There’s nothing worse than trying to slice a tomato with a dull knife or realizing you have no way to rinse your rice mid-recipe when making dinner in your vacation rental. This list for kitchen essentials will save your meals and will help make your vacation or long stay memorable.
There’s nothing like a long stay in a vacation rental to combine adventure and comfort. As a retired couple turned snowbird (Mark and I happily flock to the snow instead of the sand), we’ve made skiing trips to Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming our winter tradition.
After four years of renting Airbnbs for up to six weeks at a time and skiing over 20 days each season (Mark and Michael always outdo me!), we’ve become pros at setting up a rental kitchen that feels like home. Avoiding, buying equipment, tools and ingredients you already own!
We’ve learned the hard way that a dull chef’s knife or missing pantry staples can really put a damper on dinner after a long day on the slopes.
So, I’ve created the ultimate minimal kitchen essentials checklist to help you pack smart, cook with ease, and avoid unnecessary expenses or trips to the store. Whether you’re driving to your destination or shipping items ahead, this guide will make your rental kitchen just as inviting as your favorite home-away-from-home, whether it’s a snowy mountain retreat, a sunny beachside haven, or a charming villa in a foreign land.
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Tip: Craft Your Own Airbnb Kitchen Essentials List
Before you start packing, send your vacation rental host a quick message asking about the kitchen tools and essentials they have on hand. Use the list for kitchen essentials below as a guide to craft your personalized checklist. This way, you can avoid duplicating items and ensure your favorite tools and ingredients are available for all your culinary plans.
Before packing, reach out to your host and confirm the following:
- Pots and pans - find out how many skillets and what sizes are available . Ask how many are non-stick (and the condition). Are there baking sheets, an assortment of sauce pan sizes, and a large pot for soup or boiling pasta?
- Appliances: Is there a blender, slow cooker, or toaster?
- Dishware and utensils: Ensure there’s enough for your group.
- Cleaning supplies: Dish soap, sponges, and garbage bags.
- Food Storage containers: Ziplocks, pyrex or other containers available for your storing leftovers.
- Serving platters, bowls (for pasta and salads) and water pitchers. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to serve off of a baking sheet. For me, a serving platter elevates the dining experience.
Kitchen essentials cookware
Every home cook knows that good cookware makes all the difference. Here are the Essential Tools that I recommend bringing, shipping, buying online and delivering to your vacation rental kitchen, or confirming with your host if they already have it:
Thermometers and Knives
- Thermometers take the guesswork out of knowing when foods are done. Bring your favorite (or invest) in an instant-read thermometer like this Thermoworks Thermapen for making Sesame Noodles with Lemon Chicken, Spatchcock Chicken, Sweet and Spicy Glazed Baked Salmon and so many other dishes.
- I use a chef's knife for just about everything, from breaking down tough squash to butterflying a roast. A sharp, comfortable chef's knife is the most important tool in your kitchen. If you find you need to purchase one once you arrive order this Victorinox Swiss Army Fiborox Pro 8” Chef’s Knife.
- Want perfect slices? This is one job we will need to leave the chef's knife in the drawer. Instead, pack your slicing knife for beautiful slices that do not shred your meat. My favorite is this Victorinox Fibrox Pro 12-Inch Slicing Knife with Granton Edge and Black Handle.
Pots and Pans
- Rimmed Baking Sheet Pan: You don't realize how hard it is to roast a pan of vegetables or a whole chicken until you realize the only tool you have for doing so is an eight-inch nonstick frying pan. A simple sheet pan is great for roasting, but it's also perfect for transporting ingredients to the grill, or setting up your mise en place. When cooking two portions of food or you want to avoid hauling out a large baking sheet for small tasks such as toasting ramen noodles for a ramen noodle salad, I love using my Nordic Ware Naturals Quarter Sheet Pan. Be sure to bring a wire rack that fits inside your rimmed baking sheet.
- Bring your Dutch oven. I love my Lodge 3 quart Dutch oven - It simmers, bakes, and braises beautifully. And It is incredibly durable and is only ⅓ of the price of my ultimate favorite Le Creuset 3 Qt Dutch oven!
- Lodge 10” Cast Iron skillet is my go to pan when it comes to creating deeply flavored crusts like frittata, Rhubarb Cherry Crisp, Tex-Mex enchiladas and so many more dishes. Plus, I use this instead of the often roughly used non-stick pans found in your vacation rental.
Hand Blender and Crockpot
- Immersion Blender – I always pack mine! Immersion blenders are great for blending soups like roasted carrot, melon gazapacho on the stovetop and can also blend frozen fruit for smoothies and even emulsify dressings like the mint pesto in this Burrata Appetizer.
- If you can, bring your crock pot: There’s nothing better than being able to pour all the ingredients for chili or carnitas into the crock pot, turn it on, and head out for a day’s adventure. Plus, your kitchen will smell amazing when you’re ready to sit down for dinner.
Pro Tip: Check with your host to see what’s already in the vacation rental kitchen. Many rentals have mismatched or minimal options, so you might want to bring a few lightweight staples from home.
Minimal Kitchen Essentials Buying Guide
If you arrive and need to purchase cooking essentials check out my posts on 7 Cooking For Two Kitchen Tool Essentials, Best Pans and Skillets when cooking for two, More Cooking For Two Kitchen Essentials, and Best small baking dishes.
- 7 Essential cooking for two kitchen tools
- More Cooking For Two Kitchen Essentials
- Best small baking dishes
- Best pans and skillets when cooking for two
Minimal Kitchen Essentials
You don’t need to pack your entire kitchen drawer, but these tools are non-negotiables for me, reach out to your host to make sure they are available or pack your own:
- Sharp paring knife: Because sawing through a tomato with a dull blade is no fun.
- Cutting board: This is lightweight and easy to pack, plus it’s cleaner than using whatever’s provided.
- Heat proof Silicone spatula: A true multitasker. I never know if the one provided is heat proof, to be safe I bring my own.
- Citrus press: Perfect for squeezing fresh lemon or lime juice without the mess.
- Measuring spoons , dry ingredient measuring cups and glass measuring cups: Essential for baking or precise cooking.
- Vegetable peeler: Lightweight and a game-changer for prep work.
- Microplane: Perfect for zesting limes and lemons, or grating garlic and cheese with ease.
- Balloon Whisk: The best metal whisks really can do it all, whipping, beating, mixing, and blending wet and dry ingredients to perfection. The OXO Good Grips 11" Balloon Whisk performs every task well. But, just check with your host.
- Wine opener: Because après-ski wine doesn’t pour itself.
- Pie plates and cake pans. I have so many of these at home, so the last thing I want to do is buy one when I want to make a cherry pie , individual pot pies , a small 6-inch carrot cake, or a no-bake icebox cake. Here are my favorite 6-inch cake pans and small pie plates.
Bonus Items:
- A collapsible colander for draining pasta or washing produce.
- Fine-mesh strainers are great for rinsing rice, washing small quantities of herbs or vegetables, sifting flour or powdered sugar, and straining sauces and my favorite gazpacho with cantalope and sweet corn. This Rosle fine mesh strainer is super handy.
- A basting brush - Silicone brushes can baste, glaze, and then clean up in the dishwasher.
- Loaf pan to make banana bread, blueberry lemon cake or meatloaf.
Kitchen Pantry Essentials
Nothing’s worse than realizing you’re missing your go-to seasoning halfway through a recipe. Here’s my spice kit and pantry must-haves:
- Salt and pepper: Bring your favorite sea salt and a small pepper grinder.
- Olive oil and vinegar: You’ll want your good quality olive oil, as finding the best olive oil and vinegars can be tricky when you’re unfamiliar with local shops.
- Dried herbs and spices: Think garlic powder, paprika, curry, cumin, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning. Grab those spices out of spice drawer that you use frequently or want to have on hand but will never use up a whole bottle during your stay. This avoids having to store 2 bottles of the same spice when you get back home.
- Sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder and cornstarch: A small stash for impromptu baking or sauces. It seems I never use up a whole box of baking soda or baking powder, which is why I like to bring what I have from home.
Pro Tip: Use small plastic containers or resealable bags to pack these essentials. Bonus: They’re spill-proof and save space.
What to Ask Your Airbnb Host to Provide
Before packing, reach out to your host and ask for an vacation rental kitchen inventory to confirm the following:
- Inventory of Pots and Pans: What pots, pans, baking sheets, cake pans, wire baking racks are available? Are there an assortment of sizes? Condition of the non-stick pans for safe use.
- Appliances: Is there a blender, slow cooker, or toaster?
- Dishware and utensils: Ensure there’s enough for your group.
- Food Storage: Resealable plastic bags, pyrex food storage dishes with lids.
- Parchment Paper and Aluminum Foil
- Cleaning supplies: Dish soap, sponges, and garbage bags.
Pro Tip: Some hosts go above and beyond with fully stocked kitchens. If that’s the case, save yourself the hassle and pack light.
Making your vacation rental kitchen functional and fun doesn’t have to be daunting. With this checklist in hand, you’ll be ready to whip up anything from a cozy breakfast to a post-hike feast. Here’s to many more adventures and delicious meals with family and friends—cheers!
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