The passing of the New Year has seen a fountain of resolutions that, though they were made with all the best intentions, will mostly never be kept. But one of the easiest promises to see through is turning your house into a home, starting with the kitchen. A favorite grumbling topic for expats, most Beijing apartments have small kitchens with only two burners and no oven or dishwasher. Western appliances are not available in most Beijing department stores, but Western-style kitchen equipment is growing in popularity and availability - you just need to know where to look.

Appliances:

For imported major appliances, head to the fifth floor of the EasyHome International Tower in Wangjing.

There, a few small showrooms carry American- and European-designed ovens, dishwashers, burners, as well as clothes washers and driers.

There are basic ovens - probably the most-missed tool among Beijing expats - for 5,000 yuan. However, by adding just 1,000 yuan on to that, visitors will find a large selection of models and brands.

A great selection of appliances in the mall can be found at Hi-Seasons on the fifth floor - it stocks essentials like ovens, burners, microwaves and washing machines, as well as a number of less necessary items such as barbecues, dishwashers and wine coolers (running up to a closet-sized device with three temperature zones for reds, whites, and champagnes, priced at 6,800 yuan per zone).

There is even a novelty item - an electric drying closet for hanging a coat after a day out in the snow (in stainless steel, 21,390 yuan).

Hi-Seasons carries a choice of appliance brands, including European makes like Ariston and Schults, as well as American-made GE, with a fantastic selection of gas ovens.

For those on a budget, the Chinese-made Glem-Gas freestanding 56-liter gas oven and burners (5,000 yuan for a basic model, 6,000 for a cast-iron body) seems like a good buy. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and can speak good English.

For stylish appliances, head over to EuroIdea, also on the fifth floor.

EuroIdea carries old-fashioned KitchenAid mixers and retro, Italian-designed Smeg refrigerators in a variety of colors (29,000 yuan for a half-size unit and 41,000 yuan for a full-size version).

Prices are high - the cheapest oven on offer is an 8,000-yuan electric model with gas burners from Smeg.

For the serious chef, there are high-end, high-quality Viking ovens. A full kit runs to 28,800 yuan for a Viking electric oven with gas burners and fan hood, or 69,800 yuan for a large professional model with twin ovens - for making a roast and a cake at the same time.

And for fun, EuroIdea has a retro-styled fridge covered with a Union Jack, from Smeg (also at 41,000 for a full unit).

Furnishings:

Don't be put off by the Louis XIV-meets-Escape from New York aesthetic of the brand's ground floor space - Boloni Lifestyle Museum's extensive second-floor showroom stocks basic kitchen furnishings to suit all tastes, from traditional pine to Scandinavian modern.

The shop has a huge range of cabinets, sinks and kitchen tiles, as well as an adequate choice of major appliances.

Prices can be a bit dazzling - expect to pay as little as 4,800 yuan for an electric oven and just 2,000 yuan for a dishwasher, provided with free delivery and installation.

Boloni has some of the cheapest Western appliances in town, though there is the odd piece that is usually pricey - a simple wood-and-steel stool valued at 5,600 yuan.

Not everything is geared toward good shopping though. There is a complete lack of English signage and staff members are hard to find - make sure to grab a clerk from the front desk on the way in.

For something different, check out a mechanical cupboard that will open and close with the push of a button, priced at 5,600 yuan.

Implements:

Once the big pieces are in place, head over to Pantry Magic, a clean and quiet Williams-Sonoma-style kitchen store in Sanlitun Village, for measuring cups and spoons, pots, pans, knives and the rest of the tools.

The Hong Kong-based chain has an impressive selection of hard-to-find Western kitchen bits, from thick-bottomed sautee pans (starting at 754 yuan for a standard 28-cm stainless pan) and chef's knives (307 yuan for a 10-inch knife or the razor-sharp Hitsui at 838 yuan), up to unusual items such as mezzlunas, pasta machines and copper bowls for beating egg whites (believed to produce greater volume).

For anyone who has just purchased an oven but has nothing to put in it, Pantry Magic has a range of cookie sheets and muffin pans at reasonable prices (starting at 30 yuan for colorful, floppy silicone molds). There is even a Cookie Cutter Rolling Pin - the pin is a tube of clear plastic with eight plastic cutters arranged inside, priced at 262 yuan.

Staff members are helpful and can speak good English.