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Buying Guides
Buying Guides reviews, comparisons and buying guides from Hill & May.
Buying Guides
Aga vs Rangemaster: Which Range Cooker Should You Actually Buy?
Aga vs Rangemaster compared on price, running costs, cooking style and installation, so UK renovators can pick the right range cooker before they buy.
Read guideKitchen Corner Units: Solutions for Awkward Corner Spaces
A practical guide to kitchen corner units: carousel, Le Mans and magic corner mechanisms, standard UK sizes, and how to choose the right one.
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Buying Guides
Gas Hob Buying Guide: Choosing the Best Gas Cooker Hob for a Range
A gas cooker hob buying guide for range cookers: burner layouts, wok burners, cast iron supports and the safety features that actually matter in a UK kitchen.
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Buying Guides
Kitchen Breakfast Bar Ideas: Islands, Peninsulas and Stools
Kitchen breakfast bar ideas with the real dimensions that make them work: island vs peninsula layouts, heights, overhangs and stool spacing for UK kitchens.
Read guideRed Kitchen Ideas: Bold Colour Choices for Country and Traditional Kitchens
Red kitchen ideas for country and traditional homes, from a claret range cooker to Rectory Red cabinets and warm terracotta accents that never date.
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Buying Guides
Kitchen Island Ideas: Sizes, Styles and Designs for Every Kitchen
Practical kitchen island ideas for British kitchens: real sizes, clearances, seating and styles, from small islands on wheels to large shaker islands.
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Buying Guides
Kitchen Wall Units: Sizes, Heights and a Buyer's Guide
A plain UK guide to kitchen wall units: standard sizes, heights, depths, mounting gap and how to choose cabinets that suit a country kitchen.
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Buying Guides
Navy and Dark Blue Kitchen Ideas: Bold Colour Done Right
Navy kitchen ideas for country and classic homes: the best worktops, hardware and wall colours to pair with dark blue cabinets, and how to get it right.
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Buying Guides
Ex-Display Kitchen: How to Buy One and What to Check
An ex-display kitchen can save 40 to 70 percent off retail. Where to find them in the UK, what to check, and the traps that catch buyers out.
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Buying Guides
White Kitchen Ideas: Classic Looks That Never Date
White kitchen ideas that stay warm, not clinical: warm white vs bright white, the best worktops and hardware, two-tone schemes and how to add warmth.
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Buying Guides
Induction Range Cooker: Check Your Cooker Circuit First
An induction range cooker often needs a bigger circuit than the dual fuel it replaces. Cable and breaker ratings, pan compatibility, and what to check first.
Read guideBlack Kitchen Sink: Which Material Survives Hard Water
A black kitchen sink looks superb until limescale blooms across it. Composite, ceramic and coated steel compared on marking, scratching, heat and cleaning.
Read guideKitchen Drawer Units: Sizes, Weight Limits, What to Buy
Kitchen drawer units sized properly: which widths suit pan drawers, real Blum load limits, and when a pull-out beats a cupboard door. UK sizes throughout.
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Buying Guides
Best Range Cookers 2026: Tested Picks for Every Budget
Our 2026 pick of the best range cookers for every budget, from £1,299 Leisure models to Lacanche and AGA, with real UK prices and running costs.
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Buying Guides
How Much Does an Aga Cost to Run a Year? Real 2026 Running Costs
Real 2026 Aga running costs per year by model and fuel, using current Ofgem rates. What an eR7, R7, gas or oil Aga actually costs to run.
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Buying Guides
Kitchen Renovation Cost Guide: What to Budget for a Kitchen
Kitchen renovation cost in the UK for 2026: budget, mid-range and bespoke price ranges, a full component breakdown, and where the money really goes.
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Buying Guides
Belfast Sink Buying Guide: Size, Cabinet, Waste, Tap and Care
How to buy a Belfast sink in the UK: sizing, base unit width, the right waste and tap, weight and support, plus care that stops the glaze chipping.
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Buying Guides
Shaker Kitchen Guide: Styles, Colours, Costs and Buying Tips
A practical shaker kitchen guide for British homes: what defines the style, painted vs wood doors, the colours working in 2026, and what drives the cost.
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Buying Guides
Gas Cooker Buying Guide: Best Freestanding Gas Cookers UK
A gas cooker buying guide for UK kitchens: 50cm vs 55cm vs 60cm, single vs double oven, the features that matter, and real freestanding models to look at.
Read guideCottage Kitchen Ideas: Classic Looks for Older British Homes
Cottage kitchen ideas for older British homes: warm colours, shaker units, Belfast sinks, range cookers and larders that suit period rooms and low ceilings.
Read guideIn-Frame Kitchen vs Handleless Kitchen: Which Suits You?
An in frame kitchen or a handleless one? We compare the two styles on looks, cost, cleaning and durability so you can pick the right one for your home.
Read guideRangemaster Cookers: The Full Model and Size Guide
A plain guide to Rangemaster cookers: what the 90 and 110 sizes mean, every current collection compared, and which model suits your kitchen and cooking.
Read guideTall Kitchen Units: Larder, Pantry and Tower Cabinets Explained
A UK guide to tall kitchen units: larder, pantry and tower cabinet sizes, standard heights and widths, and how to choose the right one for your kitchen.
Read guideGrey Kitchen Ideas: The Best Shades, Cabinets and Styling Tips
Grey kitchen ideas for a British country kitchen: the best shades from dove to charcoal, cabinet styles, worktop pairings and how to keep grey warm.
Read guideKitchen Wall Decor Ideas: Art, Prints and Accessories That Work
Kitchen wall decor ideas that actually work: where to hang wall art in the kitchen, the right heights, styles for a country kitchen and spots to avoid.
Read guideKitchen Base Units: Sizes, Depths and What to Buy
A plain guide to UK kitchen base units: standard sizes, depths, heights, unit types and how to choose the right ones for a country kitchen.
Read guideKitchen Island Lighting Ideas: Pendants, Spotlights and Chandeliers
Kitchen island lighting ideas with the UK rules that matter: how many pendants, the right hanging height and spacing, plus spotlight and chandelier options.
Read guideDual Fuel Range Cooker: Gas Hob, Electric Oven, Is It Worth It?
What a dual fuel cooker is, the pros and cons of a gas hob with an electric oven, how it compares to induction, and whether it is worth it for your kitchen.
Read guideAGA Range Cooker: Everything to Know Before You Buy
An AGA range cooker buying guide for UK country kitchens: the current models, fuel and running costs, sizes and what to check before you buy.
Read guideFreestanding Kitchen Units: The Best Standalone Kitchen Furniture
A guide to freestanding kitchen units for country and period homes: dressers, larders, islands and sink units, where to buy them and how to plan a mix.
Read guideKitchen Cabinet Sizes: A Complete Dimensions Reference Guide
UK kitchen cabinet sizes in one place: base, wall and tall unit heights, depths and widths in mm, plus the build-up that gets you to worktop height.
Read guideLPG Cooker Guide: Best Gas Cookers for Off-Grid Rural Homes
An LPG cooker guide for homes with no mains gas: propane vs butane, conversion kits, the Gas Safe rule most people miss, and how to size a bottle.
Read guideCooker Hood Buying Guide: How to Choose the Right Extractor
A practical cooker hood buying guide for UK kitchens: extraction rates, ducted vs recirculating, sizing to your hob, noise levels and Part F rules.
Read guideKitchen Lighting Guide: The Best Lights for Every Kitchen Zone
A practical UK kitchen lights guide covering the three layers, the best fittings for each zone, colour temperature and where people go wrong.
Read guideKitchen Colour Ideas: The Best Paint Colours for Country Kitchens
Kitchen colour ideas that work in a real British country kitchen, with named paint shades, the light problem nobody mentions, and how to pair walls with units.
Read guideElectric Cooker Buying Guide: Choosing the Right Hob, Oven and Size
A plain guide to buying a freestanding electric cooker: the electric cooker hob types, single vs double ovens, 50cm vs 60cm sizing and what to check.
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Buying Guides
Oak Kitchen Ideas: Natural Timber Looks for Country Homes
Oak kitchen ideas for British country homes: natural, mid-stained and dark oak, two-tone pairings, worktops and how to build a scheme around a range cooker.
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Buying Guides
Cream Kitchen Ideas: Warm, Classic and Timeless Inspiration
Cream kitchen ideas for a warm, timeless country look: cabinet shades, worktop and floor pairings, hardware and how to style cream around a range cooker.
Read guideGreen Kitchen Ideas: From Sage to Olive and Deep Forest
Green kitchen ideas for a country home, from soft sage to rich olive and deep forest green, with real paint shades and how to pair them with worktops.
Read guideCooker Hood Filters: Carbon, Charcoal and Grease Explained
Cooker hood filters explained: the difference between grease and carbon filters, when to clean or replace each, and which your extractor actually needs.
Read guideKitchen Sink Types Compared: Composite, Granite, Copper and More
Kitchen sink types compared: composite material, granite, ceramic, stainless steel and copper sinks, with the pros, cons and care each one needs.
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