8 Top Must-Have Appliances for Your RV Kitchen
Description: Tired of flights, bookings and tickets, hours of flights and additional documents, hotel reservations, car rental, numerous calls, and correspondence, but want to go on holiday. These issues are increasingly affecting tourists and travelers. At the same time, many of us come to the fact that we want more comfort, independence from documents and freedom of movement, while still maintaining comfort and numerous opportunities to see the world.
One of the varieties of travel in which there is no attachment, to the place and stereotypes is car camping or traveling in houses on wheels, or traveling in trailers, or RV. All these travels, which are quite common all over the world. Many tourists, once having tried, choose this kind of wanderings in the future. Until recently, only in films, we were able to watch happy families or companies that travel the world in a strange and big house on wheels.
Today this is a reality and everyone is able to organize and participate in such an exciting and comfortable journey.
But the most important and necessary in travel in an RV is the kitchen. Let’s consider must-have appliances for your RV kitchen.
Traveling or living in an RV is fun and rewarding and those of us who have tried it have found it very addictive and hard to stop. But, as with all good and sweet things, RVs have their limitations, one of them being space. With limited space comes restrictions on what to carry in your RV and consequently, some sacrifices have to be made.
When it comes to the kitchen, it’s not possible to cram all the equipment and appliances you have in your home kitchen to your RV. Thus, you have to choose not only the most essential appliances but also those that can perform multiple tasks even when faced with the challenges that being on the road presents. Below are essential appliances that you should make sure to have on your RV:
1. Hand Blender
Hand blenders, also known as immersion blenders, are powerful, multi-functional, very portable and don’t require any gas or electric power, saving on costs. They usually come with powerful motors and whisk attachments that can dice, emulsify, shred, mince and almost every type of fruit and vegetable available. This means that you can prepare all sorts of sauces, salads and smoothies using one small blender as opposed to carrying jar blenders and juicers for more or less the same functions. Depending on the brand, you can also use the accompanying whisk attachment to whip eggs and flour paste.
2. Instant Pot
Traveling in your RV shouldn’t inhibit your experimentation in the kitchen. A typical Instant Pot can sauté, steam and warm all your foods and doesn’t take up much space. Well, the last part depends on the size you buy, but you get the drift. And that’s not all; Instant Pots can perform most of the tasks that slow cookers, rice cookers, pressure cookers, steamers and standard cookers perform. These additional tasks include cooking rice in a matter of minutes, making yogurt and preparing just about every type of food you like. So, if you’re worried about cooking pots taking up much space on your small RV kitchen, leave them behind and carry your Instant Pot and you will be alright.
3. Efficient Cookware Sets
Unless you live off-grid and away from modern civilization—which, in fairness sounds really cool—you know about cooking pots and pans that can all fit into each other. Ordinary cookware sets contain anywhere from 6 to 15 pots of different sizes to suit all your cooking needs while still saving space. You also don’t have to compromise on your need for handles as most of the cookware sets on the market come with removable lids and handles. No better way to have a neat, well-arranged kitchen while still having all your favorite cooking pots within touching distance than buying a set of these for your RV kitchen.
4. Portable Induction Cook Tops
It is not easy to get a reliable source of energy while touring on an RV, especially going on an off-road trip. For such occasions, it is wise to carry an induction cooktop that can warm or cook various foods in record time using minimal energy. Induction cooktops, as the name suggests, pass heat to your cooking vessels through magnetic induction, which takes up to 70% less energy as opposed to commonly used thermal conduction.
They are also much safer as they don’t produce flames and allow for easier and better regulation of heat depending on the food you’re preparing. What’s more, you can carry your induction cook top outdoors if the need arises. Notably, you need first to check if your cooking pots are compatible with your cook top using a magnet. If it can stick to a magnet, you’re good to go.
5. Transparent Storage Containers
The fridges and cupboards in your van are probably too small to fit all your utensils or food items. This is where you need a couple of portable storage containers. To better save on space, look for containers with square or rectangular shapes, and that can be stacked on top of each other. Additionally, ensure that the lids are strong enough to withstand pressure and also ones that allow for airtight sealing to keep the contents fresh for extended periods. We recommend first measuring the space you have available for containers and thereafter shopping for compatible containers as opposed to stacking together a bunch of containers in different sizes, shapes, and colors.
6. Corelle Dish Set
Space is not the only thing to consider when deciding on what kitchen appliances to bring with you to your RV. Weight limitations are also a factor and so is the fragility of the equipment in question. Fine china dishes, while good-looking and presentable, are weighty and very prone to breaking at the slightest touches. Corelle dishes, on the other hand, are much lighter, durable and easy to clean. They are also microwaveable and are better alternatives to both fine china and paper plates.
7. Stove Top Cover
Counter tops are where we prepare our cooking ingredients and place small appliances during meal preparation. Unfortunately, you won’t have much countertop space in your RV, which means you need to improvise. Stove top covers, which are generally placed on top of a cooker when not in use, give you the much-needed functionality of countertops within the space restrictions. After you’re done using your stove top cover, you may fold it in half or, depending on your preference, fold it against the wall.
8. Roll-Up Drying Racks
Another great way to get the most out of your limited RV kitchen space is by getting a roll-up drying rack. The appliance can be placed on top of a sink and used to dry dishes and afterward rolled up for storage, as the name suggests. As with most items on this list, roll-up drying racks are multifunctional and can be further used to cool baked foods and can even serve as countertops when dicing or cutting fruits, meat and vegetables. Notably, be sure to check the material and recommended uses before purchasing a rack to avoid complications.
Conclusion
Getting a spacious travel trailer is expensive and out of the reach of many people and too often, the kitchen is forgotten or disregarded, despite being highly essential to the nutritional welfare of the family. As this article shows, your RV kitchen doesn’t even need to be huge for you to have fun cooking and preparing meals with, or for your family. With the appliances listed above, you can comfortably do all your normal kitchen activities within the confines of your van kitchen space. Talk about getting the maximum from the minimum!
Due to limited time and space, we’ve left out tens, if not dozens of useful appliances so don’t hesitate to add to the list in the comments section. Suggestions, recommendations, questions, and tricks are also welcome as long as they’re respectful and constructive.
Thanks for reading!
Author’s Bio: Tommy is a freelance writer and tutor. He studied journalism at New York University. Apart from writing, he loves football, RV camping, and healthy living. Now, as a dad of two, he is constantly on the lookout for tips and tricks to make life easier and spend more time with his family.
