U.S. Millennial Homebuyers Share What's In Their Ultimate Dream Kitchen

Picture this: You walk into a house that's for sale, dreaming of high ceilings, refinished original hardwood floors, spacious bedrooms, a jacuzzi tub in the master suite. It's got it all. Then, you turn the corner and find ... a kitchen that's outdated, a sink that's rusted, and an oven that looks like it stopped functioning reliably in, oh, 1973.

If the lackluster kitchen was a total turnoff for you, you're not alone. A recent HelloFresh and Redfin survey revealed that 35 percent of the 1,000-plus millennials polled considered the kitchen the most important room in the home. So buying a house with an outdated one (unless they're considering flipping the thing) is not an option. No surprise there, am I right?

What are the most popular features in a dream kitchen?

What did come as a surprise to me, though, were the top three most important features in the kitchen, according to the survey:

Dishwasher (67 percent)
Pantry or storage (65 percent)
Big island (64 percent)

If you're living in a city like New York, you likely understand the dishwasher dilemma (it's all too rare a feature), but if you're buying a home elsewhere, that may sound like the bare minimum you'd expect. Other features that millennials — the largest group of homebuyers right now, according to the press release — also obsess over: granite or quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, tile backsplashes, farmhouse sinks (27 percent are inspired by Joanna Gaines), smart appliances (45 percent), and double ovens (44 percent). Oh, a wine fridge is always a plus, too.

Why is the kitchen so important?

That "heart of the home" phrase has become a cliché for a reason: It's the ultimate gathering place — and it's where a lot of action happens (beyond wherever you Netflix and chill). For 53 percent of people, cooking the first meal in a new place makes them feel more at home. Additionally, 76 percent actually cook and prepare meals at home while 47 percent hope to cook more. Of course, these numbers might be biased, given that a meal kit company funded the survey, but it's not so surprising to hear.