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Kitchen countertop heights compared
The US standard is 36 inches (91 cm), and the most common UK height is about 900 mm (35 in). KraftMaid, a US cabinet maker, gives the first and the worktop maker Egger the second, both checked on 14 October 2026. The table shows how each height is built and when a lower or higher one applies.
NKBA is the US National Kitchen & Bath Association, whose planning guidelines set the ranges. ICC A117.1 is the US accessibility standard they cite.
| Height | Where it applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 36 in (91 cm) | US standard: 34½ in cabinet plus 1½ in worktop | KraftMaid size guide |
| 34½ in (88 cm) before the worktop | IKEA US: 30 in cabinet on 4½ in legs | IKEA SEKTION product pages |
| About 900 mm (35 in) | UK common height: 870 mm unit plus 25–40 mm worktop | Egger UK |
| 88 cm (34⅝ in) before the worktop | IKEA METOD (UK): 80 cm cabinet on 8 cm legs | IKEA METOD product pages |
| 28–36 in (71–91 cm) | Lower of two work heights in one kitchen | NKBA guideline 25, access standard |
| 36–45 in (91–114 cm) | Higher of two work heights in one kitchen | NKBA guideline 25, access standard |
| 34 in (86 cm) at most, or 29–36 in adjustable | One 30 in wide section for a seated cook | ICC A117.1, cited in NKBA guideline 12 |
| About 800 mm (31 in) | Worktop for a seated user, UK | Egger UK |
| 30, 36 or 42 in (76, 91 or 107 cm) | Seating: table, counter or bar height | NKBA guideline 9 |
| 1,100–1,200 mm (43–47 in) | Raised breakfast bar, UK | Egger UK |
Source: KraftMaid size guide; IKEA SEKTION and METOD product pages; Egger UK worktop height guide; NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines 9, 12 and 25. Checked October 2026. Planning guides, not installation approval.
Read the 36 in and 900 mm rows first: most cabinets are made for them. The other rows are the exceptions. To check an existing kitchen, our guide to measuring kitchen countertops shows what to measure. Every height and size in this series is in our kitchen dimensions guides.
The height is the cabinet plus the worktop, and the legs adjust it
The countertop height is the base cabinet, its legs or plinth, and the worktop on top, added together. Change any one of them and the height changes.
- Cabinet: 34½ in (88 cm) in the US. In the UK, a typical base unit is 870 mm (34 in).
- Legs or plinth: IKEA cabinets stand on 4½ in legs in the US and 8 cm legs in the UK. The US legs adjust from 3½ to 5⅛ in, the UK legs from 7.5 to 9.5 cm. In the UK the plinth is the board that hides the legs, about 150 mm (6 in) tall.
- Worktop: 1½ in (38 mm) in the US standard. UK worktops are 25 to 40 mm (1 to 1½ in) thick.
IKEA builds the US cabinet height in two parts: a 30 inch box on 4½ inch legs, so 34½ inches before the top. Its METOD cabinet, sold in the UK, is 80 cm on 8 cm legs, so 88 cm before the worktop.
A thick stone top raises the height, and a thin one lowers it. Decide the worktop before you set the legs, and measure the finished top, not the cabinet. The depths and widths of the boxes are in our guide to standard kitchen cabinet sizes.
Your elbow decides the best countertop height for you
The standard suits most adults, but your elbow is the real test. Egger's guide says: stand straight, bend your arm to 90 degrees and measure from the floor to your elbow. Then take away 100 mm (4 inches). For an elbow at 1,000 mm (39 in), that gives a worktop of 900 mm (35 in).
NKBA, the US National Kitchen & Bath Association, allows a wide range in its access standard, the version of its guidelines for accessible kitchens. A work counter can sit anywhere from 28 to 45 inches (71 to 114 cm) above the floor. The standard asks for two heights in one kitchen: one between 28 and 36 inches (71–91 cm) and another between 36 and 45 inches (91–114 cm).
Two heights help when a tall and a short person share the cooking. Egger suggests the same: multi-height worktops for shared kitchens, or adjustable plinths.
Test a height before you order. Chop and stir for a few minutes at a table or a board set to the height you plan, and notice your shoulders and back.
No single building code sets a kitchen counter height
No national code sets one kitchen counter height for a standard home in the US or the UK. NKBA notes under each guideline that state or local codes may apply, and Egger says the UK has no fixed legal standard.
Accessibility standards are different. NKBA cites the ICC A117.1 accessibility standard (ICC is the International Code Council). It asks for one 30 inch (76 cm) wide section of counter. That section is 34 inches (86 cm) high at most, or adjustable from 29 to 36 inches (74–91 cm). NKBA's own access standard also lowers the hob (cooktop) to 34 inches (86 cm) at most, with knee space under it. In the UK, Egger puts worktops for seated users at about 800 mm (31 in).
If anyone in your home uses a wheelchair, plan that section first, then fit the rest around it with our guide to choosing a kitchen layout. Ask your installer which local rules apply before you order.
A seating counter can be table, counter or bar height
A seating counter works at one of three heights: table, counter or bar. NKBA guideline 9 lists 30 inch (76 cm) tables, 36 inch (91 cm) counters and 42 inch (107 cm) bars. Each needs its own knee space, 24 inches (61 cm) wide per seat:
- Table height, 30 in (76 cm): knee space 18 in (46 cm) deep.
- Counter height, 36 in (91 cm): knee space 15 in (38 cm) deep.
- Bar height, 42 in (107 cm): knee space 12 in (30 cm) deep.
In the UK, Egger puts a breakfast bar at the worktop height of 900 mm, or raised to 1,100–1,200 mm (43–47 in) for a bar look. The stool must match the counter: our guide to counter height vs bar height gives the seat for each top.
Seats also need room behind them. See how much space behind island stools you need, and check the whole island with the island size calculator.
How to set your worktop height in five steps
How high your countertop should be depends on your elbow: start from your body, then build the height from the parts. The wall cabinets then hang from the finished top, as our guide to how high to hang wall cabinets shows.
- Stand straight in the shoes you usually wear in the kitchen, bend one arm to 90 degrees and measure from the floor to your elbow.
- Take away 4 inches (100 mm). This is your target worktop height.
- Compare it with the standard: 36 inches (91 cm) in the US, about 900 mm in the UK. If your target is close, keep the standard, because cabinets are made for it.
- If you want a different height, choose the worktop thickness first, then legs or a plinth that make up the rest.
- Check it: cabinet plus legs plus worktop must equal your target. For a seated cook, check the 34 inch (86 cm) maximum and the knee space too.
Add up your worktopsOnce the height is set, measure each run and get the area for your quote.
Open the countertop calculator →Common problems with countertop height, and how to fix them
Most height problems come from a worktop thicker than planned, legs set to the wrong height, or a seat that does not match its counter.
| What you see | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Your back aches at the worktop | The top sits more than 4 in (100 mm) below your elbow | Raise the legs or plinth, or choose a thicker top |
| Your shoulders lift as you chop | The top is close to or above your elbow | Lower the legs, or choose a thinner top |
| The dishwasher does not fit under the top | The opening is lower than the appliance needs | Check the appliance installation guide before you set the height |
| The stools are the wrong height | Seat and counter heights do not match | Match the stool to a 30, 36 or 42 in (76, 91 or 107 cm) counter |
| One cook is comfortable, the other is not | Two very different elbow heights | Plan two work heights, one at 28–36 in and one at 36–45 in |
| A wheelchair user cannot reach the worktop | No section at 34 in (86 cm) or lower with knee space | Plan one 30 in (76 cm) wide section at 34 in at most, or adjustable |
Source: NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines 9, 12 and 25; Egger UK worktop height guide. Checked October 2026.
Once the height is right, choose the finishes: a kitchen mood board helps you pick colours and materials. New guides in this series appear in all our kitchen guides.
Quick questions
- Is 36 inches the standard counter height everywhere?
No. 36 inches (91 cm) is the US standard, built from a 34½ inch cabinet and a 1½ inch top. In the UK the common height is about 900 mm (35 in), from an 870 mm unit and a 25 to 40 mm worktop. The two are close, but not the same.
- Is there a code for countertop height?
Not for a standard home. NKBA, the US kitchen planning body, notes that state or local codes may apply, and the worktop maker Egger says the UK has no fixed legal standard. ICC A117.1, the US accessibility standard NKBA cites, asks for one 30 inch wide section at 34 inches (86 cm) or lower, or adjustable to 29–36 inches.
- Is a 38 inch counter too high?
Not for a tall cook. NKBA's access standard accepts work counters up to 45 inches (114 cm). By the elbow rule above, 38 inches (97 cm) suits someone whose elbow is about 42 inches (107 cm) from the floor. For anyone shorter it will feel high, so test it before you order.
- Is 27 inches a counter height?
No. 27 inches (69 cm) is below the lowest NKBA work-counter range, which starts at 28 inches (71 cm). NKBA uses 27 inches for something else: the clear knee height under a counter for a seated user. Its lowest seating counter is 30 inches (76 cm), or 28 inches (71 cm) in its access standard.
- Is 35 inches a good counter height?
Yes, for most people. 35 inches (89 cm) sits inside NKBA's 28 to 36 inch range and is close to the UK's common 900 mm. Check it against your elbow: it suits an elbow height of about 39 inches (99 cm). A thicker worktop will raise it.
- What is a comfortable counter height?
Only your elbow can tell you: the comfortable height sits about 4 inches (100 mm) below your bent elbow, by the worktop maker Egger's rule. For most adults that lands near the standard 36 inches (91 cm) or 900 mm. If two cooks differ a lot in height, NKBA suggests two work heights in the same kitchen.
How we check
We take every clearance from published planning guidelines and manufacturer guides, and record the page and the date we checked it. Our examples are drawn to scale from the dimensions they state. They are planning examples, not approvals for installation: services, fixings and local rules need your designer or installer. Our editorial policy.
Sources7 published guidelines and guides behind this page
Numbered in order of first use.
- Kitchen Planning Guidelines, guidelines 9, 12, 17 and 25: seating clearance, work area, cooking surface and counter heights, National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). Checked 14 October 2026.
- What are standard kitchen cabinet sizes? Base cabinet 34-1/2 in, countertop 1-1/2 in, overall 36 in, KraftMaid. Checked 14 October 2026.
- Kitchen worktop height guide: common height about 900 mm, base unit 870 mm, plinth 150 mm, worktop 25–40 mm, elbow height minus 100 mm, EGGER UK & Ireland. Checked 14 October 2026.
- SEKTION base cabinet frame, 36 × 24 × 30 in: height 30 in, to be completed with legs, IKEA US. Checked 14 October 2026.
- SEKTION leg for cabinet, 4½ in: minimum 3½ in, maximum 5⅛ in, IKEA US. Checked 14 October 2026.
- METOD base cabinet frame, 80 × 37 × 80 cm: height 80 cm, to be completed with 8 cm legs, IKEA (metric product page). Checked 14 October 2026.
- METOD leg for cabinet, 8 cm: minimum 7.5 cm, maximum 9.5 cm, IKEA UK. Checked 14 October 2026.
The heights come from manufacturer product pages and guides and from the NKBA planning guidelines, checked on 14 October 2026. Inch-to-centimetre conversions are ours and rounded. They are planning references, not a check of local building or accessibility rules. Measure your own elbow and test a height before you order.