Our Favorite RV Gadgets and Gizmos

When it comes to a successful RV camping experience, I find it is the little things that make the most difference… little tools, tips and gadgets which make the annoying things more bearable.

We have spent the past six years crisscrossing this country, camping in nearly every state and putting thousands of miles on our camper. We have put together a list of the RV gadgets and gizmos we never leave home without because they make our lives on the road that much better.

It is our hope you enjoy the list and get some inspiration for your own travels.

(Disclaimer: When we link to places you can buy our stuff or places we stayed, we are using special codes which earn us commissions on the sales at no additional cost to you. Please see our Review Policy  for more information.)

Updated August 2023

Freezer Packs

Unlike a lot of RV campers out there, we do not store our camper at a house, but rather in a storage lot. So, we are unable to plug in the camper to power before we leave on a camping trip. That means our fridge is typically downright hot when we start. We also don’t run the fridge when we pull the camper, mainly due to safety concerns.

So, how do we get the fridge cold in a reasonable amount of time? These amazing freezer packs. These are relatively inexpensive, are completely reusable and all but eliminate the need for ice when we camp, or just when we are putting things in a cooler at home.

We have two sets of them, one set of large and one set of medium. We are able to get the fridge cold and keep it cold even when we are not connected. That said, they need a freezer to re-freeze once used, so they have their limits. Still, we love them!

Tissue Holder

Bonnie and her tissues… Oh, she goes through a lot of them. We have them in the house, in the truck and, of course, in the camper.

The problem, as anyone who has a camper knows, is shelf space is always at a premium. There is simply never enough room in a bathroom, ever. This little gizmo sticks onto the wall, holds a square box of tissues and makes it easy for either of us to grab a tissue when we need one.

State Sticker Map

If your goal is to travel the US (like us), having a travel map to brag about where you have been is essential.

Seriously, though, it allows us to easily see where we have been in the camper and where we still need to go. We have plenty of destinations in mind and there are some great places we haven’t been to yet.

Yes, it is bragging, but it also sparks some great conversations with our neighbors at campgrounds all over the country. We ended up replacing our first sticker map because the sun was cooking it. Now, we have this really cool map with top sites from each state.

Pro tip: If you plan on putting any kind of sticker on your camper, putting them on the slides protects them from being cooked by the sun.

Scissor Jack Drill Adapter

This, in conjunction with a drill, is probably one of the best gadgets you will ever have if you have scissor jack stabilizers on your camper.

This attaches to the front of your drill and you can quickly raise or lower a stabilization jack in seconds. No hard work. No sweating.

I ran into one poor soul at the campground in Baker, NV who was lowering his jacks by hand in nearly 100-degree temps. I grabbed the drill and went over to help him, but upon closer inspection, his jacks did not have a drive nut. So, I couldn’t help him.

Pro tip: If you are getting a new camper, make sure the jacks have a drive nut and you get a drill adapter. If the jacks do not have a drive nut, ask the dealership to replace them with ones that do. It will save you a lot of time, sweat and frustration.

Ryobi ONE+ System

There are tons of brands of drills out there. Some are better than others, some are worse. I have used Ryobi tools as a consumer and as a technical theatre teacher for years. They are not the best tools out there, but they do the job well and are relatively inexpensive.

The ONE+ system from Ryobi creates a variety of products that run on their batteries.

I bought a drill to use with the drill adapter above. The battery and charger I got can also be used on the fan we got. This battery or cord-operated fan is perfect for getting a breeze when boondocking.

Cool, but what else can it do? Well, we now have a hand vac and a power inflator, all of which use the same battery. One charger, one battery type, multiple tools. There are also lights, radios and, of course, plenty of yard and shop tools available.

The other thing I like about them is that Home Depot is relatively easy to find just about anywhere. Need another battery? Easy enough to find a Home Depot on the road. I have included Amazon links for these items, but you can likely find them cheaper in the store.

Fan and Heater

A corded fan and a small space heater are two of the best investments you can make for your camper.

While the AC for our camper is outstanding, it is also loud, which makes it hard to sleep. A small fan allows us to keep the temperature relatively low while keeping a consistent breeze on us when sleeping. Yes, we presently have two fans… The one I have linked here and the Ryobi one above. The Ryobi one is good, but is a little louder than this one and does not have quite as many settings. Honestly, though, if I were to do it all over again, I would just get the Ryobi fan since it is more versatile.

We have a propane furnace in the RV and it does a very good job of keeping the camper warm, but the space heater is amazing for keeping the bed warm, which is the most important part. The other nice thing about the space heater is it works off electricity, meaning I am using a lot less propane to heat the camper when it is cold. We have since replaced ours with the one linked… Same brand, just an updated model.

Power Strip with USB Ports

If you are anything like us, you have a ton of devices that need power, many of which use a USB cable to power them.

I bought this power strip because it could charge both of our phones and iPads, as well as the Ryobi ONE+ battery and power the TV and Amazon Fire Stick I have for the entertainment center.

It has three of the newer USB-C ports along with three of the older USB-A ports, giving us a lot more flexibility in charging our devices along with increased power delivery for some of our updated devices.

One location in the camper for all of our charging needs. It works like a champ.

Nesting Mixing Bowls

Bonnie loves these nesting mixing bowls and measuring cups because they take up so little room. They are perfect for the limited amount of space in our kitchen area.

On our first big trip with the camper, we mistakenly thought we didn’t really need mixing bowls. Even though we typically are not baking, we now use these mixing bowls all the time to prepare a salad or marinade. Add in the measuring cups and spoons, strainer and colander and this set has everything you could possibly need in one small space.

Gloves

I keep two kinds of gloves in the camper: leather work gloves and nitrile disposable gloves.

The leather gloves are great for handling all of the heavy, dirty work associated with the hitch. They protect my hands from getting banged up by the hitch, putting in the sway bars, etc., as well as keeping them from getting greasy while working.

Especially when I was on blood thinners, these gloves have saved me some bloody minor cuts and really nasty-looking bruises.

The nitrile gloves are used when I am connecting and disconnecting the water and sewer connections. These keep things sanitary for me and for the water connection. I also use them to grease up the hitch and sway bar connections.

Sidewinder Sewer Hose Stand

I have a new appreciation for this particular device since our last trip. I saw a guy have to line up his camper with the sewer connection because his hose stand would not curve.

This thing curves very easily and slopes just enough to keep drainage from backing up.

Collapsible Hoses

I love this water hose. It seems a strange thing to say, but this hose is durable, easy to use and packs down to nothing.

I also use a different, cheaper collapsible hose for my sewer rinse and flush hose. Again, it is so easy to deal with.

Final Thoughts on RV Gadgets

We know these are not the end all, be all of RV gadgets, but these are the ones we love after six summers with the camper.

I would be completely remiss if I didn’t mention our new book, Moon USA RV Adventures! This is the book we wish we had when we hit the road for the first time. While not exactly a gadget, it definitely will save you time and effort on the road!

What are your favorite gadgets? Please let us know what you like for your camper. You might have a suggestion we’ve never thought of!

Looking for more RV Gear suggestions? Check out our guide on outfitting your new camper, inside and out!

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