Integrated kitchen appliances — what disappears and what doesn't (the real list)

Q: Can a fridge-freezer be fully integrated?

Yes, but only a fridge-freezer designed as an integrated or built-in model. It is fixed behind two cabinet doors in a tall housing and needs ventilation at the base and the top — usually a minimum of 200 cm² at each, or as the manufacturer specifies. A freestanding fridge placed in a housing with doors in front of it will overheat, use more energy and fail early.

Q: Should a dishwasher be integrated?

In an integrated scheme, yes. A stainless steel dishwasher front in a run of painted or timber cabinet doors breaks the elevation immediately. If you are keeping the appliance visible, keep it deliberate and consistent — for example, a matched stainless run of oven, microwave and dishwasher — rather than one stainless front among integrated units.

Q: Why is the hob always visible?

Induction and ceramic hobs are set into the worktop and are always visible by design. There is no cabinet door to hide them, and hiding a working hob behind a cover is impractical in daily use. The way to make a hob disappear visually is to choose a dark glass surface close to the worktop tone and keep the surrounding run clear.

Q: What ventilation does an integrated appliance need?

Any appliance that produces heat or refrigerant needs air movement. Integrated fridge-freezers typically need around 200 cm² of ventilation at the base and the same at the top of the housing, and integrated ovens need airflow around the housing. Follow the manufacturer's installation figures exactly — an under-ventilated housing is the single most common cause of premature appliance failure in a new kitchen.

Q: How much more does an integrated kitchen cost?

Integration typically adds 15–30% to the appliance cost and a further allowance for the housing units, door fronts and ventilation detailing. In practice, an integrated appliance package in a London kitchen usually lands £1,200–£3,000 higher than the equivalent freestanding set, depending on the appliance tier you choose.

Last updated: 3 October 2026

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"Integrated kitchen" is used loosely in showrooms. In practice, only some appliances can be concealed behind a cabinet door, some can be concealed but should not be, and one can never be hidden at all.

Getting this wrong is expensive twice over. You pay for integration that does not improve the room, and you can damage an appliance by housing it in a way it was not designed for. This guide sets out, appliance by appliance, what genuinely integrates, what stays visible, and the ventilation and door-front details that decide whether the result looks built-in or bodged.

For the wider budget, see our kitchen extension cost guide and the per square metre breakdown.

The real list

Appliance	Can it be hidden?	The detail that matters
Fridge and freezer	Yes, with an integrated model	Ventilation at base and top of the tall housing
Dishwasher	Yes	Fully integrated door front; never a stainless front in an integrated run
Oven	Usually visible	Single or double, in a tall housing; can be panelled on higher tiers
Hob	Never	Set into the worktop; dark glass blends best
Extractor	Usually	Downdraft or concealed in a wall cabinet; chimney hood only for an industrial read
Microwave	Yes, in a tall housing	Behind a lift-up or side-hinged door
Washing machine	Yes, in a utility run	Better in a utility or cloakroom than the kitchen

Fridge and freezer: integrate behind a tall larder

A fridge-freezer is the appliance most worth hiding, because it is tall, deep and the least visually consistent element in a kitchen. The way to do it is with a genuinely integrated or built-in model — one designed to sit behind cabinet doors with its own ventilation path — housed in a tall larder unit.

In a wider kitchen, a separate integrated fridge and integrated freezer side by side in one tall run reads better than a single combined unit, because each gets a full-height door. In a narrow London kitchen, a combined unit with a 70/30 or 50/50 split is usually the only option.

Ventilation is the detail that gets skipped. An integrated fridge-freezer needs air movement through the housing — commonly around 200 cm² at the base and the same at the top, or whatever the manufacturer specifies. Put a freestanding fridge in a closed housing with cabinet doors in front and it will run hot, use more energy and fail early. The recess at the plinth is part of the ventilation path, not just a shadow line.

Also plan the door swing. A tall integrated unit with a 700 mm door needs a clear swing into the kitchen; in a narrow galley, an integrated unit that opens against the opposite run is a daily irritation.

Dishwasher: the easiest integration

A dishwasher integrates cleanly at base level with a full door front. The one rule is consistency: in a scheme with painted or timber doors, a stainless steel dishwasher front breaks the elevation immediately. It reads as unfinished rather than deliberate.

Where the appliance is deliberately visible — a matched stainless run of oven, microwave and dishwasher, for example — that is a coherent choice and should be carried through completely. What does not work is one stainless front among integrated units.

Two practical points. First, a fully integrated dishwasher needs an adjustable plinth and a door front that clears it; the front is hung on the appliance's own slider system, not on a cabinet hinge. Second, protect the adjacent cabinet from steam. A dishwasher releases humid air when opened, and the cabinet side next to it takes the moisture — seal the edges of that panel and consider a moisture-resistant board for the adjacent carcass.

Oven: visible or panelled, both are valid

Ovens are usually visible, and that is a legitimate mid-specification choice. A single or double oven in a tall housing, in a finish that coordinates with the rest of the scheme, reads as intentional.

On a higher specification, the oven can be integrated behind a cabinet panel — either a matching door front or a lift-up door — so the elevation is unbroken when it is closed. This costs a little more in joinery and door hardware, and it means the oven must be a model designed for housing rather than a freestanding unit.

Whichever route you take, the housing needs airflow around the appliance, and the door front needs a handle that is comfortable when the oven is hot. A slim integrated handle that looks perfect in a render can be unpleasant to use with an oven glove.

Hob: always visible, never hidden

A hob is set into the worktop. There is no cabinet door to conceal it, and any cover arrangement is impractical for daily use and a nuisance to clean. Induction glass is the standard integrated answer: a flush, dark surface that sits within the worktop plane.

The way to make a hob recede is by choosing a dark glass close to the worktop tone, keeping the surrounding run clear, and avoiding a contrasting frame. On a white quartz worktop, a black induction hob is a deliberate graphic element; on a dark worktop, it almost disappears. Neither is wrong — but the choice should be made against the worktop, not in isolation.

Induction also needs a dedicated electrical supply sized to the appliance, and the cut-out must be sealed at the edges to protect the worktop core.

Extractor: the concealed option

The extractor is the appliance most often resolved badly. A chimney hood is a strong, industrial statement and suits a professional kitchen read. In most domestic schemes, the better answer is either a ceiling-flush downdraft unit behind the hob or an extractor concealed within a wall cabinet, so the elevation stays clean.

Concealment brings constraints. A concealed extractor needs ducting routed inside the cabinet or through a bulkhead — which has to be planned before the ceiling and walls are finished — and every change of direction adds resistance and noise. The duct run should be as short and as straight as possible, and the termination should be a proper external cowl or wall vent, not a recirculating filter pretending to be extraction.

Where ducting genuinely cannot be routed, a recirculating unit is the fallback, but budget for regular filter replacement and expect less effective removal of cooking moisture and odour.

What integration costs

Integration typically adds 15–30% to the appliance cost, plus the housing units, door fronts, hinge systems and ventilation detailing. In practice, an integrated appliance package in a London kitchen usually lands £1,200–£3,000 higher than an equivalent freestanding set, depending on the tier you choose.

Tiers move the number more than the integration itself:

Essential: freestanding or basic built-in appliances. Fine for a rental or a phased renovation.
Mainstream: integrated fridge-freezer and dishwasher, visible oven and hob. The sensible middle.
Integrated: everything that can be concealed, concealed — with a panelled oven and a downdraft or concealed extractor.
Professional: larger capacities, better build, quieter extraction, panelled throughout, with dedicated circuits and ventilation designed around the appliances.

Our kitchen team specifies the appliances and housing together so the ventilation, door swing and electrical supply are all resolved on the drawing, and our electrical team installs and certifies the dedicated circuits. We work across Hackney and the rest of Greater London.

Frequently asked questions

Can a fridge-freezer be fully integrated?

Only an integrated or built-in model, fixed behind two cabinet doors in a tall housing with ventilation at the base and top. A freestanding fridge placed in a closed housing will overheat, use more energy and fail early.

Should a dishwasher be integrated?

In an integrated scheme, yes. A stainless front among painted or timber doors breaks the elevation. If appliances are deliberately visible, make the whole run consistent rather than mixing one stainless front into integrated units.

Why is the hob always visible?

It is set into the worktop and there is no door to hide it. Choose a dark glass surface close to the worktop tone to make it recede, and keep the surrounding run clear.

What ventilation does an integrated appliance need?

Integrated fridge-freezers typically need about 200 cm² of ventilation at the base and the top of the housing, and ovens need airflow around the housing. Follow the manufacturer's figures exactly — under-ventilated housings are a leading cause of early appliance failure.

How much more does an integrated kitchen cost?

Integration adds roughly 15–30% to the appliance cost plus housing and door-front allowances — typically £1,200–£3,000 more than an equivalent freestanding package in a London kitchen.

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