9 of Our Favorite RV Gadgets

How Tos & Tips

Although RVers often like to think that they can live with only the basics, you’d be hard pressed to find an RV enthusiast who doesn’t love a good RV gadget. They’re just so appealing. What’s not to love about a little device that makes one tiny aspect of life simpler, more fun, or more efficient? So what if they do only one thing? So what if buying a new gadget means having one more thing to store? RV gadgets are awesome.

Of course, some RV gadgets are more awesome than others. Here are, in no particular order, are the nine RV gadgets we like the best.

a squeegee cleaning a window

1. Squeegee

Talk about a little thing that makes a big difference! You may think having a squeegee in your RV would be to clean your windshield, but it’s not. Instead, use it to remove as much moisture as you can from your shower to help keep it clean and prevent nasty, bad-smelling mold from growing. If it’s humid and you’ve got condensation building up on the inside of your RV windows, a squeegee can help to remove that moisture too.

2. Laundry Pod

Many RV parks have laundry rooms, but they’re never free, and they’re always crowded. You need a stash of quarters to get your clothes clean, and you often have to wait until a washing machine becomes available. To put your laundry needs under your own control (and wash your clothes using less water), consider investing in a Laundry Pod.

More than a mere RV gadget, the Laundry Pod allows you to wash your clothes anywhere there’s a few gallons of water. It can be found on many home goods retail sites for under a hundred bucks. As a bonus, when RV season is over, you can use your Laundry Pod in your home as a water-saving solution for smaller loads of laundry.

3. Hand-held Vacuum

It can be hard to maneuver a full-sized vacuum through smaller RVs, and unless your big vac comes with a bevy of attachments, you won’t be able to clean in the crevices of your furniture and get in the corners. A compact hand-held vacuum can clean floors, benches, seats, and just about anything else! Get a higher-quality one with a telescoping handle, and you’ll even be able to clean your ceiling vents.

an insulated French press

4. Insulated French Press

Coffee is a must first thing in the morning, but in a cramped RV kitchen, you’re always short on counter space. A stand-alone coffee maker is a great appliance at home, but for RVing, a more compact solution is best. An insulated French press is not only small and easy to use, but many coffee aficionados agree that it makes the best coffee. (In fact, you may find that you want to use one at home and ditch your big coffee pot.) Just add boiling water, stir the grounds, press them down, and you’ve got a great cup of joe. Insulated models keep your java hot long after breakfast is over, and unlike glass carafe presses, they won’t break at an inopportune time (or ever, really).

5. Slow Cooker

We know — when you’re camping, you love to grill and cook over an open fire. That’s fine, but some days, when you get back to your rig after a long day of outdoor adventure and fun, you’re just too tired to cook. Wouldn’t it be nice to just come back to a hot meal? Here’s where your slow cooker comes in. Toss your ingredients in before you head out in the morning, set it on low, and while you’re out having fun, your slow cooker is creating hearty nourishment for your return. And of course, a slow cooker is more than an RV gadget — it’s a favorite appliance in most homes as well.

6. Mini Solar Charger

A true must-have RV gadget if you’re boondocking or staying in parks with limited hookups, a mini solar charger can help keep your necessary devices juiced up.

7. Wireless Weather Station

Whether you’ve got a fun day or a driving day ahead of you, it’s always helpful to know what conditions are like outside. A wireless weather station can give you all the information you need to plan. It’s a fun RV gadget to hang by the door or in the general living space

8. RV GPS

An ordinary GPS may be able to tell you the fastest route when you’re driving in a car, but RVs have specific road needs. If you take more than one or two trips in your RV each year, a GPS that directs you on more scenic routes that are safe for high-profile vehicles and shows you good places to stop for the night. Bigger navigation companies like Garmin and Tom Tom make awesome RV GPS models.

9. Mobile Wifi Hotspot

Another must-have for RVers who work remotely, a mobile wifi hotspot is the RV gadget that will keep you connected to the outside world.

What Gadgets Do You Love?

We’ve given you a list of RV gadgets that we like, but gadget preference is a highly personal topic. The gadget that works well for one person may seem like a waste of valuable RV storage space to another. What are your favorite RV gadgets, and why? Tell us in the comments!

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