You’ve probably encountered the term “kitchenette” when apartment hunting, looking for a hotel room, or renting a tiny house, but you weren’t sure what it meant. Kitchenettes are small kitchens with minimal equipment and storage space. They have less functionality than a full kitchen but may be all you need depending on your lifestyle, family size, and cooking habits.

Marcelle Gilbeau, Interior Designer

Kitchen Vs. Kitchenette

Sometimes, you can have a large room with a kitchenette and a small room with a kitchen. It is more useful to think about how the space is equipped.

Kitchens

Cottage Home Company

A kitchen is a room equipped for preparing and cooking food. It has cabinets, counters, and full-sized appliances. Most kitchens will have a stove/oven, sink, dishwasher, microwave, and refrigerator. Also, kitchens represent our unique styles because there are many options for customization.

Kitchenettes

Martina Williams

Kitchenettes, also called mini kitchens, do not feature generous workspace and standard appliances. Instead, they have items like a small fridge, hot plate, microwave, and sink. Also, a kitchenette is not as well organized as a kitchen because there isn’t space for extra storage. Further, unlike the design styles of many home kitchens, kitchenettes focus on achieving the best use of space rather than style.

Pros:

Ideal for students, singles, and tiny house dwellers.Low maintenance, requiring minimal effort for upkeep.Fewer cabinets in kitchenettes help prevent clutter, making them suitable for those aiming for a minimalist lifestyle.

Cons:

Cannot accommodate full-sized appliances, restricting options for elaborate cooking and entertaining.Smaller size and limited facilities may impose restrictions

Room with Kitchenette

Part of a room with a kitchen is one kitchenette definition. These mini kitchens occupy little space and add value to the rooms in which they are located. They can also add extra prep areas in places where you entertain, like a pool house or basement. They are a great way to add independent living space for an older child or relative.

Magic Projects London Ltd.

70 square feet was the average-sized kitchen before 1900. However, like the size of the average home, the average size of kitchens has increased. Now, a kitchenette is an area of 80 square feet and under.

What is an All-in-One Kitchenette?

All-in-one kitchenettes are one-piece kitchens containing a cabinet, countertop, sink, and appliances. They often feature one cabinet with a built-in mini fridge/freezer and a two-burner cooktop next to the sink. They are space and money-saving solutions for anyone who needs to put a kitchen in their home, apartment, guest house, or room. All-in-one kitchenettes are available at Amazon, Wayfair, Home Depot, and some appliance stores. They cost as little as $1,5000 but can go up to several thousand depending on the size, brand, and features.