Let’s face it. Vacation home rentals can have some of the worst kitchen setups and supplies. If you’re staying for a long weekend, you might not even notice. But I’m spending over seven months in AirBNBs. Having a decent kitchen setup is a must for me. Not only because cooking (and eating) is my stress relief, but it also saves us a ton of money. Luggage real estate is sacred and these made the cut. Here are my 5 kitchen gadgets I packed (and one bonus from my coffee snob sister).
Collapsible Coffee Pour Overs
First things first – the elixir of joy and sanity: coffee. When traveling outside the United States, there is no guarantee of a coffee setup (espresso is more likely). For me, coffee is not an option. So, we picked up these pour overs with any size 2 coffee filter.
Corkscrew
My second elixir: vino. Since I’m traveling to some of the best wine regions, I’ve got to have a trusty corkscrew. Carry it in your bag and you can have an impromptu picnic anywhere. While any corkscrew will do, my favorite from my restaurant days will always be a simple double-hinged one.
Knives with sheaths
Without a doubt, AirBNB knives are horribly dull and I truly don’t have the upper-body strength to hacksaw into every tough vegetable while traveling. Is it a little extra to pack a couple of knives? Possibly. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. I packed two with built-in sharpeners in the sheath: 8-inch chef’s knife and paring knife.
Silicone Food Covers
Second worst thing in AirBNBs? Lack of food storage. If you’re lucky, you might find a handful of mismatched items you might can engineer into temporary storage. That’s why my sister came in with one of the best travel recommendations – silicone food covers that can turn any dish into Tupperware.
Reusable Storage Bags
On top of food covers, we packed a bunch of reusable storage bags. While I love my stashers at home, they are too heavy to pack. So, I’ve opted for any inexpensive, light-weight bags. We use them for everything – leftovers, snacks on the go, random other storage around the house.
Manual Coffee Grinder
Now, I love my coffee, but I do not have the dedication to the drip to wake up and hand-grind my own coffee beans every morning. But, my sister does. Even for an overnight trip, she will pack her grinder and pour-over setup. Now, that’s commitment I admire, but can’t muster.
Now, these are my go-to kitchen gadgets. What are yours? Drop your favorites in the comments.
If you’ve got toddlers and want to know my favorite travel items, check out this post.
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