13 Must-Have RV Kitchen Essentials

What are the top RV Kitchen must-haves?

When stocking up your RV Kitchen with essentials, there are some kitchen must-haves that you need! So, what are the must-have RV Kitchen essentials? It’s important to plan everything you’ll need when stocking up your RV kitchen for the first time. It can feel overwhelming to figure out everything, but I’m here to help! I’m such an over-planner, so I always have lists full of items that I need to pack every time we head out. Outside of the general RV kitchen accessories, here are some RV kitchen must-haves that I didn’t initially think about the first time I was filling our RV kitchen. Today I’m sharing my top 13 must-have RV kitchen essentials that you need!

Storage space is at a premium in an RV, so the more you can have put away to keep your counter space clear, the better. In our home, if something is laying out on the kitchen counter it’s fine, but in our RV, even a couple of dishes or several grocery items laying out can make the kitchen space feel really small and cluttered. These RV kitchen must-have accessories will make your life and travel so much easier. 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Collapsable Items to Optimize RV Kitchen Space

Collapsable items are a great space saver in an RV. There are so many products out there that collapse, which means it’s pretty easy to find a replacement for your kitchen items. Colanders, laundry baskets, bins, or bowls are what you want to look for. If you can collapse it, it’s a yes from me. Think of all the counter space saved! 

Stacking Bowls are an RV Kitchen Must Have

Stacking is a must in an RV. There is typically no space for things to be spread out, especially when it’s packed away in a cabinet. Get a set of large cooking bowls that you can stack up inside a drawer or cabinet to save space. We use our bowls all the time, whether it be for making a batch of cookies, stirring up a batch of muffins, or even storing leftovers.

A Magnetic Knife Bar is the RV Essential you didn’t know you needed

There is no room for a knife block on the counter of an RV or Travel Trailer, so I have opted to stick a magnetic knife bar up on the wall above my counters. Not only are they out of reach from my toddler, but they also aren’t floating around in a drawer or cabinet. Be sure to secure your knives before traveling though!

The Instant Pot is Amazing for RV Cooking

If you want something simple that can cook an entire meal with little to no mess then an Instant Pot is one of the RV Kitchen essentials you want to check out. This thing can cook everything! There are tons of great blogs with recipes and meal ideas, and it comes in a variety of sizes which makes it a great option to fit into your camping kitchen. I absolutely love how it can be a mess-free meal maker, especially since we’re in a small space. I often go for recipes that are all in one pot options so I don’t have to pull out other pots, pans or bowls. It makes for a quick meal and easy cleanup and I can get behind that!

Small Blenders are Perfect for RV Kitchens

If you have a little extra space, a Magic Bullet or similar product is a great replacement for a full-size blender. I have a Ninja blender at home, but that thing is big and not coming on a road trip with us. My son absolutely loves fruit smoothies on a hot day in the summer or I may need to blend up some sweet potatoes for my baby girl. For this reason, I keep a Magic Bullet in the cabinet with my other kitchen gadgets. 

Air Fryers are a Must Have in an RV Kitchen

The Air Fryer is another RV kitchen accessory that you might want to fit into your camping kitchen. If you don’t want to use propane to heat up your oven, (especially if electricity comes with your campsite) then baking in an Air Fryer is a fantastic option. Again, there are so many blogs with recipes and ideas of how to cook in your air fryer. It makes meals easy, quick, and delicious. 

Outdoor Grill are an Outdoor Kitchen Must Have

A travel grill is a perfect addition to your outdoor kitchen. If your RV or travel trailer has an outdoor kitchen, use it to the fullest. Our outdoor kitchen is pretty small, so we rely on our grill quite a bit. It’s great when the weather is nice and we want to spend the evening outside with the kids and not be stuck inside cooking. We actually bought this tabletop grill and it’s perfect for what we need right now. There are tabletop grills, griddles, and tailgate grills that connect to your RV. Lots of great options to help prepare your camping kitchen. 

Stackable Pots & Pans are a Must-Have

Pots and pans are a kitchen staple, but they are so bulky and take up so much room. In a small space, that can be a real problem. Stackable options like this Calphalon Stackable Pots and Pan set are great to minimize the space they take up. For a while, we had a hodgepodge of random pots and pans, but recently bought the stackable Caphalon set and that’s made a big difference. I love the quality of them, as well as the stackability to make them more portable into our RV Kitchen

Plastic/Metal Dish Sets Won’t Break in your RV Kitchen

Obviously, there could be some problems with traveling with glass or ceramic dishes. There are lots of great options that look nice, are super durable, and will travel safely from RV park to RV park! You can find great options at any retailer, and nice sets can be really affordable.

Insulated Travel Mugs & Water Bottles

Again, your favorite Starbucks coffee mug probably won’t travel well in the cabinet on your road trip to your next camping site. This is why having a couple of insulated travel mugs and water bottles is great! actually just took all of our glass and ceramic mugs out of our RV Kitchen and replaced them with a couple of insulated travel mugs. We love our huge 40oz Hydroflasks and take them everywhere. We also just use insulated thermoses for our coffee in the morning.

Baking Stone Elevates your RV Baking

Most ovens in RV kitchens are not great, if you’ve ever cooked in one you know this to be true. There have been many occasions where the lasagna was cold in the middle, or half of the cookies were burnt and the other half weren’t done. So frustrating! I saw a tip once about using a baking stone at the bottom of your oven to help spread the heat for a more even bake. I gave it a try and so far it’s made a difference for us. Good news, this means that half of your cookies won’t be burnt! 

Coffee Maker for RV Kitchen

No need to sacrifice caffeine because you have no space in your RV kitchen. There are tons of great compact coffee makers that will surely fit your RV cabinet and will be small enough to fit on your counter space. From a small Keurig, Nespresso machine, traditional coffee maker, or even a French press! If you’re not a coffee drinker, an electric kettle is a great option for your favorite tea in the morning. 

Cast Iron Skillet

Nothing quite says “camping trip” quite like cooking on a cast-iron skillet. It’s just a must-have for your camping trip. Cast iron is great for RV Kitchens because it’s relatively easy to clean and they cook very evenly. Both of those factors are typically problem areas for RV kitchens, so that makes any cast iron cookware a benefit for your RV kitchen.

FAQ

What is your all time favorite camper kitchen accessory?

I would have to say my Instant Pot because it’s such an all-in-one RV kitchen accessory. I love to make chicken and rice dishes, soups, and even some bomb macaroni and cheese. There are so many options to keep all of the cooking in one pot, which makes for really easy meals without needing a ton of cooking supplies. 

What is the best store to get RV Kitchen Items?

Honestly, I love checking out Dollar Tree and Dollar General as they are both great places to start collecting everyday household items for your RV. They have tons of kitchen essentials like spatulas, strainers, oven mitts, drawer storage, and so much more. They have so many great RV gadgets for cheap! Always a great place to check before heading out. Of course, we always end up grabbing necessities on Amazon as well as some of the other big retailers around town.

I shared some of my favorite must-have RV Kitchen essentials that I have in my own RV. These are all things that I use almost daily! I can’t wait to hear your favorite RV kitchen must-haves. Comment below if there is anything that you can’t live without.

This post is all about must-have RV Kitchen essentials.