10 Boat Galley Essentials We Can't Live Without (Tested in the UK)
Updated: May 13
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Cooking on a sailboat is a little different from cooking in a house. Space is limited, power matters, and anything that slides around underway quickly becomes a problem. Over time we’ve found a handful of simple galley items that make boat life much easier.
These are the things we actually use aboard — not the fanciest options, just the ones that genuinely earn their space.
1. A low-watt kettle
We started off with a 1200W kettle, which sounded fine in theory but kept tripping the inverter. Not exactly ideal when all you want is a cup of tea.
We eventually switched to a 650W kettle instead. It takes longer to boil, but it never trips our system — which matters way more on a boat.
On a boat, that trade-off is worth it.
What to look for:
Low wattage
Compact footprint
Stable base
Easy to store when not in use
👉 This is the low-power kettle we use — it takes longer to boil, but it never trips our system (which matters way more on a boat)
Managing power is a full-time job on a boat. If you’re curious how we keep the kettle boiling and the laptops charged.
If you’re trying to balance cooking, charging laptops, and not tripping your system every five minutes, we’ve broken down exactly how we manage power onboard here:
2. The small air fryer I’m now obsessed with
My mother-in-law bought us this air fryer ages ago, and it sat in the shed because I had absolutely no idea how to use it. Now I’m obsessed.
It isn’t fancy, but it’s small enough to fit on our countertop and easy enough to store when we’re underway. It’s become one of the most-used things in our galley for quick lunches, roast veg, leftovers, and lazy dinners. If you live on a boat, small and practical beats clever every time.
👉 This is the Compact air fryer we use — small enough for our counter and surprisingly powerful
3. Knife sharpener
I bought this as a birthday present for my husband. He was thoroughly unimpressed.
I, however, use it all the time.
A decent knife sharpener makes a huge difference in a small galley. If you’re chopping in a tiny space, blunt knives are just annoying. This is one of those boring little items that turns out to be weirdly useful.
👉 This is the knife sharpener I use all the time — it’s simple, small, and makes cooking in a tiny space so much easier
4. Mini chopping boards
These little chopping boards are one of my favourite galley buys. They fit in the sink, fit in the dish drainer, and store easily without taking over the whole kitchen. That probably sounds minor, but on a boat it makes a big difference.
Anything that is compact, easy to rinse, and easy to stash away is automatically more useful onboard.
👉 These are the small chopping boards we use — they fit in the sink, store easily, and don’t take over the whole kitchen
5. Stackable glass bowls with lids
These are one of those items that quietly become essential. We use them for leftovers, prep, snacks, chopped ingredients, and random fridge bits.
Because they stack neatly and have lids, they’re brilliant for boat life. No spills, less waste, and much easier to keep things organised. Reusable storage that actually works is worth its weight in gold aboard.
👉 These are the stackable glass bowls we use — perfect for leftovers, prep, and keeping everything organised without spills
6. Eco washing-up liquid
We use Ecover washing-up liquid because our dishwater goes straight out into the sea.
Living so close to the water makes you realize how much the little things cost—both for the planet and your wallet. We track every penny in our UK liveaboard cost of living guide.
👉 This is the eco washing-up liquid we use — gentle on the water and something we feel better about using onboard
7. The Omnia Stovetop Oven
If you’re living on a boat in the UK, you know that running a full-size gas oven can be a massive drain on your Calor gas bottles, and it heats up the whole cabin (which is great in January, but less so in June).
The Omnia is a circular "stovetop oven" that lets you bake bread, brownies, or even a roast chicken right on your hob. It’s a cult classic for a reason—it’s lightweight, easy to clean, and saves a fortune on fuel. Saving on gas is a big part of how we keep our monthly boat costs down.
We’ve broken down our full monthly costs here if you’re curious what that actually looks like in practice: Cost of Living on a Sailboat in the UK
8. Silicone Collapsible Everything
Space is the ultimate currency on a sailboat. We swapped our rigid plastic buckets and colanders for silicone collapsible versions. Whether it’s a laundry basket or a simple washing-up bowl, the ability to "squish" your kitchen gear down to two inches thick and slide it behind a cushion or into a tiny locker is a total game-changer for galley organisation.
9. Magnetic Knife Strip
Drawer space is way too valuable to waste on a knife block. We mounted a simple magnetic strip on the wall, which keeps everything secure and easy to grab while cooking. It also means no rummaging around in drawers when the boat’s moving.
It’s one of those small changes that just makes the whole galley feel more functional.
👉 This is the magnetic knife strip we use — it frees up drawer space and keeps everything easy to grab while cooking
10. The Macramé Fruit & Veg Hammock
This has probably saved us more space than anything else.
Instead of having fruit rolling around the counter (or worse, the floor), we use a hanging hammock to store everything overhead. It keeps things ventilated, stops stuff bruising, and frees up a surprising amount of space.
👉 This is the fruit & veg hammock we use — it keeps everything off the counter and stops things rolling around underway
Thinking about starting boat life?
Setting up a galley is just one small part of it. If you’re still figuring out how life aboard actually works day-to-day, this is a good place to start: How to Live on a Boat in the UK (Complete Beginner Guide)
And if you want something a bit more practical, we’ve put together a simple liveaboard checklist based on everything we wish we’d known before moving aboard: Get the Free Liveaboard Checklist
Have a galley essential we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments — we’re always looking for ways to make boat life easier.
Our Full Boat Galley Setup
If you’re setting up your own boat kitchen, this is everything we’d buy again:
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