In 2018, nine million families in the United States owned an RV. Have you just purchased yours and ready to hit the road?
Congratulations! You’ve purchased the shell of your vacation, now it’s time to make it livable, and where better to start than the kitchen?
You will soon realize that one of the most important sections of your trailer will be your kitchen. Each one of them will, of course, need to be personalized.
If you are a coffee lover, you may want to bring your coffee-making machine, if you are a meat lover, make sure to bring your set of favorite knives.
We have gathered for you 19 things every trailer kitchen should have, to make your vacations enjoyable and perfectly functional.
1. Storage Hacks And Solutions
The number one thing any RV kitchen needs is storage, even in the largest trailers. What happens when we have a lack of space? We create it! And here are some useful tips!
- Invest in multi-tasking and multi-functional items; they don’t only save space, they are also more efficient. What about a cheese grater that also serves as a storage box?
- Before anything, and for a more efficient use of space, think of installing lightweight shelves inside the large cabinets.
- Magnetize your cutting board and place it flat under a cabinet.
- To store your plates, dish cradles are the most efficient way to store your plates. Stored vertically, they will take much less space!
- Consider stackable nesting bowls.
- Collapsible kitchen accessories, including a salad spinner (to dry salad leaves or herbs), will save you a considerable amount of space, as the basket, lid and bowl flatten together for easier storage.
2. Break-Resistant Dishes
Corelle dishes are the thin, lightweight, durable, stylish, easy to stack up and clean. They are also close to unbreakable. They come in all shapes and sizes; all in all, Corelle dishes are perfect for any RV kitchen!
3. Shelf Liners For A Peaceful Ride
An average RV owner will drive around 4,500 miles each year, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan, and there is nothing more annoying than listening to your cups, pans, and plates rattling sound, while cruising through beautiful scenery.
Shelf liners are the solution, they can be placed right on a shelf, between your plates or even between metallic pans. They are also affordable and readily available.
4. Stackable Plastic Containers
Consider transparent plastic containers to keep your food (sugar, snacks, rice and more) safe from our little furry friends and creepy crawlies. Use plastic containers that can be stackable to save space and to find your food easier and faster.
5. Roll-Up Drying Rack
Roll up drying racks can be used above the sink and are extremely easily to store. Most are even heat resistant and BPA free and come in different colors to match your RV style!
6. Best RV Coffee Makers
Are you a coffee lover or and avid coffee drinker? Even though camping is known to reset the body clock, most of us need a nice cup of coffee or tea to start the day on the right foot.
You’re safe, many options are available when it comes to drinking coffee while camping!
- The Primula Single Serve Coffee Maker is ideal for any type of travel, reusable as well as very affordable. Simply place a scoop of coffee in the filter, add hot water, and within 30 seconds your coffee is ready! Not only will it save you lots of space in your kitchen, but you can also bring your Primula with you wherever you go.
- Take it to the next step with the MiniPresso Espresso Maker. Small and light, MiniPresso allows you to grind your favorite beans, even without electricity (hand operated). The design is fantastic and even comes with a built in espresso cup!
For larger families, or to invite your neighbors, Farberware Classic Stainless Steel Percolator enables you to brew 4-8 cups of coffee at a time. Despite the inexpensive price, Farberware is extremely durable.
7. Portable Ice Maker
Even though camping is an all year round activity, is there anything better than a cold fresh orange juice on a hot summer afternoon, or a relaxing margarita drink? This is when the ice maker machine comes in handy!
A portable ice maker can be capable of making 26 pounds of ice every 24 hours. The top brands in the marketonly take 6-13min to make a batch of ice cubes.
They’re still quite small in size (11 inches by 14.8 inches by 14.7 inches) so it will easily fit in any trailer.
8. Hand Blender
Can’t bring your favorite Vitamix blender with you? Hand blenders are becoming more and more popular for their convenience and size.
Not only can you use them to make delicious fresh smoothies, what about a hummus appetizer or a pasta sauce with your lunch?
Hand blenders are the size of a small bottle of water and are environmental friendly. The Beckool Small Travel Blender is one of the most powerful hand blenders, can be charged using USB or regular batteries and can blend up to 20 times on a full charge!
9. Instant Cooking Pot
The instant pot is a must have in any RV kitchen. It is a pressure cooker that will help you make healthy dream dishes (rice, vegetables or even saute).
Who wants to spend hours in the kitchen to cook a delicious meal? The instant pot cooks any meal within half an hour, and some of them can also bake anything an oven can!
Although it does take a bit of your storage in your kitchen, this is a multi-usage appliance that you will most likely use for every meal.
The instant pot is affordable, easy to use and clean. This Slow Cooker is highly recommended for two to four persons.
Now, don’t forget to bring your favorite recipes!
10. Electric Griddle
What about pancakes, french toasts, bacon, hot dogs, burgers, tortillas and many savoury recipes for yourself or for your family?
The electric griddle allows you to cook on a larger cooking surface and distributes the heat evenly across the entire surface.
You can use your electric griddle inside on a rainy day, or outside to enjoy a hot sunny summer day!
With a non-stick cooking surface, the electric griddle also features handles on each side, which are detachable for an easy storage.
Electric griddles are very affordable, and more sophisticated models will allow you to cook two varieties of food simultaneously at desired temperatures.
11. Portable Cooler
In 2017, a cooler was one of the top 10 camping purchases and one of the 10 most essential camping items.
Before choosing your cooler, you need to decide what you will be using it for. Will you be bringing it for a weekend trip with friends? Will you be travelling as a couple or as a group of friends?
- A small size (25 quarts) will be perfect if you are travelling on your own for a couple of days only.
- A medium size cooler (25-45 quarts) will be ideal for up to two people travelling three to four days maximum.
- Finally, you may consider a large cooler (45-70 quarts) if you are planning to go camping for at least a week, or if you are travelling for a short period of time, but as a family or group of friends.
Another important criteria while choosing a cooler is portability (wheels), as you want to make sure that you can move your cooler around as needed (you will most likely not only use it for camping).
In order to keep your drinks safe from bears and other animals, you may want to invest in a cooler that is IGBC certified.
There are many different types of coolers, with very affordable prices; some even come with a cup holder, tray, AUX phone charger or even a bluetooth speaker!
The Pelican Elite IM is guaranteed for life, allows up to 10 days ice retention and features a beer opener and three locking latches.
12. Movable Kitchen Island
Do you need extra counter or dining space in your RV kitchen? Investing in a foldable and movable kitchen island might be a good idea!
The foldable island can be used inside the trailer for additional dining space, as well as outside, to be set-up as a table or an extra space for your everyday use.
13. Magnetic Spice Rack
How can you bring most of your spices while optimizing space? A magnetic spice rack might be the solution!
You can either buy one already made and fill the jars with your favorite spices, or easily make one on your own.
14. How To Choose Your RV Cutlery And Cups
When choosing cutlery and cups, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Breakability, as the trailer is moving along the road.
- Choose plastic or silicone material instead of metal, in order to limit the friction noise while driving.
- If you have a microwave inside the RV, make sure the cups you are purchasing are
- If your campground offers recycle bins, disposable cups and cutlery will limit post meal cleanup, and allow you to spend more time with your family.
- Knifes can be very dangerous on the road if not protected properly, buying a set of knives with plastic sleeves will keep you and your family safe.
15. Bartender Kitchen Tool
Camping is not camping without a little fun! Bring the bar home to mix your favorite cocktails wherever you go!
A swiss knife bartender (such as this contains 10 stainless steel and BPA-free plastic tools; from a bottle opener, muddler (to mash herbs or fruits), metal reamer, to a jigger, zester or even a corkscrew.
16. Microwave Convection Ovens
This is a great multi-functional appliance that helps you receive the best of both worlds: re-heating and cooking, all in one device and very easy to use.
Microwave convection ovens heat faster than a regular oven and keep you from also heating up the inside of your RV.
Toshiba has been ranked the best microwave oven for RVs, with Smart technologies that also provide energy efficient solutions.
Because of the microwave’s light weight, it can easily be carried from one place to another, which is a fantastic feature if you are planning to use it at home as well as in your RV.
17. RV Fridge Tension Rods
While driving, food and drinks are subject to vigorous movements, and when the door opens, eggs and milk are usually the first to go!
For less than $7, these tension bars will keep the items in place in the refrigerator, while still providing easy access to the food.
18. Vacuum Sealer For Your RV Fridge And Freezer
A vacuum sealer is not an appliance that you will actually keep in your RV, however it is incredibly convenient to plan your meals ahead of time.
The vacuum sealer is a method of packing that uses a simple suction technique to seal. Simply attach the bag to the machine and it sucks out the air; you can then place the bags in your RV fridge or freezer.
You can use the machine with meat, fruits, vegetables and even liquids! The advantages are endless. It extends the shelf life of food, locks in the flavor, color and nutrition value, saves space, and some of them are even microwavable.
19. Essential Oils Diffuser
In most trailers, the kitchen is also the living area. Fresh fish may be delicious at lunch time, however, the fish smell may not be the most relaxing smell while you’re trying to sleep.
Keep a small electric aroma diffuser in your RV and use it as needed throughout the day. Citruses are fantastic oils to clean the air and repel insects as well.
Dishing-Up!
RV kitchens are often compact and are very limited in terms of storage space. However, by choosing the right appliances and smart storage, you can make your RV kitchen fully functional.
I hope you enjoyed these tips and tools, they are all affordable, easy to use, readily available and can be easily stored. All of these useful items can be used both in your home as well as in your trailer, which gives them a double purpose!
