A kitchen is the home of the dedicated circuit. There are so many high-wattage devices here that too many on one circuit could cause it to trip; therefore, the code says these devices should be split up. Specifically, a kitchen should have individual dedicated circuits for the following loads:
- All built-in appliances including the dishwasher, range, microwave oven, trash compactor, and disposer
- Small, countertop appliances (food processors, toasters, and so on)
- Lighting fixtures (cannot be part of the preceding circuits)
A minimum of two 20-amp small-appliance circuits must be installed to bring a kitchen up to code. These same circuits can supply power to receptacles in adjoining rooms including the breakfast nook and the dining room, but that’s as far as they can go. You can’t run your bedroom clock radio off a kitchen circuit. Beyond the minimum, which is all the code addresses, you or your electrician must consider how your kitchen will be used. An espresso machine, for example, needs its own dedicated circuit if it runs at 1,200 or 1,500 watts to avoid tripping the breaker every time the espresso machine is running and you decide to use the toaster. You would still be legal with your two small appliance circuits; you just wouldn’t be practical given your intended use of the kitchen. If you have a lot of small appliances and use them regularly, consider adding a third or even a fourth dedicated circuit.
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