Keeping Up with Appliances

On the road, RVers rely on appliances - those conveniences that make it easier to cook, wash dishes and clothes and store food safely. Appliance manufacturers are constantly designing new features for their products, including those that go into recreational vehicles (RVs). Here are some of the latest.

Central Vacuum Systems

The latest central vacuum systems provide filters for cleaner air, as well as greater suction. The hose is lightweight and easy to use. Usually installed near the center of the RV, the hose will reach to either end of the interior by stretching from eight to 30 feet, floor to ceiling. Systems can be portable or permanent and do not require outside venting. These cleaners capture dust and dirt in a canister, making for cleaner air and interior furnishings. A system can be installed under a dinette seat, in a closet or in a storage bay. Attachments may be stored under a sofa or other out-of-sight place.

Dishwashers

The new compact dishwashers feature minimal noise and energy and water use. Up to five individual programs and a spray arm do the cleaning. Units can be freestanding or built in as a slide-out drawer.

Microwave/Convection Ovens

The latest technologies allow RVers to bake, brown, broil and crisp with microwave, convection, combination and broil options. Oven-quality food can be prepared in a fraction of the time it takes to cook in a regular oven. Microwaves offer sensor-controlled cooking and reheating functions that monitor humidity and automatically adjust cooking time. They are designed for road conditions, fixed mounting and proper venting to ensure safe operation.

RVs may arrive from the manufacturer with a microwave/convection oven, a two- or three-burner cooktop and/or a range with an oven already installed. Increasingly, the oven is an option because many RVers prefer to use that space for storage.

Refrigerator-Freezers

The latest offering in refrigerator-freezers is residential size with two or four doors (allowing access to a specific storage area while keeping cold air inside the other three areas), a platinum or black stainless steel exterior with in-door ice dispenser or a water dispenser with interior icemaker, and an automatic defroster with its own drain system. Some models have computerized self-diagnostics, giving service and performance information to the RVer or trained technician. They are energy efficient, with an alarm that sounds when the door is ajar and an interior light that turns itself off after two minutes if the door is left open. Many RV manufacturers include these features as standard.

Adaptable for RVs of all sizes, refrigerators can be portable or built-in and range from 1.7 cubic feet to 12 cubic feet of interior volume. RV refrigerators cost more than residential ones because the RV model must handle road vibrations, extreme outdoor temperatures and other elements of nature. They must be able to work on two- or three-way power such as 110-volt AC, LP gas and 12-volt DC. While their working systems are simlar, the home refrigerator uses a compressor and the RV refrigerator uses a gravity-fed evaporator.

Washer-Dryers

The latest washer-dryers provide better and gentler washing, increased load capacities, higher spin speeds, quieter dry cycles and more energy and water savings than before. RVers enjoy the convenience, security and privacy of doing laundry in their own vehicle. Increasingly, RVers are ordering or installing washer-dryers in their units. They have the option of later installing either a combination washer and dryer as a one-piece unit or a washer and dryer stacked one above the other in a two-piece unit. The combination unit is available in 1.5 cubic feet or 1.92 cubic feet (which does not fit in every RV).

The combination washer-dryer in the RV operates on 115 volts rather than the 220 volts used by residential dryers; therefore, drying takes longer. Instead of washing several large loads of laundry weekly as they do at home, RVers learn to launder smaller loads every day or so.

In addition to these appliances, RVers may now opt for trash compactors that save space, freezers in the RV's basement, docking stations for portable coolers and exterior, fold-out barbecue grills. Often taken for granted, appliances make life on the road easier for RVers every day.