Kitchen Hardware and Appliances: Specify, Fit, Maintain

Free preview · Concealed hinges: overlay, angle and soft-close

## What a hinge actually does Every shutter in a modular kitchen hangs on a concealed (cup) hinge: a 35 mm cup bored into the back of the shutter, an arm, and a mounting plate screwed to the carcass side. The hinge decides how the shutter sits against the carcass, how far it opens, and whether it closes gently or slams. ## Overlay types - **Full overlay (straight arm):** the shutter covers the full carcass side. Used on end units. - **Half overlay (slight crank):** two shutters share one 18 mm partition, each covering 8–9 mm of it. - **Inset (deep crank):** the shutter sits inside the carcass, flush with its front edge. Rare in modular work because it needs very tight tolerances. Order the wrong crank and the shutter will either collide with its neighbour or leave a visible gap. Mark overlay type against every shutter on the elevation drawing. ## Opening angle Standard hinges open to 105–110°. Use 155–170° hinges where an internal drawer or basket must slide out past the shutter, and **zero-protrusion** hinges for tall units with inner drawers. Corner blind units need a 30° or bi-fold hinge. ## Soft-close and the number of hinges Integrated soft-close (damper built into the hinge) outperforms clip-on dampers, which go out of adjustment. Hinge count follows shutter height and weight: two hinges up to 900 mm, three up to 1600 mm, four up to 2000 mm, and one more for glass, acrylic or PU shutters, which are heavier. ## Grading quality Ask for the cycle test rating: good hinges are tested to 50,000–80,000 open-close cycles. Check for nickel plating that resists salt spray (coastal cities like Mumbai and Chennai eat cheap zinc plating within a year) and three-way adjustment: side, height and depth, each by ±2 mm.

Free preview · Baskets, cutlery organisers and pan drawers

## Baskets versus drawers Indian kitchens traditionally used wire baskets: stainless steel, open, ventilated, easy to wash. They still make sense for thalis and plates that drip-dry. But wire baskets rust at welds when plating is thin, rattle, and let small items fall through. Modern practice is a **drawer-first base unit**: tandem-box drawers with inserts. They hold more by volume, close silently, and can be wiped clean. ## Choosing steel If you do specify baskets, insist on **SS 304** grade (not 202, which tarnishes and rusts), wire of at least 4 mm, and electropolished finish. A magnet test is a rough check: 304 is only faintly magnetic. ## Organising the drawer stack A typical 600 mm base unit, 720 mm carcass height, holds: - a 90–100 mm top drawer for cutlery with a moulded insert, - a 180–200 mm middle drawer for masala dabbas and small containers, - a 280–300 mm deep bottom drawer for pans, pressure cookers and kadhais. ## Plate and thali racks Put thali racks in a drawer, not a wall unit: plates are heavy, and lifting them down above shoulder height is how they break. A plate-holder insert keeps them upright.

Free preview · Hobs: gas, induction, or both

## Gas hobs Built-in gas hobs sit in a stone cut-out. Specify: - **Burner count and ratings:** a wok burner of 3.5–4.5 kW for tadka and high-heat Indian cooking, plus smaller burners for simmering. - **Brass burners** over aluminium; they last and distribute flame evenly. - **Flame failure device (FFD):** cuts gas if the flame blows out. Non-negotiable in homes with children. - **Auto-ignition** needing a 230 V point below the counter. Gas pipelines (PNG) need a certified connection and an isolation valve accessible without removing the hob. LPG cylinders should sit outside the kitchen or in a ventilated unit, never directly below the hob. ## Induction hobs Induction is faster, cooler and cleaner, but needs flat-bottomed ferromagnetic vessels. A two-zone induction hob draws up to 3.5 kW; a four-zone up to 7.2 kW, requiring a dedicated 32 A circuit in most cases. Confirm the home's sanctioned load with the electricity board before specifying. ## The hybrid approach Many Indian families settle on a gas + induction combination: gas for rotis and tadka, induction for boiling and slow cooking. Plan two cut-outs or a combined hob and a separate power point. ## Cut-out and clearances Follow the maker's cut-out drawing exactly, keep 50 mm minimum from the back wall and 150 mm to any tall unit side, and never place a hob below a window, where wind blows out gas flames.

Free preview · Dishwashers, fridges and water purifiers

## Dishwashers for Indian utensils Modern dishwashers handle kadhais and pressure cookers if they have an intensive programme and a heater. Plan for: - a 600 mm (or 450 mm slimline) space next to the sink, sharing the drain; - a 16 A socket in the adjacent unit, not behind the machine; - an inlet valve with a hose connection and a drain point with a loop to stop backflow; - a fully integrated (panel-ready) or semi-integrated model and matching hinge kit. Hard water, common in much of India, needs the dishwasher's salt softener set correctly, or you will see white residue on steel. ## Refrigerators Leave ventilation: 50 mm at the sides and 50–100 mm at the top and back for freestanding models, or buy a built-in model designed for enclosed niches. Keep the fridge away from the hob and oven, with a counter landing space of at least 400 mm beside it. Side-by-side and French-door fridges need 900–950 mm width and a door swing check against walls. ## Water purifiers RO purifiers mount on the wall or under the sink. They need a 5 A socket, an inlet from the treated line, and a drain for reject water. Under-sink units save wall space but must be accessible for filter changes every 6–12 months.