Many other trailer manufactures are offering an outdoor kitchen. It seems ideal for the 21RBS. That would be sweet. No indoor orders and refreshments steps away.
Anyone else see see this as a good option?
Is LL considering it?
Ron
Hi Ron - I cook outside our 21-BHS, not inside, because I don't want stale cooking odors inside my camper, plus I don't want condensation inside my camper either. (So far, we have had no condensation at all. I think the tip-out bunk has helped with that, but that is another discussion.)
We have a cooler which mostly holds beer and plastic boxes holding cooking implements, paper plates, plastic cups, etc. I have a Coleman propane cookstove and a small charcoal grill. When it rains, I will heat water to make coffee with my coffee press on the cooktop inside to go with a snack or cold sandwich, but that is the extent of it.
The boxes and cooler are stored on the floor behind the axles to help reduce tongue weight when going down the road. We also carry extra aluminum tables, as we don't always have a picnic table at our campsite.
So, this is our version of an outside kitchen. I should tell you we don't need an outside sink. My husband does the dishes after we eat, using the outside shower. That outside shower is his toy. Enough said.
Sure, an outside kitchen would be great, with a refrigerator, sink, and cooktop, but that would add to the weight of the camper. Personally, I think we need a built-in wine cooler before that!
Quote from: @leslie" source="/post/21113/thread" timestamp="1462978598Hi Ron - I cook outside our 21-BHS, not inside, because I don't want stale cooking odors inside my camper, plus I don't want condensation inside my camper either. (So far, we have had no condensation at all. I think the tip-out bunk has helped with that, but that is another discussion.)
We have a cooler which mostly holds beer and plastic boxes holding cooking implements, paper plates, plastic cups, etc. I have a Coleman propane cookstove and a small charcoal grill. When it rains, I will heat water to make coffee with my coffee press on the cooktop inside to go with a snack or cold sandwich, but that is the extent of it.
The boxes and cooler are stored on the floor behind the axles to help reduce tongue weight when going down the road. We also carry extra aluminum tables, as we don't always have a picnic table at our campsite.
So, this is our version of an outside kitchen. I should tell you we don't need an outside sink. My husband does the dishes after we eat, using the outside shower. That outside shower is his toy. Enough said.
Sure, an outside kitchen would be great, with a refrigerator, sink, and cooktop, but that would add to the weight of the camper. Personally, I think we need a built-in wine cooler before that!
THIS.
We also do not cook inside for the very same reasons. We may heat a can of soup inside if we were stranded by rain and didn't choose to get in the tv for a restaurant run. We typically go out for the day and eat linch or dinner away from the campsite.
I don't find it a chore to go inside for a drink. That's where the ice and booze is.
I also use the outside hose for dishes. In fact, I invented doing that, I'm pretty sure.
We have used the inside microwave to heat up a casserole or pot pies or such. I would not use it to roast something due to the fact that it makes a mess and we're lazy.
Coming from the pop up mind set I dont see the need or desire for a built in 'Outdoor Kitchen'. I could see the advantage of having hook ups easily available such as a propane and water lines but other than that I would rather have my outdoor kitchen gear be portable.
However I'm sure if the market is calling for it, LL would do it. They seem to be trying to keep up with customer trends (especially with the two recent ownership moves).
-Sean
We cook outside in a Dutch oven or on a small Weber grill most of the time. Have a Colman stove if needed but find that we can handle most everything outside in oven or grill. Cold sandwiches if it's raining.
The cooler with the beer sits right next to my chair- can't waste any beer drinking time going in and out you know ;)
Never really cooked inside any of the trailers I've owned. My Q-grill and a single burner "Partner Steel" camping stove is all I use for cooking outside. We use the microwave inside, thats about it.
Quote from: @ammobob" source="/post/21129/thread" timestamp="1463064694
The cooler with the beer sits right next to my chair- can't waste any beer drinking time going in and out you know ;)
Gotta get my exercise in somewhere.
Some of the old models had a bracket built onto the side, you would remove the inside stove and mount it on the bracket outside. There was an exterior connection for the propane. I think they stopped offering that in 2013.
T@B and Little Guy trailers have some really nice outside kitchens; too bad the trailers are so small. Several members have posted ideas about adding outdoor kitchens to their CL. If your have one with the pass-through storage, with the tray that slides out, I think you could modify it fairly easily into a pretty nice kitchen work area. If enough folks express interest in them, I am sure LL will start offering them. Perhaps it is already in the works; curious to see how LL responds.
The Ford travel trailers built by LL have outdoor kitchens. However, with steel frames and lots of wood inside, they aren't very light. I guess having an aluminum skin on the outside qualifies it to be towed by their aluminum truck. BTW, the roof is not aluminum.
This is how we do the outside kitchen. Put an LP hatch in the side of the trailer to run the two burner stove and X200 grill. Provided an exterior 12V plug for the Dometic fridge freezer that is on the ground in the rear of the trailer. The tables are Walmart things.
(http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/minuteman1965/DSC02366_zpsqlc4kbb4.jpg)
I have never had a real use for an outside kitchen. We grill either over the campfire or with a portable LPG canister grill anything that would stink up the trailer. Inside we heat a can of beans, boil water for rice or mashed potatoes, that sort of thing which has no effect inside.
Works for me.
David
At rv shows I've seen many of the kind of outside kitchens trailer & motorhome manufactures are offering. Typically they are a large doored exterior compartment. All have some burners and some have small sinks, and/or fridges. Some are big enough to include TVs. Some incorporate a pull-out with the stove/sink. Most I've seen have been very poorly detailed. For instance, for most the compartment walls & soffit are not very durable materials -- just the same ultra-thin luan ply with thin vinyl wallcovering the manufacturer's use for their rv interior walls. Another complaint is the hatch sills are typically higher than the floor of the compartment which must make it difficult to properly clean the compartment. Fry some burgers in there and all the surfaces in the compartment must get pretty dirty with oil splatter!
My conclusion has been the typical 'outside' kitchen offered by North American trailer manufacturers (save a few clamshell manufacturers) are little more than a sales gimmick. I think they are a feature that sounds really good to a buyer but aren't really all that practical in the real world. Buyers stereotypically love bells & whistles. The typical outside kitchen compartment is a whistle.
If what was offered was more like what Australian camper trailer manufacturer's offer I'd be much more interested. I attach an example video -- just the first I found and not necessarily the best design...
[video size="medium" src="https://youtu.be/t_YbomSG448"][/video]
[quote timestamp="1463081710" source="/post/21131/thread" author="@pinstriper"][quote timestamp="1463064694" source="/post/21129/thread" author="@ammobob"]The cooler with the beer sits right next to my chair- can't waste any beer drinking time going in and out you know ;) [/quote]Gotta get my exercise in somewhere.[/quote]Get that when I have to get rid of the beer. Of course I never thought of combining those trips. Elimination and replenishment in one trip.
Quote from: @ammobob" timestamp="1463142397" source="/post/21145/thread[quote timestamp="1463081710" author="@pinstriper" source="/post/21131/thread"]Gotta get my exercise in somewhere.
Get that when I have to get rid of the beer. Of course I never thought of combining those trips. Elimination and replenishment in one trip.[/quote]And then there is this minus the hat. That is for the beer assistant.(http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/minuteman1965/photo-15_zpsbxpikap3.jpg)
We might have crossed the "Line" :)
whoofit,
Would you mind tell us the make / model of the antenna mast you have. We are trying to find the best alternative mast and over the air tv antenna. Is it aluminum, fiberglass? Is it stout. How is it attached, is it the bumper, bumper hitch? Have you used it with an over the air tv antenna? Do you know the weight of the antenna you are currently using? Sorry for all the questions...Thanks for any help you can provide.
[quote timestamp="1463149284" author="@mitch" source="/post/21158/thread"]We might have crossed the "Line" :)
[/quote]Ya the T-Shirt might be a bit much.
[quote source="/post/21160/thread" timestamp="1463150121" author="@oleo"]whoofit,
Would you mind tell us the make / model of the antenna mast you have. We are trying to find the best alternative mast and over the air tv antenna. Is it aluminum, fiberglass? Is it stout. How is it attached, is it the bumper, bumper hitch? Have you used it with an over the air tv antenna? Do you know the weight of the antenna you are currently using? Sorry for all the questions...Thanks for any help you can provide.[/quote]Am posting this picture in hopes it can be zoomed in to that area. If not I'll crop another one. I had a buddy weld a pipe there while he was welding on a cradle for the white fence post on the bumper. Threaded in some T-screws to set the mast and done.
[img style="max-width:100%;" style="" src="http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/minuteman1965/DSC02377_zpsc0sfqwll.jpg"]
The antenna for the cell booster can't weigh more than 2 lbs but does a fine job as a sail. Normally I fly a flag too but the winds were pretty stiff on this day.
The mast is this in 16 ft length but trimmed slightly. It fits along with my ladder in the fence post mounted to the bumper. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wooster-8-ft-16-ft-Sherlock-Extension-Pole-00R0570000/100187303
The pole is fiberglass and aluminum combined.
Have not done another antenna up there yet but, as an amateur radio operator, will be placing another up there soon.
Those Australian camper trailers are well thought out units, But,,, talk about sticker shock. The prices are outrageous!
Thanks whoofit for the antenna info, helps us w putting together an over the air tv setup.
[quote source="/post/21145/thread" timestamp="1463142397" author="@ammobob"]
Quote from: @pinstriper" timestamp="1463081710" source="/post/21131/threadGotta get my exercise in somewhere.
Get that when I have to get rid of the beer. Of course I never thought of combining those trips. Elimination and replenishment in one trip.[/quote]I call that "drain and refill".