RV Cooking and Cleaning

Coffee anyone?

We love good coffee at home and on the road. We have used a camping bialetti to make some pretty amazing campfire espresso on nippy spring and autumn mornings. Lately, while eyeing RVs to up our camping game, we have also decided to try out a new coffee machine. The Nespresso original style machines make espresso and only espresso. We tried out an espresso made with the Lattissima Pro in a Nespresso store and really loved it. It was exactly what you want an espresso to be – creamy, sweet, and full without any additions. This machine also has a pitcher for making steamed milk and you can leave the excess milk in the pitcher and store it in the fridge from the next round of coffees. This machine is a bit pricey in the store (Oct 2019 ~$600), so we checked Amazon and found it for over a hundred dollars less than the store price. We use this at home and when we hit the road, we bring it along with a few sleeves of espresso pods. Disclaimer – the price does fluctuate so the link below will get you the current price on Amazon. Regardless, it has consistently been priced better on Amazon than anywhere else.

No More Splinters!

Have you ever sat at a campsite bench and either sat on something gross (you know it happens) or were attacked by splinters? This is the solution. These table and bench covers slip on easily and are held on with an elastic band. They really make for a nice clean all purpose camp table. I like to prep meals and get ready for whatever activity we have planned at the camp table. Having the plastic table and bench coverings makes a huge difference. They are easy to clean, dry, and don’t take up much of the precious storage space. An obvious alternative, and one we have used in the past, are seasonal plastic tablecloths and clips. Use three (3) total tablecloths and a bunch of clips – one tablecloth for each bench and one for the table. For the benches, I double them then use six (6) tablecloth clips to keep them in place. For the table – anywhere from six (6) to eight (8) clips will keep it from flying away. Although, these with the elastic are easier than making sure I have enough clips. Happy camping and say goodby to splinters!

Easy Dry, Easy Stow

Sometimes it’s better to think smarter, not harder. The casual, vacation RVer/Camper is often faced with wet clothes and gear. I had one of these from home use to dry clothing that can’t be put in the dryer and it’s fantastic. A super simple idea that has been around forever. Searching Amazon, there are so many choices. When I was looking for something to take along camping (RV or otherwise), I slogged through the many versions of this particular style on Amazon and other websites. There are so many other types of drying racks that are more bulky and complicated. Here’s the thing – this is a simple gadget that doesn’t really require fancy materials or additions. The Amazon Basics version is perfect. It expands and the top clips to keep it open. It’s sturdy and holds some of the heaviest towels and garments, and it folds flat so it can be stowed in a storage compartment or in the back of the truck without taking up to much space.

Dry then Roll

What to do with wet dishes in the RV or campsite? So look, the idea is to simplify, right? This does just that. The vendor description is sort of funny, as though it somehow solves the dilemma of world peace. The straight scoop – this is a great strainer, simple design, won’t rust, and rolls up to be stowed under the sink or other storage compartment. I use this at home and at the campsite to dry stuff over the sink, on the counter with a towel under it, and on the campsite table. Nuff said.

Keeping it cool – Fridge Basics

The Camco RV refrigerator bars seem obvious to us – now. Honestly, I’m really surprised when I think of all of the things that “seem obvious” to us now, knowing what we know. This is simple (sort of a theme on this site) – if you have a fridge in your RV, and if you put stuff in it, then go for a drive it will move around. WHen you open the fridge door, your fridge stuff very well may fall out. As a matter of fact, the stuff in all of your storage bins will move around and may fall out when you open the doors. Especially the ones above you. Last thing you need is something falling out f the fridge or a cabinet and spilling all over or dripping on your head. Here again is one example of a product that comes in many variations and complexities. This one is simple. It comes in a bunch of different sized, single or double bar, with springs to keep it in place. Try it out and let us know your thoughts.

Keeping Upright

The refrigerator braces I found by accident – accidental spillage all over the fridge! So, we talked about preventing stuff from falling out of the fridge, now we have a way to keep things upright in the fridge. If this seems like overkill, I was with you, until that container of half and half went sideways. I had it in the far back, blocked by other stuff of equal weight and it went down anyway and completely emptied. These are simple (theme?) and do one thing – keep stuff corralled and upright in the fridge while in motion.

Maintain and Monitor

Being IT people, we’re all about data. Being avid campers, we’re all about keeping perishable food and beverages cooled to the optimal temperature. Put that all together and the AcuRite fridge sensor with customizable alarms and wireless sensors hits both requirements. We get cool food and all the data we could possible want about how cold the fridge is. This couldn’t be easier. We keep pne sensor in the fridge and one in the freezer section. We can keep the display in the truck while we’re moving and on the counter or table while we’re camped. It’s very accurate and with the custom alerts, it lets us know when temps are moving too far in either direction from the settings.