Outside kitchen.

Whatever floats your boat! Weather determines whether I cook out or in.

Snacks and drinks to keep the kids from running inside and out/back and forth. Keeps the camper cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter when the door is not opening up so much. Plus keeps the floors cleaner. My wife will cook bacon and sausage outside as well to keep the grease from splattering everywhere on the inside. On a word of caution, follow the sink drain line really good and see where it goes. Some drain into the black tank, not the gray.

Don't have an outside kitchen set up any more, but always used a flat griddle or electric skillet outside. Our previous camper had a 2 burner outside stove and sink. Everything had to be brought out and then put up eventually. It would have been great to have had some outside storage that was readily available so we would not have had to drag everything in and out, and then back in again.

Current 5er does not have an outside kitchen at all, but we still have an portable stove that can be set up anywhere. We'll continue to fix meals, all of them, outside as much as possible.

In my opinion, initially stock the kitchen inside the camper as your primary kitchen. Then, when you start using the outside kitchen, bring out just what you feel you need outside and leave it there. Then slowly add a second one for inside. Or, if you find yourself doing meal preparation inside mostly, then just put outside those items you use on occasion.

If I understand right, those outside kitchen refrigerators are electric only and when traveling, they are not powered. The refrigerator inside is powered with gas or electric, unless you have a residential refrigerator. The outside refrigerator will not be practical to use for longevity items. Frozen foods and such will be kept in the inside refrigerator.

Basically, only you can really figure out what will work for you. You might not like the outside kitchen at all and never use it. And then, you may use it exclusively and never use the one inside. If it were me, I'd probably stock both. But initially, I suggest stocking only one completely and then moving things to the one you mostly, primarily use and over time, replace the second one.

The only drawback to an outside kitchen with a fridge is the fridge only runs on AC, so unless you have an inverter and big battery bank, or are camped at a park where you have power hookups, the fridge is mostly useless except as a storage locker for additional beverages.

We use our 30" tall fridge to store all our drinks and that cuts down on trips in/out. We also set up our EZ-Up tent over the outdoor kitchen area and we will regularly set up our outdoor propane oven there. I do 90% of the cooking outdoors. We have our grill, oven and two burners, along with our fridge. I will make one trip out with the ingredients for the meal and everything else is there. I have a large bucket that holds tongs, spatulas and needed utensils in it. In the cabinet, I have vegetable oil, olive oil, salt/pepper and a few regularly used spices. In the cabinets, I have an assortment of platters, paper plates, bowls along with a basket of utensils. These are washed and dried outside in the sink and placed back in their appropriate area. This just helps keep things clean and where it should be.

LibertyMan wrote:
Snacks and drinks to keep the kids from running inside and out/back and forth. Keeps the camper cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter when the door is not opening up so much. Plus keeps the floors cleaner. My wife will cook bacon and sausage outside as well to keep the grease from splattering everywhere on the inside. On a word of caution, follow the sink drain line really good and see where it goes. Some drain into the black tank, not the gray.

Thank you so much, will do for sure.

Oh yeah, outside kitchen is used ALOT. Toaster & coffee pot allows me to slip out and have breakfast while she sleeps late. Cooking smells stay outside. Outside sink helps with bbq cleanup and the fridge has quick drinks for when someone drops by and you want to offer a cold beverage.

4hapyMcDs wrote:
Traded in our 2011 32 ft 5th wheel for a couples trailer, 2016 Premier 22rb with outside kitchen.

My question is what do most people use the kitchens for?

Good question. Some love the idea of an outside kitchen, others find it the dumbest idea manufacturers have come up with in recent years - I'd be in the latter group. The subject even came up in this discussion.

SoundGuy wrote:

4hapyMcDs wrote:
Traded in our 2011 32 ft 5th wheel for a couples trailer, 2016 Premier 22rb with outside kitchen.

My question is what do most people use the kitchens for?

Good question. Some love the idea of an outside kitchen, others find it the dumbest idea manufacturers have come up with in recent years - I'd be in the latter group. The subject even came up in this discussion.

I'm on your side. I use the campfire as my "outdoor kitchen" its the best spot to cook bacon! i stock up on those cheap dollar store tins. once the bacon is cooked i dump the grease in the fire and toss the tin in the trash!

ZINGERLITE wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:

4hapyMcDs wrote:
...

My question is what do most people use the kitchens for?

Good question. ... others find it the dumbest idea manufacturers have come up with in recent years - I'd be in the latter group. ....

I'm on your side. I use the campfire as my "outdoor kitchen" its the best spot to cook bacon! ...!

Until there is a fire ban due to some reason or another. Then an alternative source is needed.

Considering its "camping" and no two experiences are ever the same, it's really wise to be able to have a variety of ways to produce heat to fix the "bacon" on. Of course, there is always the stove inside the camper, if you don't mind splattered grease all over that new camper smell. And once it's splattered, clean and wipe as much as you can, it's still never the same. Over time, one missed spot clean up spot and it can get bigger and bigger and smellier and smellier. We avoid any "bacon" cooking inside the camper with a passion for this very reason, simply too much splattering.

We have a variety of ways to fix meals. We have, in the past, not only used the attached stove outside on our first Pop-Up, but also Coleman Camp Stoves, Electric Griddles, Electric frying pans, and of course, the good old campfire, as well as the microwave inside the camper and the oven inside the camper. Our first travel trailer did not have an oven and we ended up getting one of those portable ovens that sits on top of a Coleman camp stove. Only problem with it, it was subject to fast temperature changes if the wind blew just a puff. And it was extremely hot and dangerous. I burned myself several times using it.

If you are an avid "outside" cooker, then I think you'll really enjoy the outside kitchen. But as stated above, not everyone likes or wants the outside kitchen. They do take away from space inside the camper and they do have their own unique care and maintenance also, in addition to the rest of the camper, for example seals on the door, water faucets to winterize, etc.

Anyway, we have in the past used a variety of heat sources. Over the years, this has really changed. I think we've come full circle, we are back to a Coleman camp stove, since the outside propane hook-up on my new 5er does not play nice at all with Coleman camp stoves!