ᐅ IKEA Hällestad countertop thickness and cooktop installation

Hello,

I was in the middle of planning a new countertop (Hällestad) when IKEA changed their product range.
The black Hällestad is no longer available, and the only countertop I still like is the new Gottskär. Unfortunately, it is very thin (under 2 cm (0.8 inches)), and for IKEA induction cooktops, it states that the countertop must have a minimum thickness of 3.8 cm (1.5 inches), while for ceramic cooktops it has to be at least 2.8 cm (1.1 inches).
Does anyone know if this requirement is only related to the distance to the base cabinets or oven, or is there another reason for it?

Thanks a lot,

Hello,
IKEA has come up with a special cost-saving measure again. To install the cooktop and sink, a FIXA strip needs to be placed at the back and a decorative strip at the front. On the cabinet sides, a FIXA support bracket must be installed on each side. For three base cabinets, that means four supports costing 30 €, one strip at the back for 10 €, and, for example, a decorative strip for the Ringhult model costing 40 €, totaling 80 €. Of course, the sides also need to be covered with end panels that must be cut to the correct height. For RINGHULT, these end panels cost another 68 €, unless you already planned to install end panels.
In the end, the cheap thin countertop might turn out to be more expensive than a 3.8cm (1.5 inches) thick custom-made Personlig countertop with a wider selection of decorative options.

Great, thank you for the quick response!
That also means that – as long as there is enough space below the oven or under the sink – you can skip the extra effort and just install it that way? There is no issue regarding stability then?

That seems logical at least. Under the sink, FIXA rods are still needed to secure the sink. You also need to make sure to use screws that are not too long for fastening. Since the metal strips rest on the cabinet frame, with such a thin countertop it might be better to place something of the same thickness between the side panel and the countertop. The cooktop needs proper ventilation. It should be checked whether issues like an aerodynamic short circuit could occur in this regard. For cooktops that use clamps attached to the countertop for mounting, these clamps will not be usable. The current cooktops from IKEA have clamps only on the cooktop itself; this is not necessarily the case with other manufacturers.

Oh man, everything could have been so nice, simple, and affordable with a Hällestad countertop. Bad timing!