I would be completely uninterested in a sit where I couldn’t cook. It doesn’t matter where the location is. It feels like it would violate hospitality and would just be awful. Please don’t do this thing.
8 Likes
100% which isn’t what I’d say in real life, but what I’d say in real life would involve profanity.
1 Like
I am not the poster. Our names are similar. I didn’t post that.
2 Likes
Apologies for that!
So @MeowMeowMom you seem to have disappeared since posting your unpopular question. What are your thoughts?
6 Likes
I love seeing listings that use their “chef grade” kitchens as a draw. I think pne of the perks of staying in a nice home is having a nice kitchen to cook in. As full time van travelers we are always excited to have an oven. We look forward to a nice lasagna whenever we house sit.
7 Likes
Personally I think its rude. Am sure its not your intention but I would be Insulted to read this if I was a sitter. As a home owner I have some expensive quality kitchenware but I simply left stickie notes in relation to their care. I think thats sufficient if you have worries.
7 Likes
I have noted in the Welcome Guide that our copper pans and cast iron pans are off limits. However, sitters can use whatever all other pots and pans - and we have a completely stocked kitchen.
5 Likes
No kitchen use? On a sit?
Please hire rover walkers instead. Even someone eating food out 3 x a day will need to reheat something eventually & God forbid they use a pan and get a low rating for it!!! I wish I was being sarcastic 
.
When you exchange home use for pet care, you exchange home use for pet care-that includes the kichen.
I don’t know you but I already feel incredibly unwelcome and wouldn’t apply to sit for you if you felt that your kitchen was too good for a me as a sitter.
Please do us a favor hire rover. They won’t touch your kitchen.
7 Likes
Heck yes, rude and unwelcoming. If you don’t want a guest but a hired help, hire one 
5 Likes
This would work perfectly for me. I can utilize the kitchen, without worrying about how to care for special equipment. I am also among the many who not accept a sit without kitchen privileges.
Hi @MeowMeowMom
As a newish member of Trusted Housesitters, I think it’s great that you’ve asked the question, as we all had to start somewhere. I wonder if you might also feel a little nervous if you’re not used to having people come and stay in your home while you’re away.
I’m hoping that the replies you’ve received have given you a better sense of what sitters need and what’s expected of you as an owner. I know it can be a bit daunting asking a question and receiving straightforward feedback, but this is a great learning opportunity and I hope it helps you decide what you feel comfortable with.
Trusted Housesitters is based on mutual exchange, so kitchen access shouldn’t be restricted. I think @KChev’s suggestion of buying cheaper kitchenware might be a good compromise.
19 Likes
I do not think there is anything wrong with your proposed restrictions IF you are up front with potential sitters about those restrictions. Ideally, you would describe the restrictions in your listing intro.
However, as an HO who is particular about my own kitchen, I think you would be doing yourself a disservice. Our experience has been that there are 2 broad categories of sitters on THS. One category includes the experienced and regular sitters with lots of positive reviews. The other category are those sitters who tend to be newer with fewer or no reviews and, in some cases, are just dabbling at sitting. I think your restrictions would discourage the first category of sitters and you’d get more applications the second category. That strikes me as counter productive to your desired end result.
If you set aside your kitchen ban and subsequently interview a sitter from the first category and express your reservations about the kitchen use and care, first category sitters are usually willing to work something out short of your proposed restrictions. After all, they got a lot of good reviews because they do a good job of taking care of both house and pets.
13 Likes
Extremely rude and unwelcoming
1 Like
I cook a lot, but wouldn’t mind the alternative of eating at restaurants. I’m also particular about the use of my belongings, so I would tell my sitters to only use the items that I put in one side of the cupboard for them. I’ve had sitters who have destroyed a baking sheet and pizza pan and left a horrible mess in a new oven and burners. Sitters have also stained sheets, ruined shower curtains and brought fleas into my house. Although, I am a very clean and considerate person, who is extremely careful with using other people’s belongings, you can’t always count on everyone else being/doing the same. I also sometimes travel with my own utensils, sponge, laundry detergent, towel, etc. So maybe I’m a little OCD 
1 Like
Another, "Pass, " here.
It is not because of the specific request but because of the intent and subtle judgement behind the request.
Someone who doesn’t trust me to use their kitchen items (or any other) properly should not be trusting me with their animals.
7 Likes
I’m a homeowner. It seems to me, if your pans are that important to you, you should be boarding your pets or coming up with a different care plan. My basic premise is that sitters are doing ME a favor. I intend for it to be mutual, and I would hope that my sitters get as much pleasure out of their stay as my pet does with their presence. With the kind of money you would otherwise pay for a sitter, maybe buy a different set of sitter pans.
9 Likes
It seems as though some folks on here think of sitters as poorly paid help instead of people offering a valuable exchange. I have seen some really awful stories about entitled homeowners.
8 Likes
That would really turn me off as a petsitter. It sends a message that I am a second class citizen and not worthy. Why would you trust someone to watch your beloved pets but not to use your kitchen/pots/pans?
I would suggest you have a different set of pots/pans for the sitter and store whatever you don’t want them to use. Ensure the second set is also a nice set and not subpar.
The giftcards wouldn’t help me, as I would want to spend time in the kitchen.
Consider asking yourself if you are really ready to have someone stay in your house. Accidents happen, and at some point something will get damaged.
6 Likes
This exactly!