We’ve spent the last 8 summers living in a motorhome while working as campsite wardens and over the years we’ve learned that a well-organised kitchen can make or break your road trip/living experience. Cooking in a tiny space is always going to be challenge, but with the right tools, it can be fun, quick, and surprisingly efficient.
Whether you’re new to motorhome life or a seasoned traveller, these are the ten motorhome kitchen essentials we always rely on to keep our kitchen running smoothly.
1. Compact Multi-Use Cookware
We always buy cookware that serves more than one purpose. A saucepan that doubles as a pan or even a cake tin or a small frying pan with a lid for simmering sauces saves valuable space. It’s a small investment, but it makes cooking multiple meals at once so much easier.
2. Collapsible Dish Drainer
Counter space is precious in a motorhome, so a collapsible dish drainer is a game-changer. We can pop it out when washing up, then fold it flat to store away, keeping our small kitchen tidy and uncluttered. An alternative idea is a rubber backed tray and a drying mat – as a bonus the tray can be used for other purposes too.
3. Folding Chopping Boards
We like to use folding chopping boards that bend to funnel chopped food straight into pots or containers. It keeps surfaces clean and reduces the risk of spills — perfect for narrow kitchen counters.
4. Stackable Storage Containers
We store dry goods, snacks, and leftovers in stackable containers. They fit neatly in cupboards, and we can see what we have at a glance. We’ve tried several, and clear plastic works best so nothing gets lost at the back.
5. Compact Knife Set
We don’t need a full kitchen knife set, just a sharp chef’s knife, paring knife, and a serrated bread knife cover all our prep needs without unnecessary. We choose knives with covers which live in our cutlery drawer, but a small knife block or magnetic rack may be an alternative depending on your kitchen layout.
6. Small Electric Kettle
We love a cup of tea or coffee first thing in the morning, and a small electric kettle boils quickly without taking up too much space; also handy for speeding up cooking too, like blanching vegetables or warming soups. We also have a small gas, whistling kettle to use when we are travelling and don’t have access to a electrical hook up point.
7. Collapsible Mixing Bowls
Collapsible mixing bowls are perfect for prep and storage. They fold down to almost nothing, so we can use them for mixing, washing fruit, or serving salads without losing cupboard space.
8. Compact Coffee Maker
If you can’t survive mornings without coffee, a compact coffee maker is worth its weight in gold. We initially small Nespress machine because they’re small, fast, and easy to clean. However we have recently reverted to a 2 cup cafetiere as we find it easier to store and cheaper to use. Most of the time when we are travelling in Europe we enjoy popping out for a café con leche in the sun which usually costs around 2 euros.
9. Spice Rack
Mrs B is a keen cook and would be lost without herbs, spices and seasoning. We have installed a spice rack on the wall next to our sink. It keeps all our main seasonings accessible without taking up shelf space. The rest of her collection has been decanted into these little spice bags, meaning all the glass jars could be put out in the recycling bin and saved a good few kg of our precious motorhome payload – win – win.
10. Portable Electric Hob
We have a single ceramic hob which we use when we are on sites . We’ve found it’s faster, cleaner, and more energy-efficient than using the built-in hob, especially when the electric is included in the campsite pitch price. It also gives us extra flexibility if we want to cook outside.
Our Top Tips for Motorhome Kitchen Efficiency
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Label everything – from spice jars to containers, labels save us time.
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Stack vertically – make the most of cupboard height with stackable items.
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Multi-use is key – if it can do more than one job, it’s in.
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Clean as you go – saves the dreaded pile-up in tiny sinks.
Wrapping Up
We hope our list of motorhome kitchen essentials helps you make the most of your tiny space. Cooking on the road can be a pleasure with the right tools. Even a small motorhome kitchen can feel like a full-sized one.