can be slammed shut. Might require you place some small cabinet dots in the corners to keep the noise of slamming doors to a minimum. The mouthpiece of the phone is removable for easy cleaning (which is actually a plus) but also means it can be easily misplaced. Oven is on the small side so you’ll need to check the dimensions of any accessories you want to buy to use inside the oven.
Price
Check current pricing discounts:
Features Overview:
Tagged with: $100-200 • blue • bubblegum • childrens kitchen reviews • childrens kitchens • kidkraft • KidKraft Vintage Kitchen • kidkraft vintage kitchen review • pink • red • retro • white
Filed under: Reviews
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