Outdoor Kitchens…good? bad?

[SkyBound]

We are a young family and we do not have an outdoor kitchen, nor do we want one. Our trailer has a large storage bay under the rear bunk with a good size door, which we keep all of our outdoor cooking gear inside. When we set up, it comes out and goes on a picnic table. We do all our cooking outside.

The outdoor fridge thing I can understand to a degree, but I wouldn't want to lug that thing around when its not needed or boondocking. Instead, if I'm camping at a hook-up site, I will bring a small cube fridge inside that storage bay (there is an AC plug in there) and use it specifically then. Best of both worlds being able to remove it easily.

An outdoor kitchen is not on our must-have list for our next trailer.

[Fastalker64]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

X2! I absolutely love the outdoor kitchen in our new trailer. In fact, I think we may have cooked inside only once since we purchased this one. No grease inside, no smoke, no smells. I've cooked everything from bacon to corn on the cob out there.

As far as the fridge goes, it is awesome to be able to grab a beverage without having to go in the trailer. When we are out sitting under the awning, I usually set up my chair so I don't even have to stand up for my next one.

X2- we LOVE it!

I set up my BBQ grill next to the stove top, and have the whole meal cooking in one spot! Ditto on the convenience of the 'medicine' fridge ;-))

[JFlightRisk]

We don't have a factory outside kitchen, but all cooking is on this https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/m...cture6252t.jpg and a Magma grill. Which, by the way, balks at lighting when it gets wet. Imagine that, a marine grill that won't light!

[Hazman65]

I love my outdoor kitchen and grill. I use it almost exclusively to cook dinner. I have used the stove to do corn on the cob while grilling steaks or burgers on the grill. Keeps the mess out of the inside kitchen and I get to spend more time outside where I should be. I use the small fridge for beer or pop because I can’t grill without a beer in my hand. With limited storage space on my trailer I have to admit it chews up space that could be used for storage. But, it’s only my wife and me so we really don’t need a ton of storage. I can see the pros and cons and you really have to decide what you want and how you would use it. Another wonderful option that makes choosing an rv so difficult.

[nwminnesota]

I don't have an outdoor kitchen yet but it is a must have. Convenience on having the camp stove just pull out not having to dig for it. Also water to wash hands is a must. Small fridge will be a bouns.

[3'senough]

I am a fan of it.

• Store all my grill untensils
• Have a sink to wash my hands after handling raw food
• Outdoor fridge to cut down on ice usage for coolers
• I have a platform to use for prepping food to be cooked

I did remove the microwave which I never used to provide more space. It sounds like it's a love or hate amenity and to each his own. If your a cook and want some assistance to ease your prep then perhaps a yes. Also note that there are different layouts and mine came with no cook top but a drawer for storage. This was a plus as I would not have used it since I have a Camp chef that I use.

Fridge, sink, drawer and storage cabinet are a plus for me.
Micro and cook top not so much.

[North of 49°]

We don't have an outdoor kitchen; as a matter of fact, a trailer without one was a major criteria when we were purchasing. It's just the two of us, and the regular kitchen inside serves our purposes quite well. An outdoor kitchen would be an added unnecessary expense, and take up valuable space that could be used for something else.

[bdreinv]

Its just the two of us we prefer the extra storage vs the kitchen! Thanks

[ALJO]

Manufacturers always come up with new features in order to sell and in order to get the money from the eager must haves who are vulnerable for new gadgets.

[Rustysocket]

While I do have one we do not use it much. The stove has never been lit. I do like the fridge and it's a great place to store beverages and extra snacks just to keep the kids from running in and out all day long.

It's used as more of a Bar than a kitchen for us.

I think it's one of those items that looks good on paper and in our rig it's situated under the inside stairs so it is a good use of space. I'd miss the outside fridge if it wasn't there but in reality a nice ice chest would do the same thing.

[bankr63]

For the longest time, I thought I wanted an outdoor kitchen on our next RV, but now, I'm not so sure. We cook about 90% outdoors, and I love my setup as it is ergonomically great.

Our next TT will probably be a 5W, where the vast majority of kitchens are mounted too high to be useful. I've seen this problem to some degree on many travel trailers as well. I don't think I could regularly cook with my hands at shoulder height. Also, most outdoor kitchens are on BH models, and I don't need the bunks.

In our current setup, I converted the BBQ frame on the TT side to a shelf for our Coleman Gladiator stove with speed burners and griddles. Our Roadtrip grill sits at 90* to the stove, just out from under the awning. They are plumbed into the high pressure LP side with splitters at the tanks. A couple of camp tables provide surfaces for prep. It provides a really efficient comfortable cooking area.

Outdoor meals do take a bit of thought. We have a market basket that we fill inside the trailer and carry out for meal prep. You have to think your way through the meal prep to make sure you don't forget anything and reduce trips back into the TT. For instance, egg muffins for breakfast: eggs, a bowl, whisk, butter (goes in) frypan, spatula, ham, cutting board, knife, jalapenos, shredded cheese, english muffins, with fork to split, salt, pepper, plates, napkins, ketchup. Phew! A lot of a process, but I can usually nail it without having to head back inside for missing stuff. Some of this process goes away with an outside kitchen, but not much. I might keep beer and pop outside, but all of the ingredients and utensils are still going to be inside the TT. I wouldn't be comfortable leaving any food with odors in the outdoor kitchen overnight.

[GScott]

We have a kitchen on our 23 MRB and we love it. I wasn't sold as I had all the needed equipment from years of tent camping. I was wrong. I love the quick access to the "beer fridge" and cook outside 50% of the time. Our trailer is an early 2015 and since they have added a sink and the awning now covers the kitchen area as well. I would love both. We primarily cam in RV parks in the SW. I love not heating up the trailer and like to socialize outside while cooking. An outside kitchen is not a MUST HAVE if we ever buy another trailer!

[Force]

An outside kitchen was a must-have feature when we moved from the hybrid to our current 5th wheel.

No regrets as we use it all the time. Why go in the camper to cook a burger or grab a beer if you don't have to? [emoji3]

Obviously everyone has different requirements so there is no right or wrong answer.

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[SkyBound]

Originally Posted by Rustysocket

It's used as more of a Bar than a kitchen for us.

BINGO!!! If an "Outdoor Bar" was an option on trailers I would be all over that!

[kayakterp]

We found our TT already on the lot. It has the outdoor kitchen. While we rarely use it, I am glad I have it!
My wife does most of the cooking and prefers to stay inside (she is a magnet for chigger bites). I don't mind the smell of bacon at all in our TT, but my wife is Deaf and tends to forget to use the fan over stove often setting off the fire alarm. So in that regard I wish she cooked outside!
I have used outside cooking to socialize with others while entertaining!
My favorite feature is the fridge, 2nd is the water & sink. Just have to make sure the hoses behind sink are snug as I've gotten water inside TT due to water hose working its way loose. We have plenty of storage inside unit and that is not an issue for us

[Wire]

I have a new 30.5 MBOK and I’m new to camping. So I really didn’t know what I wanted. I’m on my first trip right now, and my thought is that the outdoor kitchen is quite small. I have four kids, which is why I got a bunkhouse model, but the hybrid burner really isn’t big enough. Only about 3/4 of the surface is above a flame and it’s just not enough of any one thing to be useful. The cooking surface is small, the fridge is small and the storage is small.

I would like to make it all storage and just carry a Coleman grill and a cooler in the pickup.


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[NewBlackDak]

Originally Posted by Wire

I have a new 30.5 MBOK and I’m new to camping. So I really didn’t know what I wanted. I’m on my first trip right now, and my thought is that the outdoor kitchen is quite small. I have four kids, which is why I got a bunkhouse model, but the hybrid burner really isn’t big enough. Only about 3/4 of the surface is above a flame and it’s just not enough of any one thing to be useful. The cooking surface is small, the fridge is small and the storage is small.

I would like to make it all storage and just carry a Coleman grill and a cooler in the pickup.


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I’m looking at the same model, and we would strip out that compartment. Thinking my cooler would fit right in it.
We would also do a bigger table top for the L-shaped dinette. It’s pitifully small.


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[Wire]

The 2018 tabletop is bigger than the 2017, I’ll see if I can post a picture. My son is sleeping there now, so the table is not up. But I was pleasantly surprised by the table.


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[NewBlackDak]

Originally Posted by Wire

The 2018 tabletop is bigger than the 2017, I’ll see if I can post a picture. My son is sleeping there now, so the table is not up. But I was pleasantly surprised by the table.


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Awesome, I would love to see it. I’ve only seen ‘17s in person.


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[Wire]

Larger dining table on 2018 30.5 MBOK

It’s 35.5 x 45.5 inches