Having your kitchen remodeled is not only expensive but a hassle, as well. When your kitchen is put out of commission, it can be extremely hard to cook for your family. In most situations, it’s impossible. What are you supposed to do? Don’t stress! Simply take advantage of the ample resources available today to ensure your family continues to eat well during this period. Before you know it, you’ll be back to your normal routine.
Different methods of cooking while your kitchen is being renovated
One of the best ways to prepare meals without a kitchen is with a grill. Besides the standard fare of burgers, steaks, and hotdogs, you can spice up the menu by preparing casseroles, stews, eggs, hash browns, corn, and mushrooms. There are an endless amount of options so be sure to get creative! Plus, you’ll spend some quality time with your family hanging out by the grill.
Now, if you don’t have a grill, or the weather outside is chilly, then you’ll have to rely on other methods. Another way of cooking is by using a hotplate.
What is a hotplate you may ask? A hotplate is a portable cooking appliance that plugs into an outlet and allows you to cook just about anywhere you want.
Hotplates come in a variety of designs. Some only have a single burner while the more expensive options include a second or third burner. These extra burners allow you to cook multiple items at once.
Some hotplates use gas while the vast majority run on electricity. You can even buy more expensive models that have timers and advanced temperature controls too. There’s definitely a wide variety of hotplates to choose from!
If you do decide to use a hotplate when your kitchen is being renovated, make sure to use the appliance with both caution and care, especially if you have little children. To ensure everyone’s safety, take advantage of the tips listed below when using a hotplate.
- If you’re using glassware to cook, make sure the dish is made of heat-resistant glass. You’ll also want to inspect the glass dish for cracks and chips. Don’t use glass dishes with these flaws. Glass dishes that aren’t heat resistant will crack and potentially break apart. This can lead to a serious mess!
- Make sure the pan you’re using isn’t bigger than the burner on the appliance. This isn’t necessarily a safety hazard, but it’ll take a lot longer to heat up a dish that’s larger than the burner beneath it.
- You’ll always want to use the medium or medium-high setting on your hotplate when boiling liquids. Why? The surface temperature can reach 540 C (1004 F). This is extremely dangerous and an accident waiting to happen.
- Find an appropriate room for your hotplate. Obviously, don’t use it in a room with volatile or flammable items. Always remember, safety first!
- Before you use your hotplate, examine it for corrosion, especially around the thermostat. This is a fire hazard.
- Make sure you turn off your hotplate when you’re finished. Hotplates are a common cause of unnecessary accidents.
- If your hotplate is more than 5 years old, it might be best to replace it or upgrade to a better model. Older hotplates can cause fires and breakdown at inconvenient times.
By following these easy tips, you’ll be able to safely cook for your family while your kitchen is being renovated. If you don’t own a hotplate, but are interested in acquiring one, you can invest in one of these convenient appliances at either a retail store or an online website.
Typically, the price for a hotplate is anywhere from $25 to $250. Lower priced hotplates usually don’t have as many burners, settings, and wattage as the more expensive models.
In addition to a hotplate, a toaster oven is another kitchen essential that can help you cook during the renovation. Toaster ovens give you the ability to bake both bread and pies, roast or broil meat, cook casseroles, and even reheat leftovers.
You can also cook Hot Pockets, burritos, pot pies, and pizza rolls with a toaster oven. Just like with a hot plate, you can purchase a new toaster oven at either a retail store or online. These appliances usually run anywhere from $30 to $400. The price depends on the size of the appliance, the technology built into it, and the overall quality of the device.
Lastly, a microwave is light enough to carry from the kitchen to another room of the house. Microwaves can cook just about anything, and they can be used anywhere there’s an outlet. You can even purchase miniature microwaves these days. These little devices are small, convenient, and very compact.
The best portable cooking appliances of 2019
When purchasing a new hotplate, toaster oven, or miniature microwave, make sure you take into consideration how many people you’ll be cooking for, the kinds of meals you’ll be cooking, and how technologically advanced you want your appliance to be. We found several options on Amazon and listed them below. Here are some of the best hotplates, toaster ovens, and miniature microwaves released in 2019.
Sunavo
This shiny hotplate is made from scratch-resistant stainless steel and features 1800W variable temperature controllers. With two top plates attached, you’ll be able to cook two different foods at once.
Cusimax
This portable hotplate only has one burner but with 7 different thermostatically controlled heat settings, you’ll be able to cook as precisely as possible. This hotplate is especially great for all kinds of soups, stews, and dips.
YaeCCC
The YaeCCC is one of the most powerful hotplates sold today. This hotplate has a 200 x 200mm sized burner has a voltage of 110. There are several different settings for advanced temperature control, and there’s minimal waiting time for this hotplate to fully heat up.
Panasonic FlashXpress
This toaster oven is lightweight, making it easy to move, and features a 9-inch inner baking tray. There’s also infrared heating technology built-in for advanced toasting. This toaster oven cooks toast, pizza, waffles, frozen hash browns, Hot Pockets, pizza rolls, and much more. There’s even a built-in timer for your convenience.
Hamilton Beach Easy Reach
The Hamilton Beach Easy Reach is a little smaller and lighter than the Panasonic FlashXpress, but it’s still a powerful appliance that’ll definitely come in handy when your kitchen is being renovated. The best part of this toaster oven is that it’s easy to clean. Since you’ll be using this device someplace other than your kitchen, this is a handy feature.
Whirlpool Silver Countertop Microwave
This miniature microwave is extremely small and compact. In fact, this device only has a capacity of 0.5 cubic feet. Don’t let that fool you though! It’s still powerful enough to cook a good meal, and it’s so lightweight, you can carry it to any part of your home with ease.
These are just a few of the appliances you can use to cook meals for your family when your kitchen is being renovated. There’s many more sold in stores and online. If you have a problem with available outlets, you can also use power packs and generators to power your appliances.
Temporary sink during kitchen remodeling
In addition to cooking meals for your family when your kitchen is being renovated, it’s important to have a temporary sink where you can wash your hands, wash dirty dishes, and clean your silverware. Although most bathrooms have a sink, it’s best to have another option available to you. One of the best products you can purchase on Amazon is the Jobar outdoor sink. This portable sink directly attaches to your garden hose and can be used just like a real sink. There are a few other companies that make products like this, but the Jobar is one of the more popular portable sinks sold today.
Some Final Thoughts
When your kitchen is being renovated, don’t stress out! By simply building a temporary kitchen during the remodeling process, you can avoid consistently eating out which will save you quite a lot of cash in the end. You’re already spending enough on your kitchen remodeling project, why not try and save some money on the side?
If you’ve never cooked with a hotplate, and you’re interested in cooking some tasty dishes, you can find several online sites with a variety of different recipes. One popular site is Warm Chef. They have an article discussing the 50 best meals you can create with a hotplate. You can also visit Pinterest and search for “hotplate recipes”.
