How many gas rings?

hextal

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Just about to build the kitchen for my van. Was originally intending to install either a 4 or possibly 3 ring hob, but the more I think about it, the more I think that a 2 burner hob will probably be fine for most things i'd be looking to cook. I only really use more than 2 rings at home if its a full roast or a party of some kind.

Any words of wisdom from you guys before I part with my money and instantly regret it?
 
We very rarely use more than 2 rings, but we do use the oven a lot as well in the van.

If you are installing an oven as well, you will find I'm sure that roasted vegetables such as carrots are really nice and so can cook with the meat in the oven.
 
I put in 4 rings because my brain hasn't caught up to the fact that the kids have all left home and there's not 6 of us now ! the more rings a hob has,the closer they are together,so we end up using 2 opposing rings only,and as Robmac says,the oven gets a lot of use. I just did up a caravan and put in a 2 burner from Ikea that my wife is really jealous of,1 big hob and a normal one princess 008.JPG
 
must admit, i'm umming and arring about installing an over.

You guys use them a fair bit then?
 
We have 3 but only use 2. Most useful is the tidgy 'warming' oven (German van) which we use all the time.
 
hextal said:
must admit, i'm umming and arring about installing an over.

You guys use them a fair bit then?
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Most days when we're away in the van. Even breakfasts, The bacon and eggs are cooked in a frying pan, but the Mushrooms, sausages, tomatoes etc. are all cooked in the oven. Quickly cooked stuff just goes in for the last 10 mins. Also on a cold day, I wait until it's nearly cooked before getting out of bed and the van is warmed up nicely. I generally pretend to be asleep until she has nearly finished cooking it!
 
We have 3 gas and one electric . SWMBO does enjoy cooking. We also have an oven. The electric ring is not very quick but you do save on gas if your are plugged into the local electric pylon :danger: We also have a Microwave but it's not used very much.
 
I have 2 rings, a grill & an oven on the boat & sometimes have to swop pans around. I have 4 rings & grill only on the van & do miss the oven sometimes. Pressure cookers & double trivet ovens help compensate for a shortage of rings or oven. We also have a microwave in the van for when we are on hook-up.

But a lot depends on your style of cooking, are you cooking for one or six? Are you a corned beef hash & peas fan or do you like loads of veg & fancy cooking? Or do you mostly eat out? 2 burner & grill will often be enough for an excellent grilled meat, mash & 2 veg meal.

Lots of boaters I know cook canned food by dropping the can in boiling water, so easy to use 2 cans in one larger pan. Need a little care opening it, but it won't get hot enough to explode unless you let the pan boil dry.

Only you know your needs, no point really asking us as we may well have very different requirements.

Oven is useful for reheating pre-prepared shepherds or fish pie, for keeping chips warm will heading from chippy to camping spot, for cheapo Fray Bentos pies, for full roasts, or even quickie roasts using a ready-cooked chicken. Pasta dishes & sausage casseroles are lovely on a cold winter's evening.
 
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Smaug said:
................... 2 burner & grill will often be enough for an excellent grilled meat, mash & 2 veg meal........
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Onlly problem there is that I have never had a boat or van with a decent grill. (I've had 13 boats and one van). Are the newer ones any better?
 
Gas rings

2 gas rings is enough , had 4 on the boat but only ever used two as had a pan with steaming pan on top, so cook a few things at once, but would not be without the oven , same in van
 
Depends on cooking style & also saucepan/frying pan diameter. 4 rings usually means having to use smaller cooking pans. We use 3 rings as I don't like fiddly little pans; one ring is usually dedicated to the steamer for all veg plus pasta in the water below the steamer.
 
Robmac said:
Onlly problem there is that I have never had a boat or van with a decent grill. (I've had 13 boats and one van). Are the newer ones any better?
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Well, it won't match a modern gas or electric domestic grill simply because it's using LPG at relatively low pressure & the burners are generally smaller. However, you get to know your own grill. Mine both (boat & van) take a while to get properly hot & you do need to keep the meat (or toast) moved around to cook it evenly, but given a little patience & care it cooks fine.
 
being a 20 year old german van it just has rings 3 of them 2 more than needed to boil a kettle for a pot noodle. :)

I do miss the grill in the vw camping was the only time I got decent cheese on toast
 
All my vans have only had 2 rings, never had an oven, I would resent the space it took up. But I do like a grill of some sort.

Only have a little electric oven grill thing in this van (size of an electric toaster lying on it's side) works brill for toast and warming pies etc. Also small microwave, both powered by a remote start underfloor mounted genny, so pretty easy.


John
 
We've got a full cooker with three gas rings & one electric plus a microwave, but hardly use the oven. Got a slow cooker & a remoska for use on hookup and the magic pumpkin (Wonderbag) for slow cooking when there isn't. You'll gather that I like to cook ...
 
I've got two, used to have three, but cope most of the time, gas rings that is . I bought a cork hot plate type table mat for a pound, on my travels from lidl or somewhere like that. It's one of my best buys I've purchased. It sits on the sink glass top next to the cooker, when preparing food . It's a bit like watching the comedy balloon scene on the stage. The pans constantly moving in sequence sharing three spaces and two rings. ;) It works though .
 
We have a full size oven with four gas rings, a grill and an oven. Never use more than 2 rings at a time. Use the grill a fair bit and it works ok. We occassionaly use the oven for Pizzas, that kind of thing and Mrs D has twice cooked a whole Christmas Dinner including a huge Turkey that took five hours to cook! God knows how much gas it needed!
 
Until recently we've always had two rings and managed by swopping pans over. Now We have 4 rings , 3 are always in use. So have what you have room for, the cost isn't much different.
 
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