An appliance garage is one of the few storage moves that genuinely changes how a kitchen works. Done well, it hides the toaster, the kettle, the air fryer, the coffee machine and the slow cooker behind a single door, in a zone that is set up for daily use. Done badly, it becomes a cupboard that is too hot, too cramped, or too hard to reach. This guide is a UK-specific walkthrough of how to design an appliance garage that will actually earn its keep.
Table of contents
- What an appliance garage is
- Where to put an appliance garage in a UK kitchen
- Choosing the right size
- Doors and how to choose one
- Designing the inside
- Power, sockets and safety
- Heat and ventilation
- What to store inside
- Retrofitting an appliance garage
- UK cost guide
- Common mistakes
- Appliance garage FAQs
- Final thoughts
What an appliance garage is
An appliance garage is a dedicated kitchen cabinet, usually built into the run of units between the worktop and a wall or tall unit, designed to store small countertop appliances behind a closed door. When the door is closed, the kitchen looks clean and uncluttered. When it is open, the kettle, toaster, coffee machine and other small kit are in one ready-to-use zone, with their plugs in and their leads tidy.
The defining features are: a single door, a worktop or counter inside, at least one mains socket, and enough internal height to take the tallest appliance you plan to store. Modern versions often include a tambour (roller) door, a pocket door that slides into the cabinet, or a lift-up hinge door.
Where to put an appliance garage in a UK kitchen
The right location depends on your kitchen’s existing layout. The most useful UK spots are:
- The breakfast zone – on a peninsula or island, close to the dining table, for kettle, toaster and coffee machine
- The baking zone – between the hob and a prep area, for stand mixer, food processor and blender
- The corner of a run of units – usually 60cm wide, with a tambour door, for everyday kit
- A tall unit at the end of a run – full-height pocket doors, for everything that does not fit on the counter
For most UK homes, the breakfast zone is the most-used and the most useful. The kettle and toaster are the two appliances used every day, by everyone in the house, and giving them their own zone frees the rest of the counter for prep.
Choosing the right size
An appliance garage needs to be deep enough to clear the front of your appliances when the door is closed, and tall enough to take the tallest item. Useful minimums:
- Width: 60cm is the standard cabinet size. 80cm to 100cm is comfortable for two appliances. 120cm allows three or four.
- Depth: 35cm to 45cm internal, to clear most toasters, kettles and coffee machines
- Height: 45cm to 50cm internal, to take a kettle with the lid up. 60cm if you store a stand mixer.
For UK kitchens, the most common mistake is to make the garage too shallow. Measure the depth of the kettle base plus the lid lift, then add 5cm clearance. The same goes for the height: a kettle with the lid open is taller than it looks on the box.
Doors and how to choose one
The door is the most important decision. It controls how the kitchen looks when the garage is closed, how easy it is to open with full hands, and how much counter space the open door takes.
Tambour door
A roller door that slides up into a housing at the top of the cabinet. The classic appliance garage door, popular in UK kitchens since the 1990s. Takes zero counter space when open, looks clean, and is easy to use one-handed. The downside is that tambour mechanisms are mechanical and can fail after 10 to 15 years; buy from a UK brand with a 5-year guarantee.
Lift-up hinge door
A single door that hinges up and over the cabinet. Cleaner visually than a pair of side-hinged doors, and the right answer for a 60cm to 80cm wide garage. The door does need 30cm to 40cm of clear space above to lift into, which means the cabinet should not be under a wall cupboard.
Sliding pocket doors
Doors that slide into the side walls of the cabinet. Best for full-height tall units, where the doors are too tall to lift or roller. Slightly more expensive than tambour but more robust.
Bi-fold or side-hinged doors
The cheapest option, but the worst for counter use. Side-hinged doors swing out 90 degrees and need 50cm of clear counter in front, which usually does not exist in a UK kitchen. Bi-folds reduce this to 25cm but still take space and look busy.
Designing the inside
The inside of the garage matters as much as the outside. The most useful details.
- A counter that is the same height as the main worktop, so appliances can be used in place without lifting
- At least one double socket on the back wall, ideally two
- A small shelf at the back for coffee, sugar, tea, mugs, syrups, knives
- A wire management strip to keep leads off the counter
- A pull-out tray or shelf for heavier appliances like a stand mixer
If the garage is wide enough (100cm or more), consider a 30cm-deep counter at the front for everyday kit, with a deeper shelf at the back for less-used appliances. This gives you a small dedicated appliance worktop inside the cabinet.
Power, sockets and safety
An appliance garage is the only place in the kitchen where you genuinely want sockets on the worktop. Two double sockets is the right answer for most UK kitchens. Mount them on the back wall, 10cm above the counter, and make sure the cable for each appliance is long enough to reach without stretching.
Sockets near a worktop in a kitchen must be RCD-protected under BS 7671 wiring regulations. Most UK kitchen sockets already are, but if yours are not, have them upgraded by a NICEIC or NAPIT registered electrician. It is a half-day job and around £100 to £200.
For safety, keep liquids, mugs and the kettle away from the socket face. A small splashback or a piece of clear acrylic on the back wall above the sockets is enough.
Heat and ventilation
The single biggest reason appliance garages fail is heat. A toaster in a closed cabinet will hit 80°C within minutes, and a kettle or air fryer will get the inside of the cabinet uncomfortably warm. Two solutions.
- Ventilation slots in the back or top of the cabinet, ideally 50mm to 100mm diameter, with a small grille
- A tambour door with a gap at the bottom that lets heat escape when closed
For kettles, the right answer is a wall-mounted instant hot water tap, which removes the kettle from the kitchen entirely. For air fryers, plan to leave the door open when the appliance is in use, or install a small 12V computer fan in the back of the cabinet.
What to store inside
The most useful appliances to keep in the garage are the ones used daily or weekly, not the ones used once a year. The usual mix for a UK family kitchen.
- Kettle and toaster (or hot water tap)
- Coffee machine or espresso machine
- Air fryer or mini oven
- Stand mixer, food processor or blender
- Slow cooker, soup maker or rice cooker
- Toasted sandwich maker, waffle iron, or panini press
- Hand blender, hand mixer
Skip anything with a fixed water connection (an American-style fridge freezer, a plumbed-in coffee machine). These need a permanent water feed, not a plug-in setup.
Retrofitting an appliance garage
An existing kitchen can be retrofitted with an appliance garage, even in a small or awkward space. The most common retrofits.
- Replace a 60cm base unit with a tambour-door unit from Wickes, Magnet or Howdens. Around £250 to £500 for the unit, plus a fitter’s day at £200 to £350.
- Add a tambour door to an existing 60cm base unit by replacing the standard door with a roller kit. Around £100 to £200 for the kit, half a day to fit.
- Build a tall pull-out appliance cupboard at the end of a run of units. £800 to £1,500 in materials, plus a fitter.
For a small kitchen where a base unit is too much, consider a 25cm-deep wall-mounted cabinet with a lift-up door, just for the kettle and mugs. The same idea as a hotel hospitality tray, hidden behind a door.
UK cost guide
A typical UK appliance garage costs the following, in 2025 prices.
- 60cm base unit with tambour door, supply only: £250 to £500
- 100cm base unit with tambour door, supply only: £450 to £900
- Full-height pull-out larder with pocket doors: £800 to £1,800 supply only
- Kitchen fitter to install and make good: £200 to £500
- Electrician to add a double socket: £100 to £200
- Tiler or decorator to finish the surround: £100 to £300
A full retrofit into an existing kitchen typically lands at £600 to £1,500 for the cabinet, plus £300 to £700 for trades.
Common mistakes
- Too small. A 60cm-wide, 35cm-deep garage cannot take a kettle and a toaster side by side. Measure your appliances first.
- No sockets inside. An appliance garage without internal sockets is a cupboard, not a garage.
- No ventilation. Heat will build up and damage the cabinet and the appliance.
- Wrong door for the location. Side-hinged doors under a wall cupboard will hit the cupboard above.
- Too far from the user. The whole point is daily use; if the garage is on the other side of the kitchen from the dining table, it will not get used.
Related reading. Walk-in pantry ideas for UK homes · Smart kitchen storage ideas UK · Best kitchen sink UK · Kitchen worktop materials compared · Best kitchen lighting UK guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are appliance garages still in style?
Yes. The 1990s version with a roll-top door and a clutter of small appliances is dated, but the modern version is more like a hidden coffee bar or breakfast zone. The principle has not changed; the execution has.
2. Do appliance garages need ventilation?
Yes. Toasters, kettles, air fryers and coffee machines all generate heat. Without ventilation, the cabinet will mark, the door will warp, and any plastic items stored inside will discolour. Aim for at least 50mm of vent area at the back or top.
3. Can I retrofit a tambour door to an existing unit?
Yes, in most cases. A 60cm-wide base unit can take a retro-fit roller door kit from Wickes or specialist suppliers. The work is half a day for a fitter. Check the unit is deep enough to take the roller housing at the top.
4. What is the best material for an appliance garage door?
Match the door to the rest of the kitchen. Shaker, slab, beaded or handleless all work; the only rule is that the door should look like part of the kitchen when it is closed, not a separate box. For a tambour door, choose a wood-veneer or painted finish from the same range as your other doors.
5. How wide should an appliance garage be?
60cm is the minimum, 80cm to 100cm is comfortable, 120cm gives you room for three or four appliances. For a tall pull-out larder, 40cm to 60cm wide and full height is the right answer for less-used kit.
6. Can an appliance garage go under a wall cupboard?
Only with a tambour or pocket door. Lift-up hinge and side-hinged doors need clear space above to operate, which a wall cupboard does not allow. In a small kitchen, the appliance garage usually replaces the wall cupboard directly above it.
Final thoughts on appliance garages
An appliance garage is one of the most useful small changes you can make to a UK kitchen. The principle is simple: hide the everyday clutter behind a single door, in a zone that is set up for daily use. The execution is mostly about sizing, sockets and ventilation, all of which are easier to plan than they are to retrofit later.
For more on the wider project, see our guides to walk-in pantry ideas and smart kitchen storage ideas.
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