Outside Kitchen

[Dinostop]

I opted to remove the outside kitchen from the build sheet on my new unit and save some money because their idea of an outside kitchen was some cabinets and a fridge. My most recent one had cabinets, fridge, and stove, didn't use the fridge much but used the stove often to keep the inside cooler and of course had the bumper gas grill of course.

[BCMCpig]

I just put in an order for a wildcat maxx 312bhx and opted for the dinette set that turned into a wider bottom bunk. So I could actually put six in the bunk house. I do like the idea of the outside kitchen but didn't want to give up the inside space. I have a nice little grill I got at Costco that I can grill on outside. I was also pleasantly surprised that it was about $800 less.

[happywhencamping]

Our previous camper was a TT with a nice outside kitchen. It was really nice with the bumper mounted grill and the cooktop. I do miss having that in our new unit. Class a's with an outside kitchen are rare, they make a few, just not in the model we got. I now have pieces to make an outside kitchen, no sink or fridge, but it works.

[brownie289]

Was just at the show at the Big E in Ma and it looks like the outside kitchens are here to stay, most had them of one sort or another.

[RollingDownTheHighway]

Originally Posted by brownie289

Was just at the show at the Big E in Ma and it looks like the outside kitchens are here to stay, most had them of one sort or another.

We were at that show and I agree I saw a lot of models with the outside kitchen and I even seen some without bunks. Some were just a waste IMO, but some had some nice features and cooking space

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by brownie289

Was just at the show at the Big E in Ma and it looks like the outside kitchens are here to stay, most had them of one sort or another.

I agree. Not an option I want, actually find they take away from inside space we find more valuable. A grill (or camp stove) does all the outside cooking we need. Some people love them ~ some get them because they feel they have to. My grill attaches to an LP connection on the 5er. I like it more than the small burner found on the outside kitchen.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

I agree. Not an option I want, actually find they take away from inside space we find more valuable.

x2!

[BillyBass]

I rather have a stove then a grill

[brownie289]

I go camping to be outside not inside, the outside kitchen allows me to be outside more. When it's rainy or cold is the only time I spend time inside.
To each his own.

[Teamfour]

We cook competition BBQ so the outdoor kitchen is essential.

[Bear fans]

Our "outdoor kitchen" is just a sink and fridge but I love having the extra fridge and not running in and out for drinks or washing dirty hands

[Flybob]

We cooked one meal inside ( microwave heat up) in our last trailer in 6 yrs so an outside kitchen was a key part of our decision. Very nice not having to open door every time you need something from fridge especially when bugs are out. Kitchen is just a fridge, sink and small stove but all we need. If you buy or have a unit with an outdoor kitchen, you need to check venting. Behind our fridge there were two round 6"vents ( like those used in AC) that vented to inside so that heat could dissipate when outside door was closed. There were matching vents inside but no screens. This turned out be be a great place for mosquitoes to get in trailer if kitchen was open. Simply removed vent and glued a piece of nylon window screen over hole and replaced vent. No more mosquitoes.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by Bear fans

Our "outdoor kitchen" is just a sink and fridge but I love having the extra fridge and not running in and out for drinks or washing dirty hands

That's pretty much all I'm looking for in an outside kitchen on our next unit.


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[Ford Idaho]

Coleman road trip under the awning IS my outside kitchen, electric skillet plays backup when plugged in an outside outlet.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by Bear fans

Our "outdoor kitchen" is just a sink and fridge but I love having the extra fridge and not running in and out for drinks or washing dirty hands

When the girls were young we always kept a cooler outside for ANYONE wanting water or soda..... Never cared who took what. Now we have breakfast at the camper ~ then most often we are gone. Too many restaurants to do much cooking while away.

[gectisme]

It was not on our must haves when we bought our WJ. Now that we have it and have used it, for us, if we ever buy again it will be a must have. I really like the convenience of not having to do any real setup to use the stove top and sink. And keeping the kids dirty shoes out of the trailer to get drinks is a plus.

[golfmedik]

Always said I'd never have a camper without an outside kitchen after having two with them, but we just ordered a new Montana. Bet it's the first thing I miss???

[RollingDownTheHighway]

Originally Posted by golfmedik

Always said I'd never have a camper without an outside kitchen after having two with them, but we just ordered a new Montana. Bet it's the first thing I miss???

We just looked at a 2016 Montana with an outside kitchen and it wasn't a bunk house. The entertainment center was in a slide and the kitchen was under it. Nice setup actually.

[PHS79]

The top thing on my list of "must haves" was atleast a fridge outside. We found our 3220BH Passport it only has the "mini kitchen" outside (fridge, a stove and sink that slide out, and a storage shelf above the stove/sink), then I have a swing away mount on the rear bumper for our RVQ2. We love it!! No more coolers being drug with and taking up space in the back of the truck, unless something needs to be heated up in the microwave we do all of our cooking outside.

Of the 7 or 8 familys that we usually camp with on 3 don't have outdoor kitchens of some sort.

[rmillermtsu]

The 2016 Prime Time Tracer Air 248AIR is a 25' unit with an outside refrigerator.

The 2016 Forest River Flagstaff Micro Lite 25FKS is a 25' unit with a full outdoor kitchen.

We went a different route with our Micro Lite 25DKS because these units were not available when we bought ours last year.

I would like to share that being new to trailer camping, and after 27 nights in our new camper, our outdoor cooking has evolved greatly.

In the beginning, we planned to not cook inside our unit except for using a coffee maker, and occasionally using the microwave and maybe the oven for pizza once in a while. We have stuck with this part of our plan.

Outside cooking has changed drastically. We have never used the outside grill that came with our unit because it was mounted on the exterior wall of the unit and could attract BUGS.

Instead we started out using a propane bottle and distribution tree that supplied fuel to a gas stove we already had, a new table top gas grill, and a lantern. We would position the stove and grill on a portable plastic table at the edge of our 17' awning. Using a cooler with ice for drinks and a separate portable table with wash basin near the hot and cold faucets of our external shower seemed to work well for us on the first few trips.

Then we realized it took more time to set up, clean up, and pack up than we liked. I was spending way too much time cleaning and packing the propane system (especially the gas grill) when we got ready to clear a RV site.

So we evolved to our current setup. We still use the second table as a wash station near the shower outlets. We switch from the propane setup to an electric double burner stove, electric griddle, and a portable (almost disposable) charcoal grill lined with tinfoil on the first table.

The advantages of our current setup are many:

Cooking and washing dishes outside eliminates the potential for bugs and keeps the grey tank from filling up too quickly (the state parks in our area allow this).

The electric table top appliances set up quickly, clean up quickly, are very compact, and stow quickly.

The portable charcoal grill cleans up quickly because we always line it with tinfoil.

We always clean and stow everything ready for its next use when we break camp. We can be ready to to the dump station in about an hour.

With what we know now, the only thing we would change would be possibly to find a unit with an external fridge like found on the prime camper t I mentioned.

Good Luck and Happy Camping to All!