Do you really need an oven?
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on our previous Carthago we had a Dometic Tec Tower with oven/grill over the fridge/freezer...a bit high for OH (OK for me) but it actually cooked stuff pretty well...
on this van, the Tec Tower is not avalilable so we had the dealer install a Thetford Duplex in place of one of the kitchen drawers. this works even better than the Dometic...it vents outside via a fan assisted exhaust.
like some others, we spend the greater part of our touring time in warmerclimes and the oven doesnt get used...we have an outside BBQ and hotplate, but we also tour in the UK and make good use of the oven then.
we didnt want a microwave, so didnt have one...
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I use the oven in our motorhome most days away, I buy things specifically that I can just stick in the oven with no effort required. Rarely use the hob unless no EHU so need it to boil kettle.
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We don't have an oven and we don't have a microwave. After 14 years and 150,000 miles of motorhoming ( mainly on the Continent) we haven't missed either! Electric hotplate to save on gas, or use the gas hob; a gas bbq for the south of France is a must; if you want a pizza then find a pizza bar. As for a choice of motorhome, if you're going to be traveling a lot in France, why not buy a 'continental' 'van which won't have an oven but will have more storage space.
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im guessing you still need a hob?
while ours is separate from the oven, the Stanton has a single unit so some retro fitting would be required.
however, it should be relatively straightforward to remove the installed oven, its a slot in job, and replace with shelved cupboard or decent depth drawers.
the worktop section housing the sink could be removed and replaced with a piece to span the width of the kitchen and accommodate a simple Dometic/Thetford in set hob.
the parts will be cheap but AS labour rates will grab your attention
or get someone else to do it after delivery and sell the unused cooker on ebay to cover costs.
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Like others who holiday 'over there' we don't have a built-in oven. We have a mini-oven, which fits under one of the 'sofas' and we have a two ring electric hob. The mini oven is 30L, and the wattage 1600. The oven is big enough to cook a chicken (or similar) and another tray of vegetables and/or potatoes. The hobs are different wattage - the larger one being bigger than the smaller. Mostly we can use all three without problems, but on sites with limited electric ampage we switch and switch about, getting a ring fully hot, turning it off and then using the other ring or transferring a pan to the top of the oven where it continues to keep warm. Because each hob plate is solid they keep hot and keep the food coooking long after being turned off.
The only time we use the gas hob inside the caravan is on cooler days when stopped during a trip, to boil a kettle or prepare some hot food for lunch.
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You really don't need an oven to cook chunks of meat. Just chop them into small pieces and use the iron.....
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Depends if you want to cook proper meals or not. Gas Ovens in the van allow for an increased choice of good food as against using a hob alone.
Microwave ovens on the other hand, are OK for defrosting and cooking fast foods. Depends on your attitude to meals in the caravan.
K
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We could do without the oven but its there and is used occasionally, we eat out a lot and usually caravan meals are salad/sandwich orientated but once in a while it comes into use.
Don't own a BBQ either, we're away to enjoy things that don't involve wasting our time on preparing meals, or at least we try to keep it to a minimum.
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Nice idea. Pity about the shirts!
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We had considered the matter of continental vans but cannot find one which offers our preferred layout of parallel lounge seating with simple conversion to double bed. The Auto-Sleeper Stanton is the only layout to which we feel drawn thus far.
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A good substitute for a oven though not quite the same but if you only need to use occasionally is the Omnia,
http://omniasweden.com/en/home/
I recently acquired one and have tried it out on the gas hob in the house to see how it performs. It is limited but results were edible ( !) but will try it for real in the campervan this year.
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I don't NEED an oven, but I like having one. If my van did not have an oven, I would have fitted one. Unfortunately the SMEV oven in my current van is pathetic - not a patch on the Spinflo one in my last van. I must admit that having a 4 burner hob in a camper van is a bit OTT.
Unlike many others, we don't tend to tour in warm countries,and almost never buy 'take aways'. Our oven / grill is used extensively on our travels when we buy fresh food and cook it in the van.
There are very few times when a microwave would have been useful, so I can happily live without one in the van.
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Interesting but I think a Double Skillet from the Double Skillet company probably works better than the Omnia. The problem with the latter is that the centre hole reduces the volume of the pan. Many people report success in roasting a chicken in a double skillet.
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I am most grateful for all the replies. My wife and I are now certain that we would like a motorhome without the oven and the microwave. We do nearly all our cooking out of doors so now the next decision is the choice of a Remoska or a Double Skillet. We already have an electric hotplate which we can use if we decide on the Double Skillet.
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I have both the Remoska and (had) the double skillet. We started off with the skillet but soon migrated to the Remoska which is far more versatile for roasting chicken and making bread. We carry a small slow cooker for stews etc and small Cadac BBQ. I recently sent the skillet to the recycle centre as not used for many years
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Q, have you thought about the implications on the resale value of a non-standard MH? Also, have you considered that the day may come when you might not be able to take the van to warmer climes so need to cook inside? Personally, I’d be very wary.
Have you asked the dealer about the possibility of ordering a one-off Stanton?
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The thought just crossed my mind that those who do not have/use an oven cannot be warming their slippers much.
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Is that after you put them on . . . ?
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Lots of comment on this, and it's 'horses for courses' like so much else in camping kit. However, it's interesting that no one has mentioned the payload used up by ovens, around 40kg at least for many of them. Buy a decently specced-up Euro model and dealers will have added them to all the vans they import as everyone wants one, apparently - so much for customer choice if that's not the thing at the top of your wish list.
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