The short answer. A kitchen pod needs private, level ground, from 4m by 2m up to a 6.5m driveway depending on the supplier, plus sockets, an outside tap and a drain nearby. Most suppliers allow 25m for cables and hoses, but two want the drain within 9m or 10m, so check that first. Three of the pods cook on bottled gas and The Kitchen Rescue's on electricity, all six suppliers say their pods are heated, and the published minimum hire is 1 or 2 weeks.
What is a kitchen pod?
A fitted kitchen built into a trailer. The supplier parks it on your drive, connects your power, water and drain, and collects it afterwards.
Suppliers use several names for the same thing: kitchen pod, portable kitchen, mobile kitchen and kitchen trailer. Searches for mobile or portable kitchen hire also turn up catering units for events and food trailers. This page is about kitchens for homes, used while your own kitchen is being refitted, extended or repaired.
On 28 October 2026 we read the website of each of the six kitchen pod suppliers listed on Compare Kitchen Hire and wrote down what each one says about its pod. Where a supplier does not say, we write "not stated" rather than guess. Pods and terms change, so confirm everything with the supplier before you book.
Which suppliers hire out kitchen pods, and where?
Six listed suppliers hire kitchen pods to homes. Their stated coverage ranges from the whole of Great Britain to one region, so check your postcode.
| Supplier | Stated coverage | Minimum hire | Set up time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Pod SolutionsSleaford, Lincolnshire | England, Scotland and Wales | 1 week, no maximumHire weeks run Sunday to Saturday | Not stated |
| The Kitchen RescueBroxbourne, Hertfordshire | England and WalesIt says it is quickest in Hertfordshire and nearby London and Essex | 7 days | Typically 2 to 3 hoursRemoval about 1 to 2 hours |
| Northern Kitchen PodsLeeds, West Yorkshire | Northern England, from Merseyside and Preston across to County Durham and Newcastle | Unclear: askIts prices start at 1 day, but its pages also say "from a few days" and "from a couple of weeks" | Ready to use "within a couple of hours" |
| Essential SpacesScunthorpe, Lincolnshire | Mainland UK | Not statedIts prices start at 1 week | "Under two hours" |
| GalleysCornwall | Unclear: askIts website says both "anywhere in the UK" and "across Cornwall and Devon" | 2 weeks, up to several months | "As little as 2 hours" |
| Kitchenpod (listed as Pod Solutions Group)Guildford, Surrey | Our listing says Surrey, London and the UK, to be confirmed with the supplier | Not stated | Not stated for outdoor podsIndoor kitchens "within a few hours" |
Each supplier's own statements on its website, checked 28 October 2026. The order is not a ranking.
Kitchenpod Ltd of Guildford is listed on our site as Pod Solutions Group. If you search for it, check you are on kitchenpod.co.uk, because search results also show a "KitchenPod" product range sold to businesses. Four of the six suppliers publish prices, and we set those side by side in our guide to how much temporary kitchen hire costs.
How much space does a kitchen pod need?
Between a 4m by 2m area and a 6.5m driveway, depending on the supplier, on private, level ground with room to tow the trailer in.
| Supplier | Space it asks for | Surface and slope | Where the pod can stand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Pod Solutions | A private, level space at least 3m wide and 5m deep, with clear access from the road | It can level the pod on a gentle slope | A driveway, or a garden if it is private land reachable from the road |
| The Kitchen Rescue | A clear, level driveway at least 6.5m long, with room to tow and position the podInside the pod: 3.6m by 1.8m, 2.2m high | Tarmac, concrete or firm gravel; a gentle slope is usually fine | Private land only, never a public road |
| Northern Kitchen Pods | 4.5m by 2.5m of hard surface, plus space to manoeuvre the trailer | Blockwork, tarmac or gravel; talk to it first about grass | Your own private land: a driveway, or a large garden with vehicle access |
| Essential Spaces | An area at least 4m long and 2m wide | Not stated | Your own private land, not a public road |
| Galleys | "Fits on most driveways" | Not stated | Private land, with the owner's consent |
| Kitchenpod | Not stated. It offers a compact pod for small spaces | Not stated | A trailer pod on the driveway, or a modular building in the garden |
These figures are for the ground the pod stands on. Measure with the car moved, and look at the way in too: gates, walls, low branches and parked cars all affect whether a trailer can be reversed into place. Send photos with your enquiry. Essential Spaces asks for photos of the spot, the tap and the drain before it confirms a booking, Northern Kitchen Pods says it assesses access before delivery, and Temporary Pod Solutions accepts driveway photos with its quote form.
What connections does a kitchen pod need?
Usually two or three sockets, an outside tap and a drain. Most suppliers allow 25m for power and water, but some want the drain closer.
| Supplier | Power | Water | Waste water |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary Pod Solutions | Two 13 amp sockets, RCD protected | An outside tap | A drain or manholePower, water and drain all within 25m of the pod |
| The Kitchen Rescue | Two household double sockets, RCD protected, within 25m | An outdoor tap within 25m | A drain within 9mA pump may be possible if it is further |
| Northern Kitchen Pods | Three 13 amp sockets25m leads supplied | An outside tap25m food grade hose supplied | A drain, gulley or soakaway within 10m, on your landA pump may be possible if the drain is uphill |
| Essential Spaces | Two sockets within 25mRCD protection in the pod and on its plug | An outdoor tap within 25mFood grade hose | An outside drain within 20mIts home page says 25m. With no drain, it can supply a waste caddy that you empty daily |
| Galleys | A plug socket | An outside tapFood grade hose; other arrangements if you have no outside tap | A drain, "ideally"It checks and confirms with you before booking |
| Kitchenpod | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Check the drain before anything else. Sockets and an outside tap are easy to find, but a drain close to the drive often is not, and it is the tightest limit two suppliers set: 9m at The Kitchen Rescue and 10m at Northern Kitchen Pods, against the 25m most allow for cables and hoses. If your nearest drain is at the back of the house and the drive is at the front, say so when you enquire. Both of those suppliers mention a pump as a possible answer, and Essential Spaces offers a waste caddy. Temporary Pod Solutions adds that hoses and cables sometimes have to cross a path.
On power, Electrical Safety First, the UK electrical safety charity, advises using an RCD (residual current device) with all outdoor electrical equipment, and a plug in RCD if your fusebox does not have one built in. Temporary Pod Solutions and The Kitchen Rescue ask for RCD protected sockets, and Essential Spaces fits RCD protection in its pod and on its plug. If you are not sure whether your sockets are protected, ask an electrician before delivery day.
Gas or electric: how does a kitchen pod cook?
Three listed pods cook on bottled gas that the supplier fits. The Kitchen Rescue cooks on electricity, and Galleys does not say which it uses.
- Gas oven and hob: Temporary Pod Solutions (with an extractor; it fits two gas bottles), Northern Kitchen Pods (bottle provided; it says to arrange a replacement if it runs out) and Essential Spaces (a bottle plus a spare, and it arranges further bottles for long hires).
- Electric: The Kitchen Rescue (4 ring induction hob and an electric fan oven with grill). Kitchenpod lists an induction hob and oven for its kitchens and says its outdoor pods are the same design as its indoor ones.
- Not stated: Galleys.
A gas pod still plugs into your sockets for its lights, fridge and other appliances, and an electric pod cooks from them too. Who pays for the gas, and how, differs between suppliers: that belongs with the rest of the price, in our guide to temporary kitchen hire costs.
What is inside each kitchen pod?
Every listed pod has an oven, hob, sink and fridge. Most add a freezer, dishwasher and washing machine, but sizes and extras differ.
| Supplier | Appliances it lists | Also in the pod |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary Pod Solutions | Gas oven, gas hob with extractor, sink with hot and cold water, fridge freezer, dishwasher, washing machine | Breakfast bar, worktops and cupboards, heating, lighting and plenty of socketsInside height 6ft 1in |
| The Kitchen Rescue | Induction hob, electric fan oven with grill, sink with hot and cold water, large fridge freezer, full size dishwasher, washing machine, microwave | Worktop space, storage cupboards, LED lighting and sockets |
| Northern Kitchen Pods | Gas oven and hob, fridge, small freezer, sink with hot and cold water, slimline dishwasher, washing machine, kettle, toaster, microwave | Pots, pans, cutlery and crockery; bin, tea towel and cleaning supplies; lighting, extractor fan and heating |
| Essential Spaces | Gas oven and hob, microwave, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, sink with hot and cold water | A heater and a TV; pots, pans, plates, cups and cutlery if you want them |
| Galleys | Hob, oven, sink and fridge freezer as standard; some pods add a dishwasher | Food storage; dining areas in some pods; microwave, kettle, small appliances, cookware and cutlery on request |
| Kitchenpod | Induction hob, oven, dishwasher, sink, fridge freezer, washing machineIts compact pod: oven, hob, fridge and dishwasher, with a washing machine as an option | A small dining area in its outdoor kitchens |
Ask for the appliance list for the exact pod you would get, as specifications change and a supplier may run more than one size. If your washing machine goes out with the old kitchen, check the pod has one.
Are kitchen pods heated in winter?
All six suppliers say their pods have heating. Galleys, Kitchenpod, The Kitchen Rescue and Northern Kitchen Pods also describe their pods as insulated.
Galleys says its pods are insulated, with automatic timer controlled heating. Kitchenpod calls its outdoor units "fully insulated, ventilated and heated". The Kitchen Rescue lists heating and a fully insulated unit in its pod details, and Northern Kitchen Pods describes its pods as insulated, with heating included. Temporary Pod Solutions lists heating and lighting, and Essential Spaces lists a heater. If your hire runs through winter, think about the walk from the house as well: a dry, lit route to the pod matters more in December than in June.
What safety features do suppliers list?
Most list fire safety kit and tested electrics. For a gas pod, ask for the current gas safety certificate and a carbon monoxide alarm.
- Temporary Pod Solutions: gas installation checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with a current gas safety certificate; appliances and wiring PAT tested; a carbon monoxide alarm and fire safety equipment in every pod; public liability insurance.
- The Kitchen Rescue: PAT tested; slip resistant flooring, ventilation and fire safety equipment.
- Northern Kitchen Pods: fire extinguisher, smoke alarm and fire blanket; first aid kit; non slip flooring; PAT tested; support around the clock during the hire.
- Essential Spaces: RCD protection; a risk assessment before installation; a contact line open at any hour during the hire.
- Galleys: safety checks on all appliances after each hire.
- Kitchenpod: not stated on the pages we read.
Do you need planning permission for a kitchen pod?
Three listed suppliers say no, for a temporary pod on private land. That is their claim, not a rule. If unsure, ask your council.
Galleys says its pods "require no planning due to the temporary nature of the unit" and, like a caravan or trailer, can be parked on private land with the owner's consent. Northern Kitchen Pods says that because its pods are temporary structures on private property, you do not need planning permission. The Kitchen Rescue says "in most cases, no", as long as the pod is on your property and not on a public road.
We have not found any official guidance about temporary kitchen pods, so we cannot confirm what these suppliers say. Ask your council's planning team before you book if your home is a listed building or in a conservation area, or if the pod would stand on land that is shared or that someone else owns or manages (find your local council on GOV.UK). If you rent, or your home is leasehold, ask your landlord or managing agent as well.
What should you ask a supplier before booking a kitchen pod?
Send photos and measurements first. Then ask about connections, fuel, appliances, heating, safety checks, minimum hire, extensions and delivery to your postcode.
- Will the pod fit? Send photos and measurements of the space and the way in, and show where your sockets, outside tap and drain are.
- How far away can the drain be, and is there a pump or waste caddy if mine is too far?
- How many sockets will the pod use, and do you supply the leads and hoses?
- Does it cook on gas or electricity, and who supplies the gas?
- Which appliances are in the pod I will get, and is it heated?
- Can I see the gas safety certificate, and is there a carbon monoxide alarm?
- What is the minimum hire, and how do extensions work if the building work overruns?
- Do you deliver to my postcode, and how soon could the pod arrive?
For the money questions, such as delivery charges, deposits, extension rates and VAT, use the checklist in how much temporary kitchen hire costs.
What if a kitchen pod will not fit?
With no private outside space, the options are an indoor temporary kitchen, which one listed supplier fits, or a makeshift kitchen in a spare room.
Kitchenpod is the only listed supplier that also fits temporary kitchens inside the home: see indoor kitchens in the directory. For planning the weeks without a kitchen either way, read our guide to how to live without a kitchen during renovation, and how temporary kitchen hire works explains how enquiries through this site work.
Contact a kitchen pod supplier
Open a supplier's profile to call, email or visit its website. Ask two or three for a written quote for the same dates and postcode.
Temporary Pod Solutions
Gas pod with dishwasher and washing machine. Delivers across England, Scotland and Wales.
View supplier →The Kitchen Rescue
Electric pod with induction hob, dishwasher and washing machine. Delivers across England and Wales.
View supplier →Northern Kitchen Pods
Gas pod with pans, crockery and cleaning supplies included. Delivers across Northern England.
View supplier →Essential Spaces
Gas pod with a heater, TV and utensils. Delivers across mainland UK.
View supplier →Galleys
Insulated pods with timer controlled heating. Ask about delivery outside Cornwall and Devon.
View supplier →Pod Solutions Group
Trades as Kitchenpod. Trailer pods, garden buildings and indoor kitchens. Confirm coverage.
View supplier →Frequently asked questions
Can a kitchen pod be parked on the road outside my house?
Not with the listed suppliers that say. The Kitchen Rescue and Essential Spaces rule out public roads, and the others ask for private land.
Can a kitchen pod stand on gravel or grass?
Gravel, usually: Northern Kitchen Pods lists gravel and The Kitchen Rescue firm gravel. For grass, Northern Kitchen Pods asks you to talk to it first.
Can a kitchen pod go in the back garden?
Sometimes. Temporary Pod Solutions says yes if it is private land reachable from the road, and Kitchenpod offers a modular building for gardens.
Is a kitchen pod the same as a mobile or portable kitchen?
For homes, yes. Suppliers call the same fitted kitchen in a trailer a kitchen pod, a portable kitchen, a mobile kitchen or a kitchen trailer.
How long does it take to set up a kitchen pod?
A few hours at most, where suppliers say. The Kitchen Rescue typically takes 2 to 3 hours, and Essential Spaces and Galleys say under 2.
Ready to compare kitchen pod suppliers?
Check each supplier's stated coverage, then ask two or three for a written quote for the same dates and postcode.
See the six suppliers → All suppliers →
Temporary kitchen hire costs · Indoor kitchens · How it works
Sources
Supplier details are each supplier's own statements on its website, read on 28 October 2026. Where a supplier's pages disagree, we say so. Requirements can change, so confirm them with the supplier before you book.
- Temporary Pod Solutions (what you need, what is in the pod, FAQs, safety, hire length, areas).
- The Kitchen Rescue (specifications, access, FAQs, planning) and its unit details (insulation and heating).
- Northern Kitchen Pods (requirements, what is included, safety, FAQs, areas).
- Essential Spaces: hire details (space, connections, gas, what is included), its FAQ (public roads, fuel) and its home page (coverage, set up time).
- Galleys and its FAQs (utilities, heating, hire length, planning, coverage).
- Kitchenpod: kitchens and its home page (outdoor and indoor kitchens, heating).
- Electrical Safety First: garden safety (RCDs for outdoor electrical equipment).
- GOV.UK: find your local council.