Popular Features in New RVs and the Pros and Cons of Each

Whether you’ve been RVing for years and you’re ready to trade in your old model, or you’re a first-timer looking for something to fit your needs, today’s RVs make camping comfortable. They are more reliable than ever. They are more user/driver-friendly than ever. And, as you might expect, they have more features than ever.

If it’s been a while since you’ve been in an RV, some of these “newer” features might surprise you. But, it’s important to know which of them are actually important to you and which of them might cause more stress than necessary.

RV Washer

With that in mind, let’s look at some of today’s most common and popular RV features, and the pros and cons of each.

Washer & Dryer

Having a washer and dryer on board is a huge plus for most people. You don’t have to wait until you get to a stop to wash your clothes and have a huge pile of laundry laying around somewhere!

But, washers and dryers typically only work well on an RV when you’re at a full hook-up at a campground. That includes hooking up for power, water, and sewer. While RV washers and dryers are smaller than traditional ones, they will still take up a significant amount of space. Since you aren’t going to be using them unless you’re parked at a campground, it’s important to consider whether it’s worth giving up that space.

Convection Oven

More people than ever are becoming gourmet cooks in the kitchen of their RVs. Whether you’re a master chef or you just want to heat up some leftovers, a convection oven can be a very useful appliance.

RV Convection Microwave

Because convection ovens heat through circulated air, your food will cook faster and more evenly. Additionally, less heat will be pumped out into the RV, unlike a traditional oven. Even though convection ovens for RVs are smaller, they do require quite a bit of power. You’ll need at least 100-volts to run it.

Extra Bathroom

If you’re consistently RVing with a group or a large family, an extra bathroom might feel like a necessity. No one wants to share a bathroom with four or five other people. Some larger RVs feature second bathrooms as a standard addition - both half and full bathrooms! There are a few things to consider, however.

Again, if you have another full bathroom, you’re probably only going to be able to use it when you’re hooked up fully at a campground. That typically isn’t a problem if you’re planning on using your RV for family camping trips most of the time. If you have a second half bathroom, it will likely come with its own tank that you will have to empty periodically. It all depends on your willingness to take care of two bathrooms.

Many of these features are now standard, depending on the size of your rig. The best thing you can do is determine which features will be the most useful and practical for you before you make your decision on your next RV investment.

Oct 12th 2020 Stacey Koziel