I’m relatively new to the RV scene, but there are some things I will probably never understand. Over-the-top awning lights. Yard decorations. Setting up an Invisible Fence at a campsite for a dog (true story: saw it being used for a little terrier in a private campground outside Custer, SD). The list goes on.

One recent design trend that I really don’t get is outdoor kitchens. Here are two examples among many that we saw at the Minneapolis/St. Paul RV, Vacation & Camping Show a little over a week ago:

So here’s the deal: on these models and a couple of others I paced off the distance between the outdoor kitchen and the kitchen inside the trailer.  In all cases it was between 12 and 14 steps.

Seriously folks: it’s too much to walk a dozen steps to grab a beverage out of the fridge inside the trailer, or wash your hands, or pop something into the microwave? Not only that, but is it really worth all the extra weight and the interior space you’re giving up just to save 12 steps?

The only feature I could see being worthwhile would be an exterior stove if you’re cooking something smelly, like fish, or if you don’t want the added heat inside the trailer. But there are plenty of options for exterior stoves, including a simple Coleman camp stove that you keep in the trailer.

Outdoor kitchens are one design trend that I JUST DON’T GET, and likely never will. Maybe that means I’ll always be a newbilly.