What's your favourite accessory?

[Mel B]

Abcheetham - 2014-07-13 6:51 PM

 

We've bought a 2008 Hymer A Class and are now contemplating what additions we'll buy or need. I'm thinking of a solar trickle charger and levellers, my wife is thinking about furniture and crockery etc. please share with me the best things you've bought, or acquired for your Motorhome

 

Instead of 'favourite' I'd be more inclined to ask what are the most 'vital' bits of kit people have taking into account how they use their MH/pvc etc. We have a panel van conversion (Autocruise Accent) so wild camp or use aires etc so don't go on campsites, we go away for up to 7 weeks at a time so for us the below is what we consider to be amongst our vital kit:

 

1. Refillable gas cylinder (Gaslow 11kg) - we wouldn't be able to take enough gas away with us for our trips otherwise.

 

2. Solar panel (75w) linked to 2 x 100 amp leisure batteries - we don't use hook-up etc so these ensure we have enough juice for our needs.

 

3. Satnav - Tomtom keeps us on the straight and narrow ... well most of the time!

 

4. Pressure cooker - saves fuel and takes up less space on the cooker (only have a 2 ring hob).

 

5. Hob top toasters - we have 2 types now, the folding wire/gauze one an a new one which is more like a thick aluminium disposable tray with gauze above it, the former is best for toast etc and the latter for warming stuff up like pain au chocolate and brioche.

 

6. Double skillet ... well it used to be ... but since I picked up a 'dry fry' type pan/oven at a car boot sale (the type with the raised centre with holes in which lets the heat directly into the pan), the double skillet (DS) has actually had very little use except as frying pans. Whether the DS will remain in the camper is moot at the moment.

 

7. Fiamma wind-out awning - it's not that long ago that I was considering removing our awning but we found that we actually used it a fair bit for our last holiday so it is staying on the van now.

 

What is best for you will be determined by how you intend to use your motorhome so you'll need to 'pick an choose' from what's been said on this thread and others.

[Abcheetham]

Herbie the Hymer already has the aforementioned awning attached :)

[candapack]

We really like our mattress toppers.

And as you have given your van the same name as The Love Bug, you might appreciate them too.

Lovely looking van by the way.

[StuartO]

We came to ove our dual control, two-zone electric blankets at home, so we bought a pair (of simpler ones) for our single beds in the MH.

 

They were a pain to fasten because unlike the ones at home which are part of a fitted mattress toper, they needed strings to tie them in place.

 

Despite using the MH in cold weather we failed to allow for the fact that we use heating in the MH at least ubtil bedtime when it's cold, so additional heating in the beds is not necessary. The MH electric blankets have been removed and given to a charity shop!

[HymerVan]

Forgot to mention our Duvalays.

Sleeping bag meets duvet meets memory foam mattress.

We bought the thinnest foam and lightest duvet (5 tog) in the range. This means they are not bulky and roll up like sleeping bags. En route they sit on the floor at the rear of the van and on site one each on the front seats. The light memory foam irons out any irregularities in the van cushions which make up the bed(s).

At bedtime they can be deployed in 30 secs literally.

Very useful and comfortable for our van and in cold weather we can substitute a heavier duvet from home. :-) :-)

[Rowan Lee]

Any and all of the above, but my very favourite accessory is our self levelling jacks. Press a button, down come the "feet", up goes the van and hey presto, level and absolutely solid. An expensive investment, yes, but the time we spend in the van, probably six months out of the year, has more than justified it. We can also lift one side, to change a wheel for example, or one end, to drain the tanks. Brill.