Kitchen Gear Recommendations

[JudyJB]

I'd like to start accumulating some lighter versions of the kitchen stuff I currently own--like mixing bowls.

Bethers, can you tell me what kind of "expensive" stacking pans you bought? Were they the cuisinart ones?

What about a small blender? Or am I better off with one of those things you stick into a glass of something and it whips it up?

Are you all storing sugar and flour in plastic jars with screw lids?

JudyJB

[dayspring39]

Hello Judy, I put sugar and flour in heavy plastic bags and store the bags in plastic containers, I simply bought my pans from home... I don't have a blender, I have a good hand mixer... I only take enough silver ware for maybe 4... I have plastic plates that hold paper plates nicely... I have two cups one I got at the GTG in Fl (thank you again Liz)... I bring only basic spices (salt, pepper, cinnamon, lawrys salt, oregano, garlic... if you are real tight on space you can use sturdy plastic bags mark them with perm marker and dump the spices in... I have way to many gadgets like my small George Forman, Waffle maker, crock pot, all stored in a bin in the basement... I also have way to much 'stuff'!!!!
Kathleen
for what it's worth.... I also have quite a few of the lock and lock containers I store the lids in a plastic bag... one tupper ware mixing bowl... get fancy serve from pans!!

[AlmostThere]

If you like to cook/bake the you will have to decide what you need.

This is some of my inventory.
hand mixer. I had one in my first RV and NEVER used it, don't carry one now. A wire whisk works just as well.
blender: If I were full timing I'd purchase a second Magic Bullet with the added blender container. Now I take the one I have in the house.
mixing bowls: one plastic, abt 2 qt size
pans: one small nonstick fry pan, small sauce pan.
as I rarely cook from scratch I have yet to carry any flour or sugar.
love my toaster oven, not a fan of the convection part of microwave ovens.
almost never use the oven but still glad to have the option.
Cornelle service for two, silverware service for 4.
collapsible colander (rarely used), plastic measuring spoons spatula, pancake turner, nesting measuring cups, two good knives (paring and bigger)
I agree on what everyone is saying about spices.

[Getupngo]

This is the set I have:



It is a fabulous stainless set, and I LOVE the plastic covers you can snap on the leftovers in the pan & pop it into the fridge. It is hefty, aluminum-core quality, and I like it even better than my Cuisinart stainless set at home! The colander lids look gimmicky -- but they are very handy.

And it all stores in the horizonal space one dinner plate takes up. Worth the weight.

I bought a lot of my RV kitchen stuff at Wal Mart. Inexpensive. I also go to thrift shops to pick up things like potato peelers & stuff that would otherwise cost several dollars.

ON EDIT: After reading all your frugal responses ... I'm feeling a little

I like the "magic bullet" suggestion. That would be just the right size. Rats -- I just saw one at a thrift store ...

[avalen]

I have just the basic set of pots/pans, that includes the large boiling pot, the medium, small and one skillet. The lids for the large pot and the skillet are interchangable. The corelle is my set
for 4 which includes the plates, small plates, cups and bowls. Flatware set for 4 and utensils
for serving, stirring, cooking, flipping, mashing, etc. A couple good sharp knives, big and little.
I do have one of those hand blenders, the kind you stick in a glass like you mentioned. I love
it, have had it for years and use it often. (not lately though) I have my crockpot and I have
my small pressure cooker. I love my pressure cooker as it allows me to use minimum amount
of propane on the burner to cook and then shut it off and it finishes its cooking thing under
pressure. Have cooked some really good roasts that way into nice stews. My microwave
is just a standard microwave. My coffeemaker is a must have and my little toaster.
And don't forget the can opener. I do have my LITTLE geo foreman grill (made for 2), rarely
used and my Mr Tea maker (used alot), my electric steamer (used occassionally). Although
I have that stuff, I mostly just use the microwave. All that is fine and dandy if I'm parked
somewhere where I have electricity but boondocking would be a different ball game, that
I have yet to learn about.

[JudyJB]

Janice, I love those pans! Can you tell me the brand or where you got them?

Thanks

JudyJB

[OregonLuvr]

OMG After reading everyone's responses I think I have wwwaaayyyyy too much stuff in here. I have a full sized blender (mudslides, pina coladas, daquiris, etc) Service for 4, silverware for 8, lots of misc spatulas, flippers, knives, etc Many pots and pans and skillets (hey you never know how much company I will have). Crockpots, baking pans, muffin pans, etc George Foreman medium sized grill. Mixing bowls, soup mugs, wine glasses, big coffee cups, small cups, medium cups LOL you get the picture. YUP way too much stuff

Karen

[kdmac]

Gosh, I am really pared down in comparison, probably because I am horrible cook and don't know any better about what I should or shouldn't have.
One set of stackable plastic mixing bowls (mostly used for popcorn and cereal)
1 large skillet, medium and small sauce pans
The steamer, or double boiler, that fits into the medium sauce pan doubles as my colandar and works well for that
1 whisk, 1 wooden spoon, 1 spatula, 1 pancake flipper, 1 handheld can opener, nesting measuring spoons and cups, (just noticed I left my wonderful potato peeler back with the DEX (that's a new appreviation for "Dear Ex") wonder if "DEX knows"
1 crock pot
silverware, dishes, wine glasses, mugs for four. Use paper plates except for eggs, don't like my fried eggs on paper, just not the same eating experience.

HERES SOMETHING I DIDN'T KNOW: My owner's manual for my stove said to not use frying pans that were larger than 2" out on all sides from the central burner unit , basically that means the pans radius would be about 6". It said if the pan were larger it would generate too much heat and ruin the workings inside the burner...I have been in RV's all my life and have never heard of that...I bet it has to do with the poor quality they are producing these days...has anyone read that in their manuals?
I had already bought a new pan before I read that and then gave my pan to my sister, then thought, the heck with it. I gonna chance it and bought myself a decent frying pan.

[mtngal]

Now we know why cooking (and eating) is so popular at gtgs! Not that I have anything against either, I love to cook. BUT that said, you gals have more in your rvs than I do in my kitchen!

I do have one recommendation that I picked up on a fluke for my RT...... a light weight plastic serving tray. It gets used for many different tasks. Often as a place to put my drink or snacks when I'm lounging on my 'daybed'. Other times to carry items out to the picnic table.

Also love two collapsible bowls and colander. I hope you gals with smaller rigs chime in with your favorite space savers too.

[Bethers]

It looks like Janice has the same pots and pans as me. They are from Rapid Chef. I got mine at The Rally (the big one annually by Good Sam's, Trailer LIfe, et al). I got a deal by purchasing one of the demo sets (had to pick it up just before the end of the last day). I saw them the year before I bought them and for a year kicked myself - then went to my 2nd rally in 2009 and purchased. I love them.

As to everything else, I brought lots of stuff I almost never use. After 6 years, I've determined when there's company, I use paper - so having a couple plates, etc is all that is necessary for me. I don't bake much, so only need a few baking items. I did get a collapsible collander - oh, and I got one collapsible baking dish which I do like. I got the smallest size, however, and should have gotten the larger one - another time. I love the convection part of the microwave I now have, so got rid of my toaster oven. I have a small blender and small chopper. Miscellaneious spatulas, etc. Oh, and I didn't bring any whisks - needed one more than I thought - so that I added. I have 5 knives for various things - my favorite is my small paring knife tho. Could probably do with 3 knives, but have a 4 knife holder built in my rig - and the favorite paring knife I keep in a separate place. I do use my crock pot and small George Foreman. I have a small assortment of plastic containers for the fridge. For freezing I use almost exclusively freezer bags.

I rarely need flour or sugar, but keep what I have inside a quart or gallon size freezer bag and it keeps them very well. I use those for many things. I only have one glass item - a glass beer mug. I had a glass wine glass, but broke it last year. I purchased a plastic wine glass and plastic margarita glass that most think are glass. Around a whirlpool on more than one occasion I've been "reminded" that I couldn't have glass. Had to let them touch it to know it wasn't. And my main drinking glass is a tervis tumbler which I also purchased a lid for to use when driving. I love it. I have a few coffee mugs (I don't drink coffee and 2 coffee cups that match my corelle). I only need one - which I use for hot chocolate or spiced cider. However, I've picked up others at gtg's. Finally at the FL gtg when I got a mug, I put it back to be won by someone else. Much as I love the things that are reminders of the gtg's, I just don't have room. Next time I clean out my cabinets, will get rid of the others, most likely (or next gtg).

[VickieP]

I do have one recommendation that I picked up on a fluke for my RT...... a light weight plastic serving tray. It gets used for many different tasks. Often as a place to put my drink or snacks when I'm lounging on my 'daybed'. Other times to carry items out to the picnic table.

I always carry a couple of the big round crawfish eating trays in my rv, comes in handy for carrying things out to the picnic table or grill.

[mitch5252]

..

I have a collapsible measuring cup, a very small box grater, and a zester.
I need to add kitchen shears.

(1) #10 dutch oven
(1) #8 dutch oven

(2) nice plastic plates (styrofoam for visitors)
(2) plastic cereal/salad bowls (styrofoam for visitors)
(2) Tervis Tumblers (plastic/paper for visitors)

Flatware for 8
1 mug for my single Melitta drip coffee maker

Small non-stick fry pan.
Lightweight electric skillet
(2) small mixing bowls

and the MOST IMPORTANT item in my teeny-tiny kitchen - The Wine Opener!

..

[cpatinjones]

Since, I have the room and under 1000 lbs underweight, I have too much stuff I don't use, but have it just in case. Eventually, I will probably get rid of some of it.

Blender, 4 cup coffee maker, crockpot, toaster, toaster oven, 3 frying pans, baking pans, assorted storage bowls, pitcher, large and medium roasting magnalite pots, qt size magnalite pot, glass dish set (dinner plates, bowls, cups, sandwich plates), plastic tumblers, too many knives, serving spoons, silverware, etc. Alot of this was given to me and I had alot from my outdoor kitchen. I keep my spices, etc in plastic containers. I also keep paper plates, bowls, spoons and forks and plastic cups.

[Getupngo]

Janice, I love those pans! Can you tell me the brand or where you got them?

Thanks

JudyJB

JudyJB -- there is a link right at the top of my post

[VickieP]

Janice, I love those pans! Can you tell me the brand or where you got them?

Thanks

JudyJB

JudyJB -- there is a link right at the top of my post

Janice, that link is to a jpg file.