Dear Dave,
What is up with these small RV ovens? You can barely put a pizza in them! —Sharon, Grand Design Imagine XLS 22RBE
Dear Sharon,
RV manufacturers are constantly trying to find ways to put all the conveniences of home inside the rig while trying to make them look roomy. So they do what I call the “WOW” factor, which is putting things in the rig that initially make you go “WOW” without looking at functionality or usability. Then they can list all these items in the brochure and the sales professional (description used loosely) can boast about all these state-of-the-art features, just like home!
For example, as you are getting a walk around the inside of the unit, they point out all the cabinet space above and below. However, when you go to load the rig for the maiden voyage you notice some of the cabinets are only 4″-6” deep. The average dinner plate is 10”—so what goes into a 4” cabinet? Not much, but they can boast about tons of cabinets.
Tiny ovens in RVs
So I watched a few online dealer videos on your 22RBE, and it was very entertaining listening to the incredible features they were touting. One line in particular: “Full double stainless steel sink, stove top, oven, microwave, huge refrigerator and tons of storage, all in a 22’ floor plan with plenty of open space!” It featured your tiny oven. They did not open it, but they did show the large drawer underneath. A large TV with storage on each side—which would hold the remote and maybe a pack of playing cards. But it did have four doors to look like a lot of storage. And the microwave was never opened as it looked like you might not be able to even get a pizza in that, either.
In my RV Buyer’s Seminar, I spend a great deal of time telling attendees to not be fooled by the WOW factor. I urge them to actually open the doors, look at the dimensions, and see how it fits their way of RVing. Most get wrapped up in a floor plan and look at “the list.” They then find out it’s not what works—after the sale. And most product designers at the RV manufacturers don’t RV, so they just use what I call the “Hey, this is cool” method of design.
How many of you use an oven while RVing?
So, here is a question for our readers. How many of you actually use an oven while RVing? I don’t—I’d rather cook outside. Besides, once you crank that oven up to 350 degrees, it feels like 350 degrees in your kitchen, living room, and dining room, as well!
Personally, I would rather have a drawer instead of an oven.
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
Read more from Dave here.
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