Oven or Dishwasher in STR?

Question

I’m converting my garage to a 2 bed 1 bath STR at the beach. It will have all appliances except an oven. There’s only space for a compact drop in cook top with 2 burners. It will have a dishwasher. Should I sacrifice the dishwasher for a full range or will the cooktop + dishwasher be better?

John Underwood · Answer

People wash dishes in the sink as long as they are aware. They couldn't bake something though.

Denise Supplee · Answer

Hi @Timothy Eyrich, nice to meet you here on BP. That sounds like an awesome project! At a beach STR, most guests aren’t doing heavy cooking, so a 2-burner cooktop paired with a dishwasher is often the better combo. Guests love convenience, and cleanup is a big part of that. Unless you’re targeting long-term stays or serious home chefs, the cooktop plus dishwasher should work great.

Collin Hays · Answer

Yeah agree with John. Your guests might want a frozen pizza or wings. They can wash their own dishes or use paper & plastic.

Andrew Street · Answer

If you’re targeting short-term renters, especially beachgoers, the cooktop + dishwasher combo is usually the better choice. Most guests won’t cook full meals, but they’ll definitely appreciate easy cleanup especially on vacation. A full range is great, but not a dealbreaker for most STR guests.

Helen Adeosun · Answer

Hi I did the same thing with an unfinished basement. You can get away without a dishwasher. I advertised a small Japanese mini dishwasher I bought last minute got nervous that guests would accidentally flood my basement.

But what I love is that I installed a laundry sink that is very deep but looks good from home depot so there's a ton of space to wash dishes vs a traditional bar sink that's small and shallow. My unit is metal and less than $350.

I also bought an induction cook top, pricier but helps market it as its safer and heats water in seconds which guests love.

I will at some point put a small actual dishwasher but have a large airfryer which folks use a lot and doesnt heat up the unit rather than an oven.

John Underwood · Answer

That would probably be ok, but I'd have a stove before I had a dishwasher.

Andrew Steffens · Answer

@Timothy Eyrich

I agree with most posts here. I manage a lot of beach rentals from studios up to 7 bedroom mansions. The majority of your guests in a 2/1 will be small family units, friend groups etc and probably not cooking too heavy of meals. I’d opt for the oven to be able to cook frozen pizza etc. ninja has some cool all in one types. You can also get some standalone burners that can be stored while not in use. Dishwasher is not a big deal - just make sure you are very clear in your listing there is no dishwasher.

Michael Baum · Answer

So we are the opposite. Everyone cooks in our STR. Most things get used, the grill, over, stove top and most of the small appliances.

Let's see a pic of the space. I am betting there is a way to get both in there without much trouble.

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

In my experience, bth as a STR host and a STR guest, I found that most people on vacation will not cook in the unit. They are there to have fun and will eat out (or bring food home). So a dishwasher is a waste In most cases....

If you can install a nice larger single bowl sink, that would be nice, and provide a wash/dry rack as well....

Jon Martin · Answer

Agree with the above, although I would limit the number of dishes/utensils that you offer so your cleaner doesn't get stuck with a sink full of dishes.

Oven or Dishwasher in STR?

Most Popular Reply