Top 10 Must Have Caravan Accessories
Before we get onto caravan accessories, do these "top ten lists" annoy you as well? I see these lists all the time on the internet. Why just a quick google search now of top 10s gives me :
- Top 10 most dangerous world records
- Top 10 most dangerous internet challenges
You get the idea I'm sure and if you haven't left this page to find out exactly what the top 10 most dangerous whatever is, I'll continue with our, seemingly dull in comparison top ten....The top ten accessories that you simply must get when first owning a caravan. I'm speaking from personal experience here, your top ten might be different and possibly better. Leave comments if you have a mind to :-)
Top Ten Caravan Accessories
In no particular order, some of the must have caravan accessories - according to me...
Electricity cable
Electric hook up cable. Who wants to sit around in the dark? Modern day caravans have a lot of home comforts and we love home comforts. Everything from fridges to microwaves, we cramp more in than out European counterparts. I actually think this is because of our weather and we tend to probably spend more time in the caravan than someone from a country with a better climate - that'll be just about everyone then.. Oh and be sure to get a 25 metre one like the ones listed below.[amazon box = B01CMKOBX2,B00C1G8EOK]
Fresh Water Carrier
AKA Aquaroll. I'm assuming you'll want to make a cup of tea at some point! Failing that you'll at least want a wash? You'll need some sort of water container. You can just use a Jerry Can, but most use something like an Aquaroll, or a WaterHog. These are plastic drum like water containers designed to be rolled (as when full they're quite heavy.) Simply connect it up to your caravan, using a connector supplied. Here's a selection from Amazon, to enable you to check the prices.[amazon box = B000X173AQ,B00L4WUEEU,B072NBGN1H,B015I2QX3C,B00CMQXHHS]
Waste Container
Once you're done using that water, where is it going to go? A caravan isn't plumped into the mains drainage, everything that comes out has to be directed somewhere. The great solution caravan designs have come up with is a plastic container that catches all the waste. You then drag it along to a special drain point and pour it away. You'll be pleased to know that human waste is dealt with in a much more controlled manner. Sort of. A pipe connects to the caravan, actually 2, one for the bathroom and one for the kitchen waste. The other end on the pipe goes to the waste container. Boom. Waste out of site, but not quite out of mind. All you need can be found on Amazon, and other places of course. Listed here as a handy reminder. I'm not sure of the name of the waste container we use but it's black with red caps, we also have a double drain-away, which attaches to both sink and bathroom waste pipes, meaning you only have one pipe going into your waste, not two. Very good indeed..[amazon box = B00KMR4I1I,B00DXJBTVO,B07B2DT64W,B01MST0S81,B000X1B0YQ,B00N50ROME]
Towing Mirrors
A legal requirement, these attach to your existing car wing mirrors and give you the width you need to see down the sides of the caravan. We use Milenco Aero 3 mirrors.[amazon box = B0716K5LRW,B008DUU7EI,B0038MIDZ6]
Hitch Lock
A lock which attaches to the handle on the Alko A frame. This prevents anyone from towing the van away. Easy to fit, this is the lock I use myself. The seem expensive, but they're really good product. Use this in conjunction with an axle lock for more peace of mind. We use the one shown below.[amazon box = B00BCY5XG4]
Gas Bottle
Unless you're the type of person who likes to either eat out of have takeaways then this is an essential piece of equipment. They do come in various sizes and various makes. Best find out which is compatible with your caravan prior to purchasing. They are usually difficult to buy online.
Caravan Step
Caravans are quote high of the ground and getting in and out is impossible without a step. Not much to say here, they're just very useful. I prefer the big plastic double steps as pictured below. We use the larger black plastic double step. It's surprisingly wide and sturdy.[amazon box = B00GYW0UAI,B00B8TTXPA,B076CNN54N]
Kettle
You can boil the water using a saucepan of the gas hob if you like, but why would you? Kettles are as cheap as chips and you don't need a specific caravan type. We've actually purchased a "Caravan Kettle" from Aldi, one of their specials.[amazon box = B004NO873Q,B01B7QRS8C,B011P4FHAC]
TV
Ok, maybe not essential, but the very first time we went in our caravan, the next day I went out and bought a cheap TV. We were very disappointed in ourselves, but you simply have to have a TV. There are specific caravan TV's that can run on 12v. We do have one, but we use a slightly bigger normal TV. Best try and get one that's as light as possible. No recommendations here, but Avtex position themselves as a specialist TV manufacturer for caravans and motorhomes, just FYI. We've just bought a cheap TV from Tesco.[amazon box = B01KZOQLB2,B01BI6A6VW,B077YNQPC3,B008I0QMJW,B010B879ZO,B00NGL51XG]
Camel's Feet
Camel's what? There are plastic pads that go onto your stays and make the caravan more stable on grass. They are meant to act like a Camel's foot does when walking in sand, it redistributes the weight. I don't know, I do have some though and I leave them on the caravan they do the job. We have Milenco Stacka feet.[amazon box = B008R7V88G,B003H5QED2,B005JZJ9BM,B0761VZ1Y9,B01LB12694,B00BIFB2IK]There you are, that will keep you busy and make you poorer I'm sure. But once you have these things you can start looking at the "Caravanning big ticket items" like an awning...Happy Caravanning....* Full disclosure - text links are Amazon affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase from Amazon we receive as small amount of commission, you will not be charged more. The same is true of the "Products from Amazon sections" It will hopefully, eventually, pay towards the cost of the website. Many thanks.