Pros and Cons of a U Shaped Kitchen

U shaped kitchen: Synonymous to its name, this kitchen is also called horseshoe shaped kitchen. This kitchen layout runs along three walls with counter-tops, cabinets and appliances on either side. In other words, it consists of a work space on three adjoining walls, two parallel walls perpendicular to a third. There are no traffic lanes flowing through the work area.

Top view of a U shaped Kitchen

Pros:

• The U-shaped kitchen layout is a useful and versatile layout for a small, medium or large kitchen space.
• Offers a spacious work area, adequate storage and can be customised to suit most existing home designs.
• The recommended work triangle is easy to incorporate, and might minimise the distances you have to travel between sink, stove and fridge.
• This design works the best for larger homes with wide kitchens and large families. 
• Intimate and yet spacious. This kitchen design creates a naturally enclosed space for food prep, yet leaves plenty of room for many people to cook and interact with guests and family while preparing and cooking. 
• Flexible floor plan. U-shaped kitchens may feature an open floor plan, can work in both long, narrow galley-style spaces, as well as large square spaces with a central island workstation for additional work space and cabinetry.
• U-shaped kitchens are ideal for large families or multiple cooks who work simultaneously in the space. 
• Where space permits, a central dining table set within the U provides a casual dining or work space.
• U-shaped kitchens can be placed adjacent to the living area, fostering a connection but allowing a degree of privacy from the open-plan living or dining zone.
• Flexible according to the size of room, very efficient with good working triangle. 
• Work stations can be spaced throughout to provide convenience and efficiency.  
• It provides an abundance of counter-top storage space, a dead-end design does not interrupt work spaces, and the layout is ideal for people who use their kitchens frequently.  
• Basically a wide galley kitchen with one end closed off (U-shape), keeps onlookers out of the main work area while remaining open to other rooms of the home and allowing traffic to pass.
• Efficient for a medium or large kitchen space. This three-sided layout gives your family plenty of access to work in a separate area.
• Can easily divide the kitchen and organise into multiple work sites.
• It permits free flowing traffic without disrupting the work zones. It allows your guests and family to walk through without getting into your way as well as easy interaction.
• With an open design it uses three walls with counter space and can easily create a dining area if open to the rest of the home.
• This layout works best for kitchens that are more than 10 to 18-feet wide.
• The open wall at the front of the galley shaped floor plan keeps you from having to use an island to create more work space to use. With cabinets on three separate walls, you should have plenty of space available to work freely.
• But, if you really have wide space and choose to have an island then the industry guidelines recommend at least 3½ feet between the island and surrounding cabinets and appliances so that doors can open properly and people can maneuver safely.
• Wide "U" can support a kitchen island.

U shaped kitchen by Nolte for a small space

Cons:

• Not efficient for kitchens under 10-feet wide. As this will favour a one-cook scenario and not being ideal for entertaining or accommodating multiple cooks. This will be an example of a cramped, poorly-designed U-shaped kitchen.
• Problems arise when it’s of a small size. For one, it doesn't offer room for a kitchen table and chairs. Secondly, depending on where the sink is situated, it may be impossible to fit the dishwasher right next to it.
• If you do not have large amounts of floor space available, it can quickly become cramped. (Even worse if you’re thinking of adding an island.)
• It can space out your work triangle, depending only on the amount of space between the counter-tops.
• If your kitchen is very large, you’ll have to use an island to keep work areas conveniently close without which it can make the layout non efficient.
• Kitchens under 10-feet wide are non-efficient. You need enough space for work aisles. At least 42 inches in front of each counter. 
• This layout can be used effectively only in medium-sized or large kitchens. A small space will feel cramped.
• Requires a heavier investment in counter-tops and appliances as you have more room to fill up.
• Bottom corner cabinets are difficult to access. You’ll have plenty of dark cabinet spaces where it can be easy to lose pots and pans.
• Some people find U-shaped kitchens to be confining, and cut off from the rest of the house. 
• U-shaped kitchens are a cook's dream - but you have to watch the space between work zones. If they are too wide it can be frustrating. The area within the U can be any size, but if too wide it becomes inconvenient putting too much distance between work zones.
• A U-shaped kitchen’s large mass of cabinets can feel bulky if the detailing isn’t closely considered. This kitchen layout is also better suited to a period rather than modern home.
• Reduced floor space means cabinets can become hard to access if too small. 
• If you do not have large amounts of open floor space or kitchen plan, adding a kitchen island will cause clutter. Even if you try to use a small kitchen island, you’ll run into problems where you only have enough space for one person to move around in between the island and your counter-tops.  
• Not efficient for large kitchens without an island.

Click here for Pros and Cons of a G-shaped kitchen.