I had a cooktop in an island with no problems in our last house, but I didn't have seating at the island and there was a full 30" behind the cooktop. I believe that the minimum standard for counter behind a cooktop is 15", but I don't think that's anywhere near adequate if your going to have seating.

I recently saw a picture of an island with a cooktop that had a raised shelf behind the cooktop, then the island went back to counter height and had seating. It looked like an optimal set up if you're doing a cooktop in island. If I can find the picture I'll come back and post it.

This is what you don't want

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Hermosa Beach Interior Designers & Decorators GEORGE Interior Design

And a thousand pictures later and I haven't found it. But I've seen enough cooktops on islands that look dangerous, not enough surround space, inadequate ventilation, etc, that I have to admit it's a bad idea.
Can you put the sink on the island and the stove on a wall?

Post your kitchen on the kitchen forum.

I would not do it without a raised backsplash and a kitchen table....so you can move the kids over there, if you need to cook anything that splatters/involves hot oil.

If you go this route, make sure you figure out your vent hood fist.

I have a cooktop in my island and I love it. We have Dacor electric convertible stove top with pop up ventilation. (It was installed during a remodel and we didn't have any room in the bays above for ventilation) However, we have no seating on our island even though we have room for two chairs behind the cooktop. We have just never used it that way. Instead we have an eat-in-kitchen with a separate table that we use all the time.

I have a cooktop in my island and I love it. We have Dacor electric convertible stove top with pop up ventilation. (It was installed during a remodel and we didn't have any room in the bays above for ventilation) However, we have no seating on our island even though we have room for two chairs behind the cooktop. We have just never used it that way. Instead we have an eat-in-kitchen with a separate table that we use all the time.

If people can sit at an island, I recommend not having a cook top in it. A sink is ok if it is a small off-center prep sink instead of a primary sink.

We have a cooktop in our island but no seating at the island.
We sit at our adjacent dining/kitchen table.

In our last house, in which we had seating at the bar/peninsula, our young son absentmindedly pushed his feet against the cabinetry and turned his barstool over.
He fell flat on his face and broke out his two front teeth.
I took the bar stools out of the kitchen.

My SO's brother has an island cooktop so you can sit and talk to him while he cooks.

He has a tempered glass (? it's something transparent) barrier with supports that drop into holes in the countertop behind the stove to block the flying hot grease. He can remove it to wash it and the counter.

Like this, but transparent and bigger:
http://www.pastrychef.com/SPLATTER-SHIELD_p_2188.html

I don't know where he acquired it, but it's very practical

Cooking is only 10% of your kitchen activity. Prep is 70%. To do an island cooking and prep zone properly requires a pretty big island to have both zones there so that you face out 80% of the time.. Like 4x10. It also is a LOT more expensive than a perimeter cooking zone. The problem most people run in to is that they plan for island cooking, and then end up doing prep elsewhere because there really isn't adequate room to prep next to the cooking zone. Their "social" island ends up being very anti-social because it's too small for prep, and too small for safety for guests as well.

If you really want to do island cooking and prepping, be sure to do it RIGHT. Start with investigating your overhead venting options, as that is the only type of ventilation that works well with today's popular high BTU cooking. And check out how expensive an actual reputable (non Ebay Chinese) island vent is compared even a standard under cabinet vent. And don't forget the makeup air that is required either.

Thanks for all the replies, as you can tell by the replies its a tough choice. We do have kids so its a concern, on the other hand my wife (the cook) rarely ever fries anything with oil with the exception of a few meals which she's learned to dodge the oil herself, so its not like every night there's hot oil being shot around the kitchen. Even when I look at some of the c'tops with a raised shelf behind stove it doesn't look like it would truly safeguard against an accident but its hard to say. The problem is if it happens once then it'll always be a thing to worry about.
As far as venting, We bought a Jenn-Air that has a downvent, I don't think thu do as good a job as an overhead vent but it suited our needs in the last house.
The island is our last choice, across from the island is a countertop facing the backyard that we wanted to line with windows cause it is a nice view, of course my wife doesn't want a stove below a window and didn't want delete any of the windows if she didn't absolutely have too. The sink can go in the island but it doesn't solve the window wall/stove issue anyway. Thanks for the input, there does seem to be some legitimate concerns with stove in island idea so you were very helpful.

I would have an island cooktop...I just don't like it all one level, because it's too easy for papers (including newspaper) to end up by (or on) the cooktop.

If you have a six inch backsplash behind the cooktop (raised counter) you can have a nice tile, along with a couple of outlets. That would be my preference :) {{gwi:1504619}}From Farmhouse plans
{{gwi:1504622}}From Farmhouse plans
{{gwi:1504624}}From Farmhouse plans

All 3 of the pictures shown violate good design principles. The first doesn't have any safety clearance at one side, doesn't have ventilation, and doesn't have room for a proper prep zone. The second, although it has a hood, doesn't really have enough room for more than cursory prep next to the cooktop by the time you account for the emergency landing space needed. The third again doesn't have any ventilation, but it does appear to have adequate space to the left of it for a prep zone, even though you have to twist around to access the water.

Since you're building, there's no reason that you can't plan to do this correctly if that's what you want. But if you are building a small home where space is at a premium, you're better off having a nice prep sink on an island, with the cooking zone adjacent, and the cleanup zone somewhere else. It does take a really big island to do it correctly, and that's usually disproportionate for smaller homes. Unless you do the "island galley" set up where that 10' island has a 10" perimeter counter and that's pretty much it.

Holly- I was showing a raised countertop...not that many photos available to get that particular. If you have some, I'd love to include them in my folder :)

We have an island with an induction cooktop - we call it a continent though - since it is so big. If you have the room make it big enough to be practical.

Below is a shot of ours (108" x 54")

We rarely use our dining room for eating diners and eat at the island which easily sits 4 - our son also sits there while one of us cooks most nights.

This post was edited by montel on Wed, Oct 30, 13 at 16:45

Awnmyown- Thank you! I'm always saying I spend more than 10% of the time in front of the stove. I end up stirring a lot of things...maybe that's why. Especially, when making candy, lemon curd, sauces, etc.

I know 10% is the average, but I think a few of us spend more time...to make up for the 'microwave' cookers, on the other end :)

We will also have a large island like Montel with both an induction cooktop and a prep sink. Our island will be a little over 10 feet long and 51 inches deep.

Montel, how much space do you have between the edge of your prep sink and start of induction cooktop. I am trying to figure out the best location of the prep sink and cooktop and wondered how the arrangement of these two elements worked out for you.

Carol

It doesn't matter if 10% is cooking time. It matters the amount of time cooking while a guest is present. Prep could be completed yesterday or earlier while you are the only one in the kitchen.
The main event is offering guests the fruits after they have watched you bring it to the perfect point of readiness.
It's all about the cooking. 100% of the most important time for entertainment and sharing.

I keep reading confusing terms when kitchens are discussed so I'm going to clarify them for what it's worth. A VENT is a gravity grill or duct to the outside that allows unwanted or dangerous gases to escape from a building. VENTILATION is the introduction of fresh air into a building. A kitchen hood is an EXHAUST system that collects and blows to the outside smoky/odorous air from an open cooking appliance.

A kitchen exhaust even with a stainless steel mesh filter does a poor job of removing vegetable oil and animal fat from the hot vapor from stovetop cooking. This material is heavier than air so much of it doesn't reach the hood and forms a residue on the surfaces of the cooking area and any people sitting near it. Check your face in a mirror after watching Uncle Bob do his thing on the grill.

In my opinion, it is wise to place a cook top in a part of the kitchen with surfaces that can be easily cleaned with a strong exhaust fan with several speeds so it can reduce odors in normal cooking and when something burns. Remember that for such a strong fan to be most effective at the highest speed you should open a window or door.

OntarioMom:

We have about 24" between the sink and the cooktop on the left plus 24" on the right side of the cooktop.

Montel- Your kitchen is very nice! I have considered something similar, but do a lot of baking. Did you consider putting the ovens where the desk is? Does it work out well in the present location? Do you do a lot of baking? Thank you for your input :)

Montel,

This is very helpful. My layout is a fair bit like yours. Is there anything you would change about the island layout?

Thanks again for posting.

Carol

Don't think we would change much - we do a fair amount of baking, lots of cooking on the island, and I don't really feel like the layout is bad at all - we like it. I think the only thing we would change is having the windows be a little taller and come closer to the counter top behind the sink area - we are a short family and we lose some views with the windows as high as they are.

The only time our layout is a problem is when our little one is zooming around the island "racing laps" and the additional two of us are also trying to cook!

its a horrible idea to have ppl around the stove top while cooking.. its just silly - no need to reinvent anything here.. just get an awesome stove top and put it against the wall so you can have a proper hood vent and not create an eye sore in the middle of your room.

We currently have an island range and are planning one in our new home and I think it's a fabulous idea! We spend a lot of time prepping and cooking and the kitchen is where everyone gathers so this way we can visit with them while we prepare our meal to share and enjoy together.

My island range hood and range are awesome and contribute to the functionality of the space.

Our kitchen (whilel not 100 percent done) is in use. We have an induction cooktop on the island with an island hood. I absolutely love, love, love it. I know that a number of members are not a fan, but with our large island we had the space to do it. It makes cooking so much nicer. I prep beside the cooktop, there is a prep sink as well on the island. If you have the space for a 10 foot island, than it does work well.

My husband expressed a desire for an island range a few years ago, and after recently buying a small, stand-alone induction cooktop (that he uses on the island, across from our gas range), he is even more convinced he wants to cook at the island in the next house. :-D

He preps on either side of the cooking surface, and is tired of prepping and cooking with his back to the family (his own observation was something along the lines of, "I know it's kinda weird, being so introverted, but I hate not being able to see everyone while I'm cooking"). I do the cleanup (at the sink under a window, sideways to everyone), so 100% of his kitchen time is spent facing the backsplash. Which ain't nothin' special....

The island that Montel showed is too small for a cooktop and prep sink. 24" between prep sink and cooktop is not nearly enough space for prepping. And notice that there's no space to the left of the prep sink to put unwashed stuff.

ODD if your hubby wants to see everyone, put a prep sink on the island since the majority of time is spent prepping, not cooking. For the short time he's cooking, he can turn his back, or arrange his next kitchen so he faces sideways into the room and can glance sideways.

And why did arthumma feel the need to bring up a 7 year old post?

I dunno, but it was so negative that I had to chime in.

He's totally already enamored of cooking at the island, lol! We have passed the point of no return. :-D

I guess he's weird... He seriously likes prepping on either side of the stove. *shrug* Doesn't matter where the sink is, or if he has a huge empty island behind him, he always flanks the range.

So, I want to give him 3.5'-4' on both sides. The man likes to spread out and have multiple burners going simultaneously, and I guess he makes a lot of stuff that requires babysitting, lol.

All I know is, between the curry, the stir fry, the paella, and the who-knows-what-it's-called-but-it's-awesome, I don't care how many dishes he generates or where he wants his range! <3