Food Strainer
Most of us don’t have three hands, so when draining boiling water from pasta, it’s hard to hold both the pot and the strainer. Snap N’ Strain solves the problem by clipping right onto a pot or pan; the two clips attach to most types and sizes of cookware. With the silicone strainer keeping food in place, you can use two hands to tilt the pot or pan and drain away the liquid.
Another advantage is that the strainer’s flat, half-circle design requires less storage space than a traditional colander. The product is dishwasher-safe and available in gray, green, and red. The price is $12.99.
Kitchen Gizmo
(800) 970-4158
www.kitchengizmousa.com
Grill Tool/Light
The sun sets. You open a favorite beverage. You fire up the grill. And then it hits you: It’s really dark out here; I can barely see my burger! You’d have no worries with Grillight tools, which have a waterproof LED flashlight incorporated into the handles.
Grillight’s Ideal Illumination technology is said to cast a light similar to sunlight, so you can see the true color of food. The lights, which are powered by AA batteries, are removable for easy cleanup. A two-piece Grillight set consists of a spatula and tongs, both with lights; the price is $44.95. A three-piece set also includes a silicone basting brush (with light) and is priced at $54.95.
Grillight
3088 N. Raven Lane
Fayetteville, AR 72704
(479) 462-9086
www.grillight.com
Keyless Lock
Search the internet, and you’ll find that RV storage compartment keys marked “CH751” are quite common. Which means your campground neighbor might be able to use his key to poke around in your belongings. Combi-Cam is a keyless combination lock that replaces the CH751 keyway.
Combi-Cam is available in four lengths and can be retrofitted onto all current RV compartment locks. You set your own code from 1,000 possible combinations. The weatherproof lock is available in chrome or black finishes. The price is normally $15.95; FMCA members can save 15 percent by visiting padlocks4less.com/FMC and using coupon code FMC.
FJM Security Products
18424 Highway 99
Lynnwood, WA 98037
www.fjmsecurity.com
Electric Bike
Beach cruiser bicycles were introduced in the 1930s. Vintage Electric Bikes incorporates design elements from that bygone era into the Cruz, a classic California beach cruiser equipped with modern features.
Those features include a three-phase brushless electric motor; regenerative braking combined with Shimano Alfine hydraulic disc brakes; LED lighting; and a 52-volt lithium battery that provides an operating range of up to 35 miles with a recharge time of two hours. The fat tires are woven with KevlarGuard, which protects against flats. Top speed is 20 mph (or 36 mph in the optional race mode). The price of the Cruz starts at $4,995.
Vintage Electric
1725 De La Cruz, Suite 5
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 969-0836
www.vintageelectricbikes.com
Adjustable Bed
If your body aches and you’re not getting enough ZZZZs at night in your motorhome, maybe it’s time to think about upgrading the bed. Axel Bloom, a supplier of German bed systems, offers various models and sizes of adjustable beds suitable for RVs.
Motors allow the bed to be adjusted at the head, shoulder, back, knees, and legs. Because the motors are integrated into the bed frame, which is just 5 inches thick, the frame can be placed atop a wooden RV bed platform, without modification. After a bed is installed, the storage area underneath remains accessible by raising the platform normally. Visit the Axel Bloom website for photos and descriptions of bed systems installed in motorhomes. Frame prices start at $898; mattress prices start at $870.
Axel Bloom LLC
1105 Gayley Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(866) 696-8387
www.axelbloom.com
Solar Panel Bracket
People who own solar panels are always trying to catch some rays. One way to mount a panel to the roof of a motorhome is to use the Windy Nation Adjustable Tilt Bracket. It can position a solar panel at various angles to best capture the sun’s energy.
The bracket, made of anodized aluminum, can be used with solar panels up to 28 inches wide. Stainless-steel hardware to assemble the bracket is included, as are fasteners to attach a solar panel to the bracket; hardware to mount the bracket to the RV roof must be purchased separately, since roof types vary. When folded flat for storage or travel, the bracket measures 28 inches by 1.5 inches by 2.5 inches. It weighs 3 pounds. The price is $49.99.
Windy Nation Inc.
398 S. Ash St., Unit C
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 323-6445
www.windynation.com
Tire Covers
Ozone, ultraviolet light, and high temperatures will shorten tire life, so tire experts recommend covers to help protect your expensive investment. Zip-Tight Tire Covers, as the name suggests, are installed by zipping them on, without cables or straps.
Two types of covers are available. A synthetic vinyl cover comes with a felt backing; the price depends on size and ranges from $47 to $70 for a set of two. A longer-lasting marine vinyl cover ranges in price from $62 to $85 for a set of two. Available colors are white, tan, and black. (RV tire expert Roger Marble suggests white or light-colored covers to keep tires cooler when exposed to sunlight.) Personalization options also are available.
Zip-Tight Tire Covers
621 Fantasy St.
Palmdale, CA 93551
(661) 480-5955
www.zip-tighttirecovers.com
Vehicle Shield
A towed vehicle can suffer death by a thousand cuts: chips and cracks from rocks; scratches from road debris; as well as mud, tar, and grime. The Tow Car Shield, from RV and Off Road, is designed to protect the car’s entire front end, from under the grille to the top of the windshield.
The shield features an outer covering made of vinyl and a soft felt interior. It attaches with special hooks that must be bent to grip the vehicle; after the first install, they need not be bent again, except to make adjustments. The shield has an opening for tow bars; the purchaser might have to cut small slits in the cover to accommodate electrical or safety chains, but company literature says that will not cause the material to fray. Patterns are available for all commonly towed vehicles. A storage bag is included. The price is $400.
Coastline Manufacturing Co.
16151 Main St.
Hesperia, CA 92345
(800) 216-1664
www.RVandOffRoad.com
Leveling System
LevelMatePRO is designed to simplify the task of leveling a motorhome, as well as other vehicles. The wireless leveling system uses Bluetooth technology to connect with a smartphone or tablet. The system displays the required height — in 1/4-inch increments — for each wheel to reach a level position.
Most of the settings need only be selected once during the life of the product. And because settings are saved on the LevelMatePRO instead of on a phone, the setup process doesn’t have to be repeated if you change phones. The price is $139.99.
LogicBlue Technology
1224 19th St. Lane N.W.
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 549-8199
www.logicbluetech.com