Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

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Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

February 15, 2014, 02:55:39 pm

Having admired foretravel, the build and quality, the same admiration is not shared with the cook. "how do people make diner with two burners, I use 3? How do they make yorkshire pudding without an oven? How difficult would it be to have an oven put in one of those? Would there be any counter space left? Is there enough counter space to begin with, it is hard to tell from the pictures?

I lean toward late 90's U320. The navigator and cook would give that up for a slide, oven and counter space. (help)

I would be moving from an 86 37' cross country tag axle, which has been a very good coach since 94 and 150,000 miles.

To give an example of comparisons; a one or two slide 40' American Eagle 2001 /02

Thanks in advance for any comments, advice etc. Tom

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #1 – February 15, 2014, 03:37:24 pm

We pulled our stove and are using an induction stove now. It works great. no oven but the convection oven works but there are ovens in Foretravels from time to time and they can probably remod one in for you. We have cooked a full Thanksgiving dinner in there. I will say that the convection over takes some getting used to and it is not a standard oven.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #2 – February 15, 2014, 04:36:23 pm

Seems the more the coach costs the less there is to cook in or on. We sort of miss our oven and 4 burner and never used the convection option on the micro wave. Now we only have 3 burners, but have learned to use the convection part of the micro wave.

But we will never live down having my 85 year old mom that cooks a lot, with us for 3 weeks and we never lit a burner. Crock pot, convection, or micro wave the whole time. We did a lot of eating out, and brought home leftovers as well instead. She said we were "eating my inheritance".

We do carry a 2 burner electric stove for picnic table top use, along with a BBQ and use them a lot in the warmer weather. Our counter space works well, even with two of us getting breakfast or lunch together. You don't have to travel very far to get anything!

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #3 – February 15, 2014, 05:43:37 pm

Google says you can buy the coach of your choice, no need for a conventional oven.

how to make Yorkshire pudding in a convection oven

Yorkshire Puddings

Yes the only thing is you need to heat the oven up for a few minutes before you put them in. I have a Panasonic combi and it works good but you have to keep the puddings low in the oven to stop the tops burning. Also, they have to be in microwave dishes not foil

Most who buy a late 90's are happy with them, so now go find your dream.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #4 – February 15, 2014, 05:53:30 pm

My wife missed her oven/range, so we ordered one from Atwood. Modified the stovetop cabinet and installed it. Gave up some lower drawers. Meals out of the oven are great and chief cook is happy.

Al & Sue
(on the road in Ajo)

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #5 – February 15, 2014, 06:56:43 pm

The combo oven and four burner old magic chef units burner output was not high enough to bring a large pot to boil. I have had to straddle two burners or heat the big pot on the barbecue out of doors . The gaggenau for sure puts out more btu's by far.

Would be tempted to add a countertop oven myself which unfortunately would need to be electric and stored when not needed.

Bob

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #6 – February 15, 2014, 07:18:19 pm

We took out our splendide washer dryer as we did not use it very much and I built shelves in the cabinet and my wife bought a commercial type oven that runs on 120 volts and she loves it and it bakes very well.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #7 – February 16, 2014, 01:33:49 pm

We think the convection oven works very well. We have an outdoor grill that gets a lot of use. We also have an electric tea kettle mostly for heating water much faster than the stove top and it usually frees up a burner.

Amazon.com: Aroma AWK-115S Hot H20 X-Press 1-1/2-Liter Cordless Water Kettle:

Sometimes you have to get a bit creative to make what you want. Do the best with what you have. Almost anything is possible with what comes in a Foretravel.

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #8 – February 16, 2014, 01:43:23 pm

We like having a regular oven rather than using the convection oven, so we carry a Camp Chef propane outdoor stove/oven combo for times we want to roast a chicken or bake something larger than will fit in the electric toaster oven we have inside. On hot days it's especially nice to be able to bake outside without heating up the motorhome!

Amazon.com: Camp Chef Camping Outdoor Oven with 2 Burner Camping Stove: Kitchen

Tys and Don

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #9 – February 16, 2014, 02:36:47 pm

I have a set of cast iron pot's, 6 inch to 14 inch.
Use charcoal.
Cook rib's, beef roast's, pork roast's, pork chops and chili & beans, beans and much much more.
Just takes time, but then that's what I have most of now.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #10 – February 16, 2014, 02:40:38 pm

Quote from: Bill Chaplin – February 16, 2014, 02:36:47 pm

I have a set of cast iron pot's, 6 inch to 14 inch.
Use charcoal.
Cook rib's, beef roast's, pork roast's, pork chops and chili & beans, beans and much much more.
Just takes time, but then that's what I have most of now.

And what a nice job those pots do when the cook knows what he is doing.

Roland

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #11 – February 16, 2014, 04:35:28 pm

We are on our fourth Foretravel. The U280 had a gas oven and a dishwasher. Seems like we used the oven once for something.

As for the cooktop it must be under the movable panel the coffee maker sits on. Hmmm. We may try it someday.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #12 – February 16, 2014, 07:28:57 pm

Last night I baked a pizza in my U300's Magic Chef gas oven and it made my coach smell wonderful while warming it up of course. I'm baking some chicken breast patties right now for chicken sandwiches. Usually I toast the buns on the gas stove top burner with a modified metal toaster designed for a Coleman stove but tonight I decided not to toast the buns. Earlier today I made coffee in an old fashioned percolator on the gas stove top burner... and some hot chocolate too... and sometimes I heat up water with it when I don't want to start my gas water heater... How come these newer coaches don't have a four burner gas range with a gas oven like my 1991 coach? It would be a deal breaker for me if the coach didn't have a gas stove with a gas oven, and a gas refrigerator, water heater, furnace. I like gas appliances and the fact that they use so little power when I'm on batteries like I was last week when I camped out in the parking lot at work during the snow storm.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #13 – February 16, 2014, 09:50:00 pm

Yum! I think I want to do more traveling with Bill and Jo! I don't need no stinkin' oven if I keep their glasses filled.

We don't cook much at home or on the road. We do well with an electric waffle iron, toaster oven, the OEM microwave/convection oven, and four burner propane stove. One burner would probably be enough for us.

After reading this thread, I think I'd be interested in testing the products of some of you gourmets.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #14 – February 17, 2014, 11:08:24 am

Good answers all. Interesting no one has thought the counter space compromised. We have been at this a long time and find we have slipped into full timing. We enjoy it, and some of the children are filling the house. The weber grill and George Forman (sp) oven are at hand. Crock pot and deep fryer are also along for the ride. The cast iron dutch oven and the rest of the set are on my boat, too heavy for this machine and the cook.

Cooking for 2 is one thing, Mum likes to cook in here for everyone. Many times 8 or more. We do it now in 1/2 the space of a FT galley, albeit the coffee maker is an original space saver and the blender built in.

i'm satisfied from the information above, an oven modification may be made without too much trouble.

Look at it this way, I do not see any compromise with the drive line and build/features. The wife looks there and poof, no oven and a "second thought" galley. (compared to the rest of the unit) Thanks again, Tom 86 Sportscoach crosscountry.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #15 – February 17, 2014, 11:22:14 am

Quote from: crosscountry – February 17, 2014, 11:08:24 am

Look at it this way, I do not see any compromise with the drive line and build/features. The wife looks there and poof, no oven and a "second thought" galley. (compared to the rest of the unit)

Tom,

I'm also one who cooks all our meals in/around the FT. I have even done canning in our coach. The 2-burner cooktop is a big limitation (not enough room for 2 large pans at the same time), but the portable induction hob that John S. carries is a good idea (I think someone else here uses one as well) as long as you have magnetic stainless or cast iron cookware.

The microwave in nearly all FT (certainly recent years) also functions as a convection oven. You treat it like a regular oven (it basically is, just with the addition of air circulation) - preheat then bake/roast however long your recipe calls for (I have never found the need to adjust the time/temperature of a recipe). The Sharp series have a turntable-off setting so you can do larger pans (up to a 13" pizza pan or a casserole dish). The older Advantium (a GE convection/micro with an added "speedbake" quartz lamp mode) cannot turn off the turntable so they can be a challenge for larger pans. The newer Advantiums (released last year) have 2 metal racks so you can even do 2 9x13 pans on bake (not on speedbake or microwave) if so inclined and not worry about the turntable.

Michelle

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #16 – February 17, 2014, 11:55:36 am

Don, thanks for reminding me about that oven you gave link on. We liked yours when we were in Dallas and Ruth asked me to order it and I forgot. I have now ordered it.
JohnH

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #17 – February 17, 2014, 11:57:29 am

We'll be trying out cooking in the coach next week. Somewhere along the line one of the previous owners replaced the microwave with a Whirlpool unit. I don't think it is a convection unit, but we do have the four-burner stove and oven. Jo Ann's pizza stone just fits in the oven. We're taking along the juicer and her Kitchenaide mixer. I don't know for sure where they will live while traveling, but the juicer will be out on the counter every morning. Of course the Bunn coffeemaker will go with us, and it will be out all the time. It will probably have to ride in the sink on travel days, though.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #18 – February 17, 2014, 10:16:34 pm

We always leave our coffee maker on the counter when we go down the road ... should be no problem. Same thing when we traveled with a juicer. They don't seem to go anywhere ... unless you have to make an emergency panic stop! Now ... a Kitchenaide would be a flying missile that I might want to avoid.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #19 – February 18, 2014, 04:52:13 am

We have a portable Berghoff induction hob that gets used in place of the gas cooktop almost all the time.

It lives in a drawer (saves counter space) and gets pulled out when it's time to cook. We like the idea of having the gas burners as well as the electric (flexibility...), but really only use the electric. It would be nice to have two burners, so we will probably replace the gas cooktop with a dual induction stove.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #20 – February 18, 2014, 05:51:01 am

We pulled the gas altogether. Built a drawer and put the induction stove in. It also holds pans too. We have a single burner one in there now have a double as well but decided not to install that and store it away. Gave us lots of counter space. We also pulled the sink and put in a single bowl stainless. That little short second bowl took up space and we have the same use but more space. We Velcro down the coffee maker too a kurig. Works great and we have twice the space.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #21 – February 21, 2014, 11:05:47 am

...so all of you folks crank up your diesel gensets every time you wanna cook something? ...or you stay plugged in all the time? ...just curious ...(starting up old fashioned gas stove with percolator on the burner)

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #22 – February 22, 2014, 07:53:43 am

If I understand induction cooking, you must use pots and pans that have a special type of bottom with the heating coil in them. Is that correct?

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #23 – February 22, 2014, 09:19:09 am

No, the pans just have to be metal that is magnetic. Scott, I have no problem starting the generator as that is what it is for. So yes if we are going to cook a while I start it up. I also start it in the morning to bulk charge the batteries after the night especially if we are driving. I like having no propane onboard too. It is not a big issue to start and it is quiet too.

Re: Gas ovens/stove tops and counter space

Reply #24 – February 22, 2014, 09:19:41 am

Oh and in the summer I will run it all the time for AC too.

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