Revolutionizing I-Type Kitchen Design: Panasonic Launches New L-Class Gate Design Kitchen

Panasonic Housing Solutions Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Shoji Yamada, headquarters: Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture, hereinafter referred to as 'the company') will launch the Panasonic KITCHEN L-Class Gate Design on June 22, 2026. This new kitchen offers a wide range of plans tailored to compact homes and single-person households, emphasizing both design and efficiency.

Target Plan

Panasonic KITCHEN L-Class Gate Design

Suggested Retail Price

(Excluding tax and installation fees)

From ¥1,331,000 (excluding tax), based on a 2,100 mm width plan including the following items:

- Human-scale Gate Panel - Flat Wide Cooktop Series - Hotto-ku Lean Hood 15

Order Acceptance Start Date

From June 22, 2026

Background

In recent years, kitchen layouts such as island and peninsula types have been gaining popularity due to their open feel and high design appeal. However, these layouts often require more installation space, leading some customers to forgo them. In contrast, wall-mounted I-type layouts offer excellent workflow efficiency and space-saving advantages, but have traditionally faced challenges in design appeal.

According to our survey (※1), when asked about kitchen preferences (multiple responses allowed), 51% said they need functional ease of cooking, while 37% expressed a desire for kitchens that blend well with interior design and elevate their mood through beautiful aesthetics—confirming the importance of both functionality and design in modern homes.

Additionally, since around 2020, rising construction and material costs have led to an increase in compact home designs, highlighting the growing importance of comfortable living within limited spaces. In Japan, due to trends such as delayed marriage, urban population concentration, and increasing numbers of elderly living alone, single-person households are on the rise. Projections suggest that by 2040, single-person households will account for approximately 40% of all households, indicating a long-term shift in housing demand toward single-person dwellings.

In response to these trends, the company is pioneering a new kitchen solution: the 'Panasonic KITCHEN L-Class Gate Design.' This innovative wall-mounted I-type kitchen features high design quality, with countertops and end panels made from the same material and uniformly 40 mm thick. This allows the kitchen to harmonize with diverse lifestyles and spaces, enabling users to enjoy a personalized, relaxing LDK (Living-Dining-Kitchen) environment.

The company’s business slogan is 'Creating the “forever” of living—Green Housing.' We aim to address evolving values and social challenges to build a sustainable and enriched society.

<Features>

1. Industry-exclusive (※2), full-pattern human-scale countertop design—beautiful from every angle (※3)

2. A new concept: efficient and comfortable living in compact spaces, made possible by a wall-mounted I-type kitchen

3. Industry-first (※4) 15-year fan maintenance-free (※5) Hotto-ku Lean Hood 15

[Features]

1. Industry-exclusive (※2), full-pattern human-scale countertop design—beautiful from every angle (※3)

The countertop and side panels of the kitchen are made from the same material and unified at a 40 mm thickness, creating a design that looks elegant from the front, side, and diagonal views. Previously, wall-mounted I-type kitchens featured a raised backguard of about 45 mm, but by eliminating the backguard, the boundary between the kitchen and wall has become clean and simple. Furthermore, the inclusion of the low-step 'Flat Wide Cooktop Series' reduces the height difference between the countertop and cooktop, and the grill-free design allows cabinets to be neatly integrated.

2. A new concept: efficient and comfortable living in compact spaces, made possible by a wall-mounted I-type kitchen

A survey (※6) of 300 women who regularly use their kitchens and participate in cooking revealed that the average number of round trips between the kitchen and dining area before, during, and after meals is eight, with about 30% making 10 or more trips. This highlights the significant movement between kitchen and dining areas during daily use.

However, this issue is not limited to specific demographics. Among single-person households with diverse lifestyles, high awareness of kitchen usability and workflow efficiency is consistently observed.

According to our survey (※1), when single-person respondents were asked how often they cook, 32% answered 'almost every day,' indicating a strong interest in cooking. Regarding priorities in kitchen workflow (multiple responses allowed), 'minimal movement (tasks completed in one place)' was selected by 38%, and 'easy to secure workspace' by 47%, showing a high demand for kitchens with short, efficient workflows. Additionally, when asked about I-type kitchen workflows, both users of 'wall-mounted I-type layouts' and 'face-to-face layouts' rated 'simple, waste-free, and easy to use' as the highest, at 40% and 34% respectively. These results indicate that regardless of household composition or lifestyle, there is a widespread common need to reduce movement burden and improve workflow efficiency in kitchens. As a result, interest in wall-mounted I-type layouts—which enable efficient, waste-free workflows—is expected to grow further.

The new Panasonic KITCHEN L-Class Gate Design features a simple wall-mounted I-type layout with a compact width of 2,100 mm. Despite its narrow footprint, it includes the industry-exclusive 'Flat Wide Cooktop,' which provides a 16 cm workspace in front of the cooktop and a flat profile with minimal height difference from the countertop, enabling efficient cooking. Even with a 150 mm narrower width than standard I-type kitchens, it offers approximately 1.2 times more usable cooking area. Additionally, the sink is made of 'Sugopika Material,' which is scratch-resistant and features water- and oil-repellent components, making post-cooking cleanup easy.

3. Industry-first (※4) 15-year fan maintenance-free (※5) Hotto-ku Lean Hood 15

The 'Hotto-ku Lean Hood,' first launched in 2015, has now been upgraded to the 'Hotto-ku Lean Hood 15.' The previous model used a high-speed fan rotation (oil tornado function) after operation to repel oil, making fan maintenance unnecessary for 10 years. The new model improves efficiency by reversing the fan's high-speed rotation after operation, allowing oil to be repelled more effectively and extending the maintenance-free period to 15 years (※5). Noise levels have also been reduced by approximately 6 dB compared to the previous model. Additionally, the oil-collection plate 'Raku Wash Plate,' designed to efficiently capture grease and reduce cleaning effort, has been redesigned and upgraded to the 'High-Capture Raku Wash Plate.' Furthermore, it effectively captures most grease fumes while controlling the airflow path, significantly reducing oil and dust buildup on the central fan area, which is prone to dirt.

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