The kitchen, worktop height

The height of the worktop determines the comfort of all food preparation. Too low, you bend and damage your back. Too high, you raise your shoulders and tire your arms.

The current standard for a standard kitchen is 90 to 95 cm, up from the older 85 cm standard. The reason, the population is taller today than in the past (average adult height around 1.70-1.75 m in France), and kitchen designers have adapted.

The elbow method gives the ideal individual height. Bend your arm at a right angle in front of you, measure from the floor to the elbow, and subtract 10 cm. You obtain your ideal height.

The elbow method.

Stand up straight, back against a wall. Bend your dominant arm at 90° in front of you. Measure the distance from the floor to your elbow. Subtract exactly 10 cm. That is your ideal worktop height.

Examples.

Height 1.60 m, elbow around 95-100 cm. Worktop at 85-90 cm.

Height 1.75 m (French median), elbow around 105-108 cm. Worktop at 92-95 cm.

Height 1.85 m, elbow around 110-115 cm. Worktop at 100-105 cm.

Height 1.95 m and above, worktop up to 105 cm (rare but legitimate).

Adapt according to uses.

Different zones according to function.

Preparation zone (chopping, peeling). Main height of the worktop, calibrated on the elbow method.

Cooking zone (hob). 5 cm lower than the preparation zone is often comfortable, because you work with arms extended above the pans. If main worktop at 95 cm, hob at 90 cm.

Sink zone. Identical to the main worktop, or 5 cm higher if you want to avoid bending for the washing-up.

The case of a couple of very different heights.

Three solutions.

Solution 1, calibrate on the person who cooks the most. Acceptable compromise if the gap is moderate (10 cm difference in height).

Solution 2, two zones of different heights. Main worktop at 95 cm for the taller person, attached island or extension at 88 cm for the shorter person.

Solution 3, variable-height worktop. Electric system (Granberg, AMR Concept) that adjusts the height between 65 and 110 cm. High cost (£2,500-7,000) but total flexibility.

The case of accessible or wheelchair-user housing.

Worktop at 80-85 cm maximum, with free space of 70 cm minimum in height under the worktop for knee clearance. Maximum depth 65 cm. See also rules 04.1 (1.20 m passages) and 04.6 (accessibility clearances).

In a small interior. If you are changing your kitchen, take the opportunity to calibrate the height to your morphology. If you keep the existing kitchen, live with it, and compensate with anti-fatigue mats on the floor.

Premium kitchen designers (Bulthaup, Boffi, Poliform) systematically offer bespoke height calibration, with personalised calculation. This has become a standard in the premium segment.

Pierre Yovanovitch designs his kitchens often with two levels (main worktop at 95 cm, breakfast-bar island at 110 cm), giving two distinct functions in the same space.

Professional kitchens (restaurants) work at 95-100 cm standard height, because chefs are often tall and work standing 12 hours a day. The ergonomics there are studied in depth.