Most people picture a few options for a TV in the kitchen: mounted on the wall, hanging from below the cabinetry, or sitting on the counter. 

There’s a fourth option a lot of people don’t know exists, one that skips the downsides of all three: installing a Kitchen Cabinet TV into your cabinetry. A Kitchen Cabinet TV install is less complicated than you might think, and once you see one in action you’ll understand why it’s a strong solution for most kitchens.

Assessing Your Cabinets

A Kitchen Cabinet TV can go into cabinetry you already have, or into new or renovated cabinets. It’s easier when it’s part of new or renovated cabinetry, since everything gets planned around it from the start, but retrofitting into an existing cabinet is still a real option.

Our Kitchen Cabinet TVs come in two screen sizes, 24″ and 32″, each built to standard cabinet specifications. The 24″ models come in two cabinet sizes, roughly 17.9″ by 23.6″ (455 by 600mm) or 15″ by 23.6″ (382 by 600mm), and the 32″ model comes in one size, roughly 29.8″ by 20.2″ (756 by 514mm). Between those options, there’s a fit for nearly any standard kitchen cabinet plan or design. 

If you’re working with custom cabinetry, or a cabinet size outside the standard range, a custom-built unit can be made to match your exact specs instead. How to Choose the Best Kitchen TV covers sizing in more detail.

Installing a Kitchen Cabinet TV also doesn’t cost any storage. Keeping the cabinet space behind the TV isn’t something you have to plan for separately, it’s simply how a Kitchen Cabinet Television works.

The Lift

A lift is what turns a cabinet TV into something that behaves like a door instead of a fixed screen. The lift we sell is fully manual: it mounts to the interior left and right walls of the cabinet and to the back of the TV. When installed, the whole TV unit opens upward, hinged at the top of the cabinet. It’s a standard lift built to work with virtually any size cabinet, so there’s no matching or custom-fitting involved. 

If you’d rather have something more automated, powered lifts, hydraulic lifts, and lifts that move up and down or side to side instead of flipping upward are also available, though those aren’t what we sell directly.

Our TVs are compatible with lifts from well-known brands such as Blum, Kessebohmer, Hafele and our own partner, DTC.

Whichever lift you use, it’s internal hardware that sits inside the cabinet itself that doesn’t require extra clearance above, below, or around the opening to operate. It disappears behind the TV.

Electrical Power

A Kitchen Cabinet TV plugs in like a normal television, no special wiring required. The cleanest setup is an electrical box installed inside the cabinet itself, which keeps every wire out of sight. Some installers run a power strip inside the cabinet back to a pre-existing outlet hidden behind an adjacent cabinet, which avoids new electrical work entirely while still keeping everything out of view.

What About Heat and Humidity?

Kitchens bring heat, steam, and the occasional splash, but our Kitchen Cabinet TVs don’t need any special installation steps to handle this. The television itself is certified IPX4 for steam and splash resistance and certified heat-resistant up to 175°F, so the humidity and heat that come with everyday cooking aren’t a concern. There is one thing to look out for, though: if you’re installing a TV directly above the stove, the TV’s steel handle can get warm to the touch in that specific spot. 

DIY, Handyman, or Your Cabinet Installer?

Assuming the electrical is already there, installing a Kitchen Cabinet TV comes down to mounting the lift into place and attaching it to the television. That’s the whole process. It’s easier with a handyman, but well within reach for a confident do-it-yourselfer, too. If you’re already working with a cabinet company or contractor on a renovation, this is the kind of built-in appliance they typically install alongside the rest of your cabinetry, the same way a built-in microwave or oven would be included in the job.

Not Just for Kitchens

Despite the name, a Kitchen Cabinet TV isn’t limited to kitchens. The same television and the same lift can go into cabinetry in a bedroom, living room, study, or anywhere else you’d rather install a TV without taking up extra space.

Before You Decide

A quick recap of what to work through:

1. When to install: building it in from the start is easier, but retrofitting is possible.
2. Lift: internal hardware, several styles to choose from, no extra clearance needed. Must be purchased separately.
3. Cabinet fit: standard sizes work as-is, custom sizing available, and your storage space always stays intact.
4. Power: plugs in like a normal TV; an internal electrical box keeps it wire-free.
5. Heat and humidity: no special installation requirements needed, even near a stove.
6. Installer: yourself, a handyman, or your cabinet company if you’re already renovating.

None of this requires tearing your kitchen apart or rewiring anything major. A cabinet TV is one of the easier, more rewarding additions you can plan into your next renovation, or work into the cabinets you already have. And if anything comes up during or after installation, we’re here to help. Give us a call or send a note if you want to talk through what fits your space.