Oven vs no oven?

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

The oven for us is not hard to light. You won't be using a barbecue in a overnight stop to cook and aren't allowed . . You can use your oven . Never in all our years camping with 3 ovens had a issue with heat . We live in California , you open your windows . The oven because it is small doesn't generate heat like a oven at home . Cleaning up never been a problem just a wipe down . Pat

First, that depends where you stop. Second, if it is a quick overnight stop where I can't cook outside (i.e., Walmart), it is because I am tired from driving and only stopping to sleep and I really don't care if we can bake a gourmet dinner. I would be curious how many times someone who stops Under those circumstances actually fires up the oven to prepare a meal. And I can walk into the (Walmart) deli and purchase whatever that might have been prepared in the oven, without delaying the meal for preparation and cook time. I'm happy that you never had a heat issue, unfortunately we did when we had one in a previous trailer. And opening windows in a hot, humid environment where A/C is needed is not an option. I am also happy you find your oven easy to clean, we didn't, especially when something bubbled over. I found it was a PITA to light. I will not presume to disagree with any posters who appreciate their ovens. But we don't for one minute regret not having one and I stand by my previous post. Both my spouse and myself prefer using the grill when we want to bake something, and we are grateful to have the extra storage space the oven would have occupied. Once again, this is an issue in which we all have differing experiences and opinions.

[Oldtimer]

So we can mark you down as a NO for the oven??

[C&G in FL]

Gee.....I don't know. Can you?

[Michael.Chadwick]

Thanks for all your input into my question.........much appreciated

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

First, that depends where you stop. Second, if it is a quick overnight stop where I can't cook outside (i.e., Walmart), it is because I am tired from driving and only stopping to sleep and I really don't care if we can bake a gourmet dinner. I would be curious how many times someone who stops Under those circumstances actually fires up the oven to prepare a meal. And I can walk into the (Walmart) deli and purchase whatever that might have been prepared in the oven, without delaying the meal for preparation and cook time. I'm happy that you never had a heat issue, unfortunately we did when we had one in a previous trailer. And opening windows in a hot, humid environment where A/C is needed is not an option. I am also happy you find your oven easy to clean, we didn't, especially when something bubbled over. I found it was a PITA to light. I will not presume to disagree with any posters who appreciate their ovens. But we don't for one minute regret not having one and I stand by my previous post. Both my spouse and myself prefer using the grill when we want to bake something, and we are grateful to have the extra storage space the oven would have occupied. Once again, this is an issue in which we all have differing experiences and opinions.

I guess it is where you will park overnight . We don't usually cook gourmet dinners in the oven . We may just want a bake potato or something similar . Maybe it is cold and rainey outside . A little foil will prevent messes in your oven . We prefer to make and cook our own foods . We are both 70 and find lighting the oven , no problem though wish it was like the top burners in lighting , no matches . We have ,if had hookups ,ran AC if needed with oven on ,running the Max fans etc. I am also stating our preference for a oven . Having a oven is our perference . The space loss isn't that big of a deal . You also can use it for storage too. We also have a microwave but that would require power to heat up our foods if we were just parking for the night . Not so heating up your foods in the oven . You are entailed to your opinions as well as we are entitled to our opinions . The OP asked for pro's and con's of the oven . I am trying to share the good and benefits of a oven . I would never expect someone to purchase or not just because that's what I have . Just giving our experience and the positives .I think that is what they asked for . Pat

[steve dunham]

We are looking at buying an Escape and one of the options my wife DEFINITELY wants is the oven and I have no intentions of denying her request . I like the fact that the oven runs on propane so whether we are camping with hookups or not , or whether it is nice out or raining we have cooking options. We are not big on eating out, because my wife is a great cook , we need to keep costs down so we can afford to travel and we feel more comfortable eating in our own trailer.
If cleaning , lighting the oven , and the loss of a little storage space are the only draw backs then that seems like rather minor obstacles to overcome.

[Mandomary]

So we have camped 5 nights in the Escape so far and already used the oven. It was a cold night and reheated lasagna rolls were great. I didn't think we'd use the oven but it was an indoor night. (and later we had our biggest surprise - the shower popped off the bathroom faucet while in use. Created a nice big fountain of water.)

[Jim Bennett]

It seems just about more than anything, having an oven or not is one of the biggest, most controversial options (and it is just optional) in an Escape trailer. There are those who have one and don't use it, those who don't and wish they maybe did, and those who have one and love using it.

We are all of the above.

Well, I guess there is the microwave too.

[C&G in FL]

Hi Pat,
I was/am in no way criticizing your (or anyone else's) preference for the oven. I did have all the problems I mentioned in a previous trailer, to such a degree that we stopped using it. Perhaps it was a different brand than what Escape uses.......I'm not sure.
I would just emphasize that cooking at overnight stops is simply not a priority for us. If we have driven 8-10 hours/500 miles, we just want to relax. While they are not prevalent in the western states, Crackerbarrels are almost everywhere in the east, and most allow overnighting. We would rather just go in, be served, and not have to do dishes. Had we opted for the oven (and my spouse said absolutely not), we never would have used it when overnighting anyway. Any baking we might do occurs after we are set up in a campsite which we will occupy for multiple days. In those cases, the grill is set up. Because we have little remaining storage space in our 5.0TA, the loss from an oven installation would not be desirable. And I know many people do store stuff in their ovens when the ovens are not being used which, in my opinion, it becomes an inconvenience to relocate items in order to use the thing. Nor can I personally justify the initial cost for what I will call "multipurpose alternate storage" when I have a grill that will perform the same function equally well. And one final consideration. I know some people don't mind it, even like it, but neither of us want to smell residual odors of lasagna, meatloaf, or even cookies long after the fact.

Edit: I would add that I have been around the block enough times that I fully realize that what works for one person may not work for another.

[steve dunham]

We have 17 ft Casita and have traveled over much of the US and Canada for periods approaching 2 months .We are seriously looking at selling our Casita and purchasing an Escape 21
The main reasons , more storage and refrigerator space and the non climb over bed.
One would think that there would be more storage / overall space in a 21 ft Escape then a 17 ft Casita , because the Escape is 25 % longer , plus wider and taller than my Casita.

Yet after reading this an similar threads the laws of physics evidently don't apply . On one thread people say their 21 ft / 5.0 TA has more storage space than they can possibly fill / use but then 2 threads over the same peopke say they didn't get the oven cause they couldn't afford to loose the storage space or storage space is at a premium.
These contradictions are confusing . If we purchase an Escape 21 and end up with no greater storage capacity and we still don't get an oven then why buy one.
This has nothing to do with having or not having an oven , it has to do with something supposedly being too BIG and too Small at the same time !!

[rotateclockwise]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

We have 17 ft Casita and have traveled over much of the US and Canada for periods approaching 2 months .We are seriously looking at selling our Casita and purchasing an Escape 21
The main reasons , more storage and refrigerator space and the non climb over bed.
One would think that there would be more storage / overall space in a 21 ft Escape then a 17 ft Casita , because the Escape is 25 % longer , plus wider and taller than my Casita.

Yet after reading this an similar threads the laws of physics evidently don't apply . On one thread people say their 21 ft / 5.0 TA has more storage space than they can possibly fill / use but then 2 threads over the same peopke say they didn't get the oven cause they couldn't afford to loose the storage space or storage space is at a premium.
These contradictions are confusing . If we purchase an Escape 21 and end up with no greater storage capacity and we still don't get an oven then why buy one.
This has nothing to do with having or not having an oven , it has to do with something supposedly being too BIG and too Small at the same time !!

Steve, we just sold our Casita and will pick up a 21 in a few months. I can assure you that you will have a lot more storage options than what the Casita offers. We're getting an oven and I fully expect we'll have empty cabinets in the Escape. It's all about context and compared to a Casita 17, a 21 is a big step up in storage space and comfort.

[escape artist]

Hi: All... I've spent 45 yrs. with my head in a dirty oven. I don't need it on my vacation!!! Thankfully my wife says she's not baking while away...that's what bake shops are for. Lucky me!!! We love Cracker Barrels too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

We have 17 ft Casita and have traveled over much of the US and Canada for periods approaching 2 months .We are seriously looking at selling our Casita and purchasing an Escape 21
The main reasons , more storage and refrigerator space and the non climb over bed.
One would think that there would be more storage / overall space in a 21 ft Escape then a 17 ft Casita , because the Escape is 25 % longer , plus wider and taller than my Casita.

Yet after reading this an similar threads the laws of physics evidently don't apply . On one thread people say their 21 ft / 5.0 TA has more storage space than they can possibly fill / use but then 2 threads over the same peopke say they didn't get the oven cause they couldn't afford to loose the storage space or storage space is at a premium.
These contradictions are confusing . If we purchase an Escape 21 and end up with no greater storage capacity and we still don't get an oven then why buy one.
This has nothing to do with having or not having an oven , it has to do with something supposedly being too BIG and too Small at the same time !!

Steve, I have never said I have more storage than I can use. All of my space is used. I wish I had more. If I or my wife decide to add some new gizmo, something else has to be removed and left behind, unless the new item is very small. Yes, an Escape has lots of storage space in comparison to a Casita, but it is like a garage or a basement, it can fill up fast. Go ahead and get the oven you want. As you know from experience, you will adapt to whatever available storage space you have.

[padlin]

Have you looked at a 21? Shouldn't be surprised that people have differing opinions and different types and amounts of stuff to fill the storage.

We're of the have yet to run out of storage space segment. But then we have no oven so maybe that's part of the reason.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: All... I've spent 45 yrs. with my head in a dirty oven. I don't need it on my vacation!!! Thankfully my wife says she's not baking while away...that's what bake shops are for. Lucky me!!! We love Cracker Barrels too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Hi Alf,
I like small town bakeries too. I usually ask a local resident something like " where's the best bakery in Smallville?" They usually say that there's only one and give directions. I quit asking "You got a bakery in this jerkwater burg?" Seemed to turn some people off! Some of those convenience
stores have a good selection, others not so much. Have a good one
Dave

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Steve, I have never said I have more storage than I can use. All of my space is used. I wish I had more. If I or my wife decide to add some new gizmo, something else has to be removed and left behind, unless the new item is very small. Yes, an Escape has lots of storage space in comparison to a Casita, but it is like a garage or a basement, it can fill up fast. Go ahead and get the oven you want. As you know from experience, you will adapt to whatever available storage space you have.

Carl , I was not pointing my finger at you , only the inconsistencies on this forum. IE Some people are towing Escape's with marginal vehicles at best and their reasoning is that they pack light , keep their trailer weight down , and drive slow yet the same people say they can't afford to lose one inch of storage space. I would assume that if they are that short on storage space then what they have is full.
How do you cram full every inch of storage space and still pack light and keep the weight down ?

I see no sense in having an oven if you don't want , need , desire , cannot afford or have any use for an oven but sometimes the logic of these discussions escapes me. ( NO pun intended)

I don't wish to turn this into another thread that leads to personnal attacks , so I will leave this end at this point .

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

...We have an oven and a total of 11 drawers...

For shorter trips, I guess that allows you to change your drawers every day without having to do your laundry.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by ice-breaker

For shorter trips, I guess that allows you to change your drawers every day without having to do your laundry.

Hmmmm.... I might just have to start wearing them.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Hmmmm.... I might just have to start wearing them.

I saw that coming. Rimshot to you
Dave

[thoer]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Carl , I was not pointing my finger at you , only the inconsistencies on this forum. IE Some people are towing Escape's with marginal vehicles at best and their reasoning is that they pack light , keep their trailer weight down , and drive slow yet the same people say they can't afford to lose one inch of storage space. I would assume that if they are that short on storage space then what they have is full.

I've yet to see the "same people" saying both of those things. Some of us travel light - some travel with lots of "stuff" Amazing that different people can be different isn't it?

Originally Posted by steve dunham

.....
I don't wish to turn this into another thread that leads to personnal attacks , so I will leave this end at this point .

Just perhaps as I have suggested before, an understanding that others have different opinions and points of view might help prevent what seems to be a recurring result of the implications of ones posts?