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Outside kitchen?

out_for_a_rip
Explorer
Explorer
Looking for input on outdoor kitchens in a TT. It seems like a useful addition and would save on having to haul/setup extra gear like a stove and wash station, but I would like to hear from those with experience with them or any opinions on them. A question to go with this, is it preferred to have the awning covering it?

Thanks in advance!
44 REPLIES 44

sigep999
Explorer
Explorer
Hey what do you pull the 320 with?

spoon059
Explorer II
Explorer II
We bought our 29QBS and it came with an outdoor kitchen standard at the time. We though it was just a novelty, I had plans of taking the outdoor fridge to use in my office, take the cabinets out and use the space as storage and to hang an outdoor tv.

Now I can't imagine a trailer without an outdoor kitchen! We cook breakfast outside ever morning. Bacon and eggs, usually on a griddle on a nearby table, potatoes with peppers and onions on the outdoor stove. No onion or pepper smell sitting inside. No grease splatter inside.

Tacos for dinner? Sure, cook them outside so we don't smell tacos for the rest of the night. Spaghetti tomorrow? Cook it outside so it doesn't smell like garlic for the rest of the trip.

Outdoor fridge so I don't have to go inside and wake the kids while the parents and friends are sitting by the campfire? Perfect!

Outdoor sink so I can wash my hands outside when I put raw sausage or burgers on the grill? Perfect!

Ours is a larger outdoor kitchen with a door that opens up. Its big enough to provide protection from the sun and rain. I love it. Some people don't. To each their own...
2015 Ram CTD
2015 Jayco 29QBS

camp-n-family
Explorer
Explorer
Turtle n Peeps wrote:
I'll be odd man out.....well.....sort of.

For "me" an outside kitchen would be a PITA. I like to cook things like bacon and hamburgers and stuff that spits and splatters all over the place. That stuff goes EVERYWHERE and gets on EVERYTHING! If I had an outside kitchen I would spend half my vacation cleaning up the outside of my trailer and kitchen area. Nope, not for me.

If I cook on a fire there is nothing to clean up besides the pan. (besides, food tastes better over a fire; everybody knows that!)

I don't really like to eat outside anyway. I always have to fight with the bees and fly's and nats and ants or whatever over my food.

Speaking of ants. Ants LUUUUVE grease and can smell that stuff for miles. They will walk to the end of the earth for just a drop of the stuff. Where are they likely to find it? Yep, outside kitchen!


My stove top swings out from under the counter away from the tt. It also has side wings and a top. Keeps any splatter contained to the stove and is very easy to clean, easier than my inside one would be. I have never seen ants in my outdoor kitchen. You would be just as likely to find them inside. The key is keeping things clean.

The other nice thing about cooking outside is the over sensitive smoke detector doesn't go off (it's not my cooking btw) and it doesn't stink up the tt. I also get to spend time with the family homestead are always outside, like an open concept home.
'17 Ram 2500 Crewcab Laramie CTD
'13 Keystone Bullet Premier 310BHPR
Hitched by Hensley

Oldcow
Explorer
Explorer
out_for_a_rip wrote:
We are looking for a bunkhouse with a smaller outdoor kitchen most have a two burner, small fridge, and sink or sprayer nearby. The sink is the most appealing part of it for the kids, the fridge I would likely remove and utilize that space for storage, I like using a cooler for my Dad pops:B I've only seen one TT in the floor plan we're after with a plumbed drain, is that a big deal?

Also how are the stoves typically? Do they have enough BTUs to be worth a count?

Thanks again


If you are open to a TT (I see you may be going to a 5ver), find a used Outback 300rb. It is a great floor plan for a couple, has the biggest bathroom I have seen and a great bedroom. They were discontinued in 2015. I assume because most couples would buy a 5ver if they were buying over 30 feet, but that is only a guess.

We love our full outside kitchen. The door opens up and covers you in the rain, unless of course its a downpour. We cook 75 to 90 % of the time outside, depending on the outside temperature. The fridge works fine for us as we are usually at least 2 - 3 days at any particular site and have shore power. The sink is great for washing hands, the cabinets great for storing whatever. When we go full time, if we still have this TT, we will see about installing a 2 way fridge. It would be very hard for us to do without now. For us, its the focal point of our outside area. Wish I could post picks but for some reason can't seem to from our campsite in NH.

Oldcow
2013 Outback 300RB TT
2010 Tundra

Nosedive
Explorer
Explorer
Like others have said, when looking for our second travel trailer a couple of years ago, an outdoor kitchen was on the want list but certainly not on the have to have list. The Coachmen Freedom Express 320BHDSLE that we got has one and after having it, I will not have a travel trailer without it. It came with a grille, but honestly that coleman grille is useless. I have a Camp Chef three burner stove with a griddle that covers two of the burners that I cook most of our meals on. I just love having the storage outside for all of the cooking utensils, seasonings etc... The fridge is a 120V dorm refrigerator that I precool it a few days before and keep drinks in while traveling. It does warm up slightly, but we have traveled for as long as 12 hours and the contents didn't get too warm. I move any food from inside for use while cooking after it gets cooled back down. Having the sink outside is also very handy. Luckily I am 6'1 and my wife is 5'10 so we both can reach it easily but ours is pretty tall to reach, especially if the site is sloped so some people could have issues with it. Ours didn't come with a microwave and we really don't use the inside microwave much at all, so it's no loss to me. I like not having to deal with a cooler and ice. The dorm size refrigerator is plenty big enough for us to have a good stock of cold drinks always on hand.
It all depends on how you will use it. If you do not cook inside, which we seldom do, then having the outdoor kitchen is a really handy thing to have. I know some have commented on loss of storage, but our travel trailer is 37' so we don't even use all of the storage that we have so more storage wasn't a determining factor for us.

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
RandomAbstract wrote:


Yes, I would. I have purchased a trailer without an indoor kitchen (a teardrop) and loved it. Just sold it at a discount to a couple headed to Houston to try to rebuild their life. Now, we have a larger trailer with an inside kitchen. Don't care for it.


yep, I looked at that tear drop also, had a hatch back/roof that swung up to use limited kitchen facilities. stood there, imagining standing in the rain, and immediately discounted that idea.
had a few thoughts on camping experiences in the past that would make a outside kitchen intolerable, a stay in Wyoming with persistent 30 kazillion MPH winds, a cold miserable day in the Rockies where you had to unhook your fresh water hose every night and drain it or it would freeze, etc. yep, a really good idea, but post a photo when you rip out your indoor kitchen and transfer your "stuff" to outside compartments, which could be done. idle minds are curious.
bumpy

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
Turtle n Peeps wrote:
I'll be odd man out.....well.....sort of.

...


Your post is interesting! We've been full circle now (I think).

When we first started camping (a tent and a pick-up truck with a shell), we always cooked over a fire.

When we got our first pop-up, we cooked on the camper stove that could be brought outside and hung on the side of the pup.

When we got our first TT, we ended up with 2 Coleman cook stoves. One was a 3 burner, the other was a flat griddle with a single burner.

Fast forward. Loved the griddle! But hated the mess. So, eventually moved to electric flat griddles and with an electric skillet, could fix anything! Including pastries! Also used the outside stove on the camper, and use the wash basin and running water all the time.

Now that the firewood bad is pretty much lifted, I'm able to bring my own firewood from home. I have 300 feet, 2 rows deep, and 5 feet high, all split, as we heat with wood all winter.

So, this Summer and even as late as 3 days ago, when camping, we are fixing stuff over the fire again! I'm not using flat griddles or stuff like that, but the simple 2 pronged hot-dog stick. Steaks, sausages, hot-dogs, and even beef cubes and such ... OMG! How marvelous!

Now, we're not giving up the flat electric griddles. I don't want to go back to the fire soot clean-up mess again. And eggs and pancakes still fix up real nice on a flat griddle!

Still funny, after 30 (plus) years of camping, we are slowly going back to over-the-fire!

Opie431
Explorer
Explorer
I use the outdoor stove often but use the dishpans with water from inside.
I looked at a unit with the full outdoor kitchen and thought it made the inside kitchen too small.
We have a large awning and I set up a table under it that I can put dishpans, electric frying pan or anything else on. We got could seat six at the table if we had too or we could put the picnic table under the awning.

Opie431
Explorer
Explorer
I use the outdoor stove often but use the dishpans with water from inside.
I looked at a unit with the full outdoor kitchen and thought it made the inside kitchen too small.
We have a large awning and I set up a table under it that I can put dishpans, electric frying pan or anything else on. We got could seat six at the table if we had too or we could put the picnic table under the awning.

RandomAbstract
Explorer
Explorer
Bumpyroad wrote:
RandomAbstract wrote:
Bumpyroad wrote:
RandomAbstract wrote:
I would kill for this outdoor kitchen.

http://www.australianoffroad.com.au/models/quantum.


as near as I can tell from that worthless floor plan diagram, there is no internal kitchen. that would suck.
bumpy


Are you having a bad day?

Do you realize that people have different styles?


would you actually buy a RV without a kitchen inside? I bet 99% of the folks here wouldn't. I am excluding some tiny tear drops that have a kitchen area in the rear ..
bumpy


Yes, I would. I have purchased a trailer without an indoor kitchen (a teardrop) and loved it. Just sold it at a discount to a couple headed to Houston to try to rebuild their life. Now, we have a larger trailer with an inside kitchen. Don't care for it.

The trailer mentioned above would be perfect for my wife and I. If it was available in the states I would buy it in a second. And, its base price is $75,000 USD before any options.

Like someone else said, different strokes.

If I don't fit into the supposed 99%, does that mean that I am a 1 percenter? ๐Ÿ™‚
LeRoy & Alessandra

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
RandomAbstract wrote:
Bumpyroad wrote:
RandomAbstract wrote:
I would kill for this outdoor kitchen.

http://www.australianoffroad.com.au/models/quantum.


as near as I can tell from that worthless floor plan diagram, there is no internal kitchen. that would suck.
bumpy


Are you having a bad day?

Do you realize that people have different styles?


would you actually buy a RV without a kitchen inside? I bet 99% of the folks here wouldn't. I am excluding some tiny tear drops that have a kitchen area in the rear ..
bumpy

maddog348
Explorer
Explorer
Random X 2

Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Explorer
I'll be odd man out.....well.....sort of.

For "me" an outside kitchen would be a PITA. I like to cook things like bacon and hamburgers and stuff that spits and splatters all over the place. That stuff goes EVERYWHERE and gets on EVERYTHING! If I had an outside kitchen I would spend half my vacation cleaning up the outside of my trailer and kitchen area. Nope, not for me.

If I cook on a fire there is nothing to clean up besides the pan. (besides, food tastes better over a fire; everybody knows that!)

I don't really like to eat outside anyway. I always have to fight with the bees and fly's and nats and ants or whatever over my food.

Speaking of ants. Ants LUUUUVE grease and can smell that stuff for miles. They will walk to the end of the earth for just a drop of the stuff. Where are they likely to find it? Yep, outside kitchen!
~ Too many freaks & not enough circuses ~


"Life is not tried ~ it is merely survived ~ if you're standing
outside the fire"

"The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly."- Abraham Lincoln

RandomAbstract
Explorer
Explorer
Bumpyroad wrote:
RandomAbstract wrote:
I would kill for this outdoor kitchen.

http://www.australianoffroad.com.au/models/quantum.


as near as I can tell from that worthless floor plan diagram, there is no internal kitchen. that would suck.
bumpy


Are you having a bad day?

Do you realize that people have different styles?
LeRoy & Alessandra