Kitchen Table Reviews and Buying Guide:

One of the first pieces of furniture that young couples buy is a kitchen table or dinette set. Depending on the space available in your kitchen, you can choose the proper size and shape to your kitchen table. For those living in a more cramped apartment or smaller home, a dinette set often is the key to still having a kitchen table that fits in the alloted space. There are the standard rectangular kitchen tables or the round kitchen tables many of which seat a minimum of 4 people. Some of the rectangular tables have the option to add a leaf into the center of the table and expand outwards for at least 2 more people to be seated. Tables for you kitchen range in price from the inexpensive ($200) to the more elaborate and decorative styles ($1000+). Measure off the space where your kitchen table will go to determine just how much space you actually have. Don't forget to add in some extra distance for the chairs that will be placed around the table (many people forget to add this into the calculation).

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Once you know your space limitations and the shape of the table you want, start searching online for the various styles and designs that exist within your budget. We found sites like Diningtables.com, Crate and Barrel and PotteryBarn.com to have a good selection with prices so you can quickly see which ones fit your eye. Retro kitchen tables are back in style and the newer stainless steel tables will definitely make a great centerpiece for your kitchen area. We recently purchased a more formal kitchen table from Pottery Barn and can't say enough about it. You will be spending a bit more by shopping at a store like Pottery Barn, but you will get a nice piece of furniture with some modern touches thrown in. Many of the dinette sets that we came across have glass tops which may not be as formal as a nice wooden table, but they still work well. The one advantage to a glass top is that stains and spills are easy to clean up (versus some woods) and it's very hard to scratch a glass top kitchen table compared to those made with wood surfaces. Our table from Pottery Barn was made with a pine wood and a honey finish, but it does dent quite easily as my kids have proven over the years. Other wood varieties include ash (tough and heavy), birch (strong), maple, cherry (very durable), oak (great on simple designs), teak (expensive), and walnut. There are cheap dinette sets made with lessor quality materials sold in stores like Wal-Mart and even JC Penneys. If the table is just a temporary solution and something to eat on, go with a basic, inexpensive model until you can decide on a nicer one. Families with children should take precautionary methods and use tablecloths and placemats to help protect the tables surface from spills, dents, and scratches. Another place to find antique kitchen tables or classic country kitchen tables is at garage sales. I see high quality craftsmanship tables for sale all the time in the used market. Check online at Craigslist.org or even on Ebay for some great deals.

Kitchen Table Sets:

When buying your kitchen table you will need to purchase at least 2 chairs to go with it, but more likely you will end up buying 4 to 6 chairs that match the table. Many kitchen tables are sold as sets so you don't have to put much thought into the chairs themselves. On Diningtables.com their best seller is a Revival 5-Piece Dining Table Set ($450) made of solid hardwood with a cherry finish on both the table and chairs. There is some assembly required on the table. Owners say the table fits great in kitchens or formal dining rooms. The Aris Pedestal Dining Table ($599-$899) on the Potterybarn.com website is a beautiful circular table that quickly expands to an oval shape with the leaf insert. The pedestal table is a classic style and it comes in antique white, black, or mahogany stain colors. Check out your local furniture stores to see what kind of kitchen tables they carry in stock.

Stainless Steel Kitchen Tables:

Stainless steel kitchen tables are not necessarily my thing, but they have become popular in recent years. You are probably more likely to find them in a loft downtown somewhere than in a suburban household. Chef Depot carries one on their site for about $550 (offered in several sizes). Bar stools are more prevalent for these types of tables than traditional chairs. Stainless steel is easy to clean, heat resistant, and very durable from scratching or denting unlike wood surfaces.

Drop Leaf Tables:

Drop leaf tables are those with a section of the table that folds down. Almost like the opposite of a leaf insert, the drop leaf allows the table to be shortened by simple releasing the mechanism that holds that section up. Some have dual drop leafs to allow for even more expansion or collapsing when necessary. Drop leaf tables are great in areas where space is a premium. Fold the drop leaf down when no one is around and pull it back up when you have guests. Drop leafs are a great solution for smaller apartments or tiny kitchen areas. Diningroomsdirect.com carries quite a few of the drop leaf kitchen tables, many for just a few $100. Target and other department stores also tend to carry smaller, drop leaf tables in their housewares departments.

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