What height is your kitchen counter and how tall are you?

[OakLeaf]

I think waist height or maybe 1" lower should be about right.

That's a good way to look at it. Ergonomically, you want to keep your shoulders relaxed, and that means having the countertop enough below elbow height that you can chop and slice without moving your upper arms. My elbows fall right at my natural waist, but I've been told I have really short humeri and that most people's elbows fall at their hipbones?

[lph]

Yup. I find my shoulders hiking up whenever I need to chop something large like a cabbage or need to put some oomph behind the chopping, which is practically every dinner I cook (lots of veggies). Looks like I'm going to get a separate counter top under the window for my litte T.Rex arms...