Kitchen equipment

If you are planning to buy a rental home, or you're thinking about what to do with one you have just acquired, this is the place for any questions about starting out in the rentals business.
kathiejs
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Kitchen equipment

Post by kathiejs »

We have acquired a 1 bedroom holiday let (a modern bungalow) as part of a rural smallholding in Devon - it was left fully furnished and equipped by the previous owners but the assortment of kitchen utensils etc seems a bit strange, and I'm not sure what to remove/leave/supply.

For example, there are several cake tins, muffin tins, 2 rolling pins, a cake cooling rack, 3 loaf tins, and even a pie funnel. But no mixer or food processor, so to make a cake you'd have to do it all by hand with a wooden spoon! Surely nobody is going to do that on holiday? So should I remove all the cake tins etc or just leave them? There's plenty of cupboard space but it's all extra stuff to keep clean. Or do I need to buy a mixer?

Also, the pan of the weighing scales is cracked - should I get new scales or are these not something normally provided?
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GRL
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Post by GRL »

If it is any help I have NEVER made a cake with a mixer and always mix by hand. I am not sure if I am alone in this, though.
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Blanche
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Post by Blanche »

I would remove all that junk but keep it safe and then if people start asking for baking equipment you could immediately supply it. I would leave some scales but just get a flat electronic measure. I got a super one last week in Lidl, only 11€.

Personally, if I was on holiday with just us two I wouldn't be bothered baking.
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JanB
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Post by JanB »

I personally have never supplied cake making equipment in any of my self catering cottages, or weighing scales.

Perhaps at some time in the past, the owners let the bungalow for longer periods during the winter when such items might have been more essential. The tenant might even have bought them and they were simply left with everything else.

So, my answer is, get rid of those unnecessary items - as you say, it is all more to clean and check plus it will take up valuable space.

Good luck!
"It's a funny old world...." but full of the most amazing people. :-) Sense of humour essential!
bobby spray
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Post by bobby spray »

I find it strange that anyone would want to go on holiday and start baking - but it takes all sorts i suppose. Like the lady who asked me why no egg slicer was provided!
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Moliere
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Post by Moliere »

bobby spray wrote:Like the lady who asked me why no egg slicer was provided!
And why not? Sliced hard-boiled eggs are excellent with cold meats and salads. Mind you, I never thought of providing egg-cups till our first guests mentioned it rather plaintively.

It just shows how we are all conditioned by our own preferences and expectations.

Perhaps some specialised "Bake Off" marketing; Kathie? You could set a whole new trend roaring away!

Mols
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Jonathan
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Post by Jonathan »

JanB wrote:I personally have never supplied cake making equipment in any of my self catering cottages, or weighing scales.

Perhaps at some time in the past, the owners let the bungalow for longer periods during the winter when such items might have been more essential. The tenant might even have bought them and they were simply left with everything else.

So, my answer is, get rid of those unnecessary items - as you say, it is all more to clean and check plus it will take up valuable space.

Good luck!
It used to be a requirement for Visit England lettings under their rating system. So we have it but in seven years I think they have only been used once!

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Martha
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Post by Martha »

I agree, I'd put it away and use the space for something more useful, or just to reduce clutter, especially in a small place.

We do get the occasional baker and have a few things, but we small electronic scales and a cake tin. But we sleep ten! I don't see many couples busting out the loaf tins :)
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Fleur
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Post by Fleur »

We've heard of two sets of guests who baked cakes while at our French house. We have weighing scales but don't supply cake tins. Flan tins and baking tin for meat supplied but nothing else.
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Blanche
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Post by Blanche »

We have a group of Germans every year who invite us to tea and fruit flans topped with cream. They bought their own glass dish which they left at the gite to use everytime they come. I must admit we have scales, a mixer and whisk and loads of cake tins which aren't used. After all we are only five minutes from two rather good boulangeries.
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vacancesthezan
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Post by vacancesthezan »

Rosie wrote:If it is any help I have NEVER made a cake with a mixer and always mix by hand. I am not sure if I am alone in this, though.
+1.

Bread and cakes should be hand made!! ie no machines.

The only exceptions are fatless sponges and meringues.
kathiejs
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Post by kathiejs »

Moliere wrote: Perhaps some specialised "Bake Off" marketing; Kathie? You could set a whole new trend roaring away!
But then how far would I need to go? Muffin cases? Icing bag and nozzles? 3 tier cake stand? Life-size cardboard cutout of Paul Hollywood? :D

It's only a small kitchen with no dishwasher, so maybe not...
Orsonthecat
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Post by Orsonthecat »

Just to add my quota in... during our Visit England inspection the inspector actually said we needed to have cake making equipment in case someone wanted to bake a cake! Perhaps your previous owners had the same conversation with the same inspector 🙄
So much to learn....so little time!
kathiejs
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Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:05 am
Location: Devon

Post by kathiejs »

Orsonthecat wrote:Just to add my quota in... during our Visit England inspection the inspector actually said we needed to have cake making equipment in case someone wanted to bake a cake!
Well all you actually need in order to make a cake is a microwave and a microwavable dish! I recently spent 30 nomadic months in Asia, where nobody has an oven, and became quite adept - the biggest problems were finding baking powder and the price of butter :shock:

Maybe I'll put back one tin, one rolling pin*, and they can have my measuring cups that I don't use. They'll have to beat it with a wooden spoon though.

*Although some of us have managed perfectly well with an empty, de-labelled beer bottle... :)
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