‘Male’ order kitchens rise in popularity

The British kitchen may traditionally have been the sole preserve of the nation’s mums and wives, but is swiftly becoming a more testosterone-filled room according to a new survey.

The poll of 2,500 people by leading kitchen retailer Sigma 3 reveals that four in ten men are spending at least an hour in the kitchen every day, and a quarter spend over two hours.

Women may be mainly responsible for the cooking in over three quarters of kitchens but men are becoming more and more tempted to get their hands dirty, inspired to put on their aprons by male celebrity chefs, such as Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay.

According to Paula Morris, marketing manager of Sigma 3, a company which has been designing, manufacturing and selling kitchens since 1975, the single male market is increasingly lucrative:

“ Kitchens stuffed full of clever gadgets are now shown off proudly similar to the way cars always have been. Kitchens are increasingly becoming the hub of a home and men are prepared to invest significant amounts in a room that really makes a statement and will impress guests.”

This is borne out by Sigma 3’s ‘Kitchen of the future’ survey which reveals that four in ten men want more gadgets in their kitchens than ever before.

State-of-the-art multimedia gadgetry is at the top of the wish list with kitchens not merely the room where men knock up their favourite dishes, but integrated entertainment centres.

Over one in ten men lusts after a multimedia gadget such as a built-in television or MP3 player, while one in five are showing their green credentials and putting energy efficient appliances and recycling bins on their wish lists.

Other popular items with men include ice-dispensing fridges (15%) and integrated water filters in taps (10%).

Paula Morris predicts that smart technology will increasingly become a standard part of the typical male kitchen:

“It’s true that boys like their toys. A perfect example of a gadget designed to appeal to busy men is a refrigerator with an internet screen built in above the fridge doors, complete with a bar-code-detected food stockage and ordering system.

“This means that running out of milk is a thing of the past as it detects when you are running low on a product and automatically adds it to an online shopping list. This is the ultimate labour-saving device and we predict such hi-tech wizardry becoming increasingly commonplace.”

The visual impact of the boys’ toys aside, design elements that appeal to male customers include clever use of space, easy maintenance and clean lines says Paul a:

“Breakfast bars are popular for those who are often eating on the run, particularly as a formal dedicated dining area is unlikely to exist in the single male household. Smart internal storage solutions that help keep surfaces clutter-free are also readily embraced by men.”

Paula concludes: “The perfect male kitchen has to make a statement, and men are increasingly looking for something a bit quirky that will impress their friends. However it must also be functional and practicality is paramount. Ultimately like so many other things in life, from cars to love interests, the kitchen has to do its job and look good.”