Updated reviews on Elves and Angels or Willow Toys kitchens? (or others?)

[brittone2]

DS has been using a kitchen since he was about 15 months that we found curbside and rehabbed a bit. It has worked out wonderfully for 2 years, but it is starting to get more than a little shabby. I'm also concerned about possible lead paint since it is older. While the one we have has worked out great and saved us money, it won't last through DD's kitchen-play days most likely.

DH and I are considering a wooden kitchen for Christmas for both kids to share. We'd like made in the USA, and we like the more natural wood stuff.

I've read the old posts and reviews. I'm wondering if anyone cares to update on how they like their Elves and Angels or Willow kitchens currently?

What made you pick one over the other? I may be able to buy E&A locally at our Waldorf school. I like the round burners on the Willow kitchen better, but I'm not sure if DS (or DD) will care. I also like the Willow metal sink, but several people have mentioned it gets *very* noisy, and I can see that, so I'm okay w/ the E&A plastic sink now.

I thought this might be a timely thread anyway for anyone beginning their holiday shopping research. So if anyone with other kitchens wants to post an updated review on durability, play value, etc. of their kitchens, even of other brands (like Kidkraft, Pottery Barn, etc.) that's fine w/ me :) Hopefully it will help others trying to decide :)

[annasmom]

Well, I gave my dc the Elves & Angles kitchen & refrigerator last year. At the time I did a lot of comparisons between E&A & Willow, but I cannot for the life of me remember why I actually went with E&A. Maybe I liked the looks better - I honestly don't remember.

I think quality-wise they are very similar - now, that is based purely on reviews that I recall reading, I have never actually seen a Willow kitchen irl. There used to be a price difference with Willow kitchens being a bit less expensive, but I am not sure if that is the case anymore. I remember that there was a coop a while back and the Willow was going to raise its prices afterwards.

I must say I really do like our E&A. It is really a beautiful kitchen. I wanted to buy a kitchen that came in parts so that my dc could play with it at the same time and have sufficient space. I also wanted something that was super sturdy, as my dc play really hard. I was seriously considering the kitchen by Small World Toys also, but I just wasn't as certain about the construction (although that kitchen has also gotten really good reviews).

I am actually really glad we have the plastic sink. We have almost exclusively wooden play food, wooden & metal pots & pans, and there is a whole lot of noise as a result. The sink almost always gets taken out, and if that thing were metal and rattling around my house, I would have hidden it months ago!

So, there is my 2 cents. If you have any specific questions, ask away!

[brittone2]

Yeah, I should have ordered when the co-op was going on, but alas, it was kind of a recent decision to consider a new kitchen for them ;)

What model do you have?

I'm not into buying a fridge (although our current kitchen has one and it is nice for the storage). However, DS is now insisting a fridge is very important to him, LOL. We pared down the playfood dramatically because there was just waaaaay too much. Hopefully we can get away without the fridge, but I'm not so sure DS will go for that. I'm considering the Suzanne E&A since it has a small fridge built in. I like the Julianna and Lucy too, but that might mean the extra cost of an additional fridge.

Thanks for the review!

[annasmom]

I had to do some internet surfing but it is all coming back to me . . .

I bought the Lucy kitchen, with the thought that I would buy the dishwasher also. However, the dishwasher is no longer available. If you google it, you will get a hit to the site Waldorf Treasures - but it is an old link and E&A no longer makes the dishwasher (I called them!) If I had known that at the time, I probably would have bought the Victoria model, which comes with a little dishwasher. Now that my kitchen obsession has waned - I don't think it would have mattered one bit.

FWIW, if you do decide to buy E&A be on the lookout for discount codes (I am sure you probably already are ;)). The prices really did not vary much because some would be cheaper, but shipping would be more expensive, some would be more expensive with free shipping - you know the drill. I ended up buying from Maukilo and did end up saving a bit (a very little bit) because I used a discount code and I am pretty sure they offered free shipping at the time.

Interestingly, it doesn't look as though Maukilo is carrying E&A anymore. I know that they carried them years ago and then stopped, and then last Christmas started carrying them again.

Good luck with your search. Honestly, I don't think you will end up going wrong with either brand.

[thomma]

We've had the julianna's kitchen from willow toys for two years now. The metal bowl can be on the loud side but I was always more concerned with the wooden food dinging my wood floors. :) It's still in good condition...with a well-loved look about it. We went with willow toys because of a bbb co-op a few years ago. I'd definitely buy it again. It's used every single day.

Kim
ds&dd 5/03

[zuzu]

DD has had her E&A kitchen set for almost 2.5 years now and still plays with it every day. Other than her easel and table and chair set, nothing else is used as often. She's almost 4.5 and I don't see her interest waning any time soon.

We got the Victoria model, I think, (the one with the dishwasher) and a refrigerator and have no regrets about either piece. We didn't compare them to Willow, so I can't help with that. The pieces are solidly made and very durable, and the hinges have even stood up to a few kids standing on the pull down dishwasher door.

Melissa, mom to Sarah (5/03)

[brittone2]

Thanks everyone! I'm not even 100 percent sure that the kids are getting a new kitchen, as I thought I was pretty much finished w/ their shopping! But...DH sort of suggested it, and that's an offer I have a hard time turning down LOL ;)

I really appreciate the reviews. I'm not sure if we'll go w/ Willow or E&A, but it is great to know that everyone seems pretty happy with the quality of theirs.

Thanks!

[sue_g]

We have the Kidkraft set from Learning Express (boy/girl). It has held up well and Kidkraft gives free replacement parts. I would defintely recommend it.

[mommab]

When the Willow kitchens went on "sale" during the co-op last summer, I really obsessed about getting one then but dh said NO! We bought the playstand, and I could not justify additional expense because we have the Kidcraft kitchen we bought at Costco 2 years ago. The Kidcraft kitchen is perfectly fine - both of my girls play with it regularly - *I want a kitchen to match the new playstand - lol!!!

I had debated a more waldorf kitchen 2 years ago when I was shopping play kitchens but couldn't justify the expense of the Willow/E&A kitchens against Costco's great price on the Kidcraft one then. In retrospect, I wish I had held out for the waldorf one, although it probably would make no difference to the girls.

Regarding your question about the Willow vs the E&A - someone posted on the original co-op board some very minor differences in the Willow Ivy/Liam when compared to the E&A Lucy, but the board is no longer accessible to get that discussion. I recall that the E&A stuff may be a tad bit larger (inch or two) for those kitchens and the matching frigs. Also the E&A Lucy has a shelf in the cabinet underneath the sink which the Willow kitchen does not. I'm not sure if the frigs have the same number of shelves or not. The prices between the two are very similar now, so I'd probably opt for the E&A because of the more storage space at this point. If the co-op were still going on, I'd definitely get the Willow ones.

Just my $0.02!