10 Kitchen essentials for every tenant in Dubai

Have you just registered your Ejari and moved into your new Dubai rental? It’s now time to convert this rented place into a home and we suggest you start with this list of essential kitchen tools for tenants in Dubai. 

10 Essential Kitchen Tools for Tenants in Dubai

Dubai is an absolute haven for tenants. Whether you’re a single person looking for studio rentals in Dubai or a family of five interested in the best areas to rent affordable 4-bed villas in Dubai – there is an abundance of options to explore. Finding a rental home in Dubai may not be cumbersome, but if you don’t know how to go about setting up the place for living, things get tricky. 

We at Bayut don’t want that to happen to you. It doesn’t matter whether you’re considering the things to buy when living alone for the first time or thinking of a complete inventory re-haul – kitchen essentials for tenants in Dubai remain the same throughout. So, here’s a list of all the necessary kitchen items you might need when living as a tenant in Dubai. 

1. A Tea Kettle and Coffee Maker

Life in Dubai is hectic and you need that solid kick of caffeine in the morning to make it through the long day at work and the rush hours. Get yourself a coffee maker or a tea kettle, depending on your preference. If you like both, invest in a Multi-brew machine that gives you greater freedom. Settle for an electric kettle so that you can use it even when you switch homes regardless of the stove type available in them. Even if you don’t want to invest in a machine, ensure you have a kettle so can make yourself a steaming mug of instant coffee or a refreshing pot of earl grey! 

2. Toaster and Microwave

Next, on our list of kitchen essentials for tenants in Dubai are the toaster and microwave. The hustle-bustle of life in Dubai calls for quick meals and convenience appliances. Let’s face it, you may not find the time or energy to cook multiple meals a day or treat yourself to homemade pancakes every day. This is where the microwave and the toaster come in handy. 

Need a quick breakfast? Toast the bread in the toaster, spread a generous amount of avocado, butter, cream cheese, peanut butter or whatever you like and have some toast on-the-go with your morning tea/coffee.

Find it too tiring to cook meals after work? Bulk cook and store on the weekend and then simply warm it up whenever you need to eat. You can even cook quick meals in a microwave. 

3. Fridge

Out of all the kitchen essentials for tenants in Dubai, this is perhaps the most important one. The hot and arid climate of Dubai often makes food items go bad quicker than usual, especially when not properly refrigerated. A proper fridge is an absolute necessity for home-owners and tenants living in Dubai. It’ll keep your food preserved allowing you to plan and cook your meals in advance. Plus, you will have an ample supply of ice cubes and chilled water, whenever you need it.

Most serviced rental apartments in Dubai already provide the above amenities to tenants. So, before you go out to buy these must-have kitchen items for a rented home, just check all the things already available in the kitchen.

4. Kitchen Cutting Tools and More

Moving on to the smaller kitchen items for tenants in Dubai, let’s start with the knives. Unless you completely rely on takeaway meals from restaurants, you will do your fair bit of cooking in the kitchen. And knives are essential kitchen tools you need to make your kitchen functional. The best way to go about it is to purchase a complete knife set that includes a paring knife, a chef’s knife, a butcher knife and a bread knife. 

Don’t use the countertop surfaces of the kitchen in your Dubai rental apartment for cutting. Invest in a cutting board instead. You will also need a can opener – comes in handy when you rely on canned items for quick cooking. A colander and corkscrew are useful if you keep wine at home. These kitchen helping tools always come in handy!

5. Dinnerware & Cutlery

You’ve got to have something to eat and serve your food. Unless you are keen on entertaining friends and guests, you don’t really need much. Collect a basic inventory of coffee mugs, dinner plates, cereal bowls, dessert plates and glasses. Four of each would be enough, unless you have a big family and a lavish kitchen, like those in the luxury villas for rent in Dubai. 

As far as the cutlery is concerned, you will need basic sets of spoons, knives, steak knives, forks and salad forks.  

6. Storage Containers

Whether you’re cooking in advance or saving leftovers for later, you need storage containers. Head over to the nearest convenience store and purchase a set of quality containers for storing food. Avoid plastic containers, because they end up discoloured and look dirty after some time. Use durable glass containers for food. Also helpful are Ziploc bags to keep your ingredients and food safe and fresh for a longer time. 

7. Other Countertop Appliances

No matter how much of an amateur you are with managing a kitchen, you can rarely go wrong with basic kitchen appliances. A stick blender will make sure you have your ingredients mixed and blended in no time – it’s perfect for those delicious smoothies to start a healthy morning. A sandwich maker can make perfectly toasted sandwiches and waffles for you. And if you need to go the extra mile, buy yourself a food processor!

8. Basic Utensils

Even when you’re not too much of a cook or don’t get the time to practise your cooking skills when living in Dubai, you need some basic kitchen tools to keep the kitchen functional. Making it to our list of essential kitchen tools for tenants in Dubai are

• A whisk
• A spatula
• At least two large serving spoons
• Salad tongs
• A ladle
• Wooden spoons

Don’t hesitate to adjust the quantities of these essential kitchen utensils according to your use and requirements.

9. Pots and Pan

Perhaps the most important items for rental home kitchens in Dubai are the pots and pans required for cooking. There is a wide range of cookware available in the market and it’s often difficult to decide on what to buy. Like everything else, it’s best to stick to basics. Here are the cooking essentials you need:

• Two sauté pans (one large, one small)
• Two saucepans (medium or varying sizes according to your needs)
• Two cooking pots (large or varying sizes according to your needs)
• One cast-iron skillet

If you’re someone who loves rice, invest in a rice cooker and/or an automated pressure cooker to save your cooking time. 

10. Serving Bowls

For most people working and living in Dubai, having a minimalist approach to managing kitchens in their rental homes works fairly well. It is easier to pack and unpack the kitchen items when you don’t have too many of them – and for tenants who keep switching rental homes, this is an absolute blessing. 

A great way to keep kitchens clutter-free and easy to manage is to skip the serving trays and use serving bowls instead. You can easily purchase two sets of nesting bowls that come in different sizes and use them for a variety of purposes. They can hold your fruits, salads, popcorn, pasta, rice and even gravies – who needs trays for that?

This brings us to the end of this list of kitchen essentials for tenants in Dubai. Once you have these essential kitchen items figured out, you will get ample time to focus on maintenance or affordable kitchen upgrades. There are multiple pest control services in Dubai to help you maintain a luxurious feel to your kitchen by removing pesky insects.

While you’re at it, make sure you don’t disregard any preliminary conditions put forth in the rental contract by the owner. 

If you’re looking for ideas to redesign or renovate your kitchens, check out our posts on the 2019 kitchen decor trends and how to design a modular kitchen.

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