KidKraft Uptown Natural Wooden Play Kitchen with Play Phone, Chalkboard & Towel Rack, Gift for Ages 3+

SO CUTE. Okay, first of all, I researched play kitchens so about 3 months before I finally chose this one. As a kid myself, my play kitchen was my absolute favorite toy, so I wanted to find the right one! I noticed the plastic kitchen LOOKED like they had storage, but inside the cabinets, they were so shallow barely anything actually fit. So I started looking into the wood ones. Kidkraft came up as one of the best reviewed brands. I found this kitchen in the original mocha, and loved the kitchen, but wasn’t a fan of the brown. I found that amazon had an exclusive white version, and was instantly in love!Now I confess, when the kitchen got delivered and I saw how small the box was, my first thought was “oh s***”! I had been warned from other reviewers that the building process was long, and boy was it! It took me a solid 4 hours by myself. Overall though, the building part wasn’t too complicated if you follow instructions. There is only one major flaw with the instructions, and it’s regarding labeling of the screws (which is read in someone else’s review as well). All the parts where nicely labeled by letter. However, a few of the letters there were two compartments of (and now next to each other either). For example, there were two “L” compartments. They were the same screw, but one compartment they were all silver, and the other the screw heads were painted white. Now, I get this is probably because the white head screws are meant to end up on the outside parts that will show, but let me tell you, as you are putting this together (and it has over 45+ parts!) for the most part, you have no idea which sides and parts will end up on the outside. So mostly, I guessed. Some screws I ended up going back and switching out once I saw where it’d end up. But basically, the instructions need to distinguish between the two different versions of painted or non painted screws in the directions.Otherwise, they were pretty straightforward.And it was worth it! This kitchen is so cute and sturdy! And I love that it fits in the corner! The noises for the stovetop and ice maker are adorable! I only wish that the microwave also made sound! The storage in this kitchen is WONDERFUL! We don’t need extra storage for play food, as it actually fits!I’m excited for my daughter to enjoy this kitchen for years to come!

I spent a lot of time looking around for a kitchen to buy for my 3 year old daughter. I also have a 9 month old son who will eventually play with this as well, so there were a few things that were extremely important to me in finding the right kitchen:1. Size. Something substantial enough that they wouldn't grow out of too quickly. Height as well as ability for multiple kids to play was critical. Also needed enough space to actually "play". A lot of the kitchens I saw were small with some burners and a sink but no flat area to "cut" vegetables or place items.2. Storage. With all of the stuff that comes along with a toy kitchen, it was critical to find something with ample storage. Many kitchens had a lot of little drawers and spaces, but nothing that could even fit the Melissa & Doug cookie set (I read in another review that the toy fit easily in the oven)3. Gender neutral. Not a deal breaker, but would be nice to have something my son could play with that wasn't pink.4. Price. Again, not a deal breaker, but who wants to overspend?Finally, after comparing and looking at the KidKraft Big Kitchen (too pink), KidKraft Vintage Kitchen (way too small), Pottery Barn kitchen (too expensive and too many pieces), KidKraft Grand Gourmet Corner Kitchen (too many small drawers) &Melissa & Doug Classic Kitchen (not bad, was a close second to my purchase, but my husband didn't like the colors) among a few others, we finally chose this one.First, the assembly. As noted by other reviewers, it's not hard to put together, but is time consuming and I would recommend two adults. Many of the steps could be completed simultaneously if you had 2 screwdrivers and 2 people. Even so, it took us over 2 hours to finish it. The parts mostly aligned with one or two tight squeezes. All of the parts arrived undamaged, although there is a small plastic piece that goes under the knobs that enables the knob to make a clicking noise when you turn it... two of mine broke while installing. I will be calling them for replacement parts. I understand their customer service is great. Make sure not to throw away the instructions for calling customer service that is in the box - it includes a batch number that you will need.The completed product looks beautiful. It is the small details that makes this so great. The chalkboard on the fridge, the towel holder off of the side and the phone. My daughter had a play date the next day with 3 of her preschool friends all banging the kitchen about and it seemed to hold up just fine. Only time will tell how well the product holds up over the long term, but so far I've been happy with the product. The price point was an added bonus!

I did a lot of research before buying this kitchen.I was looking for something reasonably priced that was sturdy, attractive, and big enough for the kids to use for years to come.Pay attention to dimensions when you're shopping for play kitchens, because most of them are teeny tiny, best suited for tiny toddlers in the 1-2yo size range. I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old, and didn't want them to outgrow it right away, so I wanted something taller.This kitchen is everything I was looking for. It's super cute, very sturdy, and while my 1yo can't reach the freezer or microwave yet, she easily plays with everything else. It's really the perfect size for kids in the 3-7yo age range, I think, but will work for kids older and younger than that.It took two of us about 2.5 hours to assemble, while watching Jack Ryan on Christmas Eve. :-) The instructions required a little intuiting, but were easy enough to understand, and the packaging of the fasteners made it super easy. We had no issues, other than one piece that was not quite the right size, but we made it work, and no one will notice the imperfection besides us.