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3 Space-Saving Collapsible Kitchen Products Ideal For RV Living.

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

I live full-time in an 25-foot RV and I like to cook.

In fact, I cook a lot.

More often than not, I make three meals a day in my RV. These aren’t the kind of meals that come from a box, or get pulled out of the freezer and heated in the microwave either.

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See Also: 4 Secrets of Successful RV Cooking

I cook the same kinds of meals that I used to make back in my sticks n’ bricks home. I make casseroles, roasts, homemade pizza, sauces from scratch, hearty soups, and all sorts of baked goods.

All that cooking requires a variety of kitchen tools, and all those tools take up a lot of room in my tiny house.

Besides my obsessiveness about organization, collapsible cooking products allow me to save space and minimize kitchen clutter.

Here are a few of my favorites:

1.) MIU France Collapsible Silicone Colander

MIU France Collapsible Silicon Colander
Amanda Watson

There are a variety of collapsible colanders on the market. Some come with a single handle, some are made entirely of silicone, and some, like this one, are made from a combo of silicone and stainless steel. These silicone and steel models provide a sturdy product that collapses down nearly flat.

I use my collapsible colander almost everyday. I use it for rinsing canned beans, straining pasta, and washing berries and cut up veggies.

Pros:

  • Large enough to drain a full pot of pasta, but small enough so that when it collapses I can easily fit it in my cupboard.
  • Enough holes in both the bottom and sides to properly drain water.
  • Unlike some of the all silicon models, will not collapse in on itself when you pour in a heavy pot of boiling water.
  • According to the manufacturer is dishwasher safe (I have not tested this as I don’t have a dishwasher).

Cons:

  • The metal handles get hot from the steam when you drain boiling water.

Click here to order the MIU France Collapsible Silicone Colander

2.) Prepworks from Progressive 3-Quart Salad Spinner

Prepworks salad spinner
Amanda Watson

Some people might consider a salad spinner as an unnecessary luxury for an RV. But for those of us who enjoy eating fresh greens year-round, it’s an absolute necessity.

Long ago I had a giant bulky salad spinner that took up nearly an entire shelf in one of my kitchen cabinets.

When we purged our stuff and moved into an RV full-time, I knew the salad spinner either had to go, or I needed to find a better option.

Thankfully I found the Collapsible Salad Spinner.

This handy kitchen tool collapses down to only a few inches tall for storage. The 3-quart size is large enough to wash and dry a small head of lettuce or bunch of greens.

My usual method is to chop and wash all my greens soon after purchasing them. I then store the greens in a ziplock bag for easy consumption. The salad spinner makes this process quick and easy.

Pros:

  • Spins with a handle instead of a string, which means no need to worry about breakage.
  • Non-slip bottom keeps the bowl in place even during the most vigorous spinning.
  • Remove the interior basket and the exterior bowl doubles as a serving dish.
  • Light weight and compact making it perfect for an RV.

Cons:

  • If the bowl was a bit larger it could wash an entire large bunch of lettuce.

Click here to read more about the Prepworks collapsible salad spinner.

3.) Collapsible Measuring Cups

Collapsible Measuring Cups
Amanda Watson

Since I like to try new recipes and make baked goods, I use my measuring cups a lot. Most sets of traditional plastic or metal measuring cups nest inside each other, and only take up as much room as the largest size.

You might think the normal nesting measuring cups are great for RV life, but when your entire house is only around 200 sq. ft, saving even a tiny bit of space makes a big difference.

My set of collapsible measuring cups collapse flat, and when I stack then on top of each other only measure 2.5” tall. That means I can store them in one of my short drawers without a problem.

Pros:

  • Easily collapse with one hand simply by pushing them down on a hard surface.
  • Includes a hole in the handle for hanging
  • Non-stick surface great for measuring sticky items
  • Microwave safe and can withstand temps up to 400-degrees.

Cons:

  • Food sometimes gets caught in the ridges, so you have to be careful when washing.

Check out several different types of highly-rated collapsible measuring cups here.

Conclusion

Collapsible kitchen products are perfect for an RV kitchen.

They’re made of lightweight materials, study enough for everyday use, and are able to withstand high heat in the microwave or dishwasher.

These little work horses are a must have for full-time or occasional RV living.

Most importantly, the collapsable feature means they take up a fraction of the space of traditional kitchen products.

Some other collapsible kitchen products for your consideration:




5 thoughts on “3 Space-Saving Collapsible Kitchen Products Ideal For RV Living.”

  1. Amanda/Eric – I have those exact measuring cups and I love them for the reasons stated…you can add they’re colorful and pretty too! 🙂 They also don’t get hot when measuring hot water. The con is correct too, but not a problem if you rinse it out right away. They’re great!

  2. I have tried various collapsible kitchen items to no avail. I travel with several bowls; nested inside each other (plus a rigid plastic colander) and that consumes less height than a matching set of three bowls collapsed. I find nesting takes up less space than stacked collapsible in every case including measuring cups. Depending on cupboard configuration, it is worth consideration.

  3. We use a very inexpensive and salad spinner that takes up virtually no space at all. Buy a small, white, net laundry bag with zipper- the kind used for washing small items like lingere (sold at the dollar store). Attach a 2-or 3- foot cord to the zipper. Put washed lettuce in bag, step outside, (you are camping, after all) grab end of cord, and swing it around . Anyone standing within a couple of feet will get a light misting.

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