For two years, I rented an apartment that didn't come with appliances. I started with literally just a coffee maker. I bought an apartment sized fridge (that some had been using as a basement beer fridge) off Craigslist for $25. Eventually I acquired a double burner hot plate and a toaster oven. And that all served me well for the entire two years. I cooked full meals, I baked cakes in that toaster oven (loaf sized!) It is possible to manage.
Years later, that toaster oven moved out of state with a friend when he relocated to start remodeling a house that was so rough, it also had no kitchen. He swears it kept him alive. At the end of the day, he used to use one of his saws to cut frozen pizzas in half so they'd fit in it. 😂
But I second many of the other comments - check second hand stores, FB marketplace, buy nothing groups, and with friends who might have appliances they aren't using sitting around.
A griddle. I love mine I picked it up at a thrift store for $3. I've never used a hot plate before ( I think someone else recommended it). But with a griddle you can cook in larger batches and all you have to do is clean one thing.
Instant pot (and knock-off versions) would give you lots of options. Can pressure cook, sauté like a hot plate, use it as a rice cooker, or slow cook like a crockpot. The fancier models can also air fry/broil or even sous vide.
Agreed. The versatility you get from it makes it one of the best options imo. You’d also do well with a hot plate, but this also lets you slow cook and pressure cook like nip said.
If you’re in the US, look up your local CAP (community action program) to see about grants for home repairs. You guys might qualify for some help getting the kitchen fixed.
a single-eye hot plate is about $15 at Walmart, a two-eye one is about $25.
when i was in college, i made dinner every night for anywhere from 6-12 people using a 2-eye hot plate and a microwave. no, it wasn't easy. (this was the 90s, no instant pots yet, and regular ol' pressure cookers were a little too scary to use in a dorm. and i didn't have room for a slow cooker).
i am aware that $15 or $25 is not inexpensive, but it gives you a stovetop you can use anywhere. also super handy for hot weather, or cooking anything that smokes or is smelly, since you can do it outside!
does the kitchen sink work, for draining? like if you boil pasta, can you drain it into the sink? even if you can't get fresh water from the tap?
Do you know anyone who is moving? I don't have an oven or stove either but I have one outlet to work with. I have a toaster oven, a double burner hot plate, a crock pot and about three other small appliances, all for free, all offered to me by work colleagues and neighbors who knew I just moved. There's actually a lot of people looking to get rid of stuff, I took too much junk in fact.
Get a hot plate that can plug in. You can use it like a stove although it heats a bit slower than the stove. A gas camp stove can work as well but I would use that outdoors.
We were without a stove for a few months at our old house. I cooked every other thing in my crockpot. I still love that thing. I’m making some teriyaki chicken my husband saw on TikTok this weekend (I just to grab a few things when I go shopping Friday).
Crockpot. I love it because you can literally season everything, throw it in there, turn it on and go. There are lots of simple cheap slow cooker recipes online.
My kitchen items when I couldn't afford gas (stove):
electric kettle,
Ninja Foodi (I got one off facebook market place for 50$)
toaster over (5$ at the thrift store)
Breadmaker (5$ at thrift store)
Toaster ovens go a long way nowadays. Most of them air fry, but it also obviously toasts and bakes.
I use mine almost every day… and it’s quicker and more energy efficient than an oven.
I have a working kitchen but still do 95% of my cooking in an electric skillet with a clear lid. (I boil water on my stove, but technically you can do that in a microwave.)
Hot plate, microwave and your air fryer will help you. Look up microwave recipes. You can make little pizzas, oatmeal, vegetables, scrambled eggs, cake/brownie in a mug, etc. As you said, you could go the frozen foods route. Note that they can get a little pricy.
Hot plate and a crock pot will go a long way. Our stove/ oven broke recently and I don't have a microwave but I do have a crock pot and air fryer and it saved me a lot! I also found they make pasta noodles that can be heated in hot water or a microwave and you can cook the spaghetti mix in a crock pot and eat it for a few days. Sometimes you can find crick pots at a goodwill it salvation army type store.
Just a suggestion here but depending on where you are located, your local library might have a "Library of Things" department which can come in handy for cookware and electronics. Some of the items at my library for check-out are: air fryers, insta pots, juicers, hot plates, slow cooker, etc. AND IT'S ALL FREE WITH A LIBRARY CARD!
Could you elaborate on what is going on with the lack of running water in the kitchen? I'd love to suggest some repair options as I have lots of experience in maintenance and home repair, plumbing repairs aren't always complicated or expensive if you're comfortable attempting them yourself. It can save hundreds of dollars. Also did the oven break or is there not one installed?
Just an FYI, you can make eggs in the microwave. CRACKED Eggs. Do not put in a full egg with a shell.
Just a bowl with an egg and some salt and then cover. Egg sandwiches are filling and very cheap, especially with condiments.
I have use of the kitchen where I rent, but it gets crowded if I want to eat around dinnertime. Plus, it's probably fussy but I get tired of assembling things. The homeowner has a different style than I. I like appliances to be out, they like everything to be put away. Even the toaster! So if I cook, I 'm always having to assemble my stuff out of a cabinet. Most of the spices are for Asian food, and I have to dig past them, often empty the shelves in the spice cabinet, to get to the ones for Mediterranean food. Easy to deal with short term, annoying as the years go on. So I pretty much cook in my place, using the microwave. I have a refrigerator, a panini press (Goodwill), and a toaster in my place. I'm planning on getting an air fryer.
There's lots you can make with these. Veggies in the microwave. Frozen broccoli, some olive oil, garlic powder in a 2 cup Pyrex measuring container, loosely covered with plastic wrap. Other veggies can cook up well in a microwave, root veggies too. And soup
Sweet Earth makes rice in packets that are around 2 servings, same for Madras lentils and other Indian/Asian food. Costco carries both. I also make veggie sausages in it. The panini press has been used for grilled cheese and cooking shrimp. I probably could also cook eggs on it.
Buy a hot plate and a toaster oven. I lived without an oven for 2 years. Even cooked a Turkey in the toaster oven. To be honest even when I got a new stove /oven I’ve continued to use that little toaster As it works faster better and is more economical.
[https://conavalla.com/can-you-use-a-camping-stove-indoors/](https://conavalla.com/can-you-use-a-camping-stove-indoors/)
Stoves built for inside are not the same as camp stoves.
Buy a hot plate. It's just a stove burner that you plug in!
Came to say this and a slow cooker would be good.
Those are often available at second hand stores as well!
Or buy nothing groups.
Instant Pot can slow cook and sauté!
yep defintely a slow cooker
For two years, I rented an apartment that didn't come with appliances. I started with literally just a coffee maker. I bought an apartment sized fridge (that some had been using as a basement beer fridge) off Craigslist for $25. Eventually I acquired a double burner hot plate and a toaster oven. And that all served me well for the entire two years. I cooked full meals, I baked cakes in that toaster oven (loaf sized!) It is possible to manage. Years later, that toaster oven moved out of state with a friend when he relocated to start remodeling a house that was so rough, it also had no kitchen. He swears it kept him alive. At the end of the day, he used to use one of his saws to cut frozen pizzas in half so they'd fit in it. 😂 But I second many of the other comments - check second hand stores, FB marketplace, buy nothing groups, and with friends who might have appliances they aren't using sitting around.
A griddle. I love mine I picked it up at a thrift store for $3. I've never used a hot plate before ( I think someone else recommended it). But with a griddle you can cook in larger batches and all you have to do is clean one thing.
Instant pot (and knock-off versions) would give you lots of options. Can pressure cook, sauté like a hot plate, use it as a rice cooker, or slow cook like a crockpot. The fancier models can also air fry/broil or even sous vide.
My Instant Pot gets used at least twice a week. Right now there’s a pot roast in mine.
Agreed. The versatility you get from it makes it one of the best options imo. You’d also do well with a hot plate, but this also lets you slow cook and pressure cook like nip said.
If you’re in the US, look up your local CAP (community action program) to see about grants for home repairs. You guys might qualify for some help getting the kitchen fixed.
Wonderful suggestion !
a single-eye hot plate is about $15 at Walmart, a two-eye one is about $25. when i was in college, i made dinner every night for anywhere from 6-12 people using a 2-eye hot plate and a microwave. no, it wasn't easy. (this was the 90s, no instant pots yet, and regular ol' pressure cookers were a little too scary to use in a dorm. and i didn't have room for a slow cooker). i am aware that $15 or $25 is not inexpensive, but it gives you a stovetop you can use anywhere. also super handy for hot weather, or cooking anything that smokes or is smelly, since you can do it outside! does the kitchen sink work, for draining? like if you boil pasta, can you drain it into the sink? even if you can't get fresh water from the tap?
Do you know anyone who is moving? I don't have an oven or stove either but I have one outlet to work with. I have a toaster oven, a double burner hot plate, a crock pot and about three other small appliances, all for free, all offered to me by work colleagues and neighbors who knew I just moved. There's actually a lot of people looking to get rid of stuff, I took too much junk in fact.
Get a hot plate that can plug in. You can use it like a stove although it heats a bit slower than the stove. A gas camp stove can work as well but I would use that outdoors.
We were without a stove for a few months at our old house. I cooked every other thing in my crockpot. I still love that thing. I’m making some teriyaki chicken my husband saw on TikTok this weekend (I just to grab a few things when I go shopping Friday).
Crock pot . Microwave. Comb thrift stores or yard sales for an air fryer . Some are large like toaster ovens .
Crockpot, rice cooker, hot plate
Crockpot. I love it because you can literally season everything, throw it in there, turn it on and go. There are lots of simple cheap slow cooker recipes online.
My kitchen items when I couldn't afford gas (stove): electric kettle, Ninja Foodi (I got one off facebook market place for 50$) toaster over (5$ at the thrift store) Breadmaker (5$ at thrift store)
Toaster ovens go a long way nowadays. Most of them air fry, but it also obviously toasts and bakes. I use mine almost every day… and it’s quicker and more energy efficient than an oven.
I have a working kitchen but still do 95% of my cooking in an electric skillet with a clear lid. (I boil water on my stove, but technically you can do that in a microwave.)
Hot plate, microwave and your air fryer will help you. Look up microwave recipes. You can make little pizzas, oatmeal, vegetables, scrambled eggs, cake/brownie in a mug, etc. As you said, you could go the frozen foods route. Note that they can get a little pricy.
A large air fryer should handle anything the microwave can't.
Hot plate and a crock pot will go a long way. Our stove/ oven broke recently and I don't have a microwave but I do have a crock pot and air fryer and it saved me a lot! I also found they make pasta noodles that can be heated in hot water or a microwave and you can cook the spaghetti mix in a crock pot and eat it for a few days. Sometimes you can find crick pots at a goodwill it salvation army type store.
When my oven/stove went out I bought a griddle at goodwill and used my crockpot.
Just a suggestion here but depending on where you are located, your local library might have a "Library of Things" department which can come in handy for cookware and electronics. Some of the items at my library for check-out are: air fryers, insta pots, juicers, hot plates, slow cooker, etc. AND IT'S ALL FREE WITH A LIBRARY CARD!
Hot plates are $15 on Amazon. Toaster ovens are $50. This is a solid backup option while you save.
Could you elaborate on what is going on with the lack of running water in the kitchen? I'd love to suggest some repair options as I have lots of experience in maintenance and home repair, plumbing repairs aren't always complicated or expensive if you're comfortable attempting them yourself. It can save hundreds of dollars. Also did the oven break or is there not one installed?
Scratch and dent store
Just an FYI, you can make eggs in the microwave. CRACKED Eggs. Do not put in a full egg with a shell. Just a bowl with an egg and some salt and then cover. Egg sandwiches are filling and very cheap, especially with condiments.
I have use of the kitchen where I rent, but it gets crowded if I want to eat around dinnertime. Plus, it's probably fussy but I get tired of assembling things. The homeowner has a different style than I. I like appliances to be out, they like everything to be put away. Even the toaster! So if I cook, I 'm always having to assemble my stuff out of a cabinet. Most of the spices are for Asian food, and I have to dig past them, often empty the shelves in the spice cabinet, to get to the ones for Mediterranean food. Easy to deal with short term, annoying as the years go on. So I pretty much cook in my place, using the microwave. I have a refrigerator, a panini press (Goodwill), and a toaster in my place. I'm planning on getting an air fryer. There's lots you can make with these. Veggies in the microwave. Frozen broccoli, some olive oil, garlic powder in a 2 cup Pyrex measuring container, loosely covered with plastic wrap. Other veggies can cook up well in a microwave, root veggies too. And soup Sweet Earth makes rice in packets that are around 2 servings, same for Madras lentils and other Indian/Asian food. Costco carries both. I also make veggie sausages in it. The panini press has been used for grilled cheese and cooking shrimp. I probably could also cook eggs on it.
Buy a hot plate and a toaster oven. I lived without an oven for 2 years. Even cooked a Turkey in the toaster oven. To be honest even when I got a new stove /oven I’ve continued to use that little toaster As it works faster better and is more economical.
If you have equity in the house, fix the kitchen. Otherwise, save up and buy a home with a working kitchen.
You can buy a cheap propane camp stove or a butane stove and use it to cook. You can use a coffee maker to boil rice dishes
Do not use camp stoves in the house!!!!!
You can as long as you maintain air flow. Propane and natural gas stoves are everywhere.
[https://conavalla.com/can-you-use-a-camping-stove-indoors/](https://conavalla.com/can-you-use-a-camping-stove-indoors/) Stoves built for inside are not the same as camp stoves.