A hot and cold drinks station will not only streamline your kitchen but also elevate everyday life – and we know just what you need…

Whether you love the process of grinding coffee beans, taking the time to savour the smells and the rituals of it all, require all your drinks to be ice-cold, or fancy yourself a cocktail connoisseur, KBB journo Sally Smith has all the tips and practicalities you need to create your own drinks station at home.

What drinks appliances should you choose?

A bespoke pantry cupboard or niche within a run of cabinetry is the perfect place to set up a designated drinks station for all hot and cold drinks appliances.

In smaller kitchens, positioning an under-counter fridge for wine and beer, with a coffee machine on the counter away from the main cooking area, will feel super-organised and indulgent.

However, in medium to larger kitchens, you can go a step further and create a more comprehensive beverage centre or mini bar. Jayne Everett, creative director at Naked Kitchens, says, “We love to incorporate hot and cold drink appliances within a dedicated drinks cabinetry or larder. Glasses and mugs can then be located together and you can also look at housing a fridge below for milk or cold drinks. It can be a real statement piece.”

Design advice

Wherever the drinks station is positioned, it needs to be accessible with enough work surface for drinks to be prepared. Concealing coffee machines, boiling-water taps, or wine storage behind pocket or full-height bi-fold doors maintains a clean, streamlined look and is a great practical option to hide away all the drinks paraphernalia.

Jonathan Middel, senior designer at Roundhouse, says, “The ideal position for hot and cold drinks appliances is close enough to the main kitchen flow to be convenient, but tucked away so it doesn’t interrupt the visual or practical rhythm of the space.”

If you really want to go all out when it comes to making drinks, then make sure there is a sink and bin located nearby.

Buying tips

Look for blenders that come with pre-set automatic programmes that vary the speed to create an optimal blend for different drinks.

For example, a smoothie programme begins more slowly to evenly chop all the ingredients, then increases speed for smoothness before repeating this cycle, allowing ingredients to mix thoroughly.

Regarding wine storage, Jonathan advises, “You should always prioritise temperature, stability, and light protection when it comes to wine.

“Good ventilation, shelving layout, and material choice are all essential. Using darker timbers or stone detailing can subtly zone the area while maintaining a cohesive look with the rest of the kitchen.”

Good to know

When planning any size of drinks station, make sure you incorporate plenty of reachable power outlets and sockets within the cabinetry or above the countertop. It’s always a good idea to add a few more than you need so you can add more countertop appliances in the future.

And in the case of fridges with ice dispensers, or multifunctional taps for boiling and filtered water, you’ll need plumbing connections, too.

Discuss your ideas for a drinks station with your kitchen designer early in the project as many retailers offer standalone or modular cabinet solutions that can be adapted to your requirements.  

What will it cost?

A top-of-the-range, built-in coffee machine will cost £2000-plus, but a compact countertop coffee machine with all the functionality you’ll need will be around £500.

An under-counter wine cooler can be up to £5000, and the latest integrated cool drawers, ideal for a drinks cabinet, will come in the region of £3500 each.

In a more compact kitchen layout, adding a soda maker and a blender for under £200, each tucked away on a countertop, is all you need for a dedicated cocktail station.

Investing in a multifunctional tap with instant boiling water for about £1000 will make hot drinks so quick and easy.

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