Wife wants an oven! Suggestions please!

[grantgoold]

Subject says it all. I have landed on the stainless summit refer and now she wants to add an oven. Would love to get some suggestions on which to look at.

Thanks

Grant

[Barn Owl]

I took mine out. Too much heat and too much wasted space. There have been some very good discussions on this topic and it might be worthwhile to search it. I went with two induction cooktops and a convection microwave. Couldn't be happier and I am cooking for eight.

Read this tread: http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=15586.0

What I wrote:

"The PO of my bus had put in a propane gas range. After trying to use it one time I knew why it looked new. It threw off so much heat you could hardly stand to be near it. The PO also made the kitchen too large and I needed more living/sleeping space. I knew the range had to go but I didn't know what to do to replace my ability to cook inside, even though we like to cook outside as much as possible, sometimes weather or time doesn't allow it. After reading Sean's post on induction cooking, I decided that was what I was looking for. I took out the old range and moved the entire cabinet and countertop section down to fill in the hole and free up some floorspace. I replaced the standard microwave with one that had convection cooking, and I ordered two portable induction cooktops.  I liked the idea of being able to store the cooktops out of the way when not needed and keep a clean clutter free counter that could be used for other things. I didn't get to do any trial runs before my big trip but thankfully it worked just as planned. The cooktops are an absolute dream to use, and I would NEVER go back to a gas stove inside the bus (My house is all propane so I know all about it.). Everything that has been said about induction cooking is true. In addition to being fast and efficient, they hardly produce any waste heat that can make the small space in a bus uncomfortable. I do not know why anyone doing a conversion would use anything else. Count me in the group that sings induction cooking praises."

[ccbmster]

I think you will be happy with the Summit refer....I had an 8.8 Stainless for about four years and it performed very well.

We just use convection microwave inside and have a gas camp stove/oven for cooking outside that works great and it wasn't all that expensive either.

Never heard of the induction portables before but just did a little research after reading this thread and suspect I will be investing in a couple of those soon...they sound like just the ticket.

[bevans6]

We have a propane RV oven and while it needs some skill, foresight and cunning (read - it doesn't really work all that well) my wife likes it, likes the challenge, and is very happy with it.  it's problem is mostly the heat is not well distributed inside the oven, anything on the rack is likely to burn.  Electric portables I have seen, I wanted built in plus we don't have an over abundance of electricity being a 30 amp coach designed for use when there is little electricity available.

Brian

[Jeremy]

As it happens I bought an oven for my bus earlier this week. I am the world's least interested person in cooking, so all I wanted was something that was small and simple and would take up the minimum space in the bus while being ok for occasional use. The one I got was one of these, except that mine is black:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SILVER-MINI-OVEN-GRILL-LITRES/dp/B002AGIVRG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I know nothing about the maker (Silvercrest) except that they are German - and I bought my oven from Lidl, which is a German chain of discount supermarkets that have lots of branches here in the UK. They had the oven as their 'deal of the week' for a very low price - and a few weeks earlier I bought a matching Silvercrest induction hob (cooktop as you call them) from the same place, which was also on special offer.

I'm sure that neither of these products would suit an enthusiastic cook, but they are perfect for me. If I find I've bought something that can't be microwaved I'm more likely to throw it away than mess about getting pans dirty


Jeremy

[JackConrad]

We went with a 3 burner cook top and a microwave/convection oven.  Here is our reasoning, your milage may vary. We (actually Paula, as I rarely cook except to warm stuff in the microwave) does not use an oven that often when we are in our coach, we have a gas grill for outdoor cooking. We knew we would definately have a microwave, so why not make that space the oven also. That freed up the space under the cook top that would have been oven for pots & pans storage. Even with 20 amp connection, we can run the microwave/convection oven if we shut off the AC and water heater. Jack

[Dreamscape]

We have a microwave convection, and just recently purchased a NuWave. Becky and I really like the NuWave, it cooks like an oven and doesn't waste valuable space. It sits on our counter top, easy to use and will cook a small turkey. She bakes some rolls the other night and only took a few minutes. We put it in our lower kitchen cabinets when not in use.

Paul

[Jerry32]

I ditto the microwave convection oven as it gakes very well and takes up very little space. learning the programming is most important though. Jerry

[David Anderson]

We've got a Magic Chef RV 3 burner + oven.  It works good and the wife likes it.  (that's all that matters).  
From the flow of the posts, however, it looks like convection is more popular.    Therefore, it is your choice to have it your way that works best for you.   If it's a vacation rig your wife won't want to cook much.  If it is fulltime then an oven would be more appropriate.

Check the www.escapees.com  website and get some ideas over there.   They really like to give opinions on anything in the RV lifestyle.

David

[Barn Owl]

My Grandmother was a good cook, and she very much enjoyed it. As she got older, she found it difficult and wasteful to use her full size range. She started using a toaster oven and I was amazed at how versatile and fast they are if you are only cooking small meals. I used to turn my nose up at them and thought they were somewhat a gimmick. Not any more!

[steve wardwell]

Cooking with a convection/micro oven is an artform in itself.....Some of our meals are kinda interesting.

[gus]

Although mine isn't SS I would give it to you if we were close enough. We never use it, the MW serves all our needs.

However, we are strictly travelers. We don't full time or dry camp. In those cases I suppose an oven would be worth while but I still think a MW or outdoor grill would do just as well.

My theory is my wife is on vacation also so she does no cooking whatsoever, just makes sandwiches or we MW frozen stuff from home or buy MVable stuff from WM.

[Lin]

We have an rv style propane oven/stove combo.  It was here when we bought the coach.  I would have gone with a microwave/ convection but don't care enough to change it before something fails.  Induction hubs would be nice, but the propane stove is easy and versatile.  I could see having a propane cooktop and a portable induction hub.  You could just tell her you don't like her cooking, so she can skip the oven.

[Cary and Don]

For anyone that hasn't used the micro-convection combo before,  they look really small.  The truth is, you can pack them pretty full because of the convection feature.  They cook real even and fast.  It will hold a big meat loaf with baked potatoes.  It will do a chicken. It will do a two layer cake.   Who would want to do a turkey?  I use the one at home a lot more often that my regular oven.

Don and Cary
GMC4107
Neoplan AN340

[Eric]

We have a Ge profile stainless electric....draws around 19 amps @220 and does the job well it only 26 inches wed so it's apt. Side smooth top convection the whole works... Wife is a chef and she loves it! Only downfall is you HAVE o have 50amp or genny to operate... 2 years no complaints!