When looking for a new place to rent, you’ll probably see listings that include a kitchenette or a full kitchen. So, what’s the difference and how do you decide what you need? Here, we’ll explain the benefits of each type of kitchen so you can decide what is right for you.
In many homes, the kitchen is the central gathering space for cooking, eating and socializing. Do you like to cook or entertain? If you work long hours, travel a lot or eat most of your meals away from home, cooking may be a low priority for you. Do you live in an expensive area where you could save money by renting a smaller space? These are all considerations when deciding what type of kitchen will work best for you.
What is a full-sized kitchen?
A full kitchen is defined as a room with a sink and full-sized cooking appliances, including a stove, oven and refrigerator, and sometimes a dishwasher or built-in microwave. It usually includes a pantry, cabinets and shelves providing storage space for food, dishes, pots and pans, cooking utensils and small kitchen appliances, such as a toaster oven, coffee maker and blender.
Even when fully-appointed with modern appliances, the size of a full kitchen in an apartment varies. Large apartments may have kitchens with dining space and even built-in desks with room for a computer workspace. Smaller apartments may have minimal counter and storage space. Regardless of the size of your full kitchen, you can learn to whip up fabulous meals in any space.
Benefits of a full-sized kitchen
- A full kitchen has ample space and all of the built-in appliances that you need for every day cooking and dining
- You can prepare a wide range of meals and enjoy inviting guests to gather with you at your home
- With plenty of storage space, you can keep a well-stocked pantry and will not need to go to the grocery store as often as you would if you have limited space
What is a kitchenette?
A kitchenette is a partial kitchen. The size and appliances in a kitchenette vary from one apartment to the next. It may feature compact appliances, like a mini-fridge, a 1000-watt microwave or a single burner hot plate. A kitchenette may feature a full-sized refrigerator and a microwave in one place, and yet another might only offer a mini-fridge and a sink.
Kitchenettes are commonly found in studio or efficiency apartments in pricey cities like New York or San Francisco. The New York City building code defines a kitchenette as a kitchen of fewer than 8 feet of floor space. Renters can choose to live in a trendy neighborhood and save money by living in a smaller apartment with less built-in amenities.
Today, you can purchase lots of handy gadgets that make cooking possible in a small space. You can cook some simple meals without a full-kitchen if you have enough room for space-saving kitchen appliances like an instant pot or portable grill. But, before signing a lease on any apartment, be sure to arrange to see the space so you can decide if it will work for you.
Benefits of a kitchenette
- An apartment with a kitchenette usually rents for less than one with a full kitchen. You may save hundreds of dollars on rent and utilities.
- A kitchenette is easy to clean. You won’t be cooking much or spending a lot of time doing dishes. With small appliances and limited space, you’ll learn to prepare simple meals and enjoy living a simpler life.
- Living in a small space without a full kitchen may encourage you to be more socially involved and enjoy dining with friends, family, neighbors or colleagues
What do you need?
The main difference between a kitchenette and a kitchen is the size of the space. If you’re planning to do some quality cooking or entertaining, a full kitchen is right for you. If you’re on a budget and don’t plan on cooking often, go with a kitchenette.
Keep these tips in mind when searching for a new apartment. With so many rentals to choose from, you can easily find one that features the type of kitchen that meets your needs.
Rachel Cooper is a freelance writer and author with more than a decade of online journalism and content creation experience. She has written for About.com, Washingtonian, Federal City Council, Montgomery Parks, Destination Maryland, Conde Nast Traveler, Payscale, Valpak, Grandparents.com, Washington Parent and more. Her books include Quiet Water: Mid-Atlantic, AMC’s Canoe and Kayak Guide to the Best Ponds, Lakes and Easy Rivers; 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Washington, D.C. and Images of Rail: Union Station in Washington, D.C.
FAQs
It's what is in the space, and the types and sizes of those appliances. “While kitchens feature countertops, shelves, and full-size appliances like a stove and refrigerator, kitchenettes mostly include a few small essentials,” Melcher says. Think: a mini fridge and a cooktop.
What does a kitchenette need? ›
Usually, a kitchenette only has a sink, microwave, mini fridge, and small range or hot plate. Last, kitchenettes have less storage space. While standard kitchens have cabinets, shelves, and even a pantry for dry food storage, most kitchenettes rarely have more than a few cabinets.
What is the difference between kitchenette and kitchenware? ›
Kitchenettes have a smaller footprint, less cabinet and counter space, and fewer appliances, but they can still be quite the food-prep-powerhouse. While kitchens may include a full-size fridge, a dishwasher, oven and microwave, a kitchenette may only have a mini-fridge, sink and a toaster oven or microwave.
Does a kitchenette need an oven? ›
Differences between a kitchen and a kitchenette
Kitchenette appliances are usually limited to only a few essential devices such as a microwave, a toaster oven, a hot plate, and a small dorm-size fridge. Most kitchenettes do not have stovetops or regular ovens.
Does a kitchenette have to have a sink? ›
A kitchenette is a small cooking area, which usually has a refrigerator and a microwave, but may have other appliances - for example a sink. They are found in studio apartments, some motel and hotel rooms, college dormitories, office buildings, furnished basem*nts, or bedrooms in shared houses.
What are the disadvantages of kitchenette? ›
Clearly, the main drawback of using a kitchenette, is a lack of space to keep many utensils, items, and appliances inside your kitchen. Therefore, preparing a variety of meals may prove difficult. Also, with the limited cooking facilities, you may find it hard to cook for many people at once.
How many circuits does a kitchenette need? ›
In new builds, kitchens require a minimum of eight circuits. Kitchen lighting must be provided by a separate circuit of 15 or 20 amps. GFCI protection for appliances includes dryers, wall-mounted ovens, counter-mounted cooking units and microwave ovens.
Can a kitchenette have a dishwasher? ›
Some kitchenettes may include built-in appliances, like a Convection Wall Oven or Superheated Steam Oven, and some may even include a dishwasher.
What is a fully equipped kitchenette? ›
It usually includes a pantry, cabinets and shelves providing storage space for food, dishes, pots and pans, cooking utensils and small kitchen appliances, such as a toaster oven, coffee maker and blender. Even when fully-appointed with modern appliances, the size of a full kitchen in an apartment varies.
Can I cook in a kitchenette? ›
Can you cook in a kitchenette? You can certainly cook in a kitchenette. You may not have all the big, grand appliances and counter space that would come in a fully decked-out kitchen, but you have everything you need to create a hearty meal—albeit probably just for yourself.
A Kitchenette is a small tenement created by splitting a normal apartment into small units and renting out each. The landlords would create Kitchenettes because they could charge more money that way. They would split the apartments into smaller apartments, thus they could rent out more.
Is kitchenette a full kitchen? ›
What Separates A Kitchen from A Kitchenette? The main difference between a kitchen and a kitchenette is simple: the size of the area to which you are referring to. In short, a kitchenette is basically a smaller version of a kitchen. A kitchenette contains main appliances like a microwave and a small refrigerator.
Does a kitchenette have a toaster? ›
Due to space limitations, kitchenettes tend to contain the bare essentials for cooking, such as a small sink and some form of cooking appliances that can range from a simple microwave, kettle and toaster to a two-burner stove with built-in compact oven.
What is allowed in a kitchenette? ›
Kitchenettes usually have scaled-down versions of cooking areas, major appliances, sinks, and shelving. They're typically set up as bare-bones kitchens to hold the basics like a coffee maker, mini-fridge, hot plate, electric kettle, toaster, and microwave.
Does a kitchenette add value? ›
Greater ROI
It makes your home more resaleable and increases its value by up to 85 percent. When it comes to home renovation projects that give you the greatest return on investment, remodeling your basem*nt is equivalent to remodeling a kitchen.
Does a kitchenette need two small appliance circuits? ›
Small Appliance Circuits
Atop your counter-top you will need two dedicated 20-amp, 120/125-volt circuits to run your small appliance loads, including devices such toasters, electric griddles, coffee pots, blenders, etc. Two circuits are the minimum required by code; you can also install more if your needs require them.
What to put in a kitchenette? ›
Most often, a kitchenette has a microwave, hot plate, small refrigerator, and a toaster oven. However, a “fully equipped” kitchenette, should have a fridge/freezer, a sink, stovetop, silverware, dishes, basic cooking tools, and some storage. Also, it may have some small appliances like a coffee maker and toaster.
How do you stock a kitchenette? ›
COOKING ESSENTIALS for a well-stocked kitchen
- Sharp All Purpose Knives. At the minimum, you should have three knives for cooking. ...
- Cutting Boards. ...
- Baking Sheets + Pans. ...
- Measuring Cups + Spoons. ...
- Immersion Blender. ...
- Vegetable Peeler. ...
- Coarse Grater + Microplane. ...
- Nesting Prep Bowls + Pinch Bowls.
The average cost of adding a kitchenette is $15,750 . However, prices can range between $7,500 to $30,000 depending on its size and features. The average cost to add a kitchenette is $15,750 , including installing electrical systems, plumbing, cabinetry, walls and floors, and appliances.
