RVs With A Kitchen Island [Pros, Cons & 7 Examples]

Buying an RV with a kitchen island has become an increasingly more popular choice among rig owners. It's a familiar setup in larger RVs such as class A motorhomes, 5th wheel trailers, and travel trailers. Most smaller rigs don't have enough space for this particular feature.

There are several models of RVs and travel trailers that come with a kitchen island. This will depend on the size and design of your trailer. You may also be able to install one in the unit that you already own. 

This setup certainly has benefits but also provides some disadvantages. We'll go over both to ensure you're making the right decision about your next rig's interior design.

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Pros And Cons Of Having A Kitchen Island In An RV

People who choose an RV with this feature tend to spend a lot more time in the kitchen than others. This setup offers many advantages for this type of person. It's just a great feature to have and makes life in the kitchen more comfortable.

The obvious benefit of having a kitchen island is the additional counter space. As a result, you'll have more room for preparing meals. It makes creating home-cooked meals a much more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Kitchen islands come with additional storage areas, too, which makes them even more convenient. You can store kitchen equipment such as utensils, pots, pans, and much more. This setup makes life onboard your rig feel more open and less crowded.

Some kitchen islands even have a sink included for easy prep clean up and washing. It's a great way to avoid your prep materials adding onto your pile of unwashed dishes. You can instead wash them right away with your island's sink.

You use the island to provide a space for guests to hang out when dinner's being cooked. Set up some stools or chairs around it, and you can have a great conversation when making your meal. It's another way of entertaining your guests inside your rig.

But these islands do take up a lot of room inside your kitchen. At times, these features can make your kitchen area feel a little too cluttered. This issue is why these islands wouldn't be a smart addition to a smaller rig.

Having a kitchen island also means less room for more comfortable seating like dinette booths. You'll have to weigh whether you value meal prep space or comfortable seating more when making this decision.

But if you think having a kitchen island is worth it, we've compiled a list of some great RVs with this feature!

Motorhomes With Kitchen Islands

Our first two RVs will be motorhomes. These rigs contain their own engine and don't need a second vehicle to tow them during travel. This type tends to be what people think about first when imagining a recreational vehicle. But it's worth noting that each motorhome is grouped into one of three class: A, B, or C. Our examples will be class A motorhomes because they're the largest and have enough space for a kitchen island.

If you're curious about the differences between each class, this article should answer any questions. But for right now, let's get started and discuss our class A motorhome examples.

Winnebago Horizon 40A

The Winnebago Horizon 40A doesn't have a traditional kitchen island, but it does have a pull-out cabinet. This feature offers a kitchen island that you can retract back into your kitchen counter.  It will give you more than enough room to prepare your home-cooked meal.

Your guests will have a lot more room for comfortable seating with this type of kitchen island. This motorhome comes with a lounge chair right across from the pull-out cabinet. Plus, a dinette located right next to it for peak levels of comfort.

Click here to see more of the Winnebago Horizon 40A.

Forest River Berkshire XL 40C

Our next rig is another one that opts for the pull-out cabinet rather than a traditional kitchen island. You'll be able to prepare your meal with enough space and still have access to a fully loaded kitchen. Don't overlook it. It provides enough room for both a dinette and a sofa as well.

This setup offers the best of both worlds. You get most of the additional space provided by traditional island without it taking up as much room in your kitchen. Forest River also added in a fireplace to add a more cozy vibe in your RV's kitchen area.

Click here to see more of the Forest River Berkshire XL 40C. 

Travel Trailers With Kitchen Islands

Travel trailers are a little different than your classic motorhomes. These rigs don't have an engine and need towing from place to place. You'll need a secondary vehicle like an SUV or pickup truck to travel with this rig.

Your pickup truck or SUV will connect to the rig through a standard ball hitch. This setup provides a bit more flexibility and convenience than RVs with engines. After all, you can unhitch the tow vehicle and do tasks that would be a nuisance with a large motorhome.

Jay Flight Bungalow 40RLTS

The Jay Flight Bungalow 40RLTS has a traditional kitchen island with a full sink. It comes with storage areas within it for your pots, pans, and other kitchen equipment. The beautiful marble design doesn't hurt either and should get more than a few compliments from guests.

Jay Flight was smart to make the rig large enough for fitting both an island and a table. This setup should provide enough seating areas for your family or guests. It doesn't seem like the kitchen island's inclusion took away from any other features being added. This rig is fully-loaded.

Click here to see more of the Jay Flight Bungalow 40RLTS.

Dutchmen Aerolite 3303RL

Dutchmen's Aerolite 3303RL comes with a full kitchen island ready to meet your meal prep needs. But this aspect doesn't stop the rig from having many other kitchen features. You still get full dinette, fridge, stove, and overhead cabinets.

There's even more than enough space to walking around and ensure it never feels cluttered. This rig is another one that added in a fireplace to provide more coziness. What more could you possibly want from a travel trailer?

Click here to see more of the Dutchmen Aerolite 3303RL. 

5th Wheels With Kitchen Islands

 

5th wheel trailers have a lot of the same aspects as travel trailers. For instance, these rigs can't travel by themselves due to them lacking an engine. A secondary vehicle will be needed to tow them around during your travels.

But what makes these rigs different than travel trailer is the towing procedure. 5th wheels require using a unique 5th wheel hitch. This hitch allows the rig to sit right over your truck's bed. It ends up being a safer process than you'd encounter with a travel trailer.

This process allows for 5th wheels to carry more weight and be more substantial than a travel trailer. It's why you tend to see more traditional kitchen islands feature in these rigs than any other.

Crossroads RV Volante VL3851FL

Our first 5th wheel trailer features a kitchen island with a double sink. This feature would make cleaning up your prep area much more manageable. It has multiple storage drawers to store all your kitchen equipment with ease.

The rig has a large pantry right next to its kitchen island, as well. You shouldn't have any issues finding a space for everything within this kitchen. The large stove and wooden table are other excellent features offered inside this RV.

Click here to see more of the Crossroads RV Volante VL3851FL. 

Heartland Milestone 370FLMB

Heartland's Milestone 370FLMB comes with a kitchen that would be a dream for anyone who likes to cook. The kitchen island's made from beautiful marble and features a modern sink. There's also a stove, oven, and microwave.

It's a fully equipped kitchen ready to meet all your cooking needs. The rig even has a large fridge and various overhead cabinets. There isn't a single crucial aspect missing from this kitchen that an RV owner could want.

Click here to see more of the Heartland Milestone 370FLMB.

Forest River Cedar Creek Hathaway 38FBD

The Forest River Cedar Creek Hathaway 38FBD offers a unique kitchen island feature. You can ask for a dishwasher to be installed on the island. As you might imagine, this aspect would make it even more useful.

Don't overlook the table or power theatre seats, either. These two features should make life on your much more pleasant for everyone. Other great features offered in this kitchen are a fireplace, pantry, oven, and full fridge.

Click here to see more of the Forest River Cedar Creek Hathaway 38FBD.

Can I Install A Kitchen Island In My RV?

If you want a kitchen island and don't have the money for a new RV, it's possible to install one. But most RV owners find it more convenient to buy RV kitchen islands on wheels. A good example would be this product from Origami.

This device would remove any manual work or need for a long-term install project. You could instead roll the kitchen island in for meal prep and put it back into storage when you're done. It's a much simpler solution than installing an entire traditional kitchen island into your RV.

Thinking about adding more to your RV? Check out 12 Fun RV Accessories That Will Take Your Rig to The Next Level.