Technology
Fact-checked

At EasyTechJunkie, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What is a Kitchen TV?

Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick

A kitchen TV is a compact television which can rest easily on a kitchen counter or be mounted on a bracket beneath the cupboards. Kitchen TV models can vary from handheld units to 13" screens with DVD or VCR elements built in. Some ultramodern refrigerator units now feature a small kitchen tv or interactive computer monitor wired directly into the door.

Perhaps the most useful feature of a kitchen TV is accessibility while cooking. Many home chefs own DVDs or videotaped television shows featuring professional cooking demonstrations. Instead of traveling back and forth from the living room to the kitchen, cooks with a kitchen TV can follow the onscreen instructions in real time. If a vital step is missed, the tape or DVD can be quickly rewound.

Flat screen televisions may be useful for providing chefs with cooking demonstrations while in the kitchen.
Flat screen televisions may be useful for providing chefs with cooking demonstrations while in the kitchen.

Many homeowners also discover that a second television in the kitchen is useful during morning routines and meals. Children can watch their favorite cartoons while eating breakfast or parents can watch the morning news programs unobtrusively. During holidays, non-sports enthusiasts can watch other television shows or pre-recorded movies. A kitchen TV can be wired to cable or satellite services, or simply pick up the standard broadcast channels.

Many people have small TVs in their kitchen.
Many people have small TVs in their kitchen.

Although any smaller television could be placed in the kitchen area, a true kitchen TV has a few distinct advantages. Traditional television models may require a lot of counter space to accommodate a large tube, but under-the-cupboard kitchen TVs are designed to be bracketed into largely unused space. The counter top remains free for use. Flat screen televisions installed directly into refrigerator doors free up even more space for cooking. Handheld television units designed for kitchen use can also be carried into the car, which could prove useful during the last minutes of a sports event or drama.

Many televisions in the kitchen will be mounted on the wall.
Many televisions in the kitchen will be mounted on the wall.

Many television manufacturers market specific models for use as a kitchen TV. Remote control units may be covered with a washable plastic casing, since cooks may want to review a tape or DVD in the middle of a project. Extra mounting brackets or swivels may be included in kitchen TV models. Televisions in a kitchen environment must be designed to tolerate heat and humidity. They should also be easy to clean and resistant to spilled liquids. Since cooking involves a significant amount of downtime, a well-placed kitchen TV can help pass the time while waiting for food to finish cooking.

Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick

A regular EasyTechJunkie contributor, Michael enjoys doing research in order to satisfy his wide-ranging curiosity about a variety of arcane topics. Before becoming a professional writer, Michael worked as an English tutor, poet, voice-over artist, and DJ.

Learn more...
Michael Pollick
Michael Pollick

A regular EasyTechJunkie contributor, Michael enjoys doing research in order to satisfy his wide-ranging curiosity about a variety of arcane topics. Before becoming a professional writer, Michael worked as an English tutor, poet, voice-over artist, and DJ.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

ChickenLover

@BelugaWhale - I think the undermount TV is much better than a kitchen countertop TV. Although I do agree that it promotes watching television a little too much, it's not the TV's fault but the person itself that chooses to make those decisions. You can have a TV in your kitchen without watching it all the time.

The countertop one might take up a little more space, but it makes it evident that it's there. I actually like them much better than the under the counter kind.

BelugaWhale

@lmorales - I really feel that the flip down kitchen TV is a little excessive. I think, like the Televisions or DVD players that you find in cars, they promote themselves a little too much and make things like eating breakfast for children sort of difficult. I'm not completely against TV, but I think that providing a television in each room of your home (even the kitchen and/or bathroom) is just a little too much for me.

lmorales

An undercounter kitchen TV is usually the most popular. While there are models in refrigerators, they can become quite expensive. Wiring for a television in the kitchen is also a little extra work, but if you really need or feel the need to have one, then they are quite useful. They come in handy especially for things like entertaining and such. For example, a big football game can be watched in multiple rooms without missing a thing.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Flat screen televisions may be useful for providing chefs with cooking demonstrations while in the kitchen.
      By: Pavel Losevsky
      Flat screen televisions may be useful for providing chefs with cooking demonstrations while in the kitchen.
    • Many people have small TVs in their kitchen.
      By: smotrivnebo
      Many people have small TVs in their kitchen.
    • Many televisions in the kitchen will be mounted on the wall.
      By: Peter Högström
      Many televisions in the kitchen will be mounted on the wall.