Cooking in a Spanish kitchen, ovens, hobs and equipment

Key rules

• Induction pans: Induction hobs only work with magnetic pans, so test yours with a magnet.
• Extractor hood: Do not rely on the hood alone when frying; open a window as well.
• Appliances: Ask the landlord what is included, as dishwashers and tumble dryers are not guaranteed.
• Gas: Ventilate every time you cook on gas and follow the safety checklist.

What your kitchen will probably have

Expect a compact kitchen, and plan your cooking around that. Most rental kitchens have a vitrocerámica hob or, in newer homes, an induction hob. Older homes often have a gas hob, fed by mains gas or by a butane bottle.

The oven is usually electric, built in, and small to medium (around 50–70 litres), often with a fan. A large roasting tray or two trays at once may not fit, so measure before you buy bakeware.

A campana extractora (extractor hood) is common, but it can be weak or only recirculate the air. Treat it as help, not a fix: for frying, open a window too.

Furnished flats often include a fridge, washing machine and microwave. Dishwashers and tumble dryers are less certain, so ask the landlord before you sign.

Adapting to your hob

• Vitrocerámica: it heats and cools slowly. Use flat-bottomed pans and lift them rather than dragging them, to avoid scratching the glass.
• Induction: it only works with magnetic pans. Test a pan with a fridge magnet. If it sticks firmly to the base, it will work.
• Gas: you get instant heat, but you need to ventilate. The checklist below covers gas and butane safety.

Adapting to a small oven

Cook in batches, use one tray at a time, and check food earlier than your recipe says, because small ovens can run hot near the fan. A fan oven browns faster, so you may need a slightly lower temperature than you are used to.

Tools worth buying first

Local dishes are built around a few tools. Start with:

• a good sartén (frying pan), plus a large pan for tortilla;
• an olla exprés (pressure cooker) for legumes and stews;
• a cazuela de barro (clay casserole) for stews and gambas al ajillo. Check that it is suitable for your hob type, as clay often needs a diffuser on induction;
• a paellera (paella pan), only if you will cook rice dishes;
• a túrmix (hand blender) for gazpacho and sauces;
• a mortero (mortar) for sofrito and garlic sauces;
• a large pot for stocks, and a chopping knife and board.

A tortilla flipping plate and a mandoline or slicer are useful extras.

Gas and butane

If your kitchen runs on gas, read the checklist below before you first cook. The main habits are to ventilate every time, check the hose date and close the bottle valve after use.

Checklist

• Check the date stamped on the gas hose and replace it before it expires.

• Test the connections for leaks with soapy water, never a flame.

• Open a window or run the extractor every time you cook on gas.

• Close the butane bottle valve after each use.

• Keep butane bottles out of basements and closed, unventilated spaces.

• Ask the landlord or the gas company when the mains gas installation last passed its periodic inspection.

• Fit a carbon monoxide detector wherever you have gas appliances.

• If you smell gas, avoid switches and flames, open the windows, close the valve and call 112 or the gas company.

Frequently asked questions

Is the extractor hood in a Spanish rental kitchen strong enough for frying?

Not always, because the campana extractora may be weak or only recirculate the air. Open a window while you fry and use a lid to limit smoke and smell.

Which kitchen tools should I buy first for Spanish cooking?

Start with a good frying pan (sartén), a pressure cooker (olla exprés) for legumes and stews, and a clay casserole (cazuela de barro). Add a paella pan (paellera) only if you plan to cook rice dishes, and a hand blender (túrmix) for gazpacho and sauces.

How do I know when to replace a butane hose?

Replace the hose before the date stamped on it. Rubber butane hoses normally last about 5 years, while mains gas flexible hoses carry their own date mark.