One post that always gets a lot of comments in the Facebook Group for Past Course Attendees is the one asking for recommendations on the best kitchen gadgets to use in a B&B. Everyone has their favourite!

If you’re setting up or upgrading your B&B kitchen, having the right tools can make all the difference. In this 2025 buying guide, I’m sharing the essential kitchen gadgets for B&B owners that helped me run a smoother, more professional bed and breakfast — while also saving time, reducing waste, and making my life a lot easier.

And, as this blog post has proved very popular in previous years, I decided it was time for a 2025 update. I've refreshed the links to newer versions and added a few more of my recent favourites.

I wish my Bed and Breakfast network had existed 20 years ago when I set up my own B&B — it would have saved me an awful lot of money. It’s painful to think of the gadgets I bought over the years, only for them to end up gathering dust or heading to the tip.

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ll know I hate cleaning and I love knitting. So most of the items I’ve bought have been about minimising the time I actually have to work — and maximising the time I can sit and knit!

Here are my favourites…

Please note that this blog contains some affiliate links through to Amazon. If you buy via one of these links, I get a small percentage of the sale (at no extra cost to you), which helps cover the cost of hosting this blog.

By the way, when you join the online course, you’ll also get access to a 29-page B&B guest room design checklist and a 16-page kitchen equipment checklist , covering everything you’ll need in your bedrooms and bathrooms.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ONLINE COURSE HERE

🔪 Victorinox Swiss Knives – My Go-To B&B Kitchen Essential

If you're running a B&B kitchen, good knives make all the difference — and these Victorinox Swiss knives are the ones I’ve relied on for years.

They’re small, lightweight, affordable, and surprisingly sharp. I’ve cooked hundreds of breakfasts (and the odd evening meal) for guests, and these are the knives I kept reaching for.

My favourite? The Victorinox tomato knife . Despite the name, I use it for everything — from slicing fruit to scoring bread dough before baking. It’s also the one I pack when we’re self-catering on holiday.

If you’re looking for reliable, budget-friendly knives that hold their edge, these are well worth adding to your kitchen toolkit.

👉 Shop Victorinox knives on Amazon

🧼 Best Steam Cleaner for B&B Owners – Dupray NEAT

If you’re looking for a reliable steam cleaner for your B&B , I’ve tried more than I’d care to admit. Most of them ended up in what I now call the steam cleaner graveyard .

During COVID, deep cleaning became non-negotiable — and a good steam cleaner quickly became essential, especially if you're trying to cut down on chemical use.

While there are eco-friendly sprays for hard surfaces, I’ve yet to find anything that properly sanitises soft furnishings — like sofas, cushions, or divan bed bases — without containing chemicals like Benzalkonium Chloride . (It’s safe in small amounts but can be toxic to pets if they ingest it.)

I did own a VAX steam mop that converts to handheld. It was ok, but a bit heavy for curtain rails and awkward when cleaning above shoulder height. It also needs frequent refilling.

After some research, I came across the Dupray NEAT steam cleaner — and I’m more excited about it than I probably should be. I’m not the only one; it’s even got a bit of a fan club in our Facebook group!

Why I Like the Dupray NEAT:

• Long cord – clean a whole room from one plug

• Long wand – great for high-up jobs without shoulder strain

• Cleans grout and floors without kneeling

• Holds 1 litre of water – gives about 45 mins of cleaning time

• No harsh chemicals needed

It’s more expensive than most steam mops, but it’s one of the few I think is genuinely worth the extra cost for the time and effort it saves.

👉 Shop Dupray NEAT Steam Cleaner on Amazon

🍞Bread Machine

When I was running my B&B, I went through at least one white loaf and one granary loaf every day — far too much to manage with sourdough from scratch. These days, I bake one sourdough a week for us at home, but back then I simply didn’t have the time or bandwidth. That’s where a bread maker became an absolute essential.

After my B&B course was first reviewed in the Guardian , a lady emailed me a long email all about B&B breakfasts. She said she had stayed at some lovely B&Bs that served amazing breakfasts and all of them had been let down by their toast! She was very keen that going forward I should tell every B&B owner that toast was a very important element of breakfast and that they should not skimp on the quality of their bread.

Instead, I used to make both granary and white dough in the bread machine. I never used it to bake the bread ( though of course you can use it like that if you prefer ), but instead I shaped the dough into 3 loaves, left it to prove overnight ( or more ) in the fridge and bake in the oven in the morning. You fill the B&B with the smell of fresh baked bread, get more digestible bread and it's cheap even with expensive bread flour.

My bread was probably the most commented item on my breakfast menu.

For me, there is no other bread machine than the Panasonic . I've owned 2 machines over the years and when I was running the B&B they were used at least once a day

👉 Shop Panasonic Bread Maker on Amazon
👉 Read my go-to breadmaker bread recipe

🍊 Best Citrus Juicer for Fresh Orange Juice – Electric Citrus Juicer

When I was running my B&B, I always served freshly squeezed orange juice at breakfast. I’m not saying every B&B should — it really depends on your market — but my guests often mentioned it as one of those “little extras” that made their stay feel special.

There are some excellent ready-squeezed juices out there, and for many hosts that’s a sensible choice. But if you do want to serve fresh, I found that even a simple electric juicer made the job quick and easy.

Over the years, I looked at a few fancier, more expensive juicers, but I kept coming back to this cheap electric citrus juicer . It just worked.

No bells or whistles. Just an easy, affordable way to offer something that really elevates the guest experience.

👉 Shop Electric Citrus Juicer on Amazon

🧄 Best Mini Chopper for B&B Kitchens – Kenwood Mini Chopper

This is probably one of the cheapest gadgets on my list — but also one of the most transformative. The Kenwood Mini Chopper , originally recommended by Delia Smith, quickly became a staple in my kitchen.

It completely changed how I make hollandaise sauce. I’ve tried doing it in a liquidiser before (too much faff) — but this little chopper makes it simple and reliable. It’s also brilliant for crushing avocado, chopping herbs, and whizzing up quick dressings or sauces.

A quick note on hollandaise:

If you want to use it for hollandaise sauce, make sure you get the version with a lid that has a feeder hole . That allows you to drizzle in the lemon juice or melted butter slowly — which makes all the difference.

It’s a small thing, but genuinely useful if you’re offering cooked-to-order breakfasts and want to elevate things a notch.

👉 Shop Kenwood Mini Chopper on Amazon
👉 How to Make Hollandaise Without the Tears

🥤 Best Blender for B&B Breakfasts – Nutribullet Blender

Homemade smoothies were always popular on my B&B breakfast menu, but I used to dread the cleanup. Making them in a big jug blender was a bit of a faff — and cleaning the whole thing after a busy breakfast shift wasn’t my idea of fun.

The Nutribullet made life much easier. It’s compact, quick to clean, and ideal for making smaller quantities — whether that’s a smoothie for one guest or a quick Yorkshire pudding batter.

It’s also perfect for pancake mix or waffles (though not American-style ones — for those you want to mix the batter more gently, just until combined).

The Nutribullet became one of my most-used kitchen gadgets, and I still use it daily.

👉 Shop Nutribullet Blender on Amazon

👉 Read my breakfast recipe: High Protein Raspberry Shake

🍳 Best Multi-Cooker for B&B Kitchens – Ninja Foodi MAX

Chances are you already own an air fryer — they’ve become a staple in most kitchens. But if you’re running a B&B, they can be a real game changer.

Air fryers cook food more quickly , use about 50% less energy than a traditional oven or grill, and don’t need long preheating times. That makes them ideal for smaller bed and breakfasts where time, energy and space are all at a premium.

When I was running my B&B, I could cook a full English breakfast (minus the eggs) for two people in 10–12 minutes using the air fryer.

My daughter has the two-drawer version, which works very well as an air fryer, but I’m a big fan of my Ninja Foodi MAX . It’s not just an air fryer — the pressure cooker function is brilliant for autumn and winter dishes like stews, curries, and rice pudding. It’s a huge time and energy saver if you love slow-cooked food but don’t want to wait around all day.

👉 Shop Ninja Foodi MAX Multi-Cooker on Amazon

👉 Shop Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer

💧 Best Sustainable Water Option for Guests – Brita Filter Bottle

Most of us are trying to cut down on single-use plastic and glass, but it can be tricky to balance that with offering a luxury B&B experience.

When I was running my B&B, I used to leave bottles of mineral water in the guest rooms. Later, I switched to refillable bottles filled with tap water from the guest fridge.

The problem? Our unfiltered tap water was safe to drink — but didn’t taste great. I’d fill the bottles from the filtered water dispenser on our fridge, which was fine if guests only wanted one bottle… but I still ended up refilling them daily.

Recently on holiday, I came across these Brita Filter Bottles . They’re small enough to fit in a room fridge, easy to refill, and have built-in filters — so guests can top them up themselves without you having to do a thing. A small swap that can save you time and reduce waste.

👉 Shop Brita Filter Bottle on Amazon

🫧 Best Way to Offer Sparkling Water – SodaStream Duo with Glass Bottles

I’ve always preferred sparkling water over still, and this was another one of those little challenges when trying to offer a luxury experience to B&B guests.

We’ve had a SodaStream for years, but our current model still uses plastic bottles — and while it does the job, I'd prefer to be using glass.

If I were still running the B&B, I’d definitely look at upgrading to the SodaStream Duo , which uses dishwasher-safe glass bottles . The glass looks more premium, holds the fizz better, and feels like a nicer option to leave in guest room fridges.

It’s also a simple way to offer sparkling water without relying on single-use bottles — more sustainable, and one less thing to restock.

👉 Shop SodaStream Duo with Glass Bottles on Amazon

👉 Buy additional SodaStream glass bottles here

☕ Best Coffee Grinder for Freshly Ground Beans – De'Longhi Coffee Grinder

I’ve always believed that one of the keys to running a successful B&B is getting the basics right — and that includes serving really good, freshly roasted coffee .

There’s something satisfying about using whole beans and grinding them fresh. It makes a noticeable difference to the flavour, and guests really appreciate the extra effort.

The De'Longhi coffee grinder is a great choice. You can preset the amount it grinds, so you’re not wasting any coffee. It also stores a decent amount of beans, so you don’t have to refill it every time. Just press the button and you’re ready to go.

👉 Shop De'Longhi Coffee Grinder on Amazon

🫖 Best Teapot for B&B Guests – Ceramic Teapot with Infuser

There’s something comforting about a proper pot of tea — especially if your B&B attracts guests who appreciate a slower, more traditional start to the day.

This ceramic teapot with infuser is just the sort of teapot I love. It’s a good size, keeps the tea hot, and has a built-in stainless steel infuser , which means you can use loose-leaf tea without the mess. It also pours well — and if you’ve ever used a badly designed teapot, you’ll know how important that is.

The wide squat shape makes it easy to clean, and it looks smart enough to serve at the table or on a breakfast tray.

It’s a simple upgrade that adds a little elegance to the breakfast experience — and guests really do notice the details.

👉 Shop Ceramic Teapot with Infuser on Amazon

☕ Best Kettle for a Busy B&B Kitchen – Dualit Architect Kettle

If you’re running a B&B, your kettle is going to get a serious workout — especially during breakfast prep. I’ve gone through a fair few over the years, and the Dualit Architect Kettle is one I’d recommend for both looks and durability.

It’s fast to boil, solidly built and also looks smart on the counter, which helps if your kitchen is open-plan or visible to guests.

If I were designing a B&B kitchen from scratch now — and had the budget — I’d probably install a Quooker tap and do away with the kettle altogether. But for most setups, a reliable electric kettle like this does the job perfectly.

👉 Shop Dualit Architect Kettle on Amazon

🍞 Best Toaster for B&Bs – Dualit 2-Slice Toaster

Toasters might seem like a minor detail — until you're serving breakfast every morning and the toast keeps coming out uneven or burnt.

We went through plenty of cheaper toasters over the years, none of which were quite up to the job. Then, while staying in a holiday cottage, we tried the Dualit 2-slice toaster — and even my husband, who’s not usually one for kitchen gadgets, was immediately sold. We ordered one as soon as we got home.

It’s solid, reliable, and looks smart on the counter. It toasts evenly, handles thicker slices well, and has that satisfying feel of something built to last. Definitely more of an investment than a basic toaster, but well worth it if you're making toast daily — whether for guests or yourself.

👉 Shop Dualit 2-Slice Toaster on Amazon

Ready to Set Up Your Own B&B?

I hope you’ve found this updated list of my favourite B&B gadgets helpful — and maybe even saved yourself from buying something that ends up gathering dust in a cupboard!

Getting the right tools in place early can save you time, stress, and money in the long run — not to mention make your guests’ stay more comfortable.

If you're just starting out my online B&B course covers everything you need to know, from setting up your guest rooms to creating the perfect breakfast experience.

When you join, you’ll also get access to:

• A 29-page guest room design checklist

• A 16-page kitchen equipment checklist

• Ongoing support through my private Facebook Group

👉 Find out more and join the course here