Play kitchens have long been a favorite kids toy. Kids can use toy pots and pans to make a delicious meal for their friends and family, get creative in a kitchen built for them, and let their imaginations run wild. If you’re looking for a play kitchen for your little one, keep reading. This list is compiled of the best play kitchens for kids of all ages. Each comes with a variety of features that make them unique. Our overall top pick is from Step2 for its authentic design, unique features, and favorable price. You’re certain to find the perfect play kitchen here.
Our Top Picks
  | Best Overall: Step2 Best Chef Kitchen Playset This is one of the best kitchens for kids as it comes with accessories and features that make it look and sound realistic. Kids are certain to love it. |
  | Runner-Up Best: Melissa & Doug Wooden Chef’s Pretend Toy Kitchen Wooden play kitchens are popular toys and for good reasons. Our runner up looks sleek and modern, allowing kids to create their own recipes and meals. |
  | Best Budget: Hape Gourmet Kitchen Toy Here is an affordable option that still comes with all the unique characteristics that make play kitchens feel real. It’s easy to assemble and easy on the wallet. |
  | Best Wooden: B. Toys Wooden Play Kitchen The best wooden play kitchen for kids comes with color and character that makes it stand out against competitors. It has all the tools kids need to make delicious meals. |
  | Best Splurge: KidKraft Wooden Farm to Kitchen Playset Our favorite splurge pick is a play kitchen that truly has everything. Between the lights and sounds, it’s the best play kitchen for a 5-year-old. |
  | Best for Toddlers: Little Tikes First Prep Kitchen The best play kitchen for toddlers is the perfect starting point for kids just beginning to show interest in the kitchen. |
A Closer Look: Best Play Kitchens
Everything on our round-up is michelin star rated, so be prepared for the cookout as you read on below.
1. Step2 Best Chef Kitchen Playset
The best play kitchen overall
Brand: Step2 | Materials: Plastic | Power: 2 AA Batteries Required | Ages: 24 Months to 5 Years | Price: 💰💰
With sounds and lights that make it feel just like a real kitchen, this kitchen playset from Step2 is our overall top pick. Everything from a coffee pot to a stove can be found here. Kids can play like they are serving their friends and family at home or a restaurant. Realistic working doors and accessories invite kids to use their imagination while playing. It’s ideal for kids up to age 5. Reviewers love that this kitchen playset is easy to assemble and doesn’t come with pieces that a young child could fit in their mouth. The sounds and lights are subtle yet engaging – fun for kids without annoying their parents.
Reviewers Like
- Accessories are very durable
- Comes with stickers to make it look more realistic
- So many accessories are included that it feels like a full kitchen
Reviewers Dislike
- Accessories slide of easily when bumped
- Some holes are not pre drilled, but easy to do oneself
2. Melissa & Doug Wooden Chef’s Pretend Toy Kitchen
The runner-up best play kitchen
Brand: Melissa & Doug | Materials: Wood | Power: No Batteries Required | Ages: 3 Months and Up | Price: 💰💰💰
Our next favorite kitchen playset is modern and sleek with all the details that make it look and feel realistic. A microwave, stovetop, and ice cube dispenser are all included to make kids feel like they truly have a kitchen of their own. Choose to include fake food, a baking set, cooking utensils, and more to fully build out your youngster’s kitchen. It’s more durable because it’s made of sturdy wood, making it one of the best wooden play kitchens. It stands up to kids’ regular opening and closing the oven and cupboards. Reviewers love how real the kitchen looks and that it’s easy to put together.
Reviewers Like
- Easy to assemble
- Perfect size for young kids, not too big or small
- Boys and girls alike will love this kitchen playset
Reviewers Dislike
- Must buy most of the accessories
- More expensive than most other options
3. Hape Gourmet Kitchen Toy
The best budget play kitchen
Brand: Hape | Materials: Wood | Power: No Batteries Required | Ages: 3+ | Price: 💰💰
Whether you’re working with a budget or just want a simple kitchen playset, this toy kitchen from Hape is for you. It’s fashioned from wood, making it more sturdy than other competing play kitchens. Knobs turn, buttons click, and a transparent window oven lets kids pretend to watch what they’re baking. Baltic Birch plywood makes up most of the material and the doors clasp shut with magnets. We love this kitchen playset and so do parents, they awarded it the 2012 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Seal Award. It’s an affordable option that is durable without taking up a lot of space. All and all, it’s a great option for a kitchen playset.
Reviewers Like
- Very easy and quick to assemble
- Easy to clean if kids make a mess on it
- Build quality is good enough for years and years of play
Reviewers Dislike
- Very small, little counter space to play on
- Play food and accessories must be bought separately
4. B. Toys Wooden Play Kitchen
The best wooden play kitchen
Brand: B. Toys | Materials: Wood | Power: No batteries Required | Ages: 3+ | Price: 💰💰💰
Wooden kitchen playsets are favorites for their stability and unique design. We’re naming this one from B. Toys our favorite wooden play kitchen for kids for exactly these reasons. It’s bright and colorful, equipped with a microwave, oven, and stovetop that make it feel as realistic as possible. Over 30 accessories come with the kitchen set, including a spatula, tongs, pan, plates, bowls, and much more. Kids can get creative with how they prepare food and play in the kitchen. It’s an ideal toy for young kids who have already shown an interest in the kitchen in their home.
Reviewers Like
- Solid wood frame makes it very sturdy
- Adorable design with fun colors and accents
- Extremely sturdy and looks more realistic than other play kitchens
Reviewers Dislike
- Difficult to assemble
- Comes with a strong chemical smell that wears off with time
5. KidKraft Wooden Farm to Kitchen Playset
The best splurge play kitchen
Brand: KidKraft | Materials: Wood and Plastic | Power: 3 LR44 Batteries Required (Included) | Ages: 3-10 | Price: 💰💰💰💰
Our favorite splurge pick comes with all the features you would want from a kitchen playset, along with a few extra. The appliances make lights and sounds when kids engage with them. There is even a chalk board where kids can write recipes or fun notes. Carrots and onions actually separate when chopped on the cutting board and the ice machine drops ice cubes when the button is pressed. Planters on the window sil above the sink are where kids can grow their food before cooking it. Overall, this is a thoughtful and engaging kitchen playset.
Reviewers Like
- None of the noises are obnoxious or loud
- Height is perfect for children to grow up into and with
- Pots and pans are actually made of metal, food made of wood
Reviewers Dislike
- Do not use a power drill to assemble, screw driver only
- Instructions don’t have words, slightly challenging to set up
6. Little Tikes First Prep Kitchen
The best play kitchen for toddlers
Brand: Little Tikes | Materials: Plastic | Power: 2 AA Batteries Required | Ages: 2+ | Price: 💰💰💰
This kitchen playset from Little Tikes is perfect for toddlers. It comes with over 25 accessories so kids can mix and match. A chalkboard lets them write menus, recipes, and any variety of notes in their kitchen. Hooks hang from the top of the playset where kids can hand knives, tongs, pots, and pans. It comes with a light-up stovetop, working fridge, over doors, and extendable prep counter that make the entire cooking experience as realistic as possible. The play food comes apart so kids can pretend they are actually cutting up food for a meal.
Reviewers Like
- Easy to assemble
- Good quality product for a fair price
- Lights and sounds make this play kitchen a bit more enjoyable
Reviewers Dislike
- Necessary batteries aren’t included
- Doors for oven and cupboards sometimes stick
Kitchen playsets are where kids can stretch their creative muscles. They can pretend to be chefs at a restaurant or make a meal for their family at home. There is a play kitchen on this list for every child. Choose one of these and get your little chef cooking.
Our Process
For this guide on the best play kitchens, our team spent 1.5 hours researching the most popular options from over 20 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about one hundred and twenty user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each play kitchen. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 6 play kitchens on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.
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