What would you consider Kitchen essentials in your listing?

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Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

What would you consider Kitchen essentials in your listing?

I have searched the boards and could not find a thread about this. I would love for everyone to post what they would consider kitchen essentials items. Please post just the item without a comment so we can all compile a list. Please include wish list items. For example, a slow cooker is not a must but so many guests have asked me about it that I got it. I will start with a few obvious items

 

Can opener

Bottle opener

Oven mitt

Kitchen towel

1 Best Answer

As a villa manager who looks after several holiday rental homes, this is the list we give to all property owners as minimum kitchen essentials.  Hope you find this helpful.

 

Fridge with freezer

Microwave

Oven

Hob

Mineral water dispenser (may not be necessary where tap water is drinkable)

Toaster

Blender

Kettle

Coffee maker (either a Bodum type plunger or drip machine)

Tea pot

Water jug(s)

Water bottles

Plates, bowls, coffee/tea cups - minimum supply is one per maximum occupancy plus 50% (so 4 person occupancy = minimum 6 of each)

Water/beer/juice glasses (double maximum occupancy of property)

Wine glasses (double maximum occupancy of property)

Cutlery (double maximum opccupancy of property)

Chef's knife plus smaller  paring knife

Can/bottle opener

Chopping board

Serving bowls x 2

Mixing bowl

2 saucepans

1 large frying pan or wok

1 small/medium frying pan

Chef's spoon and spatula set

Scissors

Oven gloves

Either baking pan or casserole dish

Set of plastic storage boxes (Tupperware or whatever)

Salt grinder

Pepper grinder

Milk jug

Sugar bowl

 

Other extras that are popular with guests:

Rice cooker

Kitchen scales

Children's (plastic) dining ware

Champagne glasses

 

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27 Replies 27

@Lizzie, I consider dish detergent, ceramic stove top cleaner or a product like Gumption essential for a guest to maintain a clean space. There is also hand wash at the kitchen sink. 

Absolutely yes. I left the cleaning items off my master list.

Yes and handwash and disinfectant, washing powder, shampoo, shower gel and conditioner. Don’t forget air spray for the toilet and extra toilet rolls. 

TezKen0
Level 2
Binghamton, NY

Two things that I haven't seen on this list:

ice cream scoop

pizza cutter.

Cormac0
Level 10
Kraków, Poland

@Inna22

 

Look at the nightly price your charging and the replacement cost of any white goods you provided, and then ask yourself is it really necessary. Toasters, coffee machines, juicers, electric carving knifes, these are most likely things to be broken or stolen for that matter and does your profit from one nightly stay cover the replacement cost, when I did this exercise it would take six night “profit” to replace one of these item if broken or stolen. So consequently I don’t provide them.

 

please don’t mention the host gaurentee...

@Cormac0

Thank you for your input. I wanted to keep this thread to a list only. We can debate the above separately.  I personally do charge a lot per night. I would like to be able to have a reference thread and also see if there are any items I just never thought if either because I personally do not use them or because simply did not think of them since I do not live in my Airbnb

Camille207
Level 2
Tulsa, OK

We have a diagram of the items within our kitchen on the side of the refrigerator so that guests do not have to guess where to look for the items they need. We have it laminated so it stays clean. We also have the operating manuals for all of the small appliances in a drawer if they are needed by guests. 

A couple of additional items I would consider essentials (agree with the list that's coming along): 

 

Pantry items

  1. Coffee ground to go in the maker you provide
  2. Sugar and sugar substitute
  3. shelf-stable creamer - either those ultra-pasturized liquid cups or powdered coffeemate
  4. Tea bags
  5. Salt & pepper 
  6. basic spices -  or a few blends so people can add spice to their meals (Italian blend, Taco blend, etc.) 
  7. butter or margarine
  8. peanut butter (this may be a US thing, but we ended up with 6 jars of peanut butter last summer)
  9. jelly 
  10. flour, sugar, and olive/vegetable oil
  11. mayo (again - had many of these left behind last summer)
  12. mustard

 

Other equipment depending on the size of the listing and how many guests can stay: 

  1. ice or ice cube trays (if your freezer doesn't make ice)
  2. Pitcher for making iced tea, lemonade, or kool-aid or other powdered mix - especially with kids - or margaritas for the adults 🙂 
  3. Coffee cups (I see people saying mugs - this may be the same but a mug to me is for beer and they are larger than coffee cups, but that's just me - the husband calls them coffee mugs, so what do I know?)
  4. Aprons
  5. Hand soap at the sink
  6. wine stoppers 
  7. coasters
  8. paper towels, tissues, napkins, placemats (so people know to keep things clean!)
  9. windex/glass cleaner
  10. Drying rack for things that don't go in the dishwasher
  11. Serving utensils for family-style dinner
  12. large bowls for family-style dinner - especially a salad bowl 
  13. broom and dust bin 
  14. Recycling bin 
  15. Whisk
  16.  I prefer a dish rag that can be washed to a sponge
  17. stopper for the sink so it can be filled with water 
  18.  trivet 
  19. toothpicks
  20. if you take children: bibs, plastic plates/glasses/cutlery, high chair
  21. wax paper or microwave lids for reheating (reduces your cleaning time if guests use them)
Fran2
Level 10
Launceston, Australia

Large saucepan to boil pasta in.

Emily487
Level 10
KCMO, MO

@Inna22

A roll of those blue shop towels that are super absorbent for BIG spills

 

This suggestion comes to you from a mom who just cleaned her own kitchen floor with old baby recieving blankets.....

Aside from the 'regular' pots, cutlery & dishes, which I just got whichever I could find secondhand:

Cast iron frying pan (Not quite non-stick, but close enough without using micro-plastics)

Lots of stainless steel stuff, doesn't break so it's great on the go & avoids waste:
Travel mug (insulated)
Bottle for tea etc (also insulated)
Coffee strainer (thinking about getting a cafetiere too, for making more than one cup)
Tea strainer (for loose leaves)
Measuring cups & spoons (cause I don't have a scale)
Lunch box
Grater (cheese, veggies, whatever really)
Sieves (plastic might melt with hot stuff)
Funnel (same as above)
Splash guard (makes it possible to fry things crispy without getting oil everywhere)
Sharp knives/with teeth

Tin boxes in various sizes (for zero-waste shopping, storing, cookies & lose leaf teas)

Tea towels (for cleaning and also storing/covering food, or squeezing out juice/plant milk; preferably organic cotton & Fairtrade)

Ginger grater (ceramic, love this for garlic as most garlic presses often don't mash the whole thing)

Blender (one of those hand-mixer ones... doesn't get things quite as smooth a the big ones, but cheaper & does the job for me)

Microwave (I'm a student.)

Dish brush (for cleaning, wood & plant fibres)

Chopping board (wood; alternatively glass/stone ones are also a thing?)

For cleaning purposes (all zero waste):
Unscented soap bar (for doing dishes. yes, that works, quite well)
Baking soda
Citric acid

Things I don't have, but want/would like to see in such a store:

Reusable travel cutlery/dishes (like the foldable spork ^^)

Citrus press (preferably stainless steel, or alternatively ceramic)

Reusable straws (stainless steel, I think)
 
Wok spatula
https://cookspot.org/best-wok-spatula/

Insulated lunch box (preferably stainless steel, and leak-proof for soups etc)

Some folks might also like fancy stuff like a dehydrater, kitchenaid, power blender, zucchini-spaghetti-machine... dunno ^^

Good luck for your endeavours!
Bronwyn100
Level 7
Hardys Bay, Australia

Air fryer 

Barbecue

Ross869
Level 4
Navarre, FL

I may not be seeing everything but in my opinion:

-at least enough plates/utensils for 8-10 people (or how ever many guests you will allow in the house) 

-spatula, ladles, wisk

-large medium and small pots/pans

-splatter guard

-coffee maker 

-cups/mugs

-assortment of multi purpose knives

-cutting board

-strainer 

-over mit

-fire extinguisher 

-place mats 

-can, wine, and bottle openers