In some of our recent blog posts, we covered some ground on the most important camper accessories that you really need to bring along with you when you go on a trip. These articles are helpful, but there’s just one small problem - they don’t deal in one specific area of living.
Naturally, you need toilet paper and holding tank treatment, but for very different reasons from those that necessitate a TPMS or a water pressure regulator or even a water softener. The reasons that you need any of these, likewise, are different from those making a leveling system valuable.
In this article, we’re going to focus on some of the essential RV accessories for your camper kitchen that will make your life a lot more comfortable, on the road or in camp!
1. A foldable tray or lap table
Whether it’s for those nights when it’s you and one other person or just for a quick snack that you make yourself in camp before getting out and about, a foldable tray or a little lap table can solve a whole bunch of problems. When you don’t have somewhere else to eat or the table is covered or stowed, a lap table will make up for it.
2. A cutlery organizer
Yes, you may have a drawer where you keep all of your knives, spoons, forks, and other cutlery, hopefully not including your cooking utensils. However, you need a cutlery organizer, and for the same reason that you need some of the other RV accessories on this list.
When you’re driving out on the road, the RV, and everything else in it, is shifting and moving around. You can discover later that your cutlery drawer has become a Gordian knot, or you can get a cutlery organizer from our collection of kitchen accessories and be done with it!
3. Shatterproof drinkware
Shatterproof drinkware, whether it be tumblers, pilsner glasses, wine glasses, or anything else, is a near necessity in an RV. Sure, you can get away with real glass glasses, but if you do you’re going to have shards in your cards at some point or other.
Or, you can just get some shatterproof drinkware and you don’t need to be overly concerned about bumps and spills! It’s easier to clean up a little spilled milk than bits of glass, anyway.
4. Shatterproof serving ware
Hopefully, we don’t need to elaborate excessively on this item, since the reasoning behind it is effectively the same as the reason given above for shatterproof drinkware. Basically, invest in shatterproof serving ware, including plates and bowls, one time, and free yourself from the inevitable breakage that would otherwise follow.
5. Cutting mats - preferably foldable!
If you cook in camp - and who doesn’t - then you’re going to need a cutting board of some sort or other. While you might prefer bamboo or some other wood or even a heavy plastic, they’re not conducive to life on the road and take up too much space. They also require a lot of maintenance. Your kitchen may need a cutting board, but if it folds up you’ll thank yourself later for the space saved.
6. Sponge holders - if you have a sponge!
Similarly, if you cook, then your camp kitchen needs a place to clean up and places for all of those accessories to be stored. If you use a sponge when you’re cleaning; actually, even if you use a rag - a sponge holder may be very practical. It will give you a place to rest your cleaning implements when you’re not using them, and most importantly, it will keep them out of the way when you’re drying them out.
7. Countertop extensions or sink covers to give you more space
As you are no doubt aware, the kitchen space in most RV kitchens is unbelievably limited. Just like all other aspects of RV living space comes at a serious premium. Any way you can extend your countertop space is helpful for food prep. There are dedicated countertop extensions but there are also covers you can place over your sink or stove to give yourself more room; all are useful.
8. At least one good piece of cast iron cookware
Even though cast iron flies in the face of “lighter is better” and “foldable is better” the quality and value of cast iron is not something to be understated. With a little bit of know-how you can do almost all (if not all) of your camp cooking with a cast iron pot or skillet. Even if your RV is kitchen-less you can dig a pit outside and do your cooking with the cast iron over the flame. They’re heavy and inconvenient, but they work, and they work forever. Just remember - no soap!
9. Stove covers
As mentioned above, you can extend your counter space with the inclusion of stove covers, but that’s not the only reason to get them. Covering your stove is safer and it also gives you a lot more space for entertainment and general utility. Plus, it will keep your burners clean and dust-free and will give you a ton of extra space. Whether you need a bar or an impromptu workbench, you can pull it off with a stove cover.
10. Fridge bars
This is a theme that’s going to come up over and over again in this article. It’s already been presented with our suggestion to get shatterproof drinkware and serving ware. Everything in an RV is subject to shifting around during travel, and the stuff in your fridges is no exception.
Installing RV fridge bars is a quick, convenient, and affordable solution for a whole lot of dropped foods and broken condiment bottles. They won’t prevent these issues entirely, but they’ll give you a fighting chance.
11. Cupboard bars
See the above section for some clarification here. While you’re on the road, everything in your cabinets and cupboards is vulnerable to shifting around. Luckily, by this point in this article, you’ve hopefully made the choice to switch over to shatterproof drinkware and serving ware.
Even so, installed cupboard bars will help you stop them from clattering all over the floor!
12. Wall mount trash cans
Despite the fact that you won’t have a lot of space in your RV kitchen, you will still create at least a little trash. It’s always best to have a designated receptacle for good hygiene and sanitation, and if you don’t have room for a freestanding trash can, there are plenty of wall-mounted options out there that will save you space!
13. Dish drainers
Similarly, you will need a place to leave dishes to dry after you have washed them, but RV kitchens, as we have stated so many times, do not have a lot of space. Therefore, any help you can get is worth taking!
There are plenty of dish draining boards out there sized appropriately for RV kitchens, and there are some that are foldable, too. That way, when you aren’t using them, you can stash them somewhere out of the way.
14. Odor killers
Just like how RVs are prone to the ravages of chronically high moisture levels, RV fridges, which are small and sometimes are not cleaned as fastidiously as they should be, are prone to picking up odors.
Luckily, for a small price, you can pick up odor eliminators or absorbers that will help you contend with this problem, especially in between cleanings.
15. Ice makers or ice trays
During the hotter months of the year, there’s nothing like the refreshment of a cool drink like iced water or iced tea or iced lemonade, or an iced mixed drink.
The common factor here is ice, and not all RVs come with icemakers. However, most of them come with a fridge and a freezer. In that event, you can use simple ice trays for your refreshments. If not, for just a little more you can pick up a convenient and easy to use ice maker.
16. Grease bins
Grease can be real trouble for your holding tanks to sort out and if you let it get out of hand it can create ugly blockages that are expensive and time-consuming to remove. Even if you pour it hot down the sink, it will eventually cool and gum up the lines or the tank.
Prevent this from occurring by limiting the amount of grease you allow into the plumbing system in the first place. Grease bins, which are enormously affordable and also usually fold up for out of the way storage, are your golden ticket for this.
17. Soap dispensers
Soap dispensers are not an absolute necessity in an RV kitchen, but soap is, and soap dispensers give you a neat and convenient place to store them. Keep one handy by the sink and it will pay for itself within a few days.
18. Collapsible strainers or colanders
We’ve already covered how most people enjoy cooking in camp. That’s part of the fun of being out there on the road. Whether you need to strain pasta or wash off fresh fruits and vegetables, a strainer or a colander will become very valuable, especially if you have a lot going on. Get one that’s collapsible and save yourself some space with it all.
19. Storage bowls - preferably collapsible
Collapsibility has become a theme in this article, and the importance of storage bowls is another one worthy of note. Storage bowls are great because you can eat out of them, use them for meal prep, and much more. You can also obviously store food in them. If they’re collapsible, you’ll have a lot more space in your RV!
20. Folding camping tables
Folding camping tables are more of an “outdoors” RV accessory, but depending on the kitchen space your RV offers, they might be a serviceable kitchen accessory as well. If it’s raining outdoors and you still need a place to seat people, a folding table is highly valuable when the kitchen table won’t suffice.
21. A coffee maker, french press, or tea infusers
Americans run on caffeine, although preferences will vary slightly between coffee and tea. Whatever your brewing method of choice happens to be, it’s worthwhile to keep the RV kitchen capable. Stock up on tea infusers, a french press, or get yourself a coffee maker for the RV right here in our online store.
22. Cooking utensils
Naturally, you can’t cook at all without the help of cooking utensils, even though we included so many other necessities on this list for the kitchen. We’ll let you be the final judge of what you need and don’t need, but you’ll want spatulas, forks and serving spoons, labels, cooking spoons, and more!
23. Eating utensils!
You can’t set the table without eating utensils like knives, forks, and spoons, and not everyone in your camp is going to want to eat with nothing more than a hobo tool!
24. Perhaps a portable dishwasher
This isn’t on the list of “absolutely mission-critical RV accessories,” especially when you consider that many RVers probably just wash their dishes and silverware in the RV kitchen sink. Still, there are some really cool, relatively space-effective models out there.
25. Fire extinguishers - of course!
Finally, and although we have previously featured the fire extinguisher on our other lists of critical RV accessories, it has to be mentioned here once more. All kitchens need some form of disaster preparedness and a fire extinguisher is often the first line of defense. Don’t leave home without one.
This list is not completely hashed out, and there are many other useful RV accessories - including new accessories - that you should keep in your camper kitchen. If you’re reading this and think we forgot something obvious, give us a call and let us know so we can update the posting with your feedback!
Or you could just call us to ask our advice before you head out on the road. We know a thing or two about the camping experience and we want our customers to have the best possible time when out on the road. That means we know what you need to bring along as well as what you might be able to get away with leaving behind. Give us a call at 866-332-7881 and let us know what your questions are!
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