Kitchen or no kitchen?

[AJCmedia]

Hey folks,
my wife and I are looking at purchasing a trillium 1300. Currently we're traveling around while living out of our 2013 Tacoma. We have a tent on the top and store and make our food out of the box. We always make our food outside and actually quite enjoy it. The reason we're looking for a camper trailer is for a dry place to sleep and work on the road at all times. After finding @Colinn's recent thread about his bed-widening build it got me thinking, "do we really need a kitchen in the camper?" We would certainly like a slightly wider bed and appreciate more storage. I'd like some opinions/ thoughts and info from those that either love having their kitchen in their camper or don't really care and usually make their food outside. I recognize that tearing out the kitchen would be quite an undertaking, but I'm just gathering info now to see if it's actually worth it.

Thanks in advance.

[Donna D.]

Hi Alex, I have a pillow that says "I have a kitchen because it came with the house." So I understand where you might be coming from.


I would suggest you think to the future before making a mod of this undertaking. What would you do if you can't cook outside? Maybe for days on end. I try to camp 11 months out of the year and many times it's too wet and windy to be outside...


AND, some of that kitchen cabinetry is necessary for the support of the trailer. Remember there's no inner "framework" to an all molded towable and certain cabinets actually keep the roof up.


Wishing you well with your decision.

[Jay H]

Hi Alex, sounds like quite the adventure. I have a Boler 1300 and while we don't fulltime by any means we did spend 50+ days in it this summer (family of 5)! we could easily have gone without the kitchen. we used the stove only to boil water for coffee or porridge some mornings. While we found the propane fridge to be a favourite new travel accessory we have travelled Canada, 5-6 weeks solid each summer, with just a 12 volt cooler for the past 15 years.
We haven't used the sink or the water tanks on our boler either and in fact this spring I am removing the kitchen sink and replacing it with a flat counter top.
I guess my vote would be, you don't need a kitchen if you are okay with cooking outside. That's our preference.
good luck!
Jay

[Darnelle]

We also do all our cooking and eating outdoors. We use the kitchen area and sink as more of a bathroom. I have left the stove in for chilly morning hot tea, but have toyed with removing it. Am planning a different approach to using the 10 gallon water tank as well - we dislike the hand pump and don't want to add an electric pump.

[Jon in AZ]

We cook outside too, but I'm with Donna. I'm glad there is an indoor kitchen because if you camp enough you will eventually get caught in a spell of bad weather.

[jen b]

I might be one of the few people who cook almost exclusively inside my trailer. My camping trips are also photography trips and I'm putting in some long hours slogging around in the woods/desert/muddy bogs and the idea of taking time to set up for cooking outside gives me a sad. I love being able to fire up my little cooktop, with protection from rain and wind, and make my food only half a step from my bed.

[reeves99]

Sometimes it's just more convenient to cook inside. If you're in a spot for one night (and it's raining) is it worth setting up the Coleman stove outside to heat up a can of stew? A trailer isn't like a tent--it's a whole different way of life.

[sokhapkin]

How you're going to cook on Walmart parking lot or on a rest area/truck stop while on the way to the destination?

[AJCmedia]

Thanks for the insights folks. As it stands we don't have a camper yet to test either preference. I won't be buying a camper and immediately pulling out the kitchen there will definitely be time had in the camper before I make any major decisions. As for weather, time and convenience, we've cooked in solid downpour under our ARB awning, set up kitchen on our tailgate in the middle of parking lots numerous times...so, that kinda thing doesn't really affect us. Thanks all for your replies!

[FRED SMAILES]

Originally Posted by jen b

I might be one of the few people who cook almost exclusively inside my trailer. My camping trips are also photography trips and I'm putting in some long hours slogging around in the woods/desert/muddy bogs and the idea of taking time to set up for cooking outside gives me a sad. I love being able to fire up my little cooktop, with protection from rain and wind, and make my food only half a step from my bed.

Jen your not the only one to cook almost exclusively indoors. We are the same but for different reasons. When it's my turn to cook we go to a cafe, I HATE cooking and am no good at it, Marilyn doesn't like outdoor cooking.
Fred

[Hazel in Sk]

We have a Trillium and cook, do dishes etc outside. We decided that we wanted 'places to put stuff' more than a stove and sink. Hubby made a wooden 'countertop' that fits over the stove area with a lift out part so we can store things in the sink. At the same time he took out the water tank, which we stored in the basement of our house in case a future owner wants it. Our camper came with an awning and we also have a 10x10 canopy. The canopy has fabric sidewalls that fit adequately on the three sides of the awning for protection when times are challenging. They attach with glued on Velcro in the same way they fitted on the canopy. Now we only take the heavy canopy if we have a bunch of grandkids along (with one or more tents).


We have never camped in a parking lot!

[Johnny M]

I have a 71 Boler that had a kitchenette but the PO had removed the stove and fridge but fashioned their own wood cabinets and sink from a stainless steel bowl. We removed it all so we could turn our front bunks 90 degrees and make room for a front shower/toilet and still sleep 4. We put a fridge in the closet and a/c under lower bunk...now I am making our bed permanent doing away with the dinette as it was too narrow due to mods by PO as well. A queen would be nice but we would loose length in the lower bunk where our son sleeps but with my mod we will gain about 8 inches...we love cooking out as well but have considered putting in a toaster oven just in case we want to heat up a pizza or something during weather events that make it too difficult to cook outside...you can see my thread with pictures under my profile posts....right now I am just waiting for some better weather to finish up the project...

[David B.]

Originally Posted by AJCmedia

Thanks for the insights folks. As it stands we don't have a camper yet to test either preference. I won't be buying a camper and immediately pulling out the kitchen there will definitely be time had in the camper before I make any major decisions. As for weather, time and convenience, we've cooked in solid downpour under our ARB awning, set up kitchen on our tailgate in the middle of parking lots numerous times...so, that kinda thing doesn't really affect us. Thanks all for your replies!

Alex, I believe the HC1 has easily movable and removable component modules such as sink, stove, refrigerator, toilet, etc. that really allows one to arrange the trailer to fit their needs at any time, but it is not very tall inside if you need that. With this being said, we use every convenience (stove, micro-wave, sink, shower, full queen bed, couch) every day. We have plenty of storage room and counter space in our Lil Snoozy.

[steve dunham]

We seldom use our trailer for cooking / dish washing and prefer to cook outside when possible especially when frying foods . That being said , living in a Northern climate , many times in the spring and fall cooking outside is impractical due to freezing temps. Cooking in the rain and snow can be a PITA. We appreciate having cooking / cleaning facilities in our trailer. We already haul around stuff we seldom use and by removing the kitchen it would only make more room for stuff we don't need. We really enjoy having a refrigerator , running to town everyday to purchase ice is not my idea of fun nor is it a money saver. Having cooked outside at temps below zero , you soon learn to appreciate the ability to prepare and cook meals in a warm / dry climate. IMHO.

[Roger C H]

We bought Homelet to get away from wet canvas, wind, bugs, rain, etc.

We have a small toaster oven for toast and use the stove mainly for heating water. We also do dishes by heating water in our biggest pot, pouring some in the sink with detergent, wash in the sink, rinse in the big pot.

Donna is correct. THE INTERIOR STRUCTURE IS PART OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE EGG and you are asking for trouble by removing any part of it.

We carry drinking water in a couple of former apple juice jugs and forego use of the water tank. This avoids contamination, mold, freezing, and a lot of other problems. We got some water from the site faucet a week ago and it was the color of tea. We will use (clean) site water for washing dishes and (who cares) water for flushing the porta-potti. We heat with an oil-filled radiator. Of course this means always having electricity.

We use both beds. The rear one is permanent and the front one becomes our game table, eating table, etc as needed. The size of the bed is not the big thing, it is the crawling over the other person to use the porta-potti at night.

[slimmit]

I have removed my kitchen from my 13 boler and done a slight mod to the bench. Everything inside is now wood which allows drawers under the front bench and a small corner cabinet for the coffee and tea makers. . I putnin a porta loo so we don't have to get out at night especially when it's raining. The bed is now a queen size. Allows more room for us and the 4 mini dogs. You'd be surprised at how much room they take up. When we had the kitchen inside it was too small to do anything and I felt the bigger bed and porta loo superseded the kitchen. If it's that crappy outside I rather enjoy a meal at the restaurant. Otherwise I get outside and cook. In mid summer cooking inside just adds to the heat that's already gonna make it hard to sleep.

[AJCmedia]

Originally Posted by slimmit

I have removed my kitchen from my 13 boler and done a slight mod to the bench. Everything inside is now wood which allows drawers under the front bench and a small corner cabinet for the coffee and tea makers. . I putnin a porta loo so we don't have to get out at night especially when it's raining. The bed is now a queen size. Allows more room for us and the 4 mini dogs. You'd be surprised at how much room they take up. When we had the kitchen inside it was too small to do anything and I felt the bigger bed and porta loo superseded the kitchen. If it's that crappy outside I rather enjoy a meal at the restaurant. Otherwise I get outside and cook. In mid summer cooking inside just adds to the heat that's already gonna make it hard to sleep.

Ideally I'd like to design something that maximizes storage space but still allows room for the fridge and water storage, so maybe I'll make a stacked kitchen that utilizes vertical space instead of horizontal space. I figure if I can have removable water storage (20L at least) over top of a small sink and a 12V fridge on the bottom I'd have enough room on a front dinette table for a coleman stove if the weather gets really gnarly.

[steve dunham]

Coleman states that their fuel powered stoves /lanterns are NOT to be used indoors. Coleman does not give a reason nor and explanation just a definative statement .

[Johnny M]

Originally Posted by AJCmedia

Ideally I'd like to design something that maximizes storage space but still allows room for the fridge and water storage, so maybe I'll make a stacked kitchen that utilizes vertical space instead of horizontal space. I figure if I can have removable water storage (20L at least) over top of a small sink and a 12V fridge on the bottom I'd have enough room on a front dinette table for a coleman stove if the weather gets really gnarly.

That was kind of our thought too, we have a coleman stove we can use inside if we have too. Since making our bed permanent, I am working on a folding L shaped table so we can use it when sitting on our bed and the bottom bunk when in couch mode. There is room above our fridge for a toaster oven which will be removable when not needed. Our shower stall is a utility sink and so it does double duty as a sink for washing dishes/hand washing and can also serve as a tub for our toddler and for washing clothes if needed...I will also have a small outside sink too at some point for dishes/handwashing with our outdoor kitchen...

[RogerDat]

You are going to have a kitchen one way or another, inside or outside, unless you only eat at restaurants or eat packaged snacks. We cook outside almost 100% of the time. Even when we had a motor home cooking was outside but food prep was often inside Outside or inside you have to bring "stuff" that takes up space someplace.

You can adapt to have food that won't require cooking or prep. Eggs & Sausage on the griddle, or bagels & sausage sandwiches in foil over coals are good for breakfast but so is some yogurt and/or granola. Hamburgers on the grill with baked beans or ham and cheese sandwich with some chips. Or you provide small electric alternatives such as toaster oven, sandwich maker, hot plate, or electric skillet and make sure you have power.

You do need to have food that allows you to go with the flow because sooner or later weather or situation will come along that will make outside cooking unattractive option. Not all Walmarts or rest areas, or truck stops are going to be good with you firing up the stove on the tailgate so you have to plan for that situation. Rain and high winds may make outside canopy a poor idea unless you think sacrificing a canopy to the wind makes mother nature take pity on you and brings on good weather.

Must be able to make coffee so no one gets hurt by the crazy people in the little white camper but that can be off of battery or just enough stove time to boil water to make a batch to store in the thermos. Decent instant is better than random slaughter and blood curdling sobs and screams. Tea will work in a pinch.

If you ever have had a flooded Coleman liquid fuel stove then you will know why they say to only use outside. Unless to signal a ship at sea for rescue, several foot high flame good for that too. I think the lack of low oxygen shut off and minor explosion potential from propane leaks are probably at least part of the motivation. I have stuff from back in at least the 60's that has that warning. On the heater I have always wondered what do they think I'm going to use this for outside? Maybe it has to do with using them in tents?

People check their RV propane system for leaks, they also own them in the event there is a leak any damage is on them not Coleman. The joints in an RV gas system are not screwed on and off the way a 1 lb. propane bottle is, who checks their propane lantern for leaks with soapy water every time they change the bottle? Not saying it will kill you but using a lantern for heat or a stove inside certainly does carry some risk. If nothing else that hot lantern will do some serious damage if it falls over as can the heat from a stove grate after it gets hot.