As the holidays approach, you might be looking for RV gifts for a friend or family member—or maybe to treat yourself. Here are 10 of our favorite practical things we use regularly in our Airstream that won’t break your budget. (Note that these links are to our affiliate pages on Amazon. You won’t pay anything extra, but we will earn a tiny commission on all sales.)
RV gifts under $15
Collapsible kitchen strainers
These are useful as more than just strainers. For example, we use them to hold fruits and vegetables on our counter. They’re collapsible to save space, the silicone means they won’t slide off the counter when traveling, and because they’re multi-purpose, they aren’t ever really in the way.
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3UciTBT
Durable dishcloths
Finding dishcloths that are tough enough to clean up dirty dishes but lightweight enough to dry quickly can be challenging. These cloths, made from durable Rayon sourced from bamboo, have lasted a long time. They have enough weave to work on tough food stains but wash up nicely without keeping stains embedded in them. Plus, they dry fast, and a single pack is enough to keep rotating them through the kitchen so you always have a clean and sanitary one ready to go.
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/4h8vyzG
Stick-on battery-operated puck lights
Even the best RVs have nooks, crannies, and closets that don’t have enough light. We use these all over the rig, especially in cupboards and closets where we constantly reached for a flashlight. They have durable tape, so they stick on anywhere and stay put even when the RV is bouncing down the road. They run on 3 AAA batteries that last quite a long time and give out enough light to be helpful without blinding you. As a bonus, the units are available in several colors. We chose silver to match our Airstream.
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/40bmyUp
RV gifts under $25
Wireless indoor/outdoor thermometer
Knowing the temperature and humidity outside is always handy before you go outside. This unit also gives you the inside temperature and humidity reading. We knew the 105-degree heat in Big Bend National Park wouldn’t be so bad because we registered only 2% humidity!
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/4dMNfl9
Folding 3-level stepstool
Many RV manufacturers are creating additional storage space well above people’s heads. Having a safe way to climb up and access those cupboards is vital. This stool is sturdy enough to trust when you need to step up and reach something above your head but folds up easily to tuck out of the way when you don’t need it underfoot.
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3Yt5qIw
Collapsible food storage containers
These collapsible containers can safely seal leftovers and uncooked food portions in your refrigerator. A single pack comes with multiple color-coded sizes, and the snap-on lids stay on. They fold up nicely and store flat when you’re not using them.
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/402Tv55
RV gifts under $50
Ninja Blast Portable Blender
This has become nearly a full-time resident on our kitchen counter! Its powerful motor and sharp blades will chew up fresh fruit, frozen fruit, granola, crunchy peanut butter, ice, and more to create a wonderful smoothie that’s actually smooth. You can drink right from the unit, which cleans up quite easily. Best of all, it’s rechargeable, so you can use it while boondocking in your RV!
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3NM9opl
Wireless refrigerator/freezer thermometer
Because RV refrigerators have to deal with constantly changing conditions, they can sometimes struggle to maintain proper temperatures. Knowing that the food in your refrigerator is safely being kept cold and your freezer is cold enough to keep the ice cream solid is essential. This unit saved us hundreds of dollars in wasted food because it alerted us when our refrigerator was starting to have issues and needed replacing.
{Note: the unit pictured with the large single display is a newer design. The older design is still available, but when we posted this blog, the price had shot up to an unexplainable $80! The newer units are still less than $50. We believe they will work as well as ours, as we have had good luck with several Accurite products. But we have not used the newer version. Of course, at any time, the price of the older units could return to normal.}
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3U9ZTDS
Shoe organizer
Oh, the shoes! Ask any RVer, and they will tell you about their battle with loose shoes all over their rig. This Thule organizer has been working great for us. We hang it over the back wall of our dinette just inside the door when we’re camping. We zip it up to store it under the table on travel days. There are multiple ways to hang it inside or outside your rig to tame the shoe beast. Plus, it’s sturdy and holds a lot of shoes.
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3Yn5gCj
Portable, rechargeable work light
If you ever need to work on your RV or tow vehicle at night, having enough light can be a big part of making a successful repair. This portable, rechargeable light has a ton of features. It offers three lights that can swivel and pivot to help put the light right where you need it. It has a built-in carrying handle that you could hang it from, and the stable base also has magnets built in so you can stick it to anything metal to free up your hands. The charge also lasts a long time, and, in a pinch, you can even use it as an external battery to charge up your cell phone. Ari did a video review of this light that’s posted on Amazon.
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3BIGtzz
Why we chose these items
We hope you like this list of RV gift ideas. We chose these items because we own and use them and find them practical. Plus, they aren’t overly expensive, and even if someone owns one, they could probably find use for another!
We regularly curate Amazon lists with items we have purchased and used. If an item is on our lists, we will attest to its quality and usefulness.
You can find all our curated lists at the Trekers Amazon Storefront. We would own and use many of the items even if we didn’t have an RV!
Another idea this gift-giving season or all year round is to consider a Trekers-branded sweatshirt, mug, water bottle, and more for something even more unique! You can find all of our merchandise at www.trekers.org/shop.
