Otherwise, you may be restricted to only meeting the other people staying in your room. Hostels with kitchens can save you a substantial amount of money on food expenses as preparing your own food is always cheaper. And while I consistently picnicked from the supermarket even when there was no kitchen available, it was nice to have a hot meal every so often. Kitchens are common in hostels in Northern Europe, but not in hostels in Southern Europe. Ask other travelers where they have stayed and what they liked or didn't like.
Word of mouth is the best source of information to find great hostels.
The best and newest ones are often not listed in any guidebook.