Today’s review is of the 2022 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1700BH. This is a floor plan we’ve seen before and I always like seeing how different companies attack the same problem. The way I look at it, this is a great camper in certain circumstances and makes a lot of sense for the people I would assume would buy this.
Essentially this is a small bunk model that probably makes sense as a sort of starter camper for a lot of families. I write this because it’s a relatively simple camper that sports a narrow (84”) profile with no slides, and is under 21 feet in total length. This might be something people with mid-sized trucks tow around, or even some more well-equipped SUVs.
Sleeping for four or five in the Winnebago Micro Minnie 1700BH
As such, if you do have an SUV that’s capable of safely towing this, that would make sense with the bunks in here which make for sleeping for four. Five, if someone wants to brave the dinette.
But I can see that this is more suited for younger families because the main bed in here is an east-west model and measures just 54” X 74”. That’s pretty small if you’re a larger person. But it’s not that small that, if you’re young and adaptable, snuggling in here would be all that bad.
Although you have to be careful what kind of snuggling you’re doing as there is also no privacy between any of the sleeping spaces aside from a curtain that draws across the front.
Kitchen
Something I think was well thought through on this unit is the kitchen. There’s a two-burner propane stove, an OK sink, and then a convection microwave. I think this makes so much more sense than a small propane oven. I bet people use this more.
There is also a surprising amount of counter space and even a counter extension that flips up.
However, the fridge is rather small since it is placed under the counter and is only counter-height. It is a propane-electric model, so this could do well for families that like to camp off the grid.
Storage in the Winnebago Micro Minnie 1700BH
One of the strong suits here is storage. The lower bunk flips up and there’s a pretty sizable storage bay in the back. Further, there is a door to the outside so you could load all the goodies you’d want to bring with you through there.
The front pass-through is decent, as well, especially for a trailer of this size.
Interestingly, since the bed is an east-west, looking back inside at the storage there you’ll find no closets on either side of the bed. That’s because the bed spans almost the entire width of the front of this trailer. However, there is a closet in the back. But that may also be the pantry, depending on how you configure it. No matter what, there is no hanging space in here.
Not that you’d be bringing a suit and tie or formal dress, but I can easily see bringing along jackets and that sort of thing.
Outdoorsy
I can also see this appealing to families who might have some sense of adventure, as the suspension is rather high. It provides a lot of ground clearance. This is a single-axle unit and is equipped with tires that tell an off-road story.
Winnebago has done a super job with the ground clearance, but another area where this really excels is in the dump valves. Both the black and gray valves are actually enclosed in the underbelly. The handles extend out, so I would imagine that they won’t be as likely to freeze if you camp in weather where that sort of goofiness happens.
Observations of the Winnebago Micro Minnie 1700BH
There are some things that I want to mention that may either make a difference to a prospective buyer or not. I would say these are more subjective than objective.
First of all, this is a smaller trailer and one of the ways Winnebago prioritized space in here was by not putting a bathroom sink in. I don’t care, but this would bug my wife. The kitchen sink is so close you can almost reach it from the bathroom door, after all.
But that’s the point where I’d be called “gross” and get “the look.” Sheesh.
There’s also not a lot of ceiling height in here, but I can’t see this trailer appealing to campers who are all that tall. The bed is rather short and the ceiling is about 6’4”. But that headroom is reduced under the air conditioner.
I like the folding, more traditional steps in this trailer. But some prefer the flip-down style “solid steps.” Know that this doesn’t have those. Nor is there a slide room.
Nor is there any place to sit other than the dinette. But in the video I’ve posted, Josh Winters of Bish’s RV, has an interesting way around this. He folded the dinette down to sleeping mode and then took the mattress from one of the bunks and set it up as a backrest. That was clever and addresses the lack of a couch in here.
In summary
This is a small trailer that has some good storage and some really well-thought-through design features. I like it. And the details in here show that someone at Winnebago who makes decisions actually uses their product.
As mentioned, this will either be a great rig for a small family or not, but it has a number of really good features.
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Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a lifelong RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.
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I own the 1800BH, which is the slightly longer big brother (dual axle, full-size fridge, floor-to-ceiling pantry, bigger sink, etc.) of the 1700BH, but otherwise is essentially the same. For a family of 3-4, it is a fantastic trailer. No slides, no problems. Three years of ownership thus far — zero issues.
Mine is very nimble on the road and fits basically anywhere, so I assume the 1700BH is even more so; however; unless one is really weight-limited, the 1800BH is definitely the way to go over the 1700BH. I think the 1700BH had a better proposition when it was sub-3,000 lbs pre-2020/2021, but now that the newer ones are over that number, there isn’t much of a compelling argument to not get the 1800BH and its extras anymore.
As to people worrying about the height, I am 6′ and do not have a problem sleeping in the bed or even the bunks. The bunks are tight and I’m end-to-end, but it’s definitely doable. Walking around the trailer, no issues. 6’2″+ may be problematic.
I am 6’2″ and so is an “RV queen”. I sleep on a pillow, which means my head was not against the front wall of our travel trailer and my feet hung over the end of the bed. After a few nights of cold feet when fall camping in the Colorado mountains, we added a 4″ foam pad to the head end of the mattress. But when we bought our small fifth wheel, the #1 priority was a residential queen-size bed. If a company or product line only had 74″ queens, we automatically zeroed that entire line off our list. Made for a very short “short-list” at the time we bought that fifth wheel!
Those small tanks might be a problem for a family of 4 when off-grid. I would think of this as a weekender, at most, between those tanks and the apartment-size fridge. But, other than that tiny fridge, this has a better kitchen than some non-bunkhouse, single-slide TTs.
As far as hanging jackets, that problem could easily be solved with some Command hooks or, if wet, with a removable clothes bar in the shower. In this TT, jacket hooks could be put on the blank wall above the dinette.
And, as Tony mentioned, that family of four better all be under 5’10” !
My 1800BH has the same tank sizes, which we’ve mostly solved with a 42 gallon Barker tote attached to the back ladder. But yes, truly off-grid where there isn’t a dump station or water could get dicey. However, if you’re that off-grid, you can do most of your bodily functions outside to avoid filling up the black, and use the outside shower for dishes and showering to avoid filling up the gray. Carry some big water jugs in the shower or under the bunks and one could figure it out for a while.
cute trailer except ceiling is quite low.
Off-road is where you will be alright if one of those tires blows out. Plus the lifted suspension only increases the opportunity to rock side-to-side should the trailer start to sway.
I dragged a single-axle trailer all over the western US putting close to 35,000 miles on it over five years. Like with all Towables I properly maintained the tires.
I didn’t experience sway because I drove at a speed commensurate with conditions. I didn’t worry about blowouts because I replaced the MayPop tires with Goodyear Endurance tires and made sure they were properly inflated.
I just don’t understand the fear of single-axle trailers. I would buy another one without hesitation.
I agree about the single axle tires. Cheaper to replace the tires and I won’t hesitate to do so because of the cost. Better to have new tires properly maintained than 4 that isn’t.