Kippers have been crowned the nation's most despised cooking odour, beating burnt toast and cabbage to claim the top spot, according to new research from built-in kitchen specialist NEFF. The survey of 2,000 Britons found that food smells are a surprisingly divisive issue, with two-thirds (65%) admitting they have had a full-blown row over cooking odours.
Public transport and shared spaces amplify the problem
Nearly half (48%) of respondents say they have been driven out of a room by someone else's cooking, while 42% name public transport as one of the worst places to encounter unwelcome food smells. The findings highlight a growing tension in open-plan homes and shared offices.
Most beloved aromas: fresh bread, cake, and roast dinner
On the positive side, the sweet smell of freshly baked bread topped the list of Britain's most beloved kitchen aromas, followed by cake and a classic roast dinner. A bacon sandwich also ranked highly – in Swansea it reigns supreme, while Belfast's hearts belong firmly to the Sunday roast.
Garlic and fried onions proved uniquely divisive, appearing on both the best and worst lists. Sue Flowers, cooking specialist at NEFF, said: "Food smells are deeply personal. One person's comforting dinner can be someone else's worst nightmare, especially in shared spaces like open-plan offices or kitchens."
Kippers universally unpopular
Kippers dominated the most-despised lists in both Edinburgh and Cardiff, making it the one smell the whole nation can seemingly agree on. The pungent smoked fish, long a staple of the traditional British breakfast, has divided households across the country.
How Brits deal with unwanted cooking odours
Most Britons rely on throwing open the windows (76%), with others turning to extractor fans (57%) or reaching for a scented candle (32%). Flowers added: "As more people cook in shared spaces or live in open-plan homes, it's no surprise that food smells can spark such strong reactions. That's why managing cooking odours is becoming an increasingly important part of modern kitchen design."
Trending aromas: hot honey and kimchi on the rise
The research also highlights a shifting palate. Hot honey and kimchi are gaining ground as increasingly popular scents, with kimchi particularly beloved among 25-34-year-olds – a nod to the growing influence of Korean food culture in Britain. On the other end of the scale, liquorice, aniseed and wasabi were among the least welcome of the emerging trends.
Top 10 best and worst kitchen smells
Best kitchen smells: 1 Fresh bread, 2 Cake, 3 Roast dinner, 4 Bacon sandwich, 5 Coffee, 6 Fried breakfast, 7 Fried onions, 8 Garlic, 9 Chips, 10 Herbs.
Worst kitchen smells: 1 Kippers, 2 Burnt toast, 3 Cabbage, 4 Brussels sprouts, 5 Garlic, 6 Eggs, 7 Vinegar, 8 Cauliflower, 9 Fried onions, 10 Cheese.
To mark the findings, NEFF has launched 'Eau de Kitchen', a limited-edition collection of scents inspired by the UK's most loved and most hated cooking smells – including kippers and roast dinner. The range is designed to show how effectively unwanted odours can be removed using the NEFF Venting Hob, which automatically activates when it detects steam or odours.
