Compact appliances for tiny house kitchens
Real specs for compact ranges, cooktops, fridges, dishwashers and laundry, and how much power each one needs from your panel or batteries.
Most tiny house kitchens are built around 24-inch appliances. The decision that matters most is power: a 24-inch electric range like the Summit RE2411W needs a 40-amp, 220-volt circuit, while the same size gas range runs on a 5-amp, 115-volt outlet plus propane. If you're on a 30-amp RV hookup or solar, a 120-volt two-burner induction cooktop or propane cooking keeps you from tripping breakers.
The short answer
Pick appliances by power first, size second. In a tiny house, the question isn't just "does it fit?" but "can my electrical service, or my batteries, run it at the same time as everything else?"
Every product below has published specs from the retailer or manufacturer. Picks are based on those specs, not on our own testing. Prices are AJ Madison listings as of October 2026 unless noted.
Quick math: amps, volts and watts
Watts = volts x amps. A 15-amp, 120-volt circuit can deliver up to 1,800 watts. A 40-amp, 240-volt circuit can deliver up to 9,600 watts.
This matters because many tiny houses plug into RV pedestals. KOA's Palm Harbor sites, for example, offer 50/30 amp service. On a 30-amp, 120-volt hookup you have about 3,600 watts for everything at once. Run a two-zone induction cooktop at full power (1,800 W) and a 15-amp washer-dryer at the same time, and you've used it.
Tiny house cost calculator
DIY, shell or turnkey. Trailer, materials, appliances, land and hookups, from real listed prices.
Try itRanges: 24-inch electric vs gas
| Summit RE2411W (electric) | Summit RG244WS (gas) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $799 | $849 |
| Width x depth x height | 23.5 x 23.5 x 42 in | 23.5 x 25.75 x 42 in (depth includes handle) |
| Oven | 2.9 cu ft | 2.9 cu ft |
| Cooktop | 4 coils: one 8 in at 2,400 W, three 6 in at 1,250 W | 4 sealed burners: 12,000, 9,500, 9,500, 5,000 Btu |
| Electrical | 220 V, 40 A (cord sold separately) | 115 V, 5 A |
| Fuel | Electric | Ships for natural gas; LP conversion kit included |
The electric range needs a dedicated 40-amp, 220-volt circuit. That's routine in a house with a 200-amp panel and a deal-breaker on a 30-amp RV hookup or a small solar system. The gas range needs only a regular outlet; its fuel is propane.
Cooktops: induction
| Summit SINC2B115 | Summit SINC4B242W | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $399 | $879 |
| Size | 12 in, two zones (11.4 x 20.5 in) | 24 in, four zones (23.25 x 20.5 in) |
| Elements | 1,800 W and 1,300 W | 2,000, 2,000, 1,500, 1,500 W |
| Total power | 1,800 W max (power management) | 7,000 W |
| Electrical | 115 V, 15 A | 240 V, 30 A |
The 12-inch, 120-volt model is the tiny house sweet spot: it plugs into a regular circuit and leaves 12 inches of counter free compared with a 24-inch cooktop. Its power management means both zones share 1,800 watts, so you won't boil pasta and sear steak at full blast at the same time.
Induction needs magnetic cookware (cast iron and most stainless steel). AJ Madison's listing for the SINC2B115 gives two different plug types in different places, so confirm the plug with the seller before you wire the outlet.
Refrigerators
Summit FFBF121WIM (24-inch bottom-freezer)
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | $1,699 |
| Width x depth x height | 23.5 x 25.25 x 73.25 in (to hinge cap) |
| Capacity | 11.7 cu ft total |
| Electrical | 115 V |
| Energy use | 399 kWh/year (Energy Star) |
399 kWh a year is about 1.1 kWh a day, the number to use for off-grid sizing (see off-grid tiny house). At 73 inches tall, check it against your ceiling and any loft above the kitchen.
NKBA recommends at least 15 inches of counter on the handle side of a refrigerator as a landing area.
Dishwasher drawers
Fisher & Paykel DD24SCTX9N (single DishDrawer)
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | $1,149 |
| Width x depth x height | 23.56 x 22.56 x 17.88 in |
| Capacity | 7 place settings |
| Electrical | 120 V, 15 A |
A single drawer is about 18 inches tall, so it fits under a counter with a drawer or storage above it. Seven place settings is right for one or two people running it daily. NKBA recommends placing a dishwasher within 36 inches of the sink.
Washer-dryer combos
| GE GFQ14ESSNWW | GE Profile PFQ83HSSWWW | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,388 | $1,893 |
| Width x depth x height | 23.44 x 25.63 x 33.25 in | 28 x 32 x 46.7 in |
| Capacity | 2.4 cu ft | 4.6 cu ft |
| Drying | Ventless condenser | Ventless heat pump |
| Electrical | 120 V, 15 to 20 A | 120 V, 15 A |
| Weight | 183 lb | Not listed |
The 24-inch GE fits under a standard counter and needs no dryer vent, which means no extra hole in your wall. It also weighs 183 pounds; add that to your trailer weight budget. The 28-inch Profile model holds almost twice as much but is 4 inches wider and 13.5 inches taller.
Propane vs electric: the trade-offs
| Propane | Electric | |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical load | Small (ignition and controls) | Large (cooking elements, water heating) |
| Off-grid friendly | Yes | Needs big battery and inverter capacity |
| Indoor air | Combustion byproducts; needs ventilation and a CO alarm | No combustion |
| Refills | Tank swaps or deliveries | None |
| Cost per unit of heat | One gallon is 91,452 Btu, about 26.8 kWh of heat; U.S. residential average $2.638/gal (week of Oct 12, 2026) | Your electric rate per kWh |
Fuel figures from the EIA. To compare costs, divide the propane price by 26.8 to get a cost per kWh of heat (about 10 cents at $2.638), then compare to your electric rate. That's heat in the fuel, not heat in the pan; gas and induction lose different amounts on the way, so treat it as a rough comparison.
Ventilation
Cooking in a few hundred square feet adds moisture and odors fast. IRC-based mechanical codes require kitchen exhaust of at least 100 cfm intermittent or 25 cfm continuous. With a gas range, a range hood vented outside is the minimum; with induction, it's still worth having.
NKBA also recommends 30 inches of clearance between the cooking surface and combustible material above it, or 24 inches with an approved hood or noncombustible surface.
Cooling: the appliance that sizes your panel
In Florida, the biggest electrical load in a tiny house is usually air conditioning. A compact ductless mini-split like the MRCOOL DIY 12K (12,000 Btu cooling and heating, 23.5 SEER2) runs on 115 volts and lists a rated amperage of 18 amps, priced at $2,508.38 at SupplyHouse. Plan its dedicated circuit before you plan the kitchen. The off-grid version of this math, with Tampa sun hours, is in off-grid tiny house.
Kitchen layout numbers
From NKBA's guidelines, scaled down for tiny houses:
- Landing space: 15 in beside the fridge handle; 12 in on one side of a cooktop and 15 in on the other; 24 in on one side of the sink and 18 in on the other
- Work aisle: 42 in for one cook
- Walkway: 36 in minimum
Few tiny kitchens hit every number. Prioritize the cooktop landing space (hot pans need somewhere to go) and the sink.
Picking your set
| Your setup | Cooking | Fridge | Laundry |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-amp RV hookup | 12 in 120 V induction, or propane range | 24 in apartment fridge | 24 in 120 V combo, run when not cooking |
| Full house service (ADU on foundation) | Any 24 in range or cooktop | 24 in apartment fridge | 24 in combo or stacked units |
| Off-grid solar | Propane range or cooktop | Most efficient fridge you can find | Laundromat or small combo on sunny days |
Building an ADU on a foundation in Tampa Bay? Size limits and permit rules are in Tampa Bay ADU rules, and the full budget is in how much a tiny house costs.
See tiny house furniture for the rest of the room, and add appliance prices to your budget in the tiny house cost calculator.
Questions people ask
What size range fits in a tiny house?
Most tiny houses use 24-inch ranges, versus 30 inches in a typical kitchen. Summit's 24-inch electric (RE2411W) and gas (RG244WS) ranges are 23.5 inches wide with 2.9 cubic foot ovens. If you need more counter space, a 12-inch two-burner cooktop like Summit's SINC2B115 frees up 12 inches of counter.
Can I run an induction cooktop on a 120-volt outlet?
Yes, two-burner 120-volt models exist. Summit's SINC2B115 is a 12-inch, two-zone induction cooktop that runs on 115 volts and 15 amps, with power management capping total draw at 1,800 watts. Four-burner 24-inch induction cooktops like Summit's SINC4B242W need 240 volts and a 30-amp circuit.
Is propane or electric better for a tiny house kitchen?
Propane is easier on limited electrical service and off-grid batteries: Summit's 24-inch gas range needs only 5 amps at 115 volts for ignition and controls. Electric induction avoids indoor combustion and propane refills but needs real electrical capacity. On a full 200-amp service either works; on a 30-amp RV hookup, propane or a 120-volt induction cooktop is the practical choice.
Do washer-dryer combos work in tiny houses?
Yes, and 24-inch ventless models fit under a counter. GE's GFQ14ESSNWW is 23.4 inches wide, runs on 120 volts, uses a condenser so it needs no dryer vent, and holds 2.4 cubic feet. It weighs 183 pounds, which matters on a trailer. Larger heat-pump combos are 28 inches wide.
How much power does a small refrigerator use?
Summit's 24-inch FFBF121WIM, an 11.7 cubic foot bottom-freezer fridge, is Energy Star rated at 399 kWh a year, about 1.1 kWh a day. That's the number to use for solar and battery sizing. It runs on a standard 115-volt outlet.
Sources
- AJ Madison — Summit RE2411W 24 in electric range
- AJ Madison — Summit RG244WS 24 in gas range
- AJ Madison — Summit SINC2B115 12 in induction cooktop
- AJ Madison — Summit SINC4B242W 24 in induction cooktop
- AJ Madison — Summit FFBF121WIM 24 in refrigerator
- AJ Madison — Fisher & Paykel DD24SCTX9N single DishDrawer
- AJ Madison — GE GFQ14ESSNWW 24 in washer/dryer combo
- AJ Madison — GE Profile PFQ83HSSWWW washer/dryer combo
- SupplyHouse — MRCOOL DIY 12K BTU 115V mini-split
- EIA — British thermal units (heat content of fuels)
- EIA — Heating oil and propane update
- NKBA — Kitchen Planning Guidelines
- Larimer County — Whole-house mechanical ventilation (IRC M1505 summary)
- KOA Clearwater / Lake Tarpon — Extended stays (50/30 amp sites)
Prices and rules change. We list the date we checked; confirm anything you're about to spend money on with the seller or your local permitting office.