What is more important a microwave or an oven?

[Luana130]

I am decorating 4 small apartments. They have a small kitchen and I intend to put both an electric oven and a microwave, but money is short because of the renovations and I can only afford one for now. Which one do you think is more important? The kitchens already have a cooktop.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Luana130 

before we start hosting I've done research for my town and found out that the average stay is just 1,75 nights. Do the same for Salvador. If it is shorter than a week then they don't need an oven and even if they do - you will clean it. Do you have time and you really want to do that? I don't 🙂

I like microwave, I use it at home to prepare instant coffee a few times a day and to defrost food from the freezer. But most of our guest don't use the freezer and can prepare any type of coffee on the cooktop or using electric coffee maker or electric water cooker, so the microwave is not necessary either. But if I have to choose between oven and microwave I would chose microwave for my guests. It is easier to clean and it's cheaper.

[Luana130]

Hi @Branka-and-Silvia0  I already have an apartment running, I started a few months ago, and I have both on that one and I intend to have on these as well. Most guests are from Brazil, and brazilians like to cook. People that stay for a couple of days don't really use the kitchen, but I usually have people staying for 2 weeks or a month, they tend to use the kitchen

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Luana130  well, in that case maybe oven. Microwave is not for cooking really, it's more to heat up stuff.

[Andrea-and-Francis0]

I would buy a microwave & a toaster oven & a hot plate. These are all smaller, cheaper & easier to clean than a full size oven 🙂

[Lisa723]

Microwave.

[Chris232]

A combination of Oven + Microwave. best of both worlds

[Emilia42]

Microwave and toaster oven

[Beth80]

@Luana130 

I decided on the microwave because I didn't want the hassle of keeping an oven clean. I also mainly host Brasilians. Average stays are one to four weeks. I've had a few mention that a full oven would be nice but very few. But I also have an electric kettle and grill. 

I would start with the microwave and see if people ask about an oven.

[Sarah977]

@Luana130  Personally I'd use an oven and not use a microwave at all, never had one in my life. If you have a lot of guests from your own country, and most like to cook, I'd go with the oven, but you know your target market better than we do. I can't agree with those who suggested a toaster oven- if someone likes to prepare nice dinners, they aren't going to roast a chicken in a toaster oven. Toaster ovens are for making things like grilled cheese sandwiches, which you can just as easily do in a pan on the stovetop.

I've never seen a toaster oven in a Mexican home, do people use those in Brazil, Luana?