Small kitchen tips: Storage, Space-saving appliances and other essentials (2022)

When you show people in your kitchen, they ask, “Where’s the rest of it?” We understand. If you live in a big city, it’s not uncommon to find kitchens filled with hallways and old closets. If your kitchen is so small that you have to place your bread vertically so it doesn’t stick to the living room, then this is the guide for you.

Maybe you’re having a hard time fitting a chef’s knife into your limited counter space. Maybe your beloved Dutch oven is in the middle of the floor. If so, we have some creative storage solutions and fun-sized cookware that WIRED writers have come to love and experiment with. Do you need inspiration after your setup is complete? Don’t forget to check out our other buying guides, including Best cookbook and Best Pots and Pans.

Update Jan 2022: We Swapped Cooks Standard 36-Inch Pot Rack, which we love, for the Wallniture Lyon mount, as the Cooks Standard is now out of stock everywhere. We’ve also added Gneiss Spice Magnetic Spice Jars, Hamilton Beach Mini 3-Cooker Food Processor, Le Creuset Mini Cooker, Raddish Mini Cooker Set, and Ebern Designs Aliecia hanging fruit basket.

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Maximize storage space

• Starts with pot rack. Placing those pots and pans on the wall frees up precious drawer and cabinet space. If you don’t have room for a shelf, a Rails will make pans, pans and pans not your way.
• Attachment wooden knife into your wall. The knife magnets are hidden underneath the wood, so it’s less likely to chip or dull your blade than a full metal rod. Skip the knife block on the countertop — it not only takes up counter space, it also dulls your blades faster.
• Wall mounted spice rack also frees up more cabinet space. Buy a ceiling price and stock it with good condiments, such as word selections Burlap & Crate. Spices are one of the areas where you should spend money; The difference in quality is noticeable. WIRED product reviewer and writer Louryn Strampe sticks Magnetic spice jar in her refrigerator. She likes Gneiss Spice, available in a ready-made set. You can also Specify the spices you want.
• If you have little drawer space, put your cookware in crock tool. This Le Creuset Utensil Crock ($55) enough room to hold all spoons, spatulas and tongs.
• Hanging fruit basket This means you won’t need to use precious counter space to store fresh fruits and vegetables. Keep tomatoes, potatoes, and iced fruit out of the refrigerator.

Consolidate (and Reduce Size) Your Cooking Utensils

• How often do you actually use that quesadilla maker or steamer basket? One multi-purpose cake can replace some less used machines. The Instant Pot for ($89) is the most famous, but yes other multifunction devices worth seeing.
• A Dutch oven, like this an enameled one from the Lodge ($80), can also replace some single-use pots or machines. I’ve used my Dutch oven to steam oysters, bake tortillas, slow cook stews, and make kebabs.
• WIRED product reviewer and writer Louryn Strampe usually makes most of her meals in Great Jones Deep Cut ($90), a hybrid pan it’s a cross between a pan, a frying pan, and a sauté pan. “It doesn’t shine in one zone compared to another, but it’s sturdy, heats up evenly, and the stainless steel surface is easy to clean in the dishwasher,” she says. WIRED food writer Joe Ray recommends a similar multi-function option from All Clad.
• You don’t need that many knives. Get rid of the 10-inch knife set: An 8- or 9-inch chef’s knife, a smaller paring knife, a bread knife, and maybe a few specialized blades should suffice. Or consider replacing them all with a general purpose Chinese Caidao. For more information, see Chef’s knife buying guide.
• If drawer space is limited, you can even downsize your hand tools. Senior Contributor Editor Review Adrienne So There’s a Pair small clamp in one mail order cookware for her six-year-old daughter, but she quickly found them useful for everything from flipping hot dogs to tossing noodles and serving salads at tables in tight spaces. “I also use her tiny whisk for salads, her little stirrer, and her little spoon a lot more often than I like to admit,” So says. “Small tools forever!”
• Let’s consider a small food grinder if you don’t have enough space prepare to hold the knife safely. The Hamilton Beach Mini Food Processor ($19) Can slice and dice up to three cups of ingredients at a time. WIRED product writer and reviewer Medea Giordano has had her product for three years now and especially loves using it to make fresh pasta sauces.

More surface preparation

• Chopping board Takes up a lot of room when you are preparing a meal. Buy one made to fit your sink, like this Catskill Craftsmen Maple Cut Board ($27). Hardwood, like the maple used here, is easier on your knife than bamboo.
• Attach a leaf-shaped board to a nearby wall. The IKEA Bjursta ($45) is a 3-foot counter space that can be turned down and away when not in use.
• Burner cap can add space into your kitchen. Use them as additional cutting boards or utensils. This Prosumer’s Choice Bamboo Workstation ($60) can cover half of your stovetop — get two for a continuous flat surface on all four burners.
• Buy one wheelchair. Most tend to be 48 inches long, but if you’re in a small kitchen, you’ll be better off with 36 inches or less. You can tuck it into a corner of the room adjacent to your kitchen and roll it away when you need more counter space, then roll it away when you’re not using it. Utility trolley can also move to where you need.

How to move in the kitchen

• Here are some tips from WIRED senior writer and product reviewer, Scott Gilbertson, who has worked in the restaurant industry for six years and knows how to tackle tight cooking spaces:
• You don’t have to lay out everything like you are presenting a cooking show. “I think there is a perception that you always need to cook in each place, where everything is spread out and ready to go,” says Gilbertson. “Get what you need off the shelf, use it, and put it away.”
• Clean up when you cook. Do you have a minute to spare while you wait for the sauce to cool down in the pan? Wipe that counter clean. Throw those eggshells out. It’s not just the chef’s secret, and the chef makes cleaning less intimidating and more appealing later on. It will also reduce the clutter that builds up by the time you finish cooking your meal.
• If you are sharing your cramped kitchen, it’s important to communicate whenever one or both of you are handling food, pots, or cookware. Just say “behind” loudly when you pass someone in the kitchen cutting or handling hot pasta.

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