The Vacation RentalistAppliances are so useful for so many things, but they take up so much space. It’s important to carefully consider what appliances to have in your kitchen and to prioritize space and the needs of your guests.
Big Appliances
These appliances tend to come standard in most kitchens. If you are building a rental kitchen from scratch it’s important to double check that you have all of these big appliances your guests will expect. We prefer Samsung appliances, but it’s important to shop around and find the best look for your space and price range.
- Oven – Ovens are versatile and essential appliances. Get one with few buttons and a simple instruction manual.
- Stove – When purchasing a stove, consider the benefits of gas vs electric and what works best for your area.
- Refrigerator – Try to get one with an energy star rating and a freezer. In door water and ice are nifty features to add if your budget allows. If you are in a space-challenged kitchen try out these refrigerators which are thinner than average and nice for small units.
- Microwave – If your guests don’t like to cook they will be using a microwave constantly. This microwave should be idiot-proof and easy to clean. Don’t forget the food cover – this keeps the mess factor way down
- Dishwasher – A dishwasher is not strictly necessary but is a nice luxury for guests. Should you choose to purchase one it should be idiot-proof and have hard food disposal in case a guest decides to put half a cake on a plate in the dishwasher for some reason. Here is one we have purchased for several of our units
- We like this one because it’s compact and blends well into our cabinetry
Small Appliances
These appliances are less likely to come standard in any space you buy, but they are still vitally important. All rental kitchens should have a coffee maker and toaster at the very least.
Coffee Maker
The coffee maker is non negotiable and something every rental property should have along with a back up or two.
We purchased this coffee maker for all of our rental units for several reasons.
- Automatic timed shut off – few things are sadder than your renters forgetting to turn off the coffee maker and burning the house down.
- Accommodates reusable or disposable filters – so your guests can choose which they are more comfortable with.
- Easy to use – you don’t want your guests spending the first 90 min of their morning in your rental trying to make the coffee maker dispense their much needed caffeine.
Toaster
We love this toaster and bought it for all of our units. Here is what you should consider when buying a toaster for your rental.
- Simplicity – minimal buttons, simple mechanism
- Cool-touch – guests, especially children, should not be burning themselves on your appliances.
- Never buy a cheap toaster – it will break or spark or hurt your guests within a month. Splurge on the nice safe toaster, we promise it’s worth it.
- Toast tongs are always a nice touch, and prevent things like electrocution and burnt fingers.
Other Small Appliances
Appliances beyond the ones mentioned above aren’t nearly as necessary. However, as mentioned in previous articles, our family loves to cook, and we like our extra tools. Here are some additional appliances that we have stocked our kitchens with in order to accommodate our cooking joy.
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