Ovens in DP's, or lack thereof

[D_E_Bishop]

I have made my last major repair to the Bounder. It's 26 years old and many things are dying especially the plastic ones. We have our condo of forty years for sale and the S&B remodel is almost done. I promised the DW that we'd keep the Bounder until there is something really wrong with her and after the condo sells and the S&B is finished but I didn't say I wouldn't look.

I would like a little longer, really like 32foot but will go up to 35foot. We don't park in the National Parks much anymore due to the crowds.

I have found that there are a lot of 34/35 foot long DPs out there for reasonable prices and that 90% don't have Ovens and many only have two burner cooktops.

Why's zat?????

We do cook a lot and so far the DW doesn't even, remotely or just for kicks want to use a convection oven or combo MV/Convection oven.

[xctraveler]

Our second coach was a Southwind with both a gas oven and a convection/microwave. The gas oven may have been lit twice in 8 years. We eat in most days and DW is a fine cook. She learned to like the Convection/microwave in that coach and when we upgraded to the Phaeton we were pleased that it has storage instead of the gas oven - would have pulled it out if had come with it.

Definitely understand Mommalu's issue with height, DW used to be almost 5'2" now just 5' and a bit. I am somewhat taller and am able to extract and place cooking materials in the oven for her. When I am not available she uses the ever present folding step we keep tucked in a corner to provide the vantage point she needs - even I use the step on occasion.

[ncrowley]

We eat almost all of meals in the RV. We had an oven in the trailer and never used it. We have a microwave/convection combo and use it all the time. I did nit know about convection cooking but purchased a cookbook and really love it now. I would not waste space for an oven again.

[the_vfox]

I have had four units with ovens, which were used for storage.

Our current unit has a Convection Oven/Microwave and no oven. Works great. Previously, we used an electric potable convection oven when we needed it.

[DSDP_Don]

"JimM68".....The Sharp should have a button that turns off the turn table, that way you can use a rectangular pan.

[2gypsies1]

JimM68 wrote:
We've been working hard on getting to "know" that carousel convection oven. I wish it was bigger. The racks are 12" in diameter. A normal 12 muffin baking pan won't rotate, and everything (cupcakes, corn muffins, blueberry muffins) comes out looking kinda windblown!

That's strange....

Our GE convection didn't rotate when using the convection so we were able to use oblong pans and regular cookie sheets/muffin tins. We baked on a regular wire shelf elevated from the oven floor like a regular oven. The pan needs to have space around it to bake correctly.

When we used it for microwaving we did have a rotating round turntable.

..just differences in convection ovens.

[Mommalu]

We would use the oven in our TT during fall/spring camping when it was chilly out. The mh has the convection/micro which works well enough but, for us vertically challenged its sometimes a bit scary to pull something hot down from ABOVE our heads. Just another perspective. I do however love the big drawers under the burners, it is amazing what one can store there.

[bobtucker]

In our 99 gaser we had an oven, seldom used. Our DP has a microwave/convection and I use it frequently. Takes a little getting use to. We have also started carrying an induction plate and it works well for us.

[NeverHome2]

When we looked for our motorhome, an oven was on our list. When we found the 05 Endeavor it had almost everything on our list but the oven. We decided not to let the oven be a deciding factor especially when the Endeavor was nearly perfect for us.

Now we love the extra storage space and I love cooking in the convection oven. It is really not much different than the regular oven...preheat to temp, cook for a specific length of time, when finished...enjoy! The only differences I have found is a reduction in temp and/or cooking time. It is so much easier to preheat by pushing a button than the contortion that goes with lighting a gas oven!

Good luck!

[Tinstar]

I had a convection/microwave and a 3 burner cooktop. We also carry one of the portable induction cooktops. Below the 3 burner cooktop, there was a large drawer for pots and pans. I took that drawer out and installed an electric convection oven. We use it often and it will take up to a large pizza. We're happy with it.

[obgraham]

I think I need to take a cross-country RV trip, and sample chocolate chip cookies (or whatever) baked in gas ovens or convection ovens.

Sign up here to be on my tasting list. I'll need 50 examples of each.

[JimM68]

oh, to address the op's other point...

It seems most newer DP's are made for those who's make reservations.

But all this good cookin stuff can be ordered. It can get difficult to find a used unit that someone ordered the way you would have if you coulda afforded to buy it new.

[JimM68]

Our first moho, a 99 pace arrow, had both an oven (under a 3 burner stove) AND a standard size sharp convection microwave.
We cooked a lot, used our oven often, and only used the microwave never the electric convection oven. Tried it a few times, but it made things rubery and such.

Moho 2, our knight, came with a big cabinet under the 3 burner cooktop. I outfitted the open cabinet with 2 wire shelves on full extension drawer slides.
We could not give up that storage, not even for an oven.

We've been working hard on getting to "know" that carousel convection oven. I wish it was bigger. The racks are 12" in diameter. A normal 12 muffin baking pan won't rotate, and everything (cupcakes, corn muffins, blueberry muffins) comes out looking kinda windblown!
We did find a good double bottom cookie sheet that would fit in it, and have made some darned good toll house cookies.
We made homemade pizza in it, and it was pretty good.

You need to drop the temperature, 350 to 325... 450 to 400. Keep the time the same. That avoids the rubbery.

I'm looking for a 12" pizza stone. I think that would help a lot.
Also a round muffin pan. It would need to hold full sized muffins, but not 12, we never actually eat that many. 10 maybe? a row ow 2, 2 rows of 4, another row of 2? So it could spin on the turntable.

We still miss our oven, but getting used to the convection.

[GMandJM]

Maybe HER quilting friend will get a micro/convection and then HER will want one, too. :B

[D_E_Bishop]

RogerComm wrote:
I just baked two dozen white chocolate /macadamia nut cookies in our convection oven and sat down at computer and saw this thread. Delicious and even I didn't burn any of them.

Okay now you're in trouble here. This is the OP and a former resident of Hawaii, it was so long ago that I remember going to the FIRST HAWAII STATE Fair. Mention MAC Nuts and I'm on my way.

Oh Well on to the rest of the posts.

To fill you in I am the "cook" of the family, or so my DW says as she sits in the front room watching TV and eating See's Candies. Just kidding, both our girls are great cooks, the youngest WAS a professional chef and I am a published cook.

We're 75(me) and a little younger(her) and HER does not take kindly to change. She just started using MS Word and only because only one of her Quilting friends uses it. She writes a column and it has to be in WORD.

I'm convinced but keep the comments coming, she may read them and decide to try a MV/Convection oven.