EUROPEAN MHs - WHAT HAPPENED TO KITCHENS AND PREP AREAS?

DiggerJon

DiggerJon

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I keep looking, I really do, and I have done Burstners, Rapidos, Hymers, Chaussons, etc. but nearly all of them have brilliant layouts which I think "that's it for me" and then I see the kitchen area. A sink and a hob together - and nowhere to prepare the food for cooking! I don't want to use the table in the living area, I don't want a hinged flap the size of a chopping board, I don't want...... Oh, you know what I mean. I love cooking for myself - so frustration would soon manifest itself!
OK. so how do all of you with those sort of vans manage to prepare food in the kitchen area?
 
That is the only thing that lets the RMB down. We get round it the same way as the Germans. Go to Spain in the winter and cook and prepare food outside.
 
Outside cooking is the way to go, we have a Cobb and a small bbq and 80% of our cooking is in these
 
Like many others we've made a few adjustments inside to increase the work area in the kitchen.
As others have said, in the UK cook indoors, in Europe cook outdoors
 
That was the minus point with the Pilote, after the extensive food preparation area in the AutoSleeper. We got around it by using the big table or the worktop area by the fridge. Not ideal but it is ok and a compromise that was easy to accept

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We also like cooking outside.. But to be honest you adapt.. Its often easy to use all that area to prepare food in advance.. For cooking we use a combination of the excellent oven and the double skillet. I do most of our cooking and we often eat better when we're away than when we're running around between shifts at home. Not having a full size fridge would cripple us though.
One of the things we have found to be great for food prep btw is a chopping board with integrated slide out waste collector thingy..
 
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All vans are compromises. If you are a keen cook then surely the preferable choice is to buy a van where the kitchen is to your taste and accept that other areas may be less than ideal. You certainly can have it all, but for a price and a motorhome length which may not appeal.

We don't cook much - can't stand gas ovens. We do like good storage so chose a van with a garage and large internal cupboards and we don't worry that the kitchen area is on the small side.
 
Hi Digger Jon

Not sure if you are looking for used or new but you are right about the lack of kitchen space and you might have noticed most don't have ovens either, ours doesn't but we have a microwave and a outdoor cooker so don't miss it indoors.

If you are looking for new the Hymer Duo has a half decent kitchen layout if you like the rest of the van as it is different.

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I have got around the food prep and cooking by fitting a Kampa Roastmaster oven and twin hob just inside the garage on my last two vans. This has its own dedicated gas bottle fitted in the garage. Using this system I can prep on the outside table and cook outside without cooking smells in the van. I also have the BBQ outside and can and do prep and cook full meals with ease. It of course does make life easier if you stay clear of the UK climate. German vans although are generally better winterised than English vans, the Germans tend to eat out more and cook outside more than the Brits. They also do a lot of one pot cooking, so dont need the prep area and oven that the Brits demand.
 
It all started with no ovens, replaced with microwave then in order to get twin beds or fixed double reduce the size of kitchen, manufacturers thinking these rich pensioners can afford to eat out.
We looked at many but Jean would not have one with a small kitchen, so you have to compromise.
As has been said, you cannot fit it all in unless you go RV or the very big and expensive Euro vans. You have to decide what you want but don't expect the motorhome designers listen to you, they just want to show off their crap designs without any thought for the end user. :moon2::blush:
 
Our sub 6m Burstner has a large galley, but must admit the other models are more compact. IMG_20141112_142412.jpg
 
Hi Jon, I don't cook much for myself but agree with you entirely. I have a small table which I use for outside and it fits perfectly INSIDE to one side of the cooking area and I use that for workspace... I am looking at putting a folding small area on the side of wall to lift up .. those folding bracket type things. It won't add much space but every bit will help. :(
 
Should add that the Pilote came with a full size oven and we also added a microwave - we make full use of the kitchen and people have said that my cooking is truly legendary :whistle2:
 
Do use the dining table - the extra pull round extension on it means still enough space if others using the table too. For short breaks we so take everything prepped so easy - salads washed, grated carrot in bag, sliced onion in tub, cooked pasta in sauce, homemade potato salad, cooked meats plus homemade meals frozen like chilli, curry etc. Means we can eat well & just a quick assembly or reheat so more time to enjoy ourselves:)

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petethemover said:
Our sub 6m Burstner has a large galley, but must admit the other models are more compact.View attachment 47324
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Huge kitchen, our caravan was similar except the cupboards at the side swing out giving another work surface as well that was behind you as you washed up, if any of that makes sense.
 
DuxDeluxe said:
Should add that the Pilote came with a full size oven and we also added a microwave - we make full use of the kitchen and people have said that my cooking is truly legendary :whistle2:
Click to expand...

Yes, he killed more people in one meal than the rest of San Quentin inmates put together. :)
 
movan said:
Yes, he killed more people in one meal than the rest of San Quentin inmates put together. :)
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You are so cruel.............:crying::crying::crying:

But factually correct.
 
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Precisely the reason we bought our Cheyenne 630s - SWMBO needed some space for prep and cooking etc., because we use it all year round and I don't fancy getting theBBQ out when it's p***ing down or cold outside. The layout of the galley (kitchen! being ex boaters it's always the galley) was one of the deciding factors for us, having had an old Chieftain which had no worktop at all.
 
I suppose the main consideration when choosing a layout is how you intend using the van. As we spend the whole of the winter months in Spain and the summer recovering in the UK, our priorities are somewhat different than many. We like the bar version layout best for lounging at night, the permanent bed for my afternoon snooze, and a separate shower and toilet. As we are away for long periods, we require loads of storage for the cant live without stuff. The weather in Spain is MUCH better than the UK, so cooking outside is more of a pleasure than chore. I downsized from RVs so that it would be easier to tour when I felt the urge, and as already said, everything is a compromise. Am now running at the maximum size I would want to at 7.6 metres, and if I wanted to go back to the full kitchen I would have to go back to an RV to have the same layout as I have now. That for me would not be an option.
 
For a panel van our Possl/Globecar 636 FR (currently on ebay:D) has a decent enough prep area.
 
DuxDeluxe said:
Should add that the Pilote came with a full size oven and we also added a microwave - we make full use of the kitchen and people have said that my cooking is truly legendary :whistle2:
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Just cos you keep repeating this doesn't make it true you know:LOL:

Digger Jon - there's a burstner & hymer (584)? I believe under 6m that have end bathroom, side kitchen with quite a decent work area.
 
funflair said:
If you are looking for new the Hymer Duo has a half decent kitchen layout if you like the rest of the van as it is different.

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Thank you funflair, that truly opened my eyes, then I checked the price and my eyes began to water again. The two or three we've found and liked are up around and even over £100,000. Gonna have to wait a little more I think.

Lovely van though.....thanks again....Griff
 
DuxDeluxe said:
Should add that the Pilote came with a full size oven and we also added a microwave - we make full use of the kitchen and people have said that my cooking is truly legendary :whistle2:
Click to expand...
Makes no odds if the chef is crap

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The reason we have ordered a Arto88F is not only do we like the general lay out,the kitchen and prep area is very large(y).Jo loves to cook so it was the ideal one for us.
brian and jo
 
Mike probably wishes I were, as well.......
 
Wombles said:
Do use the dining table - the extra pull round extension on it means still enough space if others using the table too. For short breaks we so take everything prepped so easy - salads washed, grated carrot in bag, sliced onion in tub, cooked pasta in sauce, homemade potato salad, cooked meats plus homemade meals frozen like chilli, curry etc. Means we can eat well & just a quick assembly or reheat so more time to enjoy ourselves:)
Click to expand...

Exactly what we do. I do a lot of one pot cooking, slow cooker mostly but I also have a saute pan for risottos and the like. We also have an outside galley so lots of options.

In a small van something has to give..... we took out the grill which was useless and have a microwave so ding dinners are possible when on EHU. There is no oven but I don't miss it - I always bake a cake too bring away with us. When the kids were little they used to say that when the cake was all gone it was time to go home :)

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