It can be overwhelming when trying to decide exactly what you should keep stocked in your Airbnb kitchen! Our hope is that by reading this post, you will have a better understanding of the top Airbnb kitchen essentials to have in your home.
As an Airbnb host, it is SO important to make sure you have everything a guest might need during their stay. I know when we started our Airbnb journey, it could be quite overwhelming trying to make sure we had absolutely everything we needed! Sometimes the little purchases get over-looked when trying to focus on the larger items in the house. Don’t worry, we got your back! Stock your home with these Airbnb kitchen essentials and I promise you’ll be set!
This post is all about Airbnb kitchen essentials that your home absolutely needs!
**Disclaimer: This list begins AFTER the absolute basic items that your kitchen needs. This includes drinking glasses, plates, cups, bowls, silverware, dish towels and dish soap.
Basic Kitchen Essentials List
1. Basic Spices and Olive Oil
At the absolute minimum, you should keep the most basic spices stocked in your cabinets. This ensures that if guests want to cook dinner, they will have a few necessities on hand that they do not need to buy themselves. Let’s get real… no one wants to spend money on cooking supplies while on vacation.
The essentials we believe you need includes: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, sugar, and olive oil. Any additional items are a bonus!
2. Wine and Bottle Opener
If you’re anything like me, then one of the first things you want to do after an exhausting day of traveling (once you’re settled into your cozy vacation home of course) is sit down and relax with a drink in hand. It’s because of this that I consider a bottle opener one of the top Airbnb kitchen essentials you must have!
The last thing you want as an Airbnb host is for your guest to be immediately inconvenienced by not being able to open their drink. I know I know, it sounds dramatic.. but hey, we’re all about being honest here.
3. Can Opener
Honestly, there’s not much to say about this one. There’s only one way into canned food, so we suggest having the tool that will allow guests to do this. A manual can opener gets the job done so don’t spend any extra money on a fancy electric opener!
4. Potato Peeler
Having a potato peeler (or lack of one) in your kitchen is probably not something that will “make-or-break” your guest’s stay. However, it’s an inexpensive purchase that really does make preparing vegetables so much easier. It’s worth the extra few bucks to throw in your utensil drawer.
5. Basic Cooking Utensils
A kitchen is for cooking, right? (Or more importantly, eating. But you get the point.) It only makes sense to ensure your guests have any basic cooking utensils they might need when using the stove or oven. The essential tools include (but is not limited to): slotted spoon, solid spoon, pasta serving spoon, ladle, spatula and a whisk.
This *perfect* cooking utensil set is beautiful and great quality so it will last you for a long time! While it isn’t necessary to buy a full set like this one, I do suggest having a matching set if you plan on keeping them out on the counter. This utensil set also includes another kitchen essential item that we will talk about shortly. (Spoiler: it’s the measuring cups and spoons!)
6. Cutting Boards and Sharp Knives
If a guest is going to be cooking in your kitchen, you can almost guarantee they will need a knife. Knife sets are an inexpensive purchase that will make a big difference in your kitchen.
Unless you don’t mind your guests cutting on your nice countertops or plates, then I suggest buying a couple of cutting boards for your guests to use.
7. Colander
An essential kitchen item to have for any pasta-loving guests! This collapsible colander set is a great option if your kitchen is limited on space.
8. Oven Mitts and Pot Holders
Oven mitts and pot holders help to promote the safety for your guests. Make sure to keep these nearby to avoid any possible accidents that could arise from not having them.
9. Pots and Pans
A variety of sizes when it comes to pots and pans helps to give guests options during their cooking experience. I suggest to have at least 3 different pot sizes (extra-large, large, and small) as well as 2 sizes of pans (large and small.) If storage is limited in your kitchen, focus on these essential sizes first before adding any additional options.
This set from Amazon is a great basic set to have in your kitchen! In all honesty, if you are wanting to save some money, I suggest checking out second-hand stores as they always have a variety of pots and pans available!
10. Baking Sheets
Having flat baking sheets, as well as a casserole dish, gives guests the opportunity to cook multiple things at once.
11. Wine Glasses
Not every guest is going to want to drink during their stay. For those who do drink, wine glasses are an essential item to have in your cabinets. I do NOT suggest spending the extra money on “nicer” wine glasses as these are one of the number one items that are broken in Airbnb homes.
12. Food Storage Supplies (a.k.a. tupperware)
More often than not, guests will have left-overs after enjoying a meal together. Be sure to offer a few different tupperware options for them to use! The one I’ve linked for you is a great option that has a few varying sizes.
13. Measuring Cups and Spoons
This is another essential item to have on hand for those guests of yours that like to cook! A basic set of measuring cups and spoons is very inexpensive. I suggest to have a set that includes the individual 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup (as well as the accompanying teaspoons and tablespoons.) Remember item number 5 on this list? If you bought that set, then you’re already covered! It can also be beneficial to offer a larger size that holds at least a few cups at a time.
14. Coffee Maker and Tea Kettle
Your Airbnb kitchen should include a coffee maker as well as a tea kettle. This is truly the absolute bare minimum! We even like to include some coffee pods and a few tea bags. Caffeine is a large part of many people’s morning routines. It is how the majority of people start their day. Yes, I am speaking from experience here.
A super fun addition to your Airbnb kitchen is a coffee bar. This is something that I 100% believe can make a HUGE impact on your guests stay.
To see everything we included in our coffee bar in our Airbnb, check out our post Top 9 Must-Haves Items To Include In Your Airbnb Coffee Bar!
15. Trash AND Recycling Bins
This is something that we did not realize was so important when we starting hosting. It wasn’t until we checked-in on our first Airbnb host home that we realized no one was recycling. Well, duh. We only had a trash can in our kitchen. Adding a second “recycling only” bin helped to promote recycling for our guests.
This is obviously not necessary if you do not have a separate recycling “pick-up”. If your weekly trash pick-up includes recycling, then you need to make sure you are asking your guests to recycle. Unfortunately, it is not something that every guest will instinctively do without being asked.
***Pro tip: Buy two plastic trash bins. Write “trash” on one. On the other write “Recycling” along with what items can be recycled in your county. These regulations change depending on where you live. For example, we wrote “Recycling…Plastic, Metal, Glass” on the top of our lid. We also added a little blurb stating “please rinse first, thanks!”
Airbnb Kitchen Essential Bonus Items!
Below are a list of items that are great additions to have in your Airbnb kitchen, but are not necessary!
- Crockpot
- Air Fryer
- Hand Mixer
- Blender
- Cooler and Ice Packs (for your guests to use if they want to take food to-go!)
- Cocktail Shaker
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