Kitchen Question

jonlinda

We are considering a T@B purchase and I would love to hear your feelings about a rear kitchen vs an inside kitchen.  Any insight would be much appreciated.

Basil48192

I have no experience with a rear kitchen.  However I did do some camping in upper Michigan in the late fall...and it was really nice to be able to make coffee and breakfast from the heated, dry comfort of my T@B 320S with the indoor kitchen.  If you are planning on much cool weather camping, my vote would be the inside kitchen.

Sharon_is_SAM

We have the clamshell model.  We did not want any cooking odors in the TaB.  We are 3 season campers and we have used canopies over the galley to allow cooking when it rains.  No regrets.

4ncar

I have a 320S. I set up an out door kitchen in addition to the inside burners. Any stinky food is cooked outside. The inside burners are used for coffee in the morning as well as a secondary set of burners when I am preparing dinner, Boil pasta, blanching veggies, etc. FWIW, I cook as if I am at home, so sometimes I need 4 burners simultaneously! 😳😂😂

ScottG

This is a question that has come up several times in the past. Obviously the answer is a matter of personal preference and choice, but if you to want to read lots of different opinions, I suggest searching older discussions. There are lots of insightful posts from members who may no longer be very active on the forum.

There are some considerations beyond just the kitchen location. For example, models with the outdoor kitchen will offer more interior storage space, but also have a smaller bed.

Happy pondering!

PNWtabber

I think I debated this question more than any other in choosing a trailer.  I ended up going with an inside kitchen.  I am the sort that wants my coffee in my hand first thing in the morning before facing the world, so inside is convenient for that.  One day I was on a dealer's lot looking at trailers and it was really windy and rainy and I couldn't imagine standing out in that to cook (planning on using my trailer year-round) -- I think that was what sealed the decision for me.  After I bought my trailer, I signed up for Harvest Hosts and learned you have to have an inside kitchen to use HH locations, I don't know if there are other places that do not allow cooking outside.  Years ago I had a Vanagon Westfalia camper van which had an inside kitchen, so I was already accustomed to the inside kitchen concept.

On the other hand, cooking inside is a bit cramped and, if you're the sort that wants your camping friends to gather around while you are cooking, a clamshell would be more amenable to that.  Another consideration is how tall are you?  At 5'5", I can stand up comfortably in my trailer, but my 6'2" son cannot, so cooking inside would not be very comfortable for him.

All that being said, I purchased my trailer 2nd hand and, if it had happened to be a clamshell rather than an inside kitchen, I probably still would have purchased it and been just as happy.

Michigan_Mike

You can always buy a small camp stove if you are worried about smelling up the interior of the trailer as this works and you can take in the great outdoors when that yearning hits.   

cmac

I agree with Sharon-is-Sam, except we don't use a canopy.  The only thing I will add is that if it is raining hard enough to come under the raised hatch, my Wife and I both agree that it is time to go into town to get something to eat!  (PS: I do all the cooking when we camp.)

Sharon_is_SAM

Actually, you can park at Harvest Host with a clamshell.  They just don’t want you to use your galley.  Those are nights to take advantage of your Harvest Host food options or support the local economy and eat out.

rfuss928

The outside kitchen was the primary attraction of the T@B for us.  No other small trailer offers anything like it.   We cook two meals a day in our kitchen and know from experience cooking anything inside a small trailer quickly saturates everything inside with moisture and odors.  Just using the toaster inside often sets off the smoke alarm!  T@B interior preparation space is almost non-existent.   An inside kitchen in a small trailer is not an option for us

A less obvious benefit is the additional living space the outside kitchen creates inside.  The whole front of the trailer is available for whatever fits your style and needs while traveling and camping.  We have two shelves above the bench that travel empty but fill up fast with life's stuff soon after we park.  We really like that the bedroom and the kitchen are completely separate spaces and their clutter does not comingle.  

We keep the toaster, tea pot, muffins and such in the pass through cabinets so they are easily reached from inside or out when needed.  A very simple solution for morning coffee and breakfast when weather keeps us in.  Persistent rain or uncomfortable weather is perfect rationalization to go out to eat or bring back takeout.

The pros and cons are pretty well known and often discussed.  The importance of those differences to your desires and camping style will determine what is best for you.

We have had our CS for ten plus years and spent hundreds of nights out traveling and there is no other trailer we desire.

Have fun!

ScottG

It's worth adding that many with the indoor kitchen still do their cooking outside. Our Weber Q does most of the heavy lifting, and we also have a compact camp stove.

We are mostly fair weather campers, so practically speaking our inside kitchen is used primarily for storage, dishwashing, morning coffee, and sometime a little prep work.

jonlinda

Can you please explain what you mean by pass through?   I have only been able to view the inside kitchen.

jonlinda

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful considerations.   It is very much appreciated.   If we go this route it is apparent we will be part of a very helpful community!

ScottG

jonlinda said:

Can you please explain what you mean by pass through?   I have only been able to view the inside kitchen.

I believe there is (or at least was) a panel in the CS models that you can open to pass items between the inside of the camper and the outside galley. Hopefully someone will confirm that I have this correct!

rfuss928

jonlinda said:

Can you please explain what you mean by pass through?   I have only been able to view the inside kitchen.

The upper cabinets in the CS kitchen also have doors on the interior side.





These pictures are a DM CS.  NuCamp T@Bs are similar.
Have fun!!!

VictoriaP

The clamshell kitchen has a lot more storage, from what I’ve seen. I think if you’re the type to cook big campsite meals, you may well prefer the outdoor kitchen. Me, I do as little cooking as possible, generally pre-prepping/pre-cooking my meals at home and freezing them, then reheating on the stove, so the inside kitchen is fine for me.

The clamshell bed is a fair bit smaller though. If you are tall, it may not work as well for you on that score. I strongly recommend you go to a dealer and spend time play-camping in both models, running through the actual motions of cooking, dressing, bathing, laying down, pulling things out and putting them away. It’s the best way to figure out if a tiny trailer is right for your camping style, and if so, which model is best for you.

ontheroad

Outside kitchen!..and yet our coffee maker is set up inside...love being able to be part of a conversation instead of being inside while others are enjoying themselves..we bought the camper for sleeping and sightseeing! We came from the smaller trailer "T@G"..and wanted to keep that way of camping, even though it did mean having a smaller, crawl over the other person bed..no regrets! And yes the pic above is a great example of the pass thru..no leaving the bed to get snacks while watching a movie!

Marceline

I have a clamshell and I have another reason for liking it that I rarely see mentioned. At least a few times a year I share my campsite with friends who are tent campers and the clamshell allows them access to all the cooking gear/facilities without having to come into my trailer. I set up a table & chairs at the back at that becomes our hang out space. 

jonlinda

rfuss928 said:

jonlinda said:

Can you please explain what you mean by pass through?   I have only been able to view the inside kitchen.

The upper cabinets in the CS kitchen also have doors on the interior side.





These pictures are a DM CS.  NuCamp T@Bs are similar.
Have fun!!!

Thank You!

jonlinda

I love this, but now I have another question what is a DM CS.  Love the interior.

jonlinda

I found the information!

Mellow_Yellow

Another thought: if you are under 5'8" tall, you can likely sleep wheel-to-wheel which changes how you use the interior space, with/without the interior kitchen. I agree with the sentiment that while my 2nd hand T@B happens to be a 320 S, if it had been a CSS, I think I'd love it just the same!

Sharon_is_SAM

@jonlinda - DM is “Dutchman”.  Thor owned Dutchman who was the original maker of the TaBs in the US. Pleasant Valley Trailer acquired the manufacturing rights and started producing the TaBs in 2012.  (Corrected - thanks @Denny16.)

Denny16

Dutchman is owned by Thor...
cheers

rfuss928

I don't know how we would fit all this inside!