Inclusive Culinary Spaces: The Role of Electric Worktop Lifts in Adapted Kitchens
An electric worktop lift is the perfect solution for your home if you want to design a flexible kitchen. An electric height adjustable worktop is easy and quick to rise and lower, meaning that if you live in a household with wheelchair and non-wheelchair users, anyone can use the kitchen in a way that best suits them. There are many different types of electric height adjustable worktops including but not limited to the following:
Throughout this page we will discuss the differences between each one, so you can understand which worktop lift would be the perfect addition to your kitchen. All the Granberg worktop lift legs can be hidden using the cover panels.
What are cover panels?
Cover panels and drain covers are made of two parts. The top part is fixed to the frame of the worktop lift, meaning that the covers shorten and extend with the worktop lift. If you have installed a sink, then they will conceal the waste and water feed pipes, which not only help to give your kitchen a clean finish, but they also help to prevent a wheeled user’s foot plates getting entangled and at worst flooding the kitchen. An extra advantage of cover panels is that they allow you to fully customise your kitchen, as a cover panel fitting kit can be supplied and the installer can supply colour matching panels, so that you can choose what will suit your kitchen best. There are also plastic height adjustable covers available as an alternative.
Granberg Baselift 6300
This is an electric straight worktop lift that is wall mounted. It is custom-made to the exact length you would like, between 590mm and 2400mm, so that the kitchen you would like to build can be achieved. If you would like to extend your worktop to a maximum width of 4800mm, a Plusmodule will be required.
Plusmodule
A Plusmodule is a height adjustable worktop made to extend the length of your Baselift. It is also a great solution to add onto the int link
Granberg Baselift 6310
This is the same as the Baselift 6300, but it is the floor-mounted version. This is great if you don’t have strong walls, or if fixing it to the wall will be difficult in your home. Just bear in mind that if you have underfloor heating or other services beneath the floor, then floor mounting the worktop may not be possible, as these services will interfere with the installation of your rise and fall worktop.
Granberg Baselift LA vs HA
There are two different facia depths of Granberg worktop lifts: LA which is 40mm and HA which is 103mm.
Firstly, let’s explore why you might opt for the LA. This is a great choice if you just want a standard worktop with no additional features, or if you want to have a hob in your worktop. You can choose to also have a sink in an LA worktop, but it will protrude and be seen beneath the worktop. The LA worktop lifts can only be controlled by mini-buttons, a remote control or a wireless big button.
However, the HA is more versatile. It can be used for anything the LA can, but if you do choose to insert the Granberg 120mm depth sink or another sink that is 120mm or shallower, it will not show below the bottom of the worktop. The HA is great if you want to increase your kitchen storage space with drawers; however, bear in mind that it is not possible to have a drawer beneath a hob due to the fire risk. A benefit of the HA frame is that, apart from the mini-buttons, remote and wireless big button, you can opt for large paddle Alu-design buttons. This is especially useful for someone with reduced hand dexterity. Additionally, you can add light switches, a 240V socket outlet using a int link
This is a corner worktop lift, the (6301) is wall mounted and the (6311) is floor mounted in either LA 40mm or HA 103mm front facia depths. Some kitchen worktops curve around a corner of the room, and the Baselift 6301/6311 creates a solution for this, so that you can keep the layout of your kitchen the same but increase accessibility. This height adjustable worktop has a 45˚ front edge and a 90˚ corner against the wall. A hob and sink can be mounted in the module. The only issue with this may be that the back corner may be difficult to reach as a seated user. However, you could use the back corner to place a plant for decoration or for kitchen items that are not used regularly or only used by standing users. The 45˚ front edge means that a seated user can comfortably use the corner of the worktop, and this reduces wasted space, whilst also meaning that a wheelchair user can easily move themselves across the whole worktop area as it transforms the corner into more of a curved shape.
Granberg Baselift 6302/6312
This is another variation of a corner worktop lift. It has a 45˚ front edge and 45 ̊ back edge. The (6302) is wall mounted and the (6312) is floor mounted in either LA 40mm or HA 103mm front facia depths. Plusmodules can be added to extend the width of each side, but there is enough space in the module to mount a sink or hob. This means that the space in the corner is maximised, leaving you extra worktop space on the adjacent worktops to prepare food.
Granberg Baselift 6302/6312 LA or HAGranberg Baselift 6303/6313
This is the third adaptation of a corner rise and fall worktop. The (6303) is wall mounted and the (6313) is floor mounted in either LA 40mm or HA 103mm front facia depths. It has a 90˚ back edge and, unlike the other corner modules, it has a 90˚ front edge. This may be the right option for you if you have a 90˚ corner in your kitchen and you want the whole worktop space to be easily accessible, or if you have a smaller kitchen and a 45˚ module would further reduce the space available to move around easily. This corner variation of the worktop lift is also lengthened using Plusmodules on either side. However, due to the size and angle, it would not be the right option for you if you wanted to add a sink or hob in the corner of your kitchen – these would have to be installed in the adjacent Plusmodules.
Granberg Baselift 6303/6313 LA or HAGranberg Sidelift 6400
The main advantage of choosing the Sidelift 6400 is the increased lifting power of 400kg. It is the only worktop lift that is compatible with the hanging cabinets. The hanging cabinets are a great way to increase your kitchen storage, and it is your choice how many you would like to add beneath the worktop. If you would like to maximise storage space and the wheelchair user will only be using the hob and sink, then perhaps the best solution is to fill the rest of the worktop space with cabinets. The hanging cabinets can be used for pan storage, cutlery or waste disposal, and this versatility means that you can customise your kitchen into a space that works best for you. You cannot place drawers in the front facia of the Sidelift; however, it is possible to have drawers in the hanging cabinets, so overall you will not lose kitchen storage space. It is also important to note that the control buttons for the Sidelift are mini buttons located at each end of the worktop lift. The Sidelift is also a great option for schools, as due to the increased lifting power, if any children were to sit on the worktops, they would not break as easily as the other worktop lift options.
Granberg Sidelift 6400Ropox FlexiElectric
The Ropox FlexiElectric rise and fall worktop has a switch that has to be integrated into the front facia of the frame. The facia is not supplied. The switch allows you to effortlessly adjust the worktop height. If you choose to buy a Ropox frame kit, then it will have to be cut to the exact length and assembled on site, as they are sold in size ranges rather than made to your desired size, so this is something to bear in mind. The Ropox height adjustable worktop has a higher weight limit of 150kg – however, it can only be wall mounted, so you will have to ensure that the walls in your kitchen are strong enough or make modifications to strengthen them. If you would like to maximise kitchen storage, then the Ropox worktop lift may not be the best option for you, as it is not possible to have drawers in the front facia. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative, or you don’t think you will need the flexibility offered by an electric rise and fall worktop, then a manual worktop lift may be a better choice for you.
Ropox FlexiElectric
