The kitchen space has undergone a revolution. Gone are the days when the kitchen was a place for work and everyone was entertained separately in the living room. Now kitchens are open planned and guests are being entertained on barstools at breakfast bars and half tables. The preparation of the meal has now become the entertainment with guests being asked to help out with simple tasks while refreshments and nibbles are consumed. Gone too are the days of spending solitary confinement in the kitchen. Kitchens have now become more communal with all the electronic entertainment making its transition from the living areas of the home. One of the most important pieces of entertainment has been the television set or commonly known as the kitchen TV. The television has now become more common place in the kitchen. Just think there is nothing worse than trying to cook a meal and missing out on the evening news or even worse, a cooking demonstration by Jamie. This is where a kitchen TV has found a place.

The television in the kitchen has also evolved beyond a budget 14 inch box perched on top of the refrigerator with funny rabbit ears. With the cost of LCD and plasma TV’s coming down in price, the smaller ones are becoming highly favoured for use in the kitchen. The new technology screens are so flat that they can easily be mounted anywhere, where there is a vacant space. There are also water proof versions available. The kitchen TV can be mounted directly onto the wall in a fixed position or onto a hinged bracket that can be swiveled for optimum viewing. If available wall space is a problem, then there are kitchen TV models that can unfold from the ceiling and swivel.

Technology has also solved the overall size issue and extra stuff is packed into a small package. You can now get a television that has a built in DVD player. Optional extras can be hard drive storage to USB connections for mp3 players or ipods. Because of the kitchen TV there is no longer a need for a hifi system. The sound quality on most kitchen televisions has enough volume and quality for even the discerning ear.

Safety is always an important consideration with all electrical equipment. To avoid electric shock be sure to mount a television far enough away from any wet areas such as sink benches or dishwashers. The rule is that you should not be able to touch both wet area and kitchen TV at the same time. Even if the television is not faulty it is possible to build up a reasonable static charge on the plastic surface, which will discharge through you to any earthed objects such as a kitchen sink bench. Water proof models are a good choice if you are considering installing a television close to a wet area.

A useful tip is to always use a remote control for your kitchen TV. Cover the remote control in plastic wrap or put it into a plastic bag. This will keep the remote control clean and protect it from water and oil spills. When installing your kitchen TV, remember to position it where you can see it clearly in the part of the kitchen that you work the most. This is because you can watch pre-recorded or live kitchen TV shows of cooking demonstrations to help you along the way. You can follow the demonstration as you cook. Have fun in the kitchen.

By: Robert Taylor