For both new and seasoned RVr’s, the RV kitchen can be one of the most challenging spaces to utilize. After living full time in our Fleetwood Bounder, we have come across kitchen items that have made organizing, cooking, and storing seemingly fool proof! All of the items in this blog are items that we have actually purchased, used, and enjoyed over our almost three year experience of living and traveling in our RV full time. Each one of the below items have stood the test of time with us and we can now confidently recommend them without any reservations.
We’ve all heard great things about Instant pots and we can tell you that the rumors are true! Instant pots provide a turn-key meal for the busy on the go RV’r. Paddling, hiking, and site seeing doesn’t leave a lot of time for cooking 4 course meals. With the Instant Pot Duo, you can enjoy the same convenience of a Crock Pot but in a fraction of the time. The Instant Pot Duo has many cooking options; rice steamer, pressure cooker, slow cooker, and even a sauté option. We’ve actually used our’s to sear large pieces of roast. It also comes in handy when you do not want to use your stove top whether you are low on propane or you are struggling to keep your RV cool. The Instant Pot Duo is number one on our list because of the various ways it can be used. You can ditch your electric skillet, slow cooker, pressure cooker, and rice steamer. You can prepare some meals in as little as 20 minutes. You’ll save plenty of time and space with this RV must have!
#2 Ozark Trail 3-Piece Flatware Set
Maintaining a light weight in your RV should be on the top of your check list before setting out on the road. The smallest items that seem to have no significant weight can add up. Your dishes and silverware are a perfect example. Metal silverware can be very heavy, especially when referring to an entire set! Many RVr’s are aware of this fact and instead opt for disposable plastic spoons, forks, and knives. We initially chose the plastic utensil route, but soon discovered that we were wasting A LOT of money essentially throwing our cash in the trash. After setting out to find a happy medium, a middle ground between real silverware and plastic, we found these reusable plastic silverware sets and love them! They are lightweight and very durable! Grab a few sets of these and stop throwing your money away. You’ll be thankful in the long run!
#3 BINO 5-Slot Silverware Organizer
Whether you buy plastic silverware or metal silverware, you’ll need a silverware organizer. Not all organizers fit in smaller RV drawers but the BINO Organizer does. it is also very sturdy and has a sleek contemporary design that makes even a boring dining utensil drawer a little more aesthetically pleasing. Our Ozark Trail plasticware fits perfectly in the BINO’s compartments leaving room for other highly necessary utensils such as our wine opener. It’s not your average out of date silverware organizer that resembles a bedpan. The BINO Organizer is a new and cool way to make your RV’s drawers something that is convenient instead of something that is cluttered.
#4 Rubbermaid Stainless Steel Oven/Grill Thermometer
RV ovens can be tough to figure out. Many seasoned RVr’s recommend using pizza stones to equally distribute the heat throughout the oven and that is indeed a great tip; however, the temperature on an RV oven can be seemingly impossible to regulate. They’re not like home ovens. Before we bought an oven thermometer, it was a complete guessing game as to what the temperature actually was. We never knew! After finally eating a few very hard pizzas along with some blackened cinnamon rolls, we realized that we needed a way to gauge the temperature in our oven because what was displayed on the oven knobs obviously was incorrect. After purchasing an oven thermometer, we discovered that our oven was always off 50 degrees, in either direction, from what we actually set the temperature to. We have also used this when grilling and smoking ribs and wings outside! It comes in really handy and it will save you from burning your last pizza.
#5 Rubbermaid TakeAlongs Food Storage Containers 10-Piece Set
One of the keys to being able to afford to RV travel full time is being frugal and that means eating leftovers. Rubbermaid TakeAlongs are the ideal food storage containers for the active RV’r. They are very light weight making them perfect for your camper, they come in a large variety of sizes which comes in handy for large and small amounts of food, and they are inexpensive so you won’t miss them when you want to leave them with someone or when you just want to dispose of them and their contents. We use these food containers on a regular basis because they are the perfect plasticware. This is an item that we used and would have gladly endorsed even before we began the RV life!
Take some time to plan how you will use your kitchen and the easiest way to maintain it. Frivolous spending on useless RV kitchen items will empty your pockets and clutter your cabinets and drawers leaving no room for items that you actually need. There are tons of RV kitchen gadgets that you will encounter when shopping for accessories but these are the ones that we would recommend getting before you begin your camping endeavors. You may find that some of them are much more useful or much more necessary than you thought.
*We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This program allows us a commission on any purchase made through our links at no extra costs.