What to Do With Power Points When Doing a Kitchen Remodel?
Renovating a kitchen is far from complete until the cabinets and benchtops look good. The position of power points can also make a world of difference in how useful the completed kitchen is. If an outlet is installed in a cabinet, too far away from an appliance or not provided on an island, you could end up using extension cords or having to make expensive changes after you install.
Your cabinetry, appliances, layout of splashback and benchtop should be planned in conjunction with good kitchen power point placement, not as the end goal! This planning stage is particularly relevant for Melbourne homeowners, as electrical work is undertaken by appointed electrical contractors to ensure required Victorian standards are adhered to. Please consult a registered electrical contractor to perform the electrical work and have a Certificate of Electrical Safety issued by Energy Safe Victoria.
At Metro Kitchen & Tiles, cabinetry and kitchen design decisions can be planned around the room's functional space requirements. The goal is to ensure that your new kitchen opens with no mess and that everything works as desired.
Why Does Kitchen Power Point Placement Matter?
Power points can often be overlooked during a renovation because they are smaller than cabinets, splashbacks, and benchtops. Their locations, however, dictate where appliances can be used safely and conveniently, such as kettles, toasters, coffee makers, microwaves, and blenders.
A well-designed kitchen takes into mind the interplay between electrical receptacles and cabinets. This is especially important for high-ceiling cupboards, kitchen built-in cabinets, built-in appliances, or a kitchen island.
When installing cabinets, keep in mind:
- Which devices do you need to keep connected at all times?
- Areas to make use of on the bench!
- Where small appliances will normally sit
- Where an appliance will go to be stored, either in or on a cabinet.
- If you want to add a kitchen island to your kitchen
- Where the splashback will be installed
- What places require good outlets for easy access?
- If appliances can be added in the future
This way you'll avoid the hassle of putting in a gorgeous kitchen, and end up with a killer coffee station that doesn't have any available outlets.
How many Kitchen Power Points do you need?
One number doesn't fit all kitchens. The right amount depends on the kitchen size, the type of appliances and their requirements, and the kitchen's design and usage.
Instead of looking at appliances, consider work zones. You may need different electrical access in your preparation, cooking, and coffee station areas, as well as your cleaning area.
In a busy family environment, it might be useful to have separate accessible outlets in the kitchen in categories like:
- Kettle and toaster
- Coffee machine
- Blender or food processor
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Rangehood
- An oven/cooktop that is electrically powered
- Additional small appliances
- Island-based appliances
Specific circuiting and electrical load requirements depend on the type and number of appliances involved, as well as the installation, as determined by a licensed electrician. Under Victoria's electrical safety framework, power points and electrical installations fall under the Electrical Installation framework and require a Certificate of Electrical Safety from an electrical worker.
Where to Put Receptacle Outlets?
Permanent appliances and portable appliances should be considered differently.
The electrician and kitchen fitter should coordinate outlet locations with the appliance specifications and the appliance position when installing a fixed appliance such as a refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, or range hood. The goal is to ensure access to the appliance is appropriate without creating an ungainly barrier behind it.
This is where appliance cabinet design comes into play. Plan the power supply before installing the microwave or coffee machine, or other appliances located within cabinetry.
If a fixed appliance: Check:
- The electric consumption of the appliance.
- Manufacturer installation instructions
- The final cabinet size
- Ventilation and/or clearance required.
- Outlet accessibility
- Cable routing
- Whether the appliance requires a separate circuit/capacity or connection.
Don't assume you can relocate an outlet later. Once cabinets, benchtops, and the kitchen splashback are fitted, opening the wall becomes quite a challenge.
Are power points suitable for fitting inside cabinets?
Of course, electrical outlets are sometimes built into cabinetry plans; however, this should be planned with the electrician and cabinet installation team rather than treated as a last-minute change.
A small electrical box in an appliance cupboard may be helpful when the cupboard is designed for an appliance that must be plugged in. The installation, however, should match the specific appliance, cabinet construction, and electrician's work.
This is especially true for contemporary homes with furniture cabinets where people want to store appliances like a coffee machine or small cooking appliances when they are not in use.
When designing an outlet in a cabinet, keep these things in mind:
- The length of cable and position of the appliance
- Cabinet ventilation requirements
- Opening protection: how easy it is to gain access to the outlet point.
- Whether the appliance will be plugged in.
- Assist with planning of cabinet doors and cabinets.
- Any heat created by the appliance.
- Installation of electrical needs based on electrician's calculations
Don't cut, move or wire electrical parts in any way. The best advice Energy Safe Victoria can give consumers is not to do their own electrical work, but to contact a Registered Electrical Contractor.
What are the Best Kitchen Island Power Point Options?
A kitchen island can be one of the most useful spaces in the kitchen, but only if you plan for its electrical needs during fabrication and installation.
It's important to select the best kitchen power point position depending on the island's function. In such a space (where food is mostly prepared), accessible power may be beneficial for small appliances. If the island includes a cooktop, sink, dishwasher, or other appliance, the electrical and plumbing needs will be more complex.
Options could include sufficient locations where outlets are integrated into or around the design, as appropriate and per electrical code requirements.
In designing an island, keep in mind:
- Whether appliances will be used on the island
- Whether or not it comes with a cooktop and sink
- The placement of seating; how the seats will be arranged
- How movement is affected by cables
- The cabinet setup on top of the island.
- The benchtop material and construction
- Whether power is needed for future appliances
The electrician determines outlet placements and ways to make outlets compliant. That way, your kitchen designer and cabinet installers can plan the cabinetry with the electrician.
What should be taken care of before getting cabinetry installed?
One of the most crucial steps in kitchen remodeling projects is to select the ideal cabinetry. Electrical work needs to be done before cabinetry, benchtops, and splashbacks.
Consideration for a coordinated plan should be made for:
- Final cabinet dimensions
- Appliance specifications
- Power point locations
- Plumbing positions
- Rangehood requirements
- Lighting locations
- Splashback dimensions
- Microwave / appliance cabinet positions
- Island configuration
- Overhangs and seating benches on benchtops
- Future appliance requirements
Getting these decisions right early can eliminate the need to cut into freshly installed cabinets or change a completed kitchen splashback installation.
Why Electrical Planning Should Happen Before the Splashback
If you intend to move an outlet after the splashback has been installed, the relocation may become much more disruptive. Depending on the installation, the final surface may require cutting, removal, or repair.
That's why we recommend completing electrical planning before the splashback is fully installed, including measurements and installation. Your electrician will set up the electricals for your project, depending on the plan that the kitchen tiling Melbourne installer and tiler have determined.
In kitchen renovations Melbourne, this can help reduce uncertainty about rework and ensure the final kitchen is aesthetically consistent.
A Melbourne Client Story: Planning around a Coffee Station.
Client: Daniel, a Melbourne homeowner, was tasked with renovating his small kitchen and creating an in-cabinet coffee station with a tall appliance cabinet. He was initially planning to connect to an existing wall outlet.
As the cabinet layout was executed, it became clear that the planned cabinet would obscure that outlet. Daniel coordinated the cabinetry and electrical layout before installation and only waited for the kitchen to be installed.
The cabinets at the end were fitted with a space for the coffee machine without being visually overcrowded with gadgets.
This is a typical customer case study, not guaranteed client feedback. The key takeaway is practical: the last thing that needs to be designed is a power point.
Final thoughts
Stylish cabinets are not the only part of a successful kitchen redesign. The best layouts take into account how people cook, clean, prepare food, use appliances, and how they move about the room daily.
Planning kitchen power points Australia requirements alongside cabinetry, appliance layout and placement, splashback, and island design helps Melbourne homeowners ensure the kitchen space is as workable and convenient as possible, with minimal disruption to the built area during installation. Browse our cabinet and tile range or explore our kitchen and bathroom tile categories while you plan your layout.
When renovating a kitchen renovation with Metro Kitchen and Tiles, decide which appliances you want to use and where you prefer to work with them first. Good electrical planning begins before the first cabinet is installed.