Must Have RV Accessories You Will Actually Use

When we bought our Rv we had no idea that the Rv essentials did not come with the Rv itself. It seems like common sense when looking back on it. However, just because you picked up your Rv doesn’t mean you’re ready to hit the road. There are some must-have Rv accessories you’ll need to purchase prior to that first trip. 

Not only are these must-have RV accessories, but they are accessories you will actually use on your RV adventures. Use the links below to learn more, and purchase these essential items.

The links are all Amazon Affiliate links and can earn us a small commission.

 Emptying the holding tanks is not the most glorious part of Rv living. However, it is a necessary evil. 

Without a sewer hose, you are unable to get rid of all the stuff going down the toilet, and all the other drains.

When buying a sewer hose it is important to get the right one. A weak, or poorly designed sewer hose can have horrible consequences when emptying the septic tank. This is not an area we recommend trying to save money on! 

We recommended the Camco RhinoFLEX Septic Hose. This is a strong hose with sturdy connections. It also collapses into a shorter length for easy storage.

We have also learned that good sewer hose supports are also extremely helpful. This allows gravity to be your friend when dumping the tanks. Otherwise, the weight of the contents will hold the hose on the ground, and all the contents won’t properly drain. 

One of the benefits of an Rv is that you have your own bathroom to use. However, unlike the traditional bathroom at home, the Rv bathroom needs to be maintained regularly in order for it to work properly. Using a good holding tank treatment in the black (septic) tank will help keep odors down, and allow the tank to empty properly without any issues.

There are many different holding tank treatments on the market to choose from. The one we use and recommend is Valterra’s Odorlos products.  Odorlos helps break down waste and tissue, lubricates valves, and speeds up the natural composting process.

When RVing being able to supply water is necessary. The holding tank is limited, and eventually, you will need to connect to a water supply.

It is important to understand there is a difference between a drinking water hose, and a regular garden hose. The normal garden hose is not rated, or designed for drinking, and can release toxic chemicals into the drinking water.

When looking for a water hose for the Rv it is important to buy one that is rated for drinking, or portable water.

It won’t take long for an Rv traveler to learn that water pressures vary from campground to campground. The plumbing in many Rvs is not as strong as the plumbing in your home. Therefore, it is susceptible to problems if the pressure coming in is too high. To prevent a failure in the pipes, and plumbing, an inline regulator is necessary.

With our Rv, we use the Valterra RV Hi-Flow Water Regulator. This is a simple regulator that easily screws onto the water spigot and then connects to the drinking hose. It regulates that water pressure to between 50-55 psi. This is the ideal water pressure to help prevent problems according to many Rv experts.

You will find out quickly that many campsites are not level. If your Rv, like ours, does not have a self-leveling system you will certainly want some leveling blocks.

In many RVs, the refrigerator may fail to function properly if not level over a period of time. In addition, living in a place that leans to one side or the other can certainly create some annoyance.

We use the Camco Yellow Drive On the Tri-Leveler leveling block. These are simple blocks that are placed under the wheels, and you drive up onto them until you level out.

Some would argue this is a necessity, and they would not be wrong. All though most RVs come with a stovetop, and oven nothing beats cooking outside. Over the past five years, we have tried a few different options. Any Rv owner knows that storage is limited, and you need to find a small, compact cooking surface.

Our first choice was a folding Coleman Propane Grill. These work great, and you can cook most meals on them.

The Royal Gourmet Gas Griddle however was a game-changer for us. It is small, compact, and cooks great! There is nothing you can’t cook on this blacktop griddle.

The goal of camping and Rv travel is to get away and relax. There is no better way to relax, and bond with your family, than sitting around the campfire. Of course, this can be made even better by having relaxing chairs you can lean back in, and enjoy the time. There are thousands of chairs on the market, and we have tried many. The most comfortable that we have stuck with is the Zero Gravity Reclining Lounge Chairs.

These chairs are sturdy and comfortable. You can lean back in them, enjoy the campfire, and easily relax. Of course, they are not the easiest to store when storage is tight. We use a bike rack on the back of the Rv to strap the chairs down and take them with us.

One of the great benefits of RV camping is that you have a kitchen, and can prepare your own meals.  When it’s time to cook and prepare meals counter space is a necessity. In our small 24-foot RV counter space is also limited to non-existent.

Many of our meals are prepared outside on the grill, or campfire and having a table is necessary. Most sites have picnic tables, but not all. Having a good sturdy table is a necessity.

It is well known that storage space is limited in RVs. Therefore, a foldable table is almost always necessary.

We recommend a center folding, collapsible camping table. It is easy to set up, easy to clean, and easy to store.

A good dutch oven can be used to cook over the campfire. It limits the need to be inside the camper cooking and limits the number of dirty dishes from the cooking process.

There are many different types of dutch ovens on the market. We recommend a good dutch oven that is made of cast iron and had a tight-fitting lid. The dutch oven can be placed over the campfire and left for some time. We have found that the dutch oven brings people to gather around the fire. Not to mention the food cooked slowly over the campfire is delicious. Our favorite dutch oven recipe is campfire donuts.

 Conclusion

There is a lot that goes into an enjoyable Rv vacation. These 10 must-have RV accessories will help new Rv travelers accomplish this.

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