Must-Have Appliances For Surviving Your Kitchen Renovation

First, Set Up A Temporary Kitchen

When renovating your kitchen, you’ll want to set up a space where you can make food for you and your crew. You might be wondering how to build a temporary kitchen but it’s really quite straightforward. Choose a place in your home that will be free to use for weeks (or a few months), one that you can leave set up. It could be a laundry, patio, garage or even a spare bedroom.

Once you’ve chosen your space, it’s a good idea to deck it out with some small appliances to make cooking easier and less stressful (plus eating two-minute noodles everyday isn’t great for your health!).

1. Microwave

Having a microwave nearby is great for those times when you’re exhausted, covered in dust and perhaps even a little sick of ordering Uber Eats. Zap yourself a quick meal or reheat food you prepared earlier in the week, so you can stay energised and get back to your sanding and tiling faster.

2. Air Fryer

Enjoy your favourite fried foods without the guilt. With rapid air technology, little oil is needed to achieve crispy potato chips, chicken, bacon and so much more! If you’re short on time but want something tasty for dinner then an air fryer is the perfect small kitchen appliance. Plus, they are easy to clean which is ideal especially if you don’t have a dishwasher set up in your temporary kitchen.

3. Pressure Cooker

Pressure cookers are great when you’re working long and hard hours and don’t have the time to prepare a complex meal. Simply pop all your ingredients in this magic machine, set the heat level and time and it will take care of the rest!

4. Rice Cooker

As your cooktop is likely out of action for a little while, small appliances – like rice cookers – will become your new best friend as you revamp your kitchen. Don’t order rice with your next green curry when you can make your own easily at home (and also cook the right amount so no one misses out).

5. Kettle

You’ll need more than your fair share of tea breaks while renovating, so make sure you have a good quality kettle on hand. Being able to boil water quickly and efficiently will also be useful when you’re scrubbing down surfaces or wanting to wash any dishes you use.

6. Coffee Machine

For those early starts (and late night painting sessions), a coffee machine can save you valuable time and precious dollars. Treating your contractors or roped in friends to a latte on arrival is a genuinely nice way to say thank you and make sure they’re pumped up for the task at hand.

7. Toaster

Having access to quick and easy snacks on the go is crucial to surviving your home reno. A 4 slice toaster is one of those essential items that can stop even the most ‘hangry’ helper from getting cranky. They’re easy to store and can be used for muffins, crumpets and to even crisp up fresh bread rolls.

8. Sandwich Press

If you’re wondering what to eat during a kitchen renovation, look no further than the humble toastie prepared in a sandwich press. You can prepare toasties ahead of time so all you need to do is fire up your press and heat them up. It will save you ducking out to the local cafe and spending a fortune on lunch each day.

9. BBQ

If your home has a decent balcony or nice sized backyard, an outdoor BBQ is probably the closest you’ll get to kitchen-style cooking while you’re renovating. Plus, when you reach certain milestones, you might like to put on a special lunch to celebrate and invite everyone who’s helped you reach your goal.

Other Handy Tips

Setting up your temporary kitchen isn’t the only important task you’ll need to check off. Here are three other handy tips to put into action to make sure you make the most of your renovation project (and don’t leave a trail of disaster around the rest of your house?).

Don’t Pack Away Your Essential Items

The last thing you want to do when you’re in the middle of renovating is be digging through boxes to find a wooden spoon. Here are a few key items you’ll want to leave unpacked so you can use them throughout your project:

• Good quality knives and a board to prepare food (plastic utensils don’t last)

• A few microwaveable containers to reheat leftovers easily

• A couple of storage containers for food that you can wash and reuse

• Kitchen tools, like salt and pepper grinders, spatulas and wooden spoons, and

• A selection of cookware, specifically a frying pan and at least one medium sized pot

The essential items you need might be different to the above depending on how much cooking you plan to do.

Section Off The House During The Renovation

When you set out on day one of your renovation project, it’s important to section off the house. Why? To avoid any dirt and dust making its way around your home and damaging soft furnishings in the process. Tape up doorways using a plastic sheet (try for recycled materials or reuse old plastic sheets where possible) and wet a flat sheet to put in front of the plastic one when you’re sanding to attract and capture dust that flies around.

It can’t hurt to also keep a few pairs of slippers handy – one for your workspace and one for your clean spaces – as they’re easy to slip on and off as you move between rooms. Similarly, if you want to save your regular vacuum for daily cleaning duties, consider investing in a new vacuum cleaner.

Build Your Dream Kitchen Using The Latest Appliances

One of the most exciting things about building your dream kitchen is getting to breathe new life into how you use it. From refrigerators to ovens and beyond, we’ve got a wide range of the latest appliances and kitchen tech that can add flair, style and convenience to your daily routines. And to save you time, we also offer contactless delivery and Click & Collect at selected stores. So, what are you waiting for? Start planning!