Island cabinets/appliances

[Anonymous]

How important is it to have the trash can next to the sink?

Our (future) island is 9'6" long. It has a sink in the middle and a cooktop across from the sink in the row of cabinets that will store most of our everyday dishes/glasses/silverware/etc. We also have a separate prep area with a prep sink, drawer fridge for vegetables, grill pans, etc. We want two dishwashers. Which of the following two versions for the island do you prefer:
(1) Trash (18") - Dishwasher (24") - Sink (30") - Dish washer (24") - Recycling (18")
This version has the trash next to the dishwasher, but not next to the sink. And the two dishwashers are placed close to the cooktop/oven, and to where the dishes get put away.
(2) Drawers (18") - Dishwasher (24") - Sink (30") - Trash/recycling (24") - Drawers (18").
This version has the trash next to the sink, but will have the second dishwasher in the prep area, so away from the cooktop and the dishes cabinets. However, the second dishwasher may not get used every day.

Help me think through the two versions, DCUMs!

TYIA!

[Anonymous]

If you’re not going to use the 2nd dishwasher daily, put it in the prep area. I have two dishwashers and they are not next to each other and I don’t use them both daily. The one next to the sink is the primary. The other at the wet bar.

[Anonymous]

I vote for option 2. I have a similar kitchen except it sounds like my main sink and prep sink are swapped from your setup. I have a main sink along a wall with pull out trash, recycling and dishwasher on either side. And an island with a prep sink facing a wall with the range/oven.

I wanted both sinks to have trash and dw on either side. In my 9 ft island, I have a stack of drawers, trash pullout, sink, dw, then another stack of drawers. The drawers are the perfect width for aluminum foil, parchment paper, aprons, dish towels, bulky utensils like lemon squeezers, etc. I prep on the island opposite the stove/range and it's very convenient to have the trash right there. The island dishwasher is mainly used for items I use while cooking/prepping and the dishwasher next to the main sink is mainly used for dinner plates and glasses.

Don't worry, both dishwashers will get plenty of use! We put the two dishwashers close together - they are perpendicular to each other, but only 2 steps away - so that it would be easy to get to if the other is in use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I vote for option 2. I have a similar kitchen except it sounds like my main sink and prep sink are swapped from your setup. I have a main sink along a wall with pull out trash, recycling and dishwasher on either side. And an island with a prep sink facing a wall with the range/oven.

I wanted both sinks to have trash and dw on either side. In my 9 ft island, I have a stack of drawers, trash pullout, sink, dw, then another stack of drawers. The drawers are the perfect width for aluminum foil, parchment paper, aprons, dish towels, bulky utensils like lemon squeezers, etc. I prep on the island opposite the stove/range and it's very convenient to have the trash right there. The island dishwasher is mainly used for items I use while cooking/prepping and the dishwasher next to the main sink is mainly used for dinner plates and glasses.

Don't worry, both dishwashers will get plenty of use! We put the two dishwashers close together - they are perpendicular to each other, but only 2 steps away - so that it would be easy to get to if the other is in use.

Thanks, PP. Your setup sounds perfect! And I agree with you that both dishwashers will get plenty of use. Unfortunately, our prep area is "far away" from everything. So the second dishwasher would be ~15' away from the cooktop/oven and the dishes/silverware. So on the one hand, it would be great to have the extra drawers (like you described), but on the other hand, I wonder how much of a pain it will be to carry dishes to and from the prep area dishwasher...

-OP

[Anonymous]

We just finished a renovation. Our island is trash/recycling on the end then dishwasher 1 then sink then dishwasher 2 then a set of 3 drawers on the other end. I would not separate trash and recycling on 2 sides unless you need 2 cans for each. I much prefer the dishwashers to flank the sink vs trash because when you rinse dishes and then have to carry them to the dishwasher you are going to drop water all over your floor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I vote for option 2. I have a similar kitchen except it sounds like my main sink and prep sink are swapped from your setup. I have a main sink along a wall with pull out trash, recycling and dishwasher on either side. And an island with a prep sink facing a wall with the range/oven.

I wanted both sinks to have trash and dw on either side. In my 9 ft island, I have a stack of drawers, trash pullout, sink, dw, then another stack of drawers. The drawers are the perfect width for aluminum foil, parchment paper, aprons, dish towels, bulky utensils like lemon squeezers, etc. I prep on the island opposite the stove/range and it's very convenient to have the trash right there. The island dishwasher is mainly used for items I use while cooking/prepping and the dishwasher next to the main sink is mainly used for dinner plates and glasses.

Don't worry, both dishwashers will get plenty of use! We put the two dishwashers close together - they are perpendicular to each other, but only 2 steps away - so that it would be easy to get to if the other is in use.

Thanks, PP. Your setup sounds perfect! And I agree with you that both dishwashers will get plenty of use. Unfortunately, our prep area is "far away" from everything. So the second dishwasher would be ~15' away from the cooktop/oven and the dishes/silverware. So on the one hand, it would be great to have the extra drawers (like you described), but on the other hand, I wonder how much of a pain it will be to carry dishes to and from the prep area dishwasher...

-OP

Ah I see. If I were in your situation, I would probably opt to put the dishwashers closer together (option 1) to eliminate the annoyance of walking to one dishwasher, finding it full or in use, and then having to walk 15 ft to the other.

I used to be a “clean as I go” type of cook when I didn’t have a dishwasher in my prep island. I would hand wash a lot to avoid clogging up the one dishwasher and dripping water everywhere on the floor, but now I put some of the items in the dishwasher at hand. If my dishwashers were further away, I would continue to clean as I went, and it would be fine.

[Anonymous]

Option 2

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you. I am leaning towards Option 2 at this point, even if it means to take a 15' "hike" to the second dishwasher. But I think having the extra drawer cabinets on the island will be super helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you. I am leaning towards Option 2 at this point, even if it means to take a 15' "hike" to the second dishwasher. But I think having the extra drawer cabinets on the island will be super helpful.

It’s going to be great! I think all dishwashers have the green light/red light on the floor feature, but make sure yours have it - it’s helpful when you have two.

[Anonymous]

I can’t answer your specific question but I will say that we have 2 dishwashers, on each side of our sink and we love it. I don’t know why more people don’t use 2 full size dishwashers when building a new house. We have 3 kids and a lot of guests.

[Anonymous]

Will the dishwashers when open pen in the person at the stove? Or sink?

Do you really think you’ll want to prep that far from your stove?