You live in a small apartment in Jersey City. Or you’re turning a Brooklyn basement into a rental. Maybe you just want a coffee bar and mini kitchen in your home office.

You don’t have room for a full kitchen. But you still want to cook, wash dishes, and store food.

That’s where an all in one kitchenette comes in.

It’s a single box. Plug it in. Hook up the water. And you’ve got a fridge, sink, cooktop, and storage all in one spot.

No major renovation. No hiring five different trades. Just a compact kitchen that actually works.

Let’s walk through how to pick the right unit for your home in New York or New Jersey.

Quick Answer:

What is an all in one kitchenette?
It’s a self-contained unit that comes already fully assembled. A refrigerator freezer, a two-burner electric cooktop, a working sink, and storage cabinets. All in one box. Widths? Anywhere from 30 to 72 inches. Most plug right into a standard 110V outlet. Then you connect them to your existing water lines. Simple. Perfect for studios. Or dorms. Offices too. Basements as well.

What Exactly Is an All in One Kitchenette?

Think of it as a complete working kitchen station. But small.

You get:

A compact refrigerator freezer (often a 2 door refrigerator freezer model)

A two burner electric cooktop

A working sink with faucet

Storage cabinets underneath

Everything comes in one box. Fully assembled.

You don’t need to buy a separate fridge or cut holes for a sink. It’s ready to go.

Some units even include a microwave. Others have a cutting board that slides over the sink. The best all in one kitchenette models give you everything except the dishes.

Pro Tip:
Look for units with a 2 door refrigerator freezer. That means one door for the fridge. Another for the freezer. Separate. They hold more food. And keep things fresher. Way better than those single-door compact models.

Who Actually Buys These?

We install these for all kinds of people across NY and NJ.

Here are the most common situations:

Studio apartment renters – No full kitchen, but tired of takeout
Basement apartment owners – Adding a legal rental unit without gutting the house
Office managers – Break rooms that actually let people heat up lunch
Airbnb hosts – Guests expect a sink and fridge, not just a microwave
Tiny home owners – Every inch counts
Home bar builders – Sink + fridge for man caves or pool houses

One of our clients in Hoboken put a 48-inch unit in her garage apartment. Now she rents it for $1,200 more per month. The kitchenette paid for itself in three months.

Good to Know:
Kitchenettes in temporary living spaces — like dorms or corporate housing — lower your utility costs. You won’t pay as much as you would for a full kitchen. Less space to cool. Less water to heat. The savings add up fast.

All in One Kitchenette vs Full Kitchen

Feature	All in One Kitchenette	Full Kitchen
Width	30–72 inches	96+ inches
Installation time	1–4 hours	2–4 weeks
Plumbing needed	Basic (1 sink hookup)	Complex (dishwasher, double sink)
Electrical	Standard 110V	May need 220V
Cost to buy	$3,000	$25,000
DIY friendly	Yes	Rarely

So what does that mean for you?

Got a small space? Tight budget? Then a kitchenette unit wins. Every time.

But here’s the other side. You cook full meals every day. For four people. That changes things. You’ll want a real kitchen with a complete range of features. No question.

Just be honest with yourself. How will you really use it? That part’s easy.

Benefits Compared: All in One Kitchenette vs Full Kitchen

Benefit	All in One Kitchenette	Full Kitchen
Fits small spaces	✅ Best for studios, dorms, offices	❌ Needs a full room
Upfront cost	✅ Low (800–800–3,000)	❌ High (8k–8k–25k+)
Installation time	✅ Done in 1 day	❌ Takes weeks
DIY possible	✅ Yes, plug and play	❌ Rarely
Monthly utility bill	✅ Lower	❌ Higher
Moves with you	✅ Easy to unplug and take	❌ Stays with the house
Cooking power	⚠️ 2 burners, no full oven	✅ Full stove and oven
Storage space	⚠️ Limited cabinets	✅ Plenty of cabinets
Resale value	⚠️ Helps a little	✅ Boosts home value a lot
Best for	One or two people	Families of 3 or more

✅ = Win | ❌ = Not as good | ⚠️ = It depends on your needs

Common Sizes and Where They Fit

Width	Best for	What items fits inside
30″	Closet pantry, tiny home	Small fridge, 1-burner cooktop
36″	Office break room	Compact fridge, 2-burner, small sink
48″	Studio apartment	2 door fridge, full sink, microwave
54″	Basement apartment	Larger fridge, storage drawers
60″	Guest house	Full fridge-freezer, prep space
72″	Small full-time home	Almost like a real kitchen

Kitchenettes come in standard widths. Measure your space before you buy anything.

We put a 36-inch unit in a lawyer’s office in Manhattan last month. His staff used to run out for lunch every day. Now they heat up leftovers and eat at their desks. Saves them about $50 a week each.

All One Kitchen Advice:
Always leave 3 inches of clearance on each side for airflow. If you cram a unit tight against a wall, the fridge overheats and dies early.

ADA Counter Height Kitchenette – What to Know

If someone in a wheelchair will use the kitchen, you need an ADA compliant model.

Standard counter height is 36 inches.

ADA counter height is 34 inches.

That extra 2 inches makes a huge difference. A person in a chair can roll under the sink and reach the cooktop.

Most ADA units also have:

· Open space under the sink (no cabinet doors)

· Easy-grip handles

· Front-mounted controls on the cooktop

We installed an ADA counter height kitchenette in a Hoboken condo last spring. The owner’s mother moved in after a stroke. She can now cook for herself again. That’s the kind of job that sticks with you.

Pro Tip:

ADA rules also require knee clearance of 27 inches high and 30 inches wide under the sink. Not every “ADA kitchenette” actually meets this. Ask for the spec sheet before you buy.

5 Mistakes People Make When Buying a Kitchenette

We see these same problems a lot. Here’s what to avoid.

1. Buying too small
A 30-inch unit sounds smart. But once you put a plate in the sink, you have no counter space. Go one size bigger than you think you need.

2. Forgetting the water hookup
Some people think kitchenettes are dry units. They’re not. You do need a water line for the sink. In case of no plumbing at your space, look for a portable unit with a tank.

3. Ignoring the outlet location

The plug is usually on the back right or left. If your outlet is behind the unit, you’ll need to move it. Check the diagram first.

4. Skipping the return policy

These units ship freight on a pallet. Returning one costs $200–400. Buy from a place with a solid return policy. Or see it in person first.

5. No drain pump

If your kitchenette sits below the main sewer line (like in a basement), water won’t drain by gravity. You’ll need a unit with a built-in drain pump. Otherwise, get ready for standing water in your sink.

We learned that last one the hard way. A client in Staten Island bought a standard unit for his basement bar. No pump. Every time he ran the water, it backed up. We had to swap the whole thing out.

Where to Put a Kitchenette (Real Ideas)

You don’t need a dedicated kitchen room. These fit almost anywhere. Very easy to fit units.

· Studio apartments – Put it along the wall where a dresser would go

· Office break rooms – Replace the mini fridge with a full unit

· Basements – Perfect for rental apartments or home theaters

· Garages – Turn it into a workshop kitchen

· Dormitory suites – Much better than a communal floor kitchen

· Hotel kitchens – Extended stay hotels use these all the time

· Pool houses – No more wet footprints through the main house

One of our clients in Newark turned a walk-in closet into a kitchenette. 48-inch unit. Small tank water heater. Now it’s a tiny studio renting for $1,000 a month.

Good to Know:
Kitchenettes encourage a minimalist lifestyle. Less storage means you buy only what you need. Less counter space means less clutter. Honestly, some of our clients say they prefer this to their old full kitchen.

How Much Should You Spend?

Prices vary by brand, size, and features.

Price range	What you get	Example brands
$800-$1200	Basic, no name, 30–36″, small fridge	Unknown import brands
$1200-$1800	Good quality, 36–48″, 2 door fridge	Avanti, Danby
$1800-$2500	Premium, 48–60″, stainless steel	Summit, Kucht
$2,500+	Commercial grade, ADA, large fridge	Summit Pro, Marvel

Our recommendation for best price: Spend at least $1,500. The cheap units use low-grade compressors. They die in 2–3 years. A Summit or Avanti will last 10+ years with basic care.

All One Kitchen Advice:

Watch for “all in one kitchenette reviews” that mention noise. Some units have loud compressors. If it’s going in a bedroom studio, pay extra for a quiet model (under 40 decibels)

Kitchenette Installation – Can You DIY?

Short answer: Yes, mostly.

Here’s what’s easy:

Unboxing and moving into place
Plugging into the wall
Adding the faucet and drain connections (they’re usually in the box)

Here’s what trips people up:

Connecting the water supply line (need a shutoff valve)
Hooking up the drain to your existing plumbing
Leveling the unit so water drains right
Cutting countertops if you buy a separate top (rare)

If you’ve ever installed a washing machine, you can do this. If not, hire a handyman. Most installs take 2–4 hours.

We charge $350–500 for a full install in NY/NJ, including water hookup and leveling. That’s a lot cheaper than a full kitchen renovation.

Brands Worth Your Money

We’ve installed almost every brand out there. These are the ones that hold up. Come in black, white, or stainless steel.

Summit – The gold standard. Rock solid. Quiet. Made for NYC apartments.

Avanti – Best value. Good quality. Easy to find parts.

Kucht – Looks like a real kitchen. Stainless steel. Heavier build.

Danby – Budget pick. Fine for offices. Skip for full-time living.

Avoid no-name brands on Amazon. We’ve seen units arrive with broken compressors, missing drain kits, and zero customer support.

Pro Tip:

Call the company before you buy. Ask about replacement parts. If they can’t tell you where to get a new faucet or thermostat, walk away.

FAQ – People Also Ask

How wide is a typical all in one kitchenette?

Most units range from 30 to 72 inches. But the ones you’ll see most often? 36, 48, and 60 inches. So measure your space first. Before you buy anything. And don’t skip this — leave 3 inches on each side. That gap lets air flow. Keeps the fridge from overheating.

Does an all in one kitchenette need a water hookup?

Yes, the sink requires a water hookup. It connects to a standard cold water line. Same setup as a washing machine.

If you don’t have plumbing nearby, consider a portable unit. Those come with a built-in water tank. No pipes required. Just fill the tank and use it.

Can you put a kitchenette in a basement?

Yes, but you may need a unit with a drain pump. Basements are often below the main sewer line. Without a pump, water won’t drain out. Check your elevation before buying.

What’s the difference between a kitchenette and a full kitchen?

Space and cost. A kitchenette combines fridge, sink, cooktop, and storage into one 30–72” unit. A full kitchen has separate appliances, more counter space, and usually a full oven. Kitchenettes cost 80% less to buy and install.

Are all in one kitchenettes ADA compliant?

Some are, but not all. True ADA models have a 34-inch counter height and open knee space underneath. Always check the spec sheet. The words “ADA compliant” don’t always mean full compliance.

How long do these units last?

A quality unit from Summit or Avanti lasts 10–15 years with basic care. Cheap no-name brands often fail in 2–3 years. Spend a little more upfront. It’s cheaper in the long run.

So… Should You Buy One?

Here’s the honest truth.

If you have a small space and need real cooking and cleaning options, an all in one kitchenette is the smartest money you’ll spend. It works in dorm rooms, hotel kitchens, and other similar environments providing unlimited convenience.

It’s cheaper than a renovation. It’s faster than building from scratch. And it adds real value to your home or rental. A highest quality full service kitchenette creates an unlimited value for years.

We’ve put these in basements, studios, offices, and garages across New York and New Jersey. Every single person said the same thing: “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”

My advice? Measure twice. Buy one size up. Hire someone who knows water hookups.

And if you’re in NY or NJ and want someone to handle the install, All One Kitchen offers free on-site estimates. We’ll help you pick the right unit, check your plumbing, and get it done right.