10 Kitchen Tools To Make Cooking at an Airbnb So Much Easier

If you’re a frequent Airbnb-er, you’re probably familiar with this sequence of events: You arrive at your new pad after a long day of travel; maybe you’re fresh off a flight, maybe you’ve just finished an eight-hour road trip. Regardless, you’re starving, so you drop your bags and head straight to the store. When you get back to the rental, you cross your fingers and open the cabinets, hoping you’ll find what you need to turn your grocery haul into a meal. Instead you've got banged up pans with scratched nonstick coating, flimsy black plastic spoons and spatulas, a knife you recognize from your first college apartment.

The truth is, even the most beautiful Airbnb kitchens are rarely equipped with the tools and ingredients you need to actually make use of them. So if you like to cook and plan to do so during your vacation, packing just a few key kitchen essentials can help turn dinnertime from a stressful Chopped competition into a seamless experience—that way you can spend more time hanging out with friends or enjoying some R&R and less time worrying about how you’re going to flip pancakes without a spatula.

Whether you’re planning a group trip to the Cape, weekend getaway in Hudson, or vineyard crawl in Sonoma, consider squeezing a few (or all!) of these tools into your luggage. Future you—the one who’s trying to get dinner on the table for your party of nine—will be thankful.

A sharp knife

I don’t think I’ve ever stayed at an Airbnb that had suitably sharp knives. Aside from being annoying to use, those dull blades can be dangerous; when knives lose their edge, they become more prone to slipping off your food and slicing through your fingers instead. Senior commerce editor Noah Kaufman’s solution is this folding chef’s knife made by Quintin Middleton in South Carolina. “The blade compactly closes up (and locks) into the 5.75-inch handle, sort of like an oversized pocket knife, but the geometry and feel is like a cross between a great chef's knife and a good santoku,” says Noah. “I don't think it was made specifically for packing in your luggage, but it's the most versatile travel knife I've ever used.”

Salt (yes, really!)

The number one thing I make sure to pack whenever I’m cooking in someone else’s kitchen, be it a friend’s house or an Airbnb, is salt—specifically Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt and Maldon or Jacobsen Salt Co. flaky salt. That’s because the vast majority of Airbnbs I’ve stayed in have a canister of fine iodized sea salt or coarse kosher salt, neither of which will behave like the Diamond Crystal I cook with at home (and that all of our recipes are developed with). And the flaky salt? It just adds a little something something to anything you use it on.

A clean sponge

Anyone else grossed out at the thought of using the mystery sponge that’s been sitting in your Airbnb’s sink for God knows how long? Pack a couple of these reusable scrubbies, which can tackle pretty much any dishwashing challenge (including that pan you forgot about because you were too busy crushing your pals in a post-dinner game of Bananagrams).

A silicone spatula

You’d be surprised how many Airbnbs lack a basic rubber or silicone spatula. Even if they do have one, it’s likely half-melted or caked with gunk from previous handlers. Slip one of these spats from GIR into your suitcase for all of your mixing needs.

A small cutting board

Most Airbnbs will have at least one cutting board, but there’s no saying what shape it’ll be in. In my experience? It’s typically a thin plastic board with so many knife marks that the material is flaking off in sheets. One of these mini Material boards will fit easily into your luggage and provide a reliable surface for all of your slicing and dicing needs—plus it can double as a cheese board for that pre-dinner cocktail hour.

A travel-size coffee maker

As someone who cares about the quality of my morning cup, one of my biggest gripes with staying in Airbnbs is the coffee situation—perhaps you can relate. Most homes will be equipped with some sort of coffee machine, but typically this means either a decades-old drip coffee maker or, worse, a Keurig.

Luckily, you don’t need a giant machine to brew great coffee. There are two portable options we can vouch for: the Aeropress and the Wacaco Nanopresso. An aeropress combines aspects of pour-over, French press, and espresso-making techniques to produce a smooth, full-bodied cup of coffee. If you’re partial to espresso, opt for the Wacaco Nanopresso.This little pill-shaped gadget allows you to pull a tasty shot with a lovely layer of crema even when you don’t have access to a scale or precise temperature kettle to confirm your measurements—it’s that foolproof.

Good ground coffee

Even the best portable coffee machine solution can’t correct for a bag of beans that’s been sitting in your Airbnb’s cupboard for five years. Bringing a bag of good, freshly ground coffee means you’ll be able to attend to your caffeine needs before your trip to the grocery store the morning after your arrival. Pro tip: If you like your coffee light and sweet, bring your own milk and sugar too. Senior commerce director Abbey Stone had to learn the hard way that many Airbnbs only stock Splenda.

A do-it-all pan

Look, I’m not expecting you to throw a skillet in your carry on. But if you’re checking luggage or driving to your destination, it’s worth adding a cast iron pan to your packing list. Most Airbnb kitchens are equipped with thin stainless or nonstick pans that distribute heat unevenly (and are often warped). Packing a versatile cast iron skillet affords you the luxury of perfectly seared steak, golden brown French toast, and crispy-skinned chicken thighs.

A fish spatula

We’re of the opinion that a fish spatula is the only flipper you need, and they’re so lightweight that they make a great addition to your travel toolkit. With their thin edges and sturdy builds, they’re equally as adept at flipping delicate pancakes as they are frying cutlets for chicken parm.

A Microplane

This last tool may be a bit extra, but if you’re planning on grating Parmesan over pasta or zesting citrus for a festive key lime pie, a Microplane (or other rasp-style) grater is the best instrument for the job.

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