PLAY:3 or Two PLAY:1's?

Buy 1 Play 1 and install it in your kitchen and see how you get on. If you feel like you want more then buy another 1 and create a stereo pair.

If you buy them from Sonos they have a very generous return, no questions asked, policy

There isn't any point in getting the second if it is to be placed that close to the first one. I have a pair on my desktop 3 feet away from each other, but there I am 2 feet away from each so I get probably the best sound quality/stereo imaging there compared to three other zones; but that is a special case, not ordinarily applicable to a kitchen as far as I can imagine.

Actually, you will be surprised at the bass capability of the Play:1. It's not up to the level of the Play:5, but it can make the Play:3 pretty redundant. And a pair? I wouldn't hesitate to by a pair of Play:1 over a pair of Play:3, never mind a single Play:3. I have a pair of play 1's and my brother in law had a play 5. The play 5's range was a little better, but the pair of plays 1's sounded better over all. When he picked up the second play 5 then it was clear the both play 5 was much better. Do not under estimate the quality of a couple of play 1's

I'd say 2 play 1's. Absolutely for the stereo separation.
My first sonos experience was my brother-in-law's Play:5. Sounded great, but it annoyed me coming from 1 area of the room. No separation, despite Sonos claims.
I've always had a thing about separation ever since my old turntable in my bedroom. We have 2 ears. Producers and artists mix in stereo, USE your ears! (unless it's just the one Play:1 in the bedroom (ahem) But in a room I spend a long time in, I want separation. So I agree with the others here. You want at least 10ft between them if you can.
I've got 2 Play:3s.
They rock the kitchen. From D&B, hip-hop, through to folk, ambient, rock and classical.
I probably should have trialed them alongside the 1s(I could have saved myself some money perhaps). I hear good things. Just about every restaurant has them, and they sound WAY better than their size. But by the time I'd messed about, set them up, read the reviews, I was sold.
Bass, mids and detail are great. Hard to do in a kitchen with lots of hard surfaces. They're mounted fairly high on the walls (10ft up) facing down. I'm a happy bass lover.
Initially I was disappointed. But in time, I think they stand up alongside my NAD amp and Mission speakers, which is annoying!

The tricky thing is, music is like food. Very personal, and very subjective. Only YOUR ears (or tongue) can tell you what YOU like at the end of the day.

You want at least 10ft between them if you can.

I think they stand up alongside my NAD amp and Mission speakers, which is annoying!

Very personal, and very subjective. Only YOUR ears (or tongue) can tell you what YOU like at the end of the day.
Three good points; amplifying the first two - the distance between speakers needs to be about as much as your distance from them, to get stereo imaging that sounds better than a single speaker, even if stereo, from a distance. 10 feet only works if listening distance is about 10 feet. For single box stereo speakers, because getting the distance guideline working needs it to be very close to you, at distances that are not workable for over 90% of the time, stereo imaging is never really achieved.

To the second point above, I find it very liberating, not annoying at all!

I'd say 2 play 1's. Absolutely for the stereo separation.
My first sonos experience was my brother-in-law's Play:5. Sounded great, but it annoyed me coming from 1 area of the room. No separation, despite Sonos claims.
I've always had a thing about separation ever since my old turntable in my bedroom. We have 2 ears. Producers and artists mix in stereo, USE your ears! (unless it's just the one Play:1 in the bedroom (ahem) But in a room I spend a long time in, I want separation. So I agree with the others here. You want at least 10ft between them if you can.
I've got 2 Play:3s.
They rock the kitchen. From D&B, hip-hop, through to folk, ambient, rock and classical.
I probably should have trialed them alongside the 1s(I could have saved myself some money perhaps). I hear good things. Just about every restaurant has them, and they sound WAY better than their size. But by the time I'd messed about, set them up, read the reviews, I was sold.
Bass, mids and detail are great. Hard to do in a kitchen with lots of hard surfaces. They're mounted fairly high on the walls (10ft up) facing down. I'm a happy bass lover.
Initially I was disappointed. But in time, I think they stand up alongside my NAD amp and Mission speakers, which is annoying!

The tricky thing is, music is like food. Very personal, and very subjective. Only YOUR ears (or tongue) can tell you what YOU like at the end of the day. What I feel the Play 3's have slightly more base and I mean slightly but I feel the Play 1's have a better quality sound. A more expensive sound.

I just purchased a new Play 1 today and it turned the Single Play 1 from black and white to vibrant color.

I think the single unit comparisons are more a matter of personal preference, but few would say that even a single 5, leave alone a 3, sounds better than a 1 pair.

2 Play:1s and it's not even close.so agree. Play 3 do not have the sound quality of play 1's

no two Play:1s will always beat a single play:3

My order
Single Play:1
Single Play:3
Double Play:1
Single Play:5
Double Play:3
Double Play:5
Double Play:1 with Sub
Double Play:3 with Sub
Double Play:5 with Sub