Basic kitchen appliances for your first kitchen
Finally out of mom's house! Our tips & tricks for your first kitchen and a list of kitchen appliances that you absolutely need.
Reading time: approx. 3 minutes
Moving into your first own apartment means standing on your own two feet. Suddenly you are responsible for everything yourself. Paying rent, settling bills, signing contracts for internet or electricity. The list of things that need to be done before moving (into your first own home) is long. And then there is the question of furnishing. Where do I start? What do I take with me from home? What do I buy new? And above all: what do I actually need?
Kitchen appliance list: Must-haves in the "large appliances" category such as refrigerators, etc.
Oversized kitchen appliances, so-called XXL appliances, are not suitable for your first home. Unless you are moving into a shared apartment or living with several people. Large kitchen appliances were also developed for large households, such as families. They use more electricity than normal-sized kitchen appliances and also take up a lot of space. However, there are some generally large appliances that you should not do without. The refrigerator, for example.
The refrigerator for your first apartment
For a single-person household, a refrigerator with 100 to 140 liters is sufficient. For each additional person, you can add 50 liters. If you opt for a fridge-freezer combination, you get two devices at once. If you freeze less food, a refrigerator with an integrated cooling compartment is sufficient. You can read what you should consider when buying and what types there are in "Cooling and freezing".
Highest to lowest efficiency (A-G)
Do you need a dishwasher?
One luxury that you don't really need, but still appreciate having one, is definitely the dishwasher. However, if you hardly ever eat at home, then such an appliance is not worth it. Because the few dishes that you have can be quickly washed by hand. After all, a dishwasher that is not optimally filled uses more energy. Read our article "Dishwasher - cleanliness & flexibility".
Highest to lowest efficiency (A-G)
Must have next to the stove & hob: The microwave
A microwave takes up hardly any space and is inexpensive to buy. So no kitchen should be without one. Because it heats food more energy efficiently than an oven or hob. If you want to use the microwave as an oven replacement, a device with an integrated oven function is exactly the right thing for you. Make sure you get a model with a capacity of around 30 liters.
![[Zweite Wahl] Neff C17GR01N0 Einbau-Mikrowelle Edelstahl](https://www.mykitchens.de/media/d3/85/81/1762988900/neff-c17gr01n0-mikrowelle-produktbild-1.jpg?ts=1762988900 "[Zweite Wahl] Neff C17GR01N0 Einbau-Mikrowelle Edelstahl")
Kitchen appliance list: These small appliances are needed in the kitchen
It gets a little trickier with the smaller appliances. For some people, for example, a hand blender or mixer is indispensable. Others have never used such a kitchen appliance. Some like to eat rice and would therefore never do without their rice cooker. Others like to bake and therefore need molds, a decent oven pull-out and a waffle iron.
Kettle
A kettle is a must in a single kitchen. It is more energy efficient to boil water than in a pot.
Toaster
Makes toast crispy, gives ready-made waffles that little extra something and turns old, hard bread into edible slices, as if freshly baked. The toaster is more versatile than you might initially think and is therefore an absolute must in any kitchen.
Coffee machine
And if you are a coffee drinker and don't always get coffee from outside, you may still need a coffee machine.
Kitchen helper list: These kitchen gadgets are a must in every kitchen!
Of course, there are also plenty of non-electrical devices that are always missing when you need them. These include:
- Bottle opener and corkscrew
- Can opener
- Pasta tongs
- Peeler
- Scissors
- Measuring cup
Also useful, but not all that popular:
- Salad spinner
- Mortar and pestle
- Pepper mill
Unfortunately, we cannot give you a recipe for flawless kitchen furnishings for your first home, only ideas and suggestions. Ultimately, everyone has to decide for themselves which things they absolutely need in the kitchen and which they can do without.