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Reduced/apartment size appliances

9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago

I have a small kitchen in a second home/vacation rental in a resort town. The kitchen is 10 feet wide, with cabinets appliances included, along with a small island so there is little cabinet space.

What are your thoughts on using reduced width appliances to gain cabinet space, e.g. a 24" range, 18" dishwasher, and reduced width sink? Will it kill resale value someday?

Comments (19)

  • 9 years ago

    No, I think for a vacation home it will be fine.

  • 9 years ago

    An 18" dishwasher will cost a lot more than a 24". I had a 24" sink for many years and it was fine but it was deep, which helped. If I were buying a beach house with a small kitchen, I think an 18" dishwasher would bother me more than a 24" range.

  • 9 years ago

    I have had two kitchens with 18" DW. One was adequate (GE Spacemaker). The 18" in the second place was a Meile and it fit as much as some lower end 24" DWs, but it was expensive. I got rid of 24" wide ranges or cooktops in both places and replaced them with 30" cooktop or range. (which is why I needed to lose 6" for the DW, these kitchens were small).

    While I would prefer to stick with a 24" DW in this house when I renovate, I would much rather have to install an 18" DW again than have a 24" cooktop or oven again. That's been my personal experience. The cooktop is tight if you use larger skillets or frying pans, but okay, especially if you have room for the handles on each side; the newer 24" ovens which are more heavily insulated than older ones can be really tight.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have to make similar decision, but for a studio rental. Galley kitchen with each side 68" long. My main hesitation is switching to a 24" gas range. Current range is at the end of the run, so lack of elbow and pot handle room is already an issue.

  • 9 years ago

    We had a 24" gas range in a rental and we actually really liked it. It was a good use of space and no compromise. Still had four burners and fit anything you'd need to bake other than a full turkey :) It was in a well designed kitchen with counterspce on both sides, so no problems there. To the comment above re: "landing spot", i rarely am using all four elements on my stove so i would just use another element as a landing spot. On the once a year occasion that we are using all four, i can just use a hotpad.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think you will be fine, but I would strongly urge you not to put a range that small up against a wall, which you mentioned as a possibility in another thread (the corner sink thread?). You really need even more to have room to maneuver handles on all sides with a smaller range.

  • 9 years ago

    No, I think for a vacation home it will be fine.

    I agree. It'd never fly for a full-time home, but a vacation house is different.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You can upscale the 24" stove idea with a Miele 24" induction cooktop and a 24" oven underneath. Here and here among others.

  • 9 years ago

    Those Miele prices are obscene. Wish they'd sell their less expensive models here, too, less than half in Europe (or 1/3).

  • 9 years ago

    I just renovated a studio apt as a second home. I installed a 24" gas stove, no oven (using countertop oven) and a 18" Bosch DW. There are just the two of us and no one expects us to entertain them in a studio apt.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    with a Miele 24" induction cooktop and a 24" oven underneath.

    If your main concern is gaining cabinet space, you can save money by using a 30" cooktop over a 24" oven, but I wouldn't bother with that on a vacay rental. Fagor makes some nice 24" ovens that are not hideously expensive.

    The cooktop can serve as extra workspace, so it doesn't matter if it's a bit wider as long as the oven below is narrower.

    Everyone in Europe offers more sensible and higher tech appliances at lower prices than they do here, where evidently all we want is big.

    ETA Here's a pic of a tiny Miami Beach condo kitchen with 30 over 24, but that was back when Ikea sold 24" ovens here:

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've had a 24" range in my basement kitchenette for years. I thought at first the smaller size would be an issue but it is just fine. I'm now renovating the kitchen in the carriage house of our cabin in the mountains. I am doing a 24" range and keeping the 18" dishwasher that was in the cabin already.

    If money were no object I'd do a 24" Aga ;).

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A little late here, but how many does the rental sleep? If the resale market is primarily to other second home buyers, it won't matter that you have the narrower apartment sized units.

    I also recommend an induction cooktop -- because it cools down more quickly and is smooth, you can set stuff down on top of it. But the US prices for these sizes, I agree, are crazy.

    I find our 18" DW fills up pretty quickly -- if you are going to upside one unit, I would do the DW. You (and your guests) are more likely to use cups and glasses than cook a holiday meal. And four burners and the smaller oven are not bad (either range or split units, like ours). Our total kitchen size is 10" with island. We put extra stuff in a console in living room, plus we have storage in a foyer closet.

  • 9 years ago

    Another question: Are there any 30" gas ranges that look a little bit more petite?

  • 9 years ago

    I have a small lake cottage with a small kitchen and tiny stove. The stove gets the job done and is also darn cute. I get lots of compliments on it. I wish I had a dishwasher but that is only a pipedream. In reality I'm just grateful I have an extra large sink. Wish I knew how to post a photo.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sedona, to post a photo, it needs to be on your computer or whatever device you're currently using to post. Then start a reply, and when you want to insert the photo just push the Photo button below the message composition area and navigate to your photo to insert it.

  • 9 years ago

    Sedona, what brand is it?

  • 9 years ago

    I think that reduced size elements make sense when they fit in with the overall design and function of the space. It is a vacation space for a couple? Or people entertaining extended family or lots of guests? Things like that would make a difference. Well-designed small appliances are often very functional when the layout is well-conceived.

    I have a 24" single bowl sink in my kitchen and I cook scratch meals for four on a daily basis. Works for me! I would also be fine with 24" stove and 24" fridge if the layout worked. I'd hesitate about the dishwasher - smaller than 24" seems like more of a specialty product that could create excessive constraints for future replacement. Complicated meals generate almost as many pots/dishes for two as for four, so future cooks in that kitchen may find a 24" dishwasher necessary.

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