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Kitchen work triangle calculator

Measure from the middle of your sink to the middle of your hob, then to the fridge, then back. Type the three distances below and you will see whether cooking in this kitchen will feel easy, cramped or like a walk.

A kitchen corner with a tall fridge housing, a sink under the window and an induction hob around the corner, with oak worktops.
Fridge, sink and hob within a few steps of each other around one corner.

Check your triangle

How do you want to enter it?
Distances, middle to middle
mm
mm
mm
Anything in the way?

Your verdict

Enter three distances above.

Blue: sink. Peach: hob. Green: fridge. Green sides are within the range; amber dashed sides need a look.

What the verdict is based on

Work triangle ranges used by the calculator
MeasureComfortable rangeIf it is outside
Each side1200 to 2700 mmUnder 1200: two people bump. Over 2700: extra steps with every pan.
All three sides4000 to 7900 mmUnder 4000: no room to prepare. Over 7900: the kitchen works against you.
ObstaclesNone across a sideA tall unit, island or main walkway in the way adds detours.

These figures are the long-standing planning guidance used by kitchen designers in the UK and US. They are a guide for a single cook, not a law. If two people often cook together, or the room is large and open-plan, read about kitchen zones, which often suit modern kitchens better.

Three quick fixes

  1. One side too long? Move the fridge, not the sink. The sink is tied to the drain run; the fridge only needs a socket.
  2. Side too short? Put at least 600 mm of worktop between sink and hob so there is somewhere to chop and drain.
  3. Walkway through it? Turn an island so its short end faces the garden doors, or move the table so people pass behind the cook rather than through the middle.

Want the full story, including whether the triangle is still worth following? Read the kitchen work triangle guide. Planning an island too? Try the island size planner.

Questions

What is a good work triangle size?
Each side between 1200 mm and 2700 mm, and the three sides adding up to between 4000 mm and 7900 mm, measured centre to centre. Shorter feels cramped; longer means extra walking with heavy pans.
Do I measure to the edge or the middle of the sink?
To the middle. Measure from the centre of the sink bowl to the centre of the hob and to the middle of the fridge door opening.
Does a walkway through the triangle matter?
Yes. If people walk through the triangle to reach the garden doors or the table, the cook keeps stepping aside. Try to keep main routes outside it.