People often ask me questions like how do you stock an Airbnb kitchen or does Airbnb have cookware? Therefore, I’ve created this guide answering these questions once and for all. You’ll also be able to download a printable Airbnb kitchen checklist!

There is an art to stocking an Airbnb kitchen, at the very least you must provide the essentials. The good news is this process is easy and surprisingly cheap if you’re thrifty.

Airbnb Kitchen Checklist – Printable

To help you along your way, I have created an Airbnb kitchen checklist in PDF format, that is printable. With 75+ items on the checklist, it’s perfect for hosts who need a hand starting out.

Scroll down below for details on how to download your Airbnb kitchen checklist today.

Airbnb Kitchen Essentials

First things first, what are the essentials for an Airbnb kitchen? In other words, what are the the items that you must provide your guests?

To start with, you must provide cooking basics. This includes things such as dishes, cutlery, pots and pans, oil, salt and pepper. You should provide these items at the very minimum!

In addition, Airbnb expects you to provide some essential appliances in your kitchen. For example, a refrigerator and microwave. In addition you should have an oven and stove.

On top of that, while not essential, Airbnb recommend a coffee maker and dishwasher too. I’ll go through in more detail below on the essential items you’ll need to provide for guests.

Essentials to provide guests:

• Dishes and cutlery
• Pots and pans
• Oil, salt and pepper
• Oven
• Stove
• Refrigerator
• Microwave
• Coffee Machine
• Dishwasher

I recommend checking out my detailed article on Airbnb amenities explained for more ideas.

#1 Best cookware for Airbnb

Let’s start by looking at the best cookware for Airbnb. I’ll cover the basics here, the stuff every kitchen must have.

First, you’ll want non-stick pots and pans. I recommend non-stick because they are much easier to clean and they have a good lifespan. Another bonus is that they are cheap to replace.

There is no need to go over the top as you can pick up cheap, good quality sets online nowadays. I always suggests Airbnb hosts head over to Amazon to stock their kitchens.

My Cookware Picks

Budget: 8 piece Kitchen Cookware Set ($33.99)

If you are on a budget, you can’t go past this Amazon Basics 8-piece set. This is the perfect starting place with a 8″ and 10″ frying pan, plus three different sized pots. They are all non-stick and come with lids. Best of all, they are durable.

Mid-Range: 18 piece Cookware Set Red ($74.99)

Enhance your Airbnb kitchen dramatically with this 18-piece cookware set. It includes four frying pans and five pots in different sizes. In addition, it comes with four spoons and turners. Again, these are non-stick and dishwasher friendly.

High-End: 23 piece Copper Cookware Set ($219.99)

If your budget allows, you may want to consider this 23 piece copper cookware set. Yes, it’s more expensive, but it will last longer, and give a lavish feel to your Airbnb kitchen. This cookware set is copper and ultra non-stick and will last years!

#2 Cooking utensils

You need to prepare the food right? Therefore, you need to stock your Airbnb kitchen with the right cooking utensils.

Of course, this is easier said than done as there is a LOT to think about. First, just consider the basics, or the essentials in other words. For example things like spoons, spatulas, whisks, tongs, bottle openers, cheese graters, etc.

Second, you should consider the type of Airbnb listing you have. Do you only need to supply the basics? Or is your apartment more high end, and you should therefore offer better quality?

The next thing you should do is head on over to trusty old Amazon again to stock your Airbnb. Below are some of the cooking utensils I would recommend.

My Cook Utensil Picks:

Budget: 5 piece Silicone Cooking Set ($13.95)

If you’re on a budget, you would do well to consider a cheap set like this 5 piece silicone cooking set. Sure, it’s basic, but that may be all you need when stocking your Airbnb kitchen. They are sturdy, flexible and cheap to replace if guests ruin them.

Mid-Range: 23 piece Nylon Cooking Utensils ($24.99)

This 23 piece nylon cooking set is my recommendation and what I use in my Airbnb. It pretty much covers all the essentials that you will need and keep your guests happy. They are made to stand the test of time with stainless steel and are cheap to replace.

High-End: 44 piece Nylon Cooking Set ($39.99)

Should you want to amp things up a bit, this 44 piece nylon set is your best bet. To be honest, it’s great value for money and not all that expensive. It boasts all the utensils and accessories you’ll need, plus stainless steel handles. This set will leave your guests feeling satisfied.

#3 Kitchen knives set

A kitchen knife set is an absolute must for your Airbnb, so be sure it’s on your checklist! In fact, I believe it deserves it’s own section here on this list.

No kitchen is complete without a good knife set, so you may want to spend a bit extra in this area. First things first, make sure they are sharp! If you have blunt knives, you’ll hear about them in your Airbnb reviews.

Knife sets are quite cheap these days, especially if you shop online. Below is an example of what you can buy from a retailer such as Target. These options range between $15 and $50.

#4 Dinnerware & Cups

It should go without saying that you should provide dinnerware and cups. These are essential items that Airbnb expects you to include on your listing.

Decking out your kitchen in dinnerware is quite easy. I recommend you choose white dinnerware for a number of reasons.

First, white plates and bowls are a dime a dozen, you’ll find them everywhere. Second, they are cheap and are easily replaced when a guest inevitably breaks one. Last, chips and scratches wont show as much as on coloured dinnerware.

As a result, you should be able to find what you need from almost any homeware store. The image above shows the basic 16 piece Amazon dinnerware set. It costs around $25, but you should be able to find cheaper if you search around. Meanwhile the 8 piece drinking glass set will set you back around $49.

#5 Silverware & cutlery

Next on the list of Airbnb kitchen essentials is silverware and cutlery. It may seem an obvious suggestion, but no kitchen is complete without it.

Now I can tell you from experience, cutlery will go missing, trust me. It’s usually the little spoons that go walking, never to show their face again. Therefore I recommend not to spend much on cutlery sets.

You can pick up a cheap cutlery set on Amazon like the 20 piece set (pictured below) for around $27. It may be worthwhile buying a couple of sets so that you have some spares as well.

I always suggest hosts to purchase plain cutlery which is easy to replace. Also try to go for stainless steel, as it’s easier to clean. On top of that, ensure that you keep your cutlery clean at all times. This is the biggest culprit when it comes to unhappy guests, so clean them well before next guest arrives.

#6 Mixing bowls & Serving

Okay, you have stocked your Airbnb kitchen with cookware and utensils, so what’s next? You have to prepare food as well, right? Next on the list is mixing bowls and serving dishes.

Mixing bowls are a must for your kitchen and many hosts overlook these items. Getting a product like the Joseph 9 piece nesting bowl set is a great idea. It costs around $50 but you’ll get three different size mixing bowls and a strainer. In addition to that, you’ll get four measuring cups and a table spoon. But best of all, these products all nest into each other for easy storing.

You’ll also want to get yourself a couple of serving dishes. These will serve your guests well when cooking meals in the oven, for example, lasagne. Amazon have a set of two which you can purchase for just $42 – 2 piece baking dishes.

#7 Airbnb kitchen appliances

Now let’s look at the essential appliances that should be in your Airbnb kitchen.

For starters you’ll need to provide an oven and stove top. But to be honest, what kitchen doesn’t come with this anyway? Be sure to tick this off on your Airbnb amenities section so it appears in the search results.

Second of all, Airbnb recommends a refrigerator and microwave. Of course, while they are optional, you’ll have some annoyed guests should you not provide them. But honestly, they are cheap as chips these days, so wont set you back too much. Oh, and don’t forget a kettle and toaster!

The third thing to consider are the more luxury type appliances. I am talking about dishwashers, coffee machines, electric mixers, and so forth. These are all things you can select on the kitchen checklist on Airbnb, which appeals to guests.

#8 Cleaning items

You want guests to keep your kitchen nice and clean, right? Well be sure to provide them with cleaning items!

At the very least you should provide dish washing liquid, dishcloths and t-towels. Don’t forget hand soap, bench spray and spare trash bags either.

While it’s not necessary, I also like to include a broom, dustpan, tissues, a mop and bucket. If you have a dishwasher, be sure to include some spare dish washing tablets.

Essential cleaning items:

• Dish washing liquid, cloths & tablets
• Bench spray
• Hand soap & t-towel
• Broom, dustpan, mop and bucket
• Spare trash bags
• Tissues and wet wipes
• Rubber gloves

For further reading, check out a couple of my articles on this topic. First is how to clean an Airbnb like a pro. Plus my article on hacks to save time cleaning an Airbnb. I even provide an Airbnb cleaning checklist to assist you.

# 9 Luxuries and supplies

Last but not least are luxury items and supplies for your Airbnb kitchen checklist.

For example, Airbnb has oil, salt and pepper as essential items in their kitchen checklist. If you are going to supply any items, then supply these at the bare minimum.

I supply my guests with additional items such as tea, coffee, sugar, seasonings and milk. You may even wish to provide snacks, fruit or other such items.

Other items to consider are plastic wrap and foil so they can take leftover food with them. Then there’s the little things like oven gloves, ice trays, coasters and tea towels.

Airbnb kitchen checklist for supplies:

• Oil, salt & pepper
• Tea, coffee & sugar
• Seasonings & herbs
• Milk
• Snacks or fruit
• plastic wrap, foil, baking paper
• Oven gloves
• Ice tray
• Coasters
• Tea towels

Does an Airbnb need a kitchen?

First things first, let’s address the elephant in the room. Does an Airbnb need a kitchen?

The answer is no, you don’t have to provide a kitchen in your Airbnb. But the smart answer is yes, you probably should have one. Have a think about the meaning of Airbnb. The purpose of Airbnb is so guests can live like a local and avoid staying in hotels.

Having no kitchen may have a negative impact on your Airbnb rankings. Likewise, it will also effect your booking rate. In fact, there is even a search filter (as below) which guests use.

Many guests will search for a listing on the proviso that it includes a kitchen. It means they will be able to save money on going out to restaurants, and instead cook meals at home.

In some instances you may not be able to provide a kitchen, or maybe you just don’t want to. Further to that, here is a discussion on this post where hosts discuss this in more detail.

Airbnb Kitchen Requirements

You should now have a good idea on how to stock an Airbnb kitchen and the requirements. In all honesty, it’s quite an easy task, especially if you use a website like Amazon. They will ship all the items straight to your front door!

The requirements are quite simple, you just need to include the essentials. This means the things that no kitchen can do without such as certain appliances and cookware. Be sure to update your Airbnb amenities list with all the items you provide, as this is important.

I have shown you there are nine areas to specialise in. They include cookware, utensils, knives, dinnerware, cutlery, bowls, appliances, cleaning and supplies.

The best bit is you can stock your Airbnb kitchen on a budget with good quality products these days. Most online shops price the best cookware very well, so there is no excuse to buy crappy products.

Further Reading