Stovetop or full oven?

[mprokop87]

So I have a void in my kitchen counter area. I have been toying with the idea of replacing it with just a stove top and putting a convection microwave below it. This would require me to run additional electrical and change up my cabinets (but not much, they are already custom). Or possibly just a small microwave.

Or should I just replace it with the style of oven that comes in an RV?

What is your opinion? Do you use the oven enough to make it worthwhile? Would it be worth my time to change around the configuration? Or should I just keep the oven in the chance that I do end up using it?

[wahoonc]

I like my gas oven, it has come in handy during a couple of ice storms when we abandoned house and moved to the Airstream. As long as you have enough electricity a convection/microwave oven might not be a bad idea.

Personally I like things that will work without electricity in a pinch. Life is more comfortable that way.

Aaron

[TinShack]

I'm with Aaron. I prefer a full stovetop/oven combo. I use my oven all the time and camp off the grid too much to rely on a convection oven that requires electricity.

[Ahab]

We like the convection/micro oven. It bakes better and cooks faster than the gas. We boondock a lot and its no big deal to fire up the genny if we need.

[Jack46]

We've had both setups, but prefer the stove stop/convection option. When we had an oven, we found that we used it very little and like the extra storage we now have without it.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Jack46

We've had both setups, but prefer the stove stop/convection option. When we had an oven, we found that we used it very little and like the extra storage we now have without it.

Yo' Jack - I agree with you though I wouldn't have until I got a Volcano Cooker and a Dutch oven. I can bake and roast very well in the DO. And warming up a cup of soup or coffee in the microwave is handy when I have hookups.

Liking this warm SOUTHERN weather today? I fulltime and "the winter that will not end" is starting to wear on my nerves. Dreaming of APRIL!!!!!

Paula in Va Beach

[Luigi123]

Do a majority of you cook more in your Airstream?

[Skatiero]

This is a hard question to answer. We have had all of the above. We definitely use the microwave more than the propane oven, especially with a convection microwave. But it's still nice to have the oven option when boondocking. We use the cooktop a lot and prefer a three burner to a four burner, but have been tempted to get a single burner electric conduction burner, just to add another choice in there for you!

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Luigi123

Do a majority of you cook more in your Airstream?

Than?

I cook a lot at home, and cook a lot when I camp. I travel for a living... get tired of eating out. In the past I used to carry a hot plate and gas grill in my work truck. I would cook in my motel rooms too.

To me cooking is a hobby and relaxing... YMMV.

Aaron

[SL4BLLT]

Were looking at options as well. With the recent upgrades this last winter of three fantastic vents, new Dometic 15K hp and 18 LED recessed puck lights, the galley is the next project.
We cook allot inside with the stove. The oven we use over in the mountains. We have used microwaves in the past, but due to them being portable, stopped using them due to storage. With the snow and ice we are having here right now in NC I wish the Airstream was in the yard and not being worked on as if we lose power I'd be there in a heart beat.
So do we upgrade with a new gas stove/oven and redo the galley to open up that space where the current magic oven sits putting in a microwave convention oven? Sounds like an over kill, but having propane systems are worth their weight in gold not just for camping but for the emergency shelter when all else falls due to weather.
Eventually we'll polish and clear coat, but I think our plan and based on our use over the last 20 years, all three systems are critical based on our needs as we use our Airstream and plan on using it for another 20 years.

[mprokop87]

I'm thinking I might just stick with the traditional oven. Everyone has valid points but we do a decent amount of state park camping do there are no hookups. I do have a working generator but I try not to fire it up unless needed.

So who wants to donate an oven to my rv?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Airstream Forums mobile app

[Wayward]

Originally Posted by mprokop87

What is your opinion? Do you use the oven enough to make it worthwhile? Would it be worth my time to change around the configuration?

I guess it depends on how you cook. We cook meat, fish and many vegetables on the grill outside. We can even bake in it by closing the lid. Everything else on the stove burner.

We've only used the microwave to reheat coffee which now even that is minimal since we bought a thermal carafe. We have never used the convection oven feature.

It is also a pain to read the display and controls without getting on the floor.

It was in the trailer we bought. I'd never order one. Much rather have a small marine type dishwasher or cabinet space there.

[TinShack]

Originally Posted by mprokop87

I'm thinking I might just stick with the traditional oven. Everyone has valid points but we do a decent amount of state park camping do there are no hookups. I do have a working generator but I try not to fire it up unless needed.

So who wants to donate an oven to my rv?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Airstream Forums mobile app

Your camping neighbors thank you for being stingy with your generator use.

[HiHoAgRV]

We like the ability to get by with what is in the camper, no external stuff so yes we love the oven.

[sinjin]

We love the propane stove. We love to bake when it is cold and rainy outside. Love the quick heating on the stove top. Boondock a lot and don't miss a microwave much. And small micro's are cheap (not that we bought one yet). So propane for us

[Gene]

We got by with a little butane stove when we backpacked, so anything more is luxury. Once we gave into luxury (power windows and seats, steering wheels and rubber tires), an oven is useful sometimes and we wish we had 5 stovetop burners because there are never enough burners. We wish the microwave had a propane generator built in because re-heating tea or coffee is the ultimate decadence (my concept of decadence has changed through the years—40 or 50 years ago decadence was much more interesting than zapping a cup of coffee).

Our oven is hard to light and takes a lot of space, but it works without electricity and cooks some things better than anything else. Every home should have a stove with a cooktop and oven—anything else is uncivilized.

But others cook differently and sometimes until you use the RV you won't be sure just what you need. Even then, things change over years and you may want to change the kitchen again.

My ideal would be a gas oven and cooktop, self powered microwave and self powered toaster oven. That would cover it all. We could live with a butane stove, but glad we don't have to and can forgo the self powered units until someone invents them. Surely, if you rarely use a stove or microwave at home, you'll be unlikely to use one on the road.

This is purely subjective, but to me a kitchen doesn't look like a kitchen unless it has a oven. A motel room with a small fridge and a microwave does not have a kitchen. We want a real kitchen, thus an oven

Gene.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Liking this warm SOUTHERN weather today? I fulltime and "the winter that will not end" is starting to wear on my nerves. Dreaming of APRIL!!!!!

Paula in Va Beach

Hi, we are fortunate that our trailer came with a stove top, an oven, and a micro-wave. We seldom use our oven, but would not do without it. And we live where "The Summer that will not end".

[mprokop87]

CA_Streamer, my generator is actually very quiet and I love that. At the moment it doesnt run because I have no fuel supply to it due to a broken fuel pump (my fault) and a rotted gas line form the tank.

As I said earlier I am going to go the oven route. If anyone has any leads on a newer oven in good shape let me know. I've made some reservations for this summer already so I need to get this thing pieced together ASAP!

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by mprokop87

So I have a void in my kitchen counter area. I have been toying with the idea of replacing it with just a stove top and putting a convection microwave below it. This would require me to run additional electrical and change up my cabinets (but not much, they are already custom). Or possibly just a small microwave.

Or should I just replace it with the style of oven that comes in an RV?

What is your opinion? Do you use the oven enough to make it worthwhile? Would it be worth my time to change around the configuration? Or should I just keep the oven in the chance that I do end up using it?

There are a large number of threads on this. People's use patterns vary depending mainly on:

1) Whether they camp where it rains. People out west cook outside more

2) Whether their cooking style relies much on an oven

3) Whether they camp in locations without electricity

4) Whether they cook while traveling since the many people who rely on restaurants or cold meals don't have any use for an oven

I am in the large minority (30-40%) of people who would not be without an oven in my trailer.

[TinShack]

Originally Posted by mprokop87

As I said earlier I am going to go the oven route. If anyone has any leads on a newer oven in good shape let me know. I've made some reservations for this summer already so I need to get this thing pieced together ASAP!

A new one will cost you at least $500. I've seen used ranges on eBay for around $300 so you may check there, or your local Craig's list. What size are you looking for? 17" or 21" or ?