Melissa & Doug Classic Deluxe Kitchen Review
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Just purchased this for Christmas. Although I am a carpenter and architect, I was a little concerned about the complexity of assembly. Of course, Christmas Eve at midnight is when assembly begins for something like this. (do yourself a favor and don't ahve that extraa beer or glass of wine beforehand) You can't easily build it and then hide it in your bedroom or office and then drag it out Christmas AM so I, at least, was confined to assembling it right alongside the Christmas tree. (Cheery experience anyway)
And yes, even with my experience, it took a full FOUR hours proceeding at a nice careful, steady pace. However, the directions are very, very clear with tips and all the pieces are sequentially numbered. (Line them all up on the floor from "1" onward for an easier time of it)
There are colored dots at tricky portions to ensure that some component is not assembled incorrectly. I'd say the assembly went very smoothly but slowly.
It all arrived in perfect condition. It is a really well thought-out unit. Although it's all particleboard (melamine-coated), it's still a well-built unit, especially considering the price and the fact that (of course) it's produced in China. There is a report from Doug And Melissa enclosed stating that the products have been tested and contain no lead paint. (Although the testing report is generated in China and the bulk of it is in Chinese! So who knows!) ;-)
The hinges are very durable. The panel pieces were cut well and fit together well. The plasic components were well-made and the wooden faucets and handles were great. I think the microwave turntable probably could use an extra plastic washer between it and the case in order to function more smoothly...but that's a very small point. Unlike some other customers our unit did not have any mis-drilled holes (although you do have to play with the knock-down "barrel" connectors a bit sometimes when installing the screw to ensure that the screw goes directly into the threaded portion of the barrel) You don't want to just jam the screw in there as that could cause some cross-threading I'd think. Although it's slow, use the hex wrench provided (or another one) for assembly, and NOT a hex bit in a drill as that would probably result in some cross-threading or over-tightening. Assemble all the bolts loosely for one panel/piece and THEN tighten them all up. This will help eliminate "alignment" problems.
Our boy REALLY loves this unit...and I've added hooks on the side panels for measuring cups, spoons, etc. Highly recommend this product. We should have it around for years to come. Would easily stand up to moderate daily use in a pre-school or daycare environment.
Melissa & Doug Classic Deluxe Kitchen Feature
- A little chef's dream kitchen. There's plenty of space for every culinary activity
- Prepare, cook, clean and create in this gorgeous wooden kitchen. Includes a sturdy stovetop, roomy refrigerator, fancy freezer, see-through oven with knobs that turn, microwave with turntable, and spacious sink
- Sizeable storage, beautiful detailing and bright, colorful graphics, all for an exceptional price!
- Sturdy and durable, newly redesigned engineering for easy assembly, here is the one perfect place to play with your food!
The Melissa and Doug Deluxe Kitchen offers outstanding design features and solid-wood construction that will provide your children with years of serious kitchen fun. Although a bit pricey, this is a kitchen set that has few rivals in terms of safety features, durability, and overall design. Recommended for children three years and older, this kitchen includes a stove top, refrigerator and freezer, see-through oven, microwave, sink, and plenty of storage space.
The deluxe kitchen set is solid and has lots of activities. View larger. |
Kids will love working at the kitchen, pretending to make meals. View larger. |
 | What We Think
Fun Factor:
Durability:
(what this means)
The Good: Solid wood construction pre-painted with durable acrylic paint Rounded corners and several safety features; Fun, bold colors ideal for younger children
The Bad: Up to four-hour assembly time required; A bit pricey
In a Nutshell: Long lasting, durable,hard-wood kitchen set that children will enjoy for years. | At a Glance
Ages: 6 and up
Requires: Phillips and flat screwdriver
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Set-Up Time and Design FeaturesBefore you invest in this set, be prepared for four or more hours of set-up time. To assemble this Deluxe Kitchen Set, you'll be asked to connect over 30 separate sold-wood pieces together with more than 170 nuts, bolts, screws and hinges.
Don't panic! The good news is that the instructions couldn't be any easier to follow. If you know how to use a screwdriver and a hex key, you can do it. (A power screwdriver would speed things up quite a bit.) You'll also want a second set of hands on call due to the set's weight--the finished product weighs over 90 pounds.
To ease assembly, each wooden piece is color coded and pre-drilled, making it virtually impossible to make mistakes. Just be certain to give yourself plenty of floorspace and time before you start, and with so many easy-to-swallow pieces, you'll want the kids to be fast asleep.
The great news is that once the set is assembled, there is a very good chance that it will outlast your child's interest in make-believe kitchens by more than a few years. This kitchen is incredibly well-constructed and designed; you'll consider it as much of a piece of furniture as a child's toy. It would take an extremly determined and strong child with a heavy object to harm it. And if you treat it well, it could easily become an heirloom to pass down to the next generation of young chefs.
A nice safety feature parents will love is that there are no sharp angles that can harm stumbling children; every wood piece has been rounded at the corners, and every knob and faucet similarly features soft curves designed specially with toddlers in mind. Each wooden piece and metal hinge is pre-painted with a hard, durable acrylic. All the screws and bolts are recessed, and the see-through oven and microwave feature unbreakable plastic windows.
When completed, the set measures approximately 41x42x17 inches (HxWxD).
What the Aspiring Chef Needs
Although this set is recommended for children three years of age and older, one of our test children who was two years old loved every macaroni-and-cheese making minute of her time with it. On her tiptoes she could reach the microwave and storage cabinet (the set stands over three feet tall), and over the next several months of growing she will assuredly gain greater satisfaction with easier use of the top shelves. Our slightly taller three-year old test boy also had to reach a bit, but neither one of them minded in the least.
The stove dials and sink faucet and assemblies turn freely, which made it easy for the kids to use. Each of the doors is held shut by an adjustable plastic door latch that provides just enough tension to keep them from swinging freely but still easy for the kids to open. The stove,
With rounded corners all around, children won't have to worry about sharp edges. View larger. |
microwave, and refrigerator each feature simply painted details, such as timers, temperature gauges and a ice maker. It's possible that as kids grow older, they may want more realistic details, but for toddlers, the bright and bold colors and simple designs are perfect. This is make-believe, after all.
Be forewarned that the set itself does not come with any cooking utensils or other assecories. We purchased a Melissa and Doug Kitchen Accessory Set before assembling the kitchen and were glad we did. Our children adopted the wooden pans and spoons immediately, and within minutes they were cooking blue pizza, apple sauce soup, and mango sorbet.
While the related accessories would be nice, as long as your children use appropriate objects, such as wooden or plastic utensils and pans, their creations will be just as scrumptious. (Aside from the safety factor, metal objects in the hands of an energetic child will scratch the paint over time.)
Overall Impressions
Our basic criticisms for this kitchen set are that it's pricey, it takes a long time to assemble, and it's heavy. But this kitchen set is the real deal. It doesn't include a single piece of press board that will warp or cheap plastic detailing that will break easily. Don't consider this a mere toy; think of it as a fun piece of furniture that will provide your child with years of imaginative play. In this day and age of disposable products, we can't offer a great compliment to any toy than to predict that it will likely outlast your children's make-believe years.
Melissa and Doug presents every little chefs dream kitchen. The Deluxe Kitchen features room to prepare, cook, clean and create. This sturdy, durable wooden kitchen includes a stove, refrigerator/freezer, oven, microwave with turntable, and sink. Bright, colorful graphics, and an exceptional price make this the most attractive kitchen! Easy to assemble, here is the one perfect place to play with your food!
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Great Product for the Price! - Sara -
I bought this kitchen for my girls for Christmas, age 1 and 4 years. It was intended more for the four year old because she loves to cook and has most of the Melissa and Doug food sets already (which she loves!) but I was suprised at how much my one year old loved it also. We have had it for four months and am pleased at how it has been able to hold up against my daughters, and 3 year old nephew, opening and slamming the doors.
I read a lot of reviews about how difficult it is to put together, but if you know anything about following directions and using a screw driver it really isn't that bad. It took my husband about 2 hours total and there was no yelling involved :)
I was a little disappointed when we realized the kit was missing a piece, since we had counted all of the pieces when it first arrived. But upon further glance we had an extra of one we didn't need and were missing another. A little panic set in since Christmas was in four days. We called the Melissa and Doug company first thing Monday morning and the new piece arrived Wednesday with no arguing or hassel. Just in time to be ready for Christmas morning. It was a bummer that all the pieces were not in the kit, but the customer service was EXCELLENT and things worked out great. It is impossible to expect that there will be no mistakes in life, but it is how people fix those situations that really makes a difference!!
I have been very happy with the MANY Melissa and Doug products that my girls own and the kitchen is proving to be no different! They love it and it will most likely be an item that we keep around for the grandkids too!!
Great Product, but NOT solid wood as stated - mom2karrottopz - somewhere, LA
I purchased this kitchen from a local toy store for my daughter's second birthday. She absolutely LOVES it! The design and bold colors make it attractive. The refrigerator and oven are deep enough to put plenty of accessories in, unlike some other toy kitchens I looked at. I love the safety features--rounded corners and plastic door latches that keep the refrigerator and oven doors from closing tightly and pinching little fingers. I have no complaints about this kitchen, but I would like to point out that the product description on amazon says that it is solid wood and "doesn't include a single piece of press board" but this is not true. The one I purchased was from a display in a toy store, therefore already assembled. When I got home I noticed a small hole in the top of it that apparently happened in the store. When looking in the hole, you can tell that it IS made of press board, but very thick and heavy-weight, so still very sturdy and durable.
Jul 06, 2010 04:52:03
