A selection of RVs with exterior kitchens that enhance outdoor entertaining.
By Bruce W. Smith
September/October 2024
There’s something magical about fixing meals outdoors when camping. The food tastes better and the camaraderie between family, friends, and guests feels much more memorable. But don’t take just my word for it; ask any of the thousands of RVers who cook using the exterior kitchens of their motorhomes or travel trailers while camping or tailgating at sporting events.
For some reason, cooking at an outside kitchen stimulates the taste buds and heightens the senses much more than preparing food inside a typical RV galley. Fixing meals in the fresh air also alleviates those lingering odors inside an RV when sausage, bacon, fish, and other foods are sizzling on the cooktop or baking in the oven.
Open-air cooking has the added benefit of allowing you to prep meals and converse with family and friends while surrounded by the beauty of nature. Add a big-screen TV and a nice sound system to accompany the outside kitchen area, and the fun factor is raised to a new level, day or night.
That’s why many of today’s RVs now include outdoor kitchens as a standard feature or as an option. Like RV interiors, the layouts of outdoor kitchens vary widely — not only the appliances but also the cupboards, cubbies, cutting boards, and electrical receptacles.
Some outdoor kitchens have a single-burner induction cooktop, some a small gas range, others only a grill or grill combo. Some include a beverage cooler, a fridge, or a combination fridge/freezer. Sinks also vary, both in size and where they drain.
So, if you plan to use an outdoor kitchen a lot, pay close attention to how it is designed and outfitted in the RV you are eyeing. Sometimes the size, layout, and type of appliances found in the outdoor kitchen itself can make the difference between purchasing one RV over another.
With that in mind, here’s a cross-section of RVs we found that are equipped with really nice exterior kitchens. These models should inspire the designated camp chef to whip up a great meal for family and friends gathered around the picnic table or kicking back in their favorite lawn chairs.
CHEROKEE GREY WOLF 29TE
When it comes to bunkhouse travel trailers that maximize sleeping and outdoor entertaining, the 36-foot-8-inch-long, 7,837-pound-GVWR Cherokee Grey Wolf 29TE ($49,999) may be hard to beat. It features a double entry and access to the oversized bath from the outdoors. Triple bunks in the rear, a spacious dinette and a sofa in the single slideout, an air fryer in the kitchen, and a queen-size bed up front make it a comfortable family layout. The large outside kitchen contains a rapid ice maker, a Contoure side-by-side refrigerator/freezer, a pull-out Greystone gas griddle/grill, a sink that is plumbed into the holding tank, and a pair of deep overhead cabinets.
Forester/Sunseeker 2861DS
FORESTER CLASSIC 2861DS
Seldom do you find a full outdoor kitchen in a Class C motorhome, which is why the Forester 2861DS ($164,237) stands out. The 30-foot-9-inch-long, 14,500-pound-GVWR coach has two slideouts. Like its twin, the Sunseeker 2860, this unit is built on the 202-inch-wheelbase Ford E-Series gasoline chassis. The roomy interior features a queen-size bed, a split full bath, a well-equipped kitchen, and a large booth dinette. The cool part is its nice outside kitchen, which includes a 12-volt fridge, a 12-volt TV, and a single-burner induction cooktop. The outdoor sink is notable, because it has its own gray tank. This is a nice RV for couples and young families.
Four Winds Chateau 28Z
FOUR WINDS CHATEAU 28Z
Class C motorhomes, such as the 30-foot-long Thor Four Winds Chateau 28Z ($151,650), are growing in popularity because they are the next step up from a camper van in roominess and have a lot of nice features couples and smaller families appreciate when RVing. This 2025 model, built on a Ford E-Series chassis and powered by the 325-horsepower Ford 7.3-liter V-8 gas engine, has a GVWR of 14,500 pounds, sleeps seven, and can tow up to 8,000 pounds. It also offers an optional exterior kitchen ($2,243) that consists of a two-burner gas stove and a 12-volt cooler mounted on a pull-out tray built into the curbside rear cargo compartment. An external 32-inch smart TV ($1,238) is also an option to expand the outdoor entertainment possibilities.
Grand Design Influence 3704BH
GRAND DESIGN INFLUENCE 3704BH
The 40-foot-4-inch 3704BH ($104,385) fifth-wheel from Grand Design is one of the big boys, with a GVWR of 16,800 pounds and a sleeping capacity of eight. The interior of this quad-slideout, dual-entry model is both roomy and richly appointed, with a bunk room and half-bath in the rear, a spacious living area and big kitchen midship, and a full bath with queen bed up front. The 6-foot-long outdoor kitchen slideout under the bunk room incorporates a beverage cooler, a griddle, and a sink to make cooking for the masses easy. The outdoor kitchen also has excellent prep space and storage. For outside entertainment, exterior speakers are linked to the fifth-wheel’s Rockford Fosgate sound system.
Heartland Cyclone 4014C
HEARTLAND CYCLONE 4014C
One toy hauler that seems to have it all is the Heartland Cyclone 4014C ($167,929), a 46-foot-7-inch-long monster with all the comforts of home — and more. Features include a nice Grill N Go outside kitchen with a 25-inch-wide, three-burner grill/griddle combo. A 32-inch outdoor TV is optional. The Cyclone’s garage measures 14 feet long, big enough to carry a four-seat side-by-side or an assortment of motorcycles, snowmobiles, four-wheelers, or mountain bikes. The front bedroom in this triple-slideout, 21,000-pound-GVWR family hauler has a king-size bed and full bath, while the living area features a roomy kitchen with a big counter, a residential-size fridge, and plenty of seating.
Keystone Fuzion 425
KEYSTONE FUZION 425
It’s hard to beat a toy hauler such as the 44-foot-11-inch-long Keystone Fuzion 425 ($143,473) for luxury, entertaining, and cooking outdoors. This triple-axle, triple-slideout party house can sleep nine and incorporates a 13-foot rear garage with an 8-foot ramp that easily converts into a patio. The RV also has a side patio. It’s adjacent to a midship outdoor kitchen equipped with a mini fridge, sink, pull-out cooktop, and overhead storage cabinets. A smart TV above the exterior kitchen is great for watching sports, family movies, or your favorite cooking show. Inside this 16,720-pound-GVWR unit is a bedroom suite with king-size bed, a sofa bed in the living room, and opposing bunks and a queen-size bed in the garage that raise/flip up to make space for motorized toys or other items.
Venture RV Stratus SR261VRB
VENTURE STRATUS SR261VRB
One of the nicest outdoor kitchens I’ve seen in travel trailers is the Campfire Café, available in the 31-foot-11-inch-long Stratus SR261VRB ($49,500) from KZ RV’s Venture line. The propane griddle, stainless-steel sink with hot and cold water, and fridge are bundled nicely in a slideout located under a cubby for dishes and other cookware. Above that is a 40-inch smart TV with a cupboard on each side. The entire outdoor kitchen in this 8,300-pound-GVWR trailer is enclosed in a beautiful wood cabinet that reflects the farmhouse décor of its spacious interior. The family-friendly floor plan places the queen-size bed up front, a 70-inch sofa and a 42-inch dinette in the street-side slideout, and an L-shaped kitchen with walk-in pantry on the door side. The rear bathroom includes a three-door linen closet and a cabinet prepped for a stacked washer/dryer.
Wildwood Heritage Glen Elite Series 36FL/Salem Hemisphere Explore 36FL
WILDWOOD HERITAGE GLEN ELITE SERIES 36FL
Wildwood literature says the 1½-bath, 43-foot-9-inch-long Heritage Glen 36FL ($100,568), and its Salem Hemisphere Explore 36FL twin, have the largest outdoor kitchen of any fifth-wheel with a front living room floor plan. The outdoor bar/kitchen has a fridge, griddle, and sink mounted on a narrow, space-saving, stacked slideout similar to the style used on many off-road trailers. Above that is a 32-inch LED TV to provide outside entertainment. Inside this 15,500-pound-GVWR quad-slideout fiver is a roomy rear bath adjacent to the bedroom, which is equipped with a Versa-Tilt king-size bed. Midship is a spacious kitchen/dining area with a 20-cubic-foot 12-volt fridge, and up front is the generously sized living room with a 55-inch TV, fireplace, opposing tri-fold sofas, and theater seating.
GRILL 2 GO
Need a great portable electric grill for the outside kitchen? Consider the SilKEN Portable Grill Touch Control from Kenyon. It’s flameless, smokeless, has a 155-square-inch cooking area, and heats to 550 degrees, making it suitable for both home and RV use. The touch-control panel offers eight heat settings to achieve accurate cooking temperature without flare-ups. The high-temperature silicone lid stays cool to the touch while helping to provide even heating. The unit comes with a robust 6-foot power cord. (MSRP: $1,648; cookwithkenyon.com)