Oven VS no oven

[trogers713]

Another fine question that I need a little help with. As I renovate my 31' Sovereign should I leave the oven or replace it with a built in Microwave? Just how many of you use the oven? Thanks for your replies to this....I am kind of taking a vote.....who will win? Tim

[87MH]

For just a bit more than a straight microwave, consider an "intelligent" convection microwave. Not quite the same as a slow cook oven, but close.

[yukionna]

The answer to your question of oven vs. no oven is based on your personal cooking preferences.

1) Will you be boondocking alot? If so, the microwave/convection oven wouldn't be practical.
2) Do you like to bake?
3) Do you like the convenience of a microwave?

Many of the trailers have both an oven and a microwave in them but the smaller units only have room for one (i.e., my 19' Bambi only has the microwave/convection in it).

[RoadKingMoe]

I like being able to have bisquits in the morning when boondocking. I guess since we have two generators we could do that in a convection oven, but I don't like to run a generator in the morning.

There's no storage lost to having an oven. We keep the complete nesting pots and pans set, sitting in a cast iron frying pan, on a pizza pan, on cookie sheets. We also have two cake pans, a pie pan and crust protector, and other cooking stuff stored in it. Pretty much all of our cooking stuff is in it except when it's being used.

[Pahaska]

I would willingly give up the oven for additional storage space for pots 'n pans, etc..

I do use the oven to make dishes for pot lucks at rallys, but there is always 120v available for the microwave and I could simply choose a different menu if the oven were not available.

[garry]

I had the split oven/range top and converted to this with no regrets.

[garry]

This is where the oven was

[trogers713]

Thanks for the replies....I had never thought about the convection / Microwave. I am always trying to think about what someone else would want if in the future I sell it......keep the replies coming....Tim

[Pick]

We have both. Oven is for cooking, and microwave for reheating. We use the oven on every camping trip for baked potatoes, biscuits, rolls, pizza, etc. Actually, the only thing I have used the microwave for is reheating my cup of coffee.

[Kistler]

Brenda uses the oven for storage of pots and pans as does a poster above....the micro-wave makes great baked potatoes, Pick. And it is fast....same with corn-on-the-cob.

Apparently, we could have done without the oven.

[FireFighter]

We use our oven every day for breakfast, it also is a nice source of heat while cooking for those cool mornings.

we won't have a TT without an oven after having one, consider us spoiled.

[wahoonc]

Have you considered replacing the cook top with the drop in stove? It is one option that I am looking at, then I can use the wall oven space for something else.

Aaron

[RoadKingMoe]

I wouldn't want a door there, where I'd have to move stuff off the countertop to open it.

Kistler's right about the microwave and baked potatoes. Sure cuts down on cooking time. I like to put them in the oven, which can be preheating while they're in the MW, for a few minutes afterward for a crispier skin. Bacon is also good between some sheets of paper towels in the MW, but it's easy to overcook it.

We also have both, but I wouldn't give up the oven.

[Chuck]

There's no option in the poll for "BOTH".

I just removed a piece of tambour that formed a "cabinet" over the fridge, so we'd have room for a small micro. The cabinet wasn't good for much...very shallow, and the roll-up thingy that the tambour rolls into took up half the space, making it pretty much uselss. Without the tambour door there, there's plenty of room for a micro. I stole the idea from the vintageairstream archives/photo gallery.

this is pretty much the same as my trailer...photo on the bottom right illustrates. didn't bother w/ the toaster oven, but as you can see, there is plenty of room atop the fridge now, whereas before, there was a useless cabinet, and a uselss (way too small for anything) piece of countertop.

http://www.vintageairstream.com/arch...773Safari.html

OTOH...I have yet to use the oven for anything, (other than storage) even when boondocking, but I do like having the option.

[thenewkid64]

IMHO it depends on the type of camping you are doing and the type of unit, Trailer/motorhome.

When we lived in the north we had a trailer camped at many state park campgrounds and di a fair amount of boondocking. In this case an oven was used on a regular basis. A microwave would have been nice, but was not necessary.

Now that we are in the tropics, where AC is a must have for most of the year, we have a Motothome, 30 amp service is the norm with a genset for boondocking, we have a micro/convection oven.

I have made muffins and even a cake in the convection oven. I cannot run them both the AC and the oven at the same time, it is a trade off.

[j54mark]

Tim,

The fact that you raise the question means that, for you, an oven is wasted space. The more interesting question would be to find out what percentage of new AS buyers choose an oven in those models where you have an option.

I have a 25' Sovereign, and when it came time to rebuild the cabinet, the decision was simple. But the choice was not oven vs. microwave, it was oven vs. counter space! There was no contest. Where the range top once was there is now a two burner cooktop and real counter space! Where the oven once was, there is now a microwave and a real, large drawer for kitchen utensiles. No more opening up the cabinet door to get a spatula.

My photos (click below) show the before and after.

Mark

[KIMILI]

I have to agree with most replies here, it strongly depends on your type of cooking and usage habits.

I NEVER cook in a microwave, only defrost or popcorn, besides it being proven to be cancerous I really prefer the taste of a real oven.

We have both on our unit and I absolutely feel it is a waste of space. Modern technology offers great All-in-one combinations that would use up half the space and be incredibly more efficient.

At home I use a very Airstream looking Convection Oven/Microwave that has all the following functions: Convection Oven (faster and more uniform than traditional), Rotisserie, Toaster, Broiler and Defroster.
Absolutely great, I fully reccomend it. It's the "De Longhi Retro Convection Oven with Rotisserie". Good for morning biscuits, Thanksgiving turkey, pies, movie popcorn, you name it it can be done.

Check it out here:
http://www.chefscatalog.com/store/ca..._requestid=648
or on amazon.com

...The only problem is that it's totally electric so when you boondock you're left with only your range...That's why we're still hesitant in changing our current set up.

[rluhr]

As a confirmed boondocker, there's no question. A propane oven, while not hugely useful, is the only way to go for us. We like to go places that the hookups aren't. So for re-heating last night's leftovers, the propane oven is great.

But if we always stayed at electric campsites, we'd dump the thing and get a microwave or one of those nifty all-in-one combos KIMILI was talking about.

-- RL

[trogers713]

It is starting to look like a 50/50 split in a way.... The oven that I have is located next to the Refrig and stands alone. Maybe it would be good to drop a one piece unit into the counter where the range top is located now and put the microwave where the oven is at this time....Your replies have been real helpful....keep them coming if you have more thoughts to this question...Tim

[yukionna]

Originally posted by KIMILI
...besides it being proven to be cancerous...

Huh? A microwave causes cancer? I didn't know that? Where did you get that information from?