The oven

[mquirk]

Could anyone who has selected the oven option, give me your feedback. Our buildsheet is due soon and we are reconsidering getting the oven. Thank you. Jennifer

[Jim Bennett]

It really depends on your camping style. I would venture a guess that at least 80% of folks didn't get one. They are definitely not needed, as you can bake almost anything on most BBQ's. If you like lots of baked dishes at home, you may well like them camping too. In warm climates the added heat inside would not be a welcome thing.

That said, my boss campaigned hard for one, and I am not going to complain about some good eats, am I? So I will install one.

[Dave Walter]

We got the oven and enjoy having it. Is great for making nachos on movie nights and breakfast muffins or cinnamon buns.

[Marry]

What size trailer do you have on order?
The oven will take away cabinet and counter space.
Like Jim said: it all depends on your camping style.
We had one in previous trailers, as they come standard. Never used it. With the hatching of our 19, we didn't go for the oven option, had the 2 burner stove turned 90 degrees, and are verry happy with the result. But yeah, we are more outside people.

[mquirk]

Thank you all for your replies. We are getting a 19. We were talking to some friends that use their oven often. They have a large trailer though (so more space). I don't use my oven very often at home. I just thought it might be fun.

[gbaglo]

For fun, we got a Coleman oven that sits atop the BBQ or a camp stove.
Used it once to reheat pulled pork.
Wasn't really that much fun, and it weighs seven pounds.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

For fun, we got a Coleman oven that sits atop the BBQ or a camp stove.
Used it once to reheat pulled pork.
Wasn't really that much fun, and it weighs seven pounds.

Yeah, but the pork was good. Almost 7 years ago at the first Escape Rally.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by mquirk

Could anyone who has selected the oven option, give me your feedback. Our buildsheet is due soon and we are reconsidering getting the oven. Thank you. Jennifer

We got the oven option in our 2015 '21. To date we have only baked food that is bad for you and that requires many hours of hiking to work off. For that reason you might want to skip the temptation. (Ooohh, those brownies...)

--
Alan

[gbaglo]

We buy cinnamon buns from Solly's deli, a Jewish bakery with the best buns I've ever had ( and that includes mom's ).
We freeze them. When in the mood, we wrap in foil and heat them up in the BBQ.
The fun part is eating them.

[caddoster]

you can also bake cinnamon buns (and pretty much anything) in dutch oven with bbq briquets.. so it's probably your preference on inside vs outside.

[blhvet]

Or, if you're hooked up to power most of the time, there are some pretty small and efficient toaster ovens that would probably take less room and do a great job! Of course, you don't need power to run the gas oven in the Escape.

[gbaglo]

And anyway, if there isn't a dusting of flour over everything in the trailer, it isn't baking.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

We got the oven option in our 2015 '21. To date we have only baked food that is bad for you and that requires many hours of hiking to work off. For that reason you might want to skip the temptation. (Ooohh, those brownies...)

--
Alan

This is one of my concerns too Alan, but we have moved away from too much of that stuff for the reasons you state, though the forced walking is a good benefit. Lisa does do lots of healthy meals in the oven too,

The bottom line with an oven, or many of the other things we build into our trailers, as well as bring along, are to some degree all compromises that work best for our individual situations, all of which vary. We just are not able to incorporate every little thing we might require to the extent we do in our homes, and have to decide what works best for our own individual camping situations. I know for us, after 27 years with an RV, our style of trailer camping is evolving, and our needs and desires for what we bring is constantly changing with it. We could survive well without an oven, but this time chose to go for one. But heck, it is still all good fun for us, and that is the key.

[Bob in Bend]

The oven is a topic which has been discussed before. You might search: oven pros and cons or opinions on ovens.
We have a 19' Escape with an oven. We use the oven quite a bit; homemade pizzas are a favorite. When not in use we store pots and pans inside.
Good luck

[tom and susan]

We have not gotten our trailer yet and are total newbies to RVing. I can't tell you if I use the oven, but I'll tell you why I chose to get it. We are hoping to travel and tour extensively and take long trips (4-8 weeks). I hate eating out all the time. By getting the oven I hope to increase the odds that we love this endeavor. Same with getting a TV and a queen size bed. I could see grilling out for a long weekend but not for weeks on end. Susan

[Patandlinda]

We have always had a oven . Who wants to go cook outside in bad weather . So much nicer to cook your dinner, more choices , and be able to stay inside if weather is not so good . Pat

[John G.]

My wife loves the oven even though we do not use it often. We cook small pizzas. I will start using it to make apple muffins on our upcoming Florida trip. I really like the feeling of having an oven more than anything else. It makes our 21 kind of homey. I will get an oven in the next Escape.

[Donna D.]

How you outfit a trailer when used as a weekend warrior trailer, may be totally different than a trailer that will be used for weeks/months on end. Other than taking one steak and a package of Hebrew Nationals when I go camping, I try to eat the same way out camping as I do at home. I don't have an oven. I just camp close to someone who does!

[tom and susan]

I didn't think of that alternative Donna! Darn, could have saved some money! Susan

[Greg A]

We tracked how we cook at home and determined that 99% of the time we use the microwave, stove top, and BBQ. The oven is rarely if ever used at our house. That is what we mimicked when we did the buildsheet to create the same experience for us whether on the road or at home.
If you use an oven to cook at home, I'd definitely get the oven in the trailer. If like us, you don't really use an oven at home, I don't think I'd give up the space to get it in the trailer.