Would I be able to get by with an "efficiency kitchenette"?

[Easton]

I'm looking for an apartment in Boston and one of the places I came across was an "efficiency kitchenette" that featured a microwave, fridge, hotplate, and a toaster oven. So there's no regular stove/oven. You think I could make some simple meals like baked salmon in the toaster oven?

FYI, the rest of the apartment is very nice. I might be willing to make this sacrifice because I'm a college student.

 

[keltin]

Absolutely! Especially if you’re only cooking for one. I use my toaster oven all the time (I only cook for two), and it is perfect. I’ve got one like this:

It has a rotisserie in it that is just right for Cornish Hens, whole chicken breasts, kabobs, etc. It’s got adjustable racks that can move to four different heights so it accommodates a 9 ¼ square baking dish for casseroles, small meats, etc. You can broil with it, make foil packs for baking, everything that a regular oven can do......just smaller, with less electricity, and you don’t heat up the house doing it.

Granted, you can't do large things like a Turkey (maybe a small breast) or 12 inch pizza, but that’s ok. Actually, I have cut a 12” pizza in half and cooked just half and froze the other half.

If the one in the apartment isn’t quite big enough, you can pick up a bigger one at Wal-Mart or Target for under $50. The only thing that might hamper you in the set-up you described is that you’ve got only one eye (hot plate)? That means you’ll only be able to cook one pot worth of something at a time......but that’s still not problem, especially since you have the microwave (which is great for things like vegetables, canned beans, etc). Also, you could consider buying a dual eye hotplate from Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, etc.

You’d be surprised at the amazing and full meals you can cook with that setup you described, especially if your creative. It sounds like fun, and if the rest of the apartment is nice, the location is good, and the rent is right, I’d say go for it!

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Absolutely! When I was in France, I was amazed at the tiny kitchens, even in luxury apartments. And they seemed to prepare some excellent meals!

You'll need to be very creative and selective about your kitchen utensils (no room for extras) but you can do a lot in a toaster oven. If the one there is small or not to your liking, you might be able to replace it with a larger one that has convection maybe. There are some wonderful, larger size toaster ovens with lots of extra features for $50 - $100. You can also get small slow cookers (2 and 3 qt.) that you'd probably have room for. And your microwave can be used for much more than heating up coffee or day-old pizza. And DC is a great resource for ideas on what to cook and how with every conceivable appliance.

Good luck in your new digs.

Terry

 

[keltin]

Oh, and you could even add a George Foreman type grill for even more cooking options. Imagine salmon in the toaster oven, grilled Asparagus on the Foreman, and boiled new potatoes (tossed with garlic and herbed butter) on the hotplate. As you’re plating everything, you could throw some rolls in the toaster oven so that they warm and brown up while you’re making the plates.

I’m making myself hungry...........

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Great suggestion keltin, I forgot about the GF grills! They have some small ones that even have removable grill plates, now.

Also, see if you can find room for a rail or a pot rack somewhere so that you can hang your pots and pans. Then you'll have room in the cabinet to store the grill and the slow cooker.

 

[Katie H]

Toaster ovens are wonderful tools in a small space. We have a super GE one we bought at Wal-Mart. It has a rotisserie and two shelves that can each hold a standard 6-cup muffin pan. It's also large enough to cook a 2-quart casserole in. Love it.

I second the 2-burner hotplate, a Foreman-type grill, and a crock-pot. It's amazing what can be prepared in a crock-pot. You might also want to consider an electric skillet, too. They are quite handy and can almost be used like an oven for different dishes.

 

[QSis]

Absolutely!

You probably don't have a lot of counterspace and storage, but other cooking toys include an electric frying pan, an electric flat griddle and a crockpot.

My mother doesn't have enough kitchen space for her crockpot so she fills it up in the kitchen and plugs it into an outlet in her living room.

Lee

 

[Katie H]

My mother doesn't have enough kitchen space for her crockpot so she fills it up in the kitchen and plugs it into an outlet in her living room.
Lee

So, I'm not the only one who uses the crock-pot in the living room. I have room in my kitchen, but I use it in the living room because, even though it (crock-pot) doesn't get too hot, I can minimize how much I heat up the kitchen.

A griddle is a good idea, but because of space limitations in a small apartment, some of the same tasks can be done on a Teflon-coated electric skillet.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I add to the "absolutely" crowd. Goodness - I've made tons of things in my toaster oven - except for whole roasts, virtually anything goes - steaks, chops, all kinds of fish - you name it. And our little camp stove has provided us with soups, chili, bacon & eggs, etc., etc.

Sounds like a good deal for an apt. in Boston.

 

[Katie H]

I remember now, too, one time when our regular oven crapped out just as I was about to put two regular loaves of bread in to bake, I baked them in my toaster oven. I was amazed and I was soooo glad it saved my butt.

 

[devora]

There's a good Mark Bittman article from 4/9/07 about the 'No Frills Kitchen.' He writes for the NY Times.

 

[keltin]

Toaster ovens are wonderful tools in a small space. We have a super GE one we bought at Wal-Mart. It has a rotisserie and two shelves that can each hold a standard 6-cup muffin pan. It's also large enough to cook a 2-quart casserole in. Love it.

I second the 2-burner hotplate, a Foreman-type grill, and a crock-pot. It's amazing what can be prepared in a crock-pot. You might also want to consider an electric skillet, too. They are quite handy and can almost be used like an oven for different dishes.

Katie, it sounds like we bought the same toaster oven?!?!?!

 

[auntdot]

Hi Easton. Whether you can get along with an efficiency kitchen or not I cannot answer. But you are a student and if you like the apartment there is a lot you can do with not all that many heating gadgets.

There is a wonderful museum in Boston, on the Fenway, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It is certainly worth a look.

No, I am not changing the topic. When they opened a restaurant (for lunches I believe) the place had little more than a hotplate, an electric frying pan and maybe another couple of simple heating devices.

And the chef, a woman named Lois McKitchen Conroy used to turn out great plates with nothing more than those items. I have eaten there several times a number of years ago.

I know she did it initially in sparse kitchen surroundings because she then wrote a cookbook describing the stark atmosphere. But it is mostly a cookbook that includes many of the recipes she managed to come up with.

It is one of my favorite cookbooks. Whenever I feel bereft because I lack the needed cooking equipment, I open the book of the lady with the middle name of McKitchen (what a great name for a cook).

It used to be sold at the museum store ($15, or so, I think), but I can no longer find it listed on the website. But maybe they still have it, you can always call.

But better than that is you can pick up a used copy for a song from Amazon (a song being less than a couple of bucks plus of course the S&H).

If you like the apartment, and feel comfortable, go for it. You will have many challanges in the next few years. Cooking in an efficiency might just be one of the more pleasant of them.

 

[Katie H]

Katie, it sounds like we bought the same toaster oven?!?!?!

Dunno, keltin, but here's a link to the one we have. One of the things I like about it is that the door opens like a refrigerator door, so if and when things spill it's far easier to clean.

 

[Constance]

When we were building our house, shop and greenhouses all at once , the shop was the first place we finished, so that I could get my business open in time for Christmas. We were still living in a rent house, but working nights on the new house, so I often brought my crock-pot to work with me and cooked supper in the shop.
When I made Italian Beef, the customers drooled. LOL

I would definately invest in an electric skillet. You can get one for less than $25, as you won't need a real big one.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Hi Easton,

You might also look at your layout and consider whether you could fit in a rolling work table. I have a big stainless steel one that I got for about $100 at Sam's. I got big industrial casters for it so I can roll it around and it has shelves underneath where I keep so much stuff - bread basket, dishtowels, slow cookers, etc. The casters make it really tall, which is great for me since I'm tall, but I also have 2 bar stools at it because I always have company with me in the kitchen (7 kids). However, you can re-purpose any small table that fits in your space by adding casters from the hardware store and maybe a towel bar at either end (or even all 4 sides) to use as handles and to hang things off of using S-hooks - like pots and pans, spatulas, etc. If you find one with a shelf underneath, even better. Anyway, it's like an island or work space that can be rolled out of the way when necessary. IKEA has a small stainless steel one with casters, shelves and rails for about $75. But MA is a great place to scour junk shops, resale shops etc. for a suitable table. Even a sturdy baby's changing table would work and you can usually pick one up used for $25-$30. Voila! More counter space and room underneath for your electric skillet, crock pot, grill etc.

Maybe you better just send us a key and your checkbook and we'll all show up and take care of this for you!

Terry

 

[oldcampcook]

I, too, have a GE convection toaster oven from Wally World. I bought some of the small aluminum foil bread pans from the same place and I can bake two loaves of bread at the same time in the oven. I have fish sticks baking in it right now, as matter of fact.

 

[amber]

Easton,

Yes, I think you can most definately get by with a microwave, toaster oven, and fridge (not sure about a hot plate, never used one). It would depend on how old the appliances are, but basically, as long as they work, then yes, you can cook. Good luck to you!

 

[Uncle Bob]

Do these type of apartments have some type of ventilation/exhaust system/hood in them?? An electric fry pan would create quite a bite of smoke/grease/etc.

Enjoy!

 

[Katie H]

Do these type of apartments have some type of ventilation/exhaust system/hood in them?? An electric fry pan would create quite a bit of smoke/grease/etc.

Enjoy!

Uncle Bob....I'll have to take you to task here. Smoke? Grease? I've been cooking with an electric fry pan since 1968 and have never experienced any of these problems. Just "what" are you cooking in your electric skillet?