The Essential Kitchen Accessories Guide For Your Van Life Kitchen

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A van kitchen can sometimes be a bit limited compared to what you can do in a house. The biggest challenge being the lack of storage space and sometimes the electricity. Check out my list below for essential van life kitchen accessories you can’t live without and leave me a comment if you think I’ve missed something!

Here is a list of some of my absolute favorite van kitchen accessories. In the end you’ll also find a check list to make sure you’ll have everything you need in your on the road kitchen.

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1. Whistling Stove Top Kettle

This is a must, even if you are not avid tea or coffee drinker! Kettle won’t only boil your tea water quicker, it also heats the water for your hot water bottle (one of the best ways to stay warm in bed in a van!) and helps warming up your dish water if you don’t have a water heater. If you are having a scrub with a bucketful from cold river, it feels great to add some hot water there too….

When we were camping in New Zealand, I saw so many people heating their water on a hob in a pot with no lid. This is such a waste of time and gas, save yourself from the hassle and get a kettle!

Find me on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE

2. Camping Toaster

Unfortunately electric toaster is not always an option even for those van dwellers who have leisure batteries in their vans. Admittingly there are some low wattage 12v toasters for sale in camping stores nowadays but they can be quite expensive and pretty slow.

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This is a camping toaster you can use on your gas hob and which we used and loved.

Shop the toaster on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE

3. Cutting boards

An everyday essential to every kitchen! Although this is where different van lifers have different opinion on what is the best option. You’ll find some people recommending flexible, plastic cutting boards as they are light, easy to store and they bend into the sink – and whilst I agree, I would also buy a hard one that covers the sink and therefore gives you more counter space!

You’ll find the wooden one on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE
and plastic ones US | CA | UK | DE

Or this one looks pretty cool, a wooden one in which you can store all your plastic ones inside!

US | CA | UK | DE

4. A good knife

And this is all you really need. When you are short on space, one quality knife is handy and will last you a long time.

US | CA | UK | DE

5. Non-stick pan

Again, a good quality pan will save you from loads of trouble. As you need to be careful with your water resources, the easier to do the dishes the better! These ones you can just wipe down and they shine like new.

US | CA | UK | DE (similar)

6. Durable Crockery

Durable and preferably silent crockery! If you have bought porcelain plates and metallic cutlery and you start your first drive over some countryside roads you will know what I mean…. It is an uncomfortable feeling to be listening your stuff rattling and sliding all over the place while you are driving. Also sometimes cupboard doors open, things been forgotten to put back…. picking up broken porcelain and glass in a van is not fun, believe me. (How on earth does it get everywhere?!)

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Luckily there are some great options out there to avoid this. Check out bamboo, melamine, BVA-free plastic and enamel.

Bamboo set on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE (similar)
Enamelware on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE

Absolutely love these prints on these melamine sets:

Blue flower set on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE
Green palm leaves on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE
White set on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE
Wood grain set on Amazon US | CA | UK (similar) | DE (not available)
Marble set on Amazon US | CA (granite pattern set here) | UK | DE (not available)
Blue set on the bottom right on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE

These cool glasses look like the real deal but are in fact made of plastic.

Tumblers you will find US | CA | UK | DE (similar) and
wine glasses on US | CA | UK | DE (similar)

Or if you are like me and unable to drink your wine from a plastic cup (not snobby, just doesn’t feel right! 😉 ) the MotorHome – magazine had a handy tip – use a fishing rod rack to hang them up!

7. All things collapsible

These are amazing when you are short on space. Everything from a colander to a washing bowl, drying rack to food containers, you can make sure all you need is with you.

Storage tip: Use magazine holders to keep them tidy in your cupboards.

These are handy, they work both as storage containers as well as prepping bowls!
Find these on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE (similar)

Just for some extra storage. US | CA | UK | DE (similar)

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This one is a basket, washing bowl and a cutting board, 3-in-1.
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This collapsible drying rack is easy to store away when not needed.
US | CA | UK | DE

Even some smaller items can be even smaller like these measuring cups, strainer and the funnels.
Measuring cups US | CA | UK | DE
Strainer and the funnels US | CA | UK | DE

8. Manual food processor

This handy food processor lets you chop, prepare, blend and pure your ingredients without electricity.

Find me on Amazon US | CA | UK | DE

9. Omnia oven

This one is a classic! If you don’t have an oven in your van, this one is a great option. You can use it on any kind of stove top, including gas, electric, kerosene, camp stove or a grill.