casita, microwave or not

[truenorth]

I’m going to be ordering my casita soon and I’ve settled on most all the options or have been able to read up here on the ones I’m still deciding on. The one I haven’t seen much on is the microwave.

I’m undecided. I rarely use the one we have at home and I’m used to backpacking so no microwave there. We actually went several years without a microwave before renting a house that happened to have one built in. That said, there’s no oven which changes things.

I’m also wondering about running the microwave with the battery. I can see it being convenient at rest stops while on road trips but would it even run in this situation?

Can a toaster oven go in the space where the microwave would go? Would there be an outlet there? Would it be a fire hazard?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[steve dunham]

We have a 2013 Casita and have a microwave
We either grill or microwave , and seldom use our propane cooktop

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by truenorth

I’m also wondering about running the microwave with the battery. I can see it being convenient at rest stops while on road trips but would it even run in this situation? Can a toaster oven go in the space where the microwave would go? Would there be an outlet there? Would it be a fire hazard?

Welcome to FGRV Liz. The micro will need 120V power so unless you're plugged in to shore power or have a generator.....nope. Same thing with the toaster oven, it will fit but don't think it would be a good idea to use that in the micro cabinet for the excess heat generated unlike a micro. There is an outlet inside the cabinet for it though. After you've figured out how you're camping, boondocking or campgrounds, you can always pick one up from Wallyworld etc if you decide you need one. FWIW, in well over 30 years I've never used the micro or anything else needing 120ac at a rest stop. Come to think of it, in all the RVs I've had with ovens, they were only used 3 times and one of those was to finish cooking a meatloaf when the house power went out . So I agree with Steve, we micro or BBQ,

[Jon in AZ]

Actually you could run a microwave off a battery, but you’d need to install an inverter (device that changes 12VDC battery power to 120VAC power). To run a microwave it’d need to be at least 1000W, and you’d draw down your battery pretty fast for anything more than a quick 30 sec. heat-up.

After you pay for the microwave, the inverter, and maybe a bigger battery set-up, it could well be the world’s most expensive hot pocket!

Seriously, I would only have a microwave if my travel style included electric hookups most nights. If so, then it’s handy for quick meals after a long day of driving or outdoor activity. My mother traveled for years in small motorhomes, always with electric power, and that’s all she used for cooking. We rarely have hookups, so for us it’d be dead weight.

I agree with Dave- a cheap one from Walmart is good enough for most people. As far as I know the plug is there whether you order the microwave option or not.

[rgrugg]

My Escape is 4 years old and I’ve never used the propane cooktop. Everything cooked inside is done in the microwave and outside it’s the grill.

[redbarron55]

If you use a microwave get one.
Personally we have set up our much modified 16' Scamp all electric with a tankless hotwater heater on the tongue.
We do not have a stove or cooktop, but we have a convection microwave over the fridge and a instant pot and various electric skillets.
Connie was the driving force as she did not want propane inside the cabin.
But... different strokes for different folks.
Before we get the blast from the boondockers, we don't boondock, but rather use the Scamp as a mobile motel room for fairly long trips.
A second, but important purpose for the Scamp is a really bog bug-out-box in case of hurricanes here on the Florida coast and an emergency response unit for the aftermath.
The Scamp is also setup with 300 watts of solar power and a complete ham radio response system.
Get what you want for YOUR Scamp is the right answer.

[truenorth]

Thanks for all the replies. We’re estimating we will have an electric hookup perhaps 50% of the time. We’re getting the solar setup. Not sure yet if we will tote along our generator. It’s mid sized but our tow vehicle is a Ford Expedition so I don’t really want it in the back the way you would put it in a truck bed and I’m not sure where else it would go.

As I’ve said, we’re used to backpacking so stepping outside to use a little jetboil stove to heat something up will still mean the casita feels like living in grand luxury.

My hangup is that we’re getting it fairly ‘decked out’, if you will, and the microwave seems like a very common option to leave out. Does anyone know if it can be added later and, if so, if that’s a big fuss?

[Randy P.]

Liz, skip the microwave. It doesn't sound like you would miss it and it can easily be added latter if you do. The additional storage space is a nice bonus as well.

Enjoy your new camper!

[HappyTrails]

I would not get the Casita without the built in microwave for 3 reasons-

a) It's easier and cheaper to replace a store bought standard microwave with another one and not a built in one

b) If you put your own in (from Target or somewhere else), you can take it out when you are not going to use electric and use the space for something else.

c) Without the built in microwave, the Casita comes with a door for the cabinet. When the door is open, it can be used as a surface for prep etc when you are using the kitchen or anything else for that matter. Personally, I use it alot. If you have the built in - there is no door, thus no shelf.

I use the microwave when we have electric and have been known to take it out and use the cabinet for storage when we are dry camping for a week or more.

This way you have the best of both worlds

[ssatkinson]

Only you can determine whether you need one or not, based on your lifestyle. We had a 2004 Casita SD for 5 years. It came with a microwave which we removed and stored most of the time because I liked having that space for a pantry. We cook outside most of the time. On rainy days it would have been convenient when we had shore power, but those times were rare. Unless you want a built in look, you could get it without and add a small one later. There is an electric outlet in that space. Either way, enjoy your Casita! They are awesome.

[Stephen_Albers]

Thinking about your intended use Is paramount to making a good microwave decision. Il glamping, boondocking or 4 season operation is on your list, then major upgrades to a factory unit are needed.

For glamping, a combination microwave, convection and air fryer can't be beat for capability and flexibility. It will get a frozen meal on the table in 10 minutes after a hard day adventuring and will produce haute cuisine in style.

Boondocking requires functionality off-grid that propane provides. But it's lousy in warm or cold conditions for a host of reasons. All electric cooking solves a lot of problems.

[Captleemo]

I have a 2014 FD that did not come with a microwave so I put a small one in that I bought at Walmart and if I want I can remove it and use the space for something else. I like that option so I'm glad it didn't have the microwave option.

[trainman]

We did not order a microwave with our 2018 Casita as we were undecided on a microwave, or a toaster oven, we did end up with the toaster oven. This decision is up to you, but I can tell you one thing, everyone sells microwaves that will fit into that spot in the trailer at a much cheaper price then Casita sells there microwave for. The 120v receptacle and air vents are installed in every Casita in the cabinet, so no need to worry where to plug one in, or venting. Yes we found a toaster oven at Costco for $39.00 that fits perfect with room to spare. I personally would not want a built in microwave, but portable would give you options where built in would not.

trainman

[Rzrbrn]

Buy it prepped for a microwave; this is important because it will come with a 120v outlet and a hole cut out for air circulation. Then buy a smallish one for about $100 or so. We put our on a small raised platform I built, so we can put stuff under it. When you go to see the trailer most people would like to have the option of having a microwave. Also, using a microwave minimizes the heat build up when cooking inside the trailer.

Like Steve Dunham, we have a 2013 Casita and have a microwave.
We either grill or microwave , and only use our propane cooktop to heat water for coffee and tea.

We will always have a microwave, but not built in. Having said that, earlier this year we bought a Big Foot 25RQ that has a propane oven and a convection/microwave oven. So we will be changing how we have been cooking. I do the cooking, wife does the dishes.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by truenorth

I’m going to be ordering my casita soon and I’ve settled on most all the options or have been able to read up here on the ones I’m still deciding on. The one I haven’t seen much on is the microwave.

I’m undecided. I rarely use the one we have at home and I’m used to backpacking so no microwave there. We actually went several years without a microwave before renting a house that happened to have one built in. That said, there’s no oven which changes things.

I’m also wondering about running the microwave with the battery. I can see it being convenient at rest stops while on road trips but would it even run in this situation?

Can a toaster oven go in the space where the microwave would go? Would there be an outlet there? Would it be a fire hazard?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

We did not get the microwave with our new Casita in 2007. We are happy we did not. First they charge you a lot to build it in. If it goes bad it is hard to find one to fits properly since it is built in and framed nicely. The space comes with a 110V receptacle and the air vents for a microwave. We instantly bought a little one from Walmart for under $100 and if it dies we'll buy another one. We store stuff around the microwave until we use it. We don't use it a lot but it is handy when we want it. We cook inside our trailer all the time. Can't see having a stove and hauling something else to cook on outside in the rain, wind and bugs. We open the vent and turn on the fan when cooking. We do this in all our RV's and have done it for over 40 years. A toaster oven could be stored in the space but not used in it. There is carpet in the space that could catch fire easily. We've taken a toaster oven but keep it in our TV until we need it. We do carry a regular toaster under the sink and use it on the counter of the microwave door. We put some non-skid stuff on the inside of the door so things don't slide off when using them.

[hts1190]

Originally Posted by HappyTrails

I would not get the Casita without the built in microwave for 3 reasons-

a) It's easier and cheaper to replace a store bought standard microwave with another one and not a built in one

b) If you put your own in (from Target or somewhere else), you can take it out when you are not going to use electric and use the space for something else.

c) Without the built in microwave, the Casita comes with a door for the cabinet. When the door is open, it can be used as a surface for prep etc when you are using the kitchen or anything else for that matter. Personally, I use it alot. If you have the built in - there is no door, thus no shelf.

I use the microwave when we have electric and have been known to take it out and use the cabinet for storage when we are dry camping for a week or more.

This way you have the best of both worlds

Excellent advice here. This is exactly what we have done and we use our store-bought microwave regularly.

[honda03842]

Our Scamp came with a small microwave. We got rid of it because it simply took up space and we found anything it could do we could do in another way.

Now we have a bigger unit, 21 feet , and it came with a microwave convection oven we have kept it.

[Natalie21]

I bought this Sharp R1874T microwave to upgrade the original (1850-A) model in our RV. It took me around 15 mins to remove the old one; the 1874-T comes with a new backplate which is identical to the 1850-A one but I decided to renew it as the old one had 12 years' worth of work supporting the relatively-heavy microwave - that was only 8 minutes and 24 screws extra. Everything worked on the run-through so I'm happy it all seems fine. Its design is thoughtful, and its functionality is spot-on without depriving other RV appliances of much-needed power.

[JoelInTexas]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

Buy it prepped for a microwave; this is important because it will come with a 120v outlet and a hole cut out for air circulation.

They're all factory-equipped that way now - No need for a special "prep" option.

One other advantage of not ordering the factory-installed microwave is that it's somewhat power-hungry.

You can buy a smaller model that uses considerably less power - which may allow you to run it from a smaller generator, inverter or house battery bank.

[Gerry]

NO microwave for us, had one in our "used" Casita and took it out. 99% of the time we cook on camp stove outside and grill. My wive would have a toaster oven inside if anything. 1% of the time we will use the cook-top stove inside but usually just to perk coffee if it is real bad outside.