Owners of Outside Kitchens..Pros & Cons

[Bowhnter]

I used to have one and kind of miss it. To my wife it wasn't that big a deal. If I could choose between the same floor plan with or without, I would choose with.
I had no complaints with having one.

[fkwalter]

We had I first outside kitchen on a (2014)Keystone Premier 35ft camper. We loved the TV and refrig outside BUT we always had leaks. Had entire opening replaced (warranty) and it still leaked!!! We NEVER solved this problem even with good dealer help. My new Signature Rockwood does NOT have an outside kitchen!! If I liked a floor plan better, I would go for that unit. I say NO for outside kitchens!!!!

[jgourlie]

We only had 2 deal breakers on our trailer. It had to have a bunkhouse with a door and it had to have an outside kitchen. We have never cooked inside our trailer in 2 years. Washing hands is a breeze and no mess inside the trailer.

And a cold one is only a few steps away....No cons on the outside kitchen from us at all

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by fkwalter

We had I first outside kitchen on a (2014)Keystone Premier 35ft camper. We loved the TV and refrig outside BUT we always had leaks. Had entire opening replaced (warranty) and it still leaked!!! We NEVER solved this problem even with good dealer help. My new Signature Rockwood does NOT have an outside kitchen!! If I liked a floor plan better, I would go for that unit. I say NO for outside kitchens!!!!

Had it on our last camper. When it came time for the new 5er my wife picked everything. My only input was NO outdoor kitchen. The pass through is wired for tv ~~ great. One less thing to winterize, one less area to leak (ours did not), a portable gas grill works better than the stoves, no ac or heat leakage, more room inside, no need to worry about an extra point for ants, bees, or ?? to enter, and I prefer to cook without a fly on the food (smoke from the grill seems to eliminate that).

[cincia]

We love our outdoor kitchen. We have a dorm fridge and a sink. we keep drinks and snacks/finger food in the fridge. set up a tv on the counter and now we can relax at the end of the day without going in and out of the tt for things. the dogs always want to go inside when we do so having some food and drinks, napkins etc. outside keeps the inside much cleaner. Only con I can think of is that it takes up what would be storage space. Cincia

[grhodes50]

Well I'm only reading a couple of negative posts on the outside kitchen, but they do point out some valid points. However, the pros do seem to out number the cons....
There's a good chance I'll go look at a Crusader 297RSK this Friday. Dealer is about 2 hours away, but as close to me as any other that carry PT's.

Here's a couple of pics of the outdoor kitchen from the dealers web site.

[SilverArrowPro]

Originally Posted by TomStacey616

I like ours because of the "dorm fridge" to store beer, soda, water, extra food, extra beer.... and the sink is good for washing "dirt hands" when cooking on the stove top. I mainly cook bacon and stuff like that outside.... Con's - I really don't have any.

Ditto. Only con is can't use in rain without installing second awning. Which will be doing cause I love my outside kitchen.

[KingFisher]

The outside kitchen in my sunset trail only has a fridge and a sink and some cabinets.
I love the big outside fridge.

I only ever use the sink to water the dog when we're outside and I store very little in the cabinets.

I guess I could live without it. Sunset Trail has an 8 cu ft fridge inside. I'll have to buy an auxiliary fridge to use in the windjammer though, 6 cu ft isn't enough. We figure we'll just get a fridge the size of the one in the sunset trail outside kitchen and set it out on the patio next to the trailer.

Edited to add: The outside kitchen door is big and it's handy to sit the grill under if it's sprinkling outside, and then use the countertop to sit stuff on while grilling.

[Flybob]

Slightly OT but important for everyone has an outdoor kitchen.
On many models with a fridge, FR has cut 2-3 4" holes in the wall behind the fridge and corresponding holes on the inside of the RV ( fitted with a heat vent type louver) to dissipate the heat when the fridge is running and the kitchen door is closed. The only problem is that they did not put a screen over the hole and with the kitchen door open, insects can enter the main living area. The problem can be corrected by simply cutting a piece of nylon window screen slightly larger than the hole and gluing it over the hole. Simply pop off the inside louvers and you have access to the back of the hole in the outside wall.

[grhodes50]

I notice that the one I'm looking at doesn't have the sink in the outdoor kitchen. I may have to re-think this.

[WannaBcamping]

We have the outside kitchen in our Columbus. It was the deciding factor in buying that model. DH loves it and loves to cook out there. Fridge is great for bevvies and overflow food that doesn't fit inside. Wouldn't be without the sink! Micro is definitely not that useful to us.

If I had to choose between micro/cooktop/fridge/sink I'd at least have the fridge and sink and those two alone would be enough for me.

Unfortunately only certain layouts afford an outside kitchen and I wish they'd at least build a storage compartment in all trailers for a small fridge. It's hands down the #1 of the 4 outdoor kitchen features that we use.

YMMV

[rracer5]

I think it all comes down to; How much "outside" entertaining do you usually do (ie; lots of family/friends)? What are your future plans for travel being retired now (with or without family/friends in tow)? Will you eventually full time or travel for extended periods & if just the 2 of you, would you rather have the outside kitchen or larger interior living space (interior not compromised by the box housing the outside kitchen)?

Just a little more mud to wade through.

[aupainter]

I had one stove was to small no propane to frige.. could live with all that! it was not being able to shut water off to sink in cold camping. I love to hunt in late october freezing lines to outside sink Did not work for me. plus did let more cold in.

[grhodes50]

Originally Posted by rracer5

I think it all comes down to; How much "outside" entertaining do you usually do (ie; lots of family/friends)? What are your future plans for travel being retired now (with or without family/friends in tow)? Will you eventually full time or travel for extended periods & if just the 2 of you, would you rather have the outside kitchen or larger interior living space (interior not compromised by the box housing the outside kitchen)?

Just a little more mud to wade through.

I don't really foresee us full timing or too many extended trips, but I can't say there won't be any.....once or twice a year.
I'm sure 75% of the time we will camp locally as we have in the past and usually there are some grandkids along when we do. We have a pontoon boat at a marina located in a local SP.
I like to cook using charcoal, but I have used the outside propane grill as well. DW usually makes all the fixin's inside the tt. An outside kitchen would allow us to make the whole meal outside.....BUT.....that's not really a deal breaker to me.
The living area in the two trailers we are considering are identical. One has a bathroom/bedroom layout like our LaCrosse 303rks and the other is what you see most of the time in a 5th wheel with a bed slide out.
Our LaCrosse has been great and it's still a great tt. Our main reason for going with a 5'er is to get away from the Equalizer hitch to something a little easier to hitch and unhitch.

Originally Posted by aupainter

I had one stove was to small no propane to frige.. could live with all that! it was not being able to shut water off to sink in cold camping. I love to hunt in late october freezing lines to outside sink Did not work for me. plus did let more cold in.

I like to camp early spring and fall as well as during the summer. That's when I can enjoy a campfire the best.
I'm guessing a cutoff to the outside sink would be a good idea.

[kohai]

Originally Posted by TomStacey616

I like ours because of the "dorm fridge" to store beer, soda, water, extra food, extra beer.... and the sink is good for washing "dirt hands" when cooking on the stove top. I mainly cook bacon and stuff like that outside.... Con's - I really don't have any.

+1. Same here. Great for storing water/drinks and cooking stinky things like bacon (just did that a week ago). We also store extra things out there due to the extra storage (paper plates, cups, etc).

The only downside is that in transit, the water bottles inside can knock the door open. I bought a kids safety latch but the glue doesn't hold very well in the hot temperature while traveling.

EDIT: I will say that the grill out there does not get very hot. It's slow to heat up but eventually gets there.

[brandon 2]

We do not have an outside kitchen but we have always cooked outside in a screen tent. Propane bottle has a T on it to run the stove and the barbeque. Nothing worse than stinking up your unit with bacon grease and other cooking things.. When it rains we are covered and no bugs when they are out as a result of the screens. The screen house fits over all picnic tables and easily seats 4 . Saves going in and out of the RV and has worked very well for us.


Brandon2
Sun seeker 2014 2500TS

[TURBS]

Loved our outside kitchen!
Had it 5 years.
Outside grill
3 burner cooktop
Sink
Fridge
Storage
Flip out tv

Sabre 32bhok

Just needed to go inside to sleep and use restroom! [emoji12]


2015 Columbus 320RS
2008 2500HD Duramax
2015 nights camped "34"
2016 nights camped "22"

[Teamfour]

We had to have an outside kitchen since we take the TT to BBQ and Chili cooking competitions. We only have the outside fridge and sink, but the bumper mounted grill completes the package and can supplement the two smokers we haul around.

[BillyBass]

Originally Posted by RollingDownTheHighway

Here's a pic of mine
Attachment 116194

i'm jealous

[mikeysotp]

Originally Posted by Teamfour

We had to have an outside kitchen since we take the TT to BBQ and Chili cooking competitions. We only have the outside fridge and sink, but the bumper mounted grill completes the package and can supplement the two smokers we haul around.

OK, now you are just making me hungry!


Never thought of the water shutoff for the ODK mainly because we had ours in for service over the winter. Probably something that could be done though.