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When you dive into RVing, you quickly realize that there are a tremendous amount of accessories and gear that can enhance your experience.
Some accessories can help you be as efficient as possible to spend more time doing the things you enjoy during your adventures. However, when you buy some RV accessories, your money would be better off used as kindling for your campfire because you’re wasting it.
Today, we’re sharing some of the absolute worst RV accessories you can buy. Let’s take a look so you can avoid feeling a bit of buyer’s remorse. Let’s get started!
What RV Accessories Do You Need?
If you’re new to RVing, you need only a handful of items to get started despite what your RV dealer might tell you. One of the essential items is a solid set of wheel chocks.
We recommend spending a few extra bucks and getting chunky rubber chocks. If your RV does end up rolling, those cheap plastic chocks won’t stand a chance against an RV that weighs several tons.
You also need a handful of items for your water and sewer system. A pressure regulator is essential to minimize the risk of excessive water pressure damaging your water lines.
You’ll also want to make sure you have a water hose that’s rated safe for drinking water. You’ll likely need to dump your tanks at the end of each trip, so having a sewer hose kit with the proper attachments for connecting your RV to the dump station drain is important.
The more time you spend RVing, the more you’ll acquire the necessary RV accessories. You’ll likely constantly be seeing something that others are using or find an item when walking down the camping gear aisle.
Any item that saves you time and energy while RVing is a win in our book!
Where Do You Buy RV Accessories?
You can find RV accessories at many big-box retailers like Walmart and even home improvement stores like Lowes and Home Depot.
Online shopping is also a great option if you’re not in a hurry and can wait a few days. You might be able to save yourself a few dollars if you aren’t in a pinch.
One of the worst places to buy RV accessories is at an RV dealership. They have fewer options to choose from and tend to have a higher markup for their prices. You’ll end up paying a premium price, but you may not have a choice if you’re in a bind.
The Worst RV Accessories
Real RVers nominated the below RV accessories via Facebook. The question of the worst RV accessory was posed in an RVing group with over 65,000 members. These are the top answers!
1. Outdoor TVs
While camping, outdoor TV may seem convenient, but they’re often insanely loud and disruptive to your neighbors. An outdoor TV was voted the worst RV accessory by a landslide.
You may want to watch the big game or binge-watch your favorite show, but those around you might not feel the same way. Many use camping to disconnect from the outside world, including technology.
If you use an outdoor TV, we highly recommend keeping the volume at a minimum. No matter how exciting the game might be, you don’t want to cause a scene or situation with your fellow campers.
2. Contractor Generator
Some camping situations might require a generator. However, cranking up a contractor generator will ruin camping for your neighbors and those camping several campsites down the road.
Contractor generators are insanely loud and run at full throttle the entire time. Having a quiet generator or an inverter generator is best when you plan to camp close to others. These generators will adjust the throttle based on the load demand, which also helps improve fuel efficiency.
Pro Tip: You might be wondering Is There Such a Thing as a Quiet Generator? Click the link to find out!
3. Cheap Sewer Hoses
You only have to have one bad sewer hose experience before you realize that it’s not worth saving a few bucks for your sewer hoses.
Cheap sewer hoses damage easily and won’t last long. You’re wasting money if you have to buy a new sewer hose every camping season.
4. Bright Lights or Laser Lights
Proper lighting around the campsite is important for your safety. However, you can easily go overboard when it comes to the amount of lighting and when you are using it.
RVers voted this as one of the worst RV accessories because some campers will leave their outside lights on all night. Because campsites are often close together, their lights may shine right into an opposing campsite and make it difficult for them to sleep.
Some campers will even bring laser lights to shine on their RV, especially around the holidays. Some laser lights move, and many find it disruptive if they shine into neighboring campsites and windows.
We recommend sticking to a set of plastic Edison lights, which can create the perfect atmosphere at your campsite. Just make sure you unplug them before retiring for the night!
5. Slide Jacks
You might not like the instability you feel when extending your slides. The slides on an RV typically have nothing more than a steel bar supporting them, which means you’re likely to feel a bit of instability when on them.
Some people will use slide jacks to remove the bounce and provide more stability for their slides. However, using slide jacks can be incredibly damaging to your RV.
Your rig will likely settle into the ground once you set up your RV at your campsite. If you have slide jacks under your slides, any changes that occur when the RV settles could damage the mechanics of your slides.
If you were to pick up a nail on the way to your campsite, your tires could leak air overnight and destroy your RV slides supported by slide jacks. Don’t waste your time or take the risk by using slide jacks!
Keep in Mind: Searching for the best RV jack pads? Look no further! These are the top-rated jack pads you need for your RV.
6. Portable Trash Bag Holder
- PORTABLE TRASH BAG HOLDER - This plastic bag holder lets you easily and conveniently dispose of trash in a sanitary...
- INDOOR OR OUTDOOR USE - Use this garbage bag holder outdoors for tailgating, camping, sporting events, BBQs, picnics,...
We were surprised to see many RVers complaining about the above portable trash bag holder. Even the pricier models disappoint campers and provide minimal security against outdoor critters.
You’ll likely need to empty or bring in the trash at the end of the day to avoid waking up to a mess from critters treating your trash bag holder as an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Unexpected wind gusts can be frustrating with portable trash bag holders. You’ll likely find yourself playing a game of “catch me if you can” with it whenever there’s an unexpected gust of wind.
7. RV Toilet Paper
One hot-button topic in the RVing community is the use of RV toilet paper. Some see it as essential, but many find it is a scam.
RV toilet paper typically costs more and isn’t as readily available as standard toilet paper. Many fear that using anything else will wreak havoc on their RV’s plumbing system.
However, many RVers have tested toilet paper and have found that practically any toilet paper rated as septic safe is equally as good.
The goal is to have a paper that begins to break down once it touches water. This reduces the chances of clogs and issues with your sewer system. So if you’re already buying septic-safe toilet paper, you likely don’t need to make any adjustments.
Keep in Mind: Do you really need RV toilet paper? Let’s check out if it’s something you need or a scam product.
8. X-Chock Wheel Stabilizer
- Provides added stabilization and prevents tire shifts by applying opposing force to tandem tire applications
- As opposed to other chocks, the X-Chock works with the tires’ natural movement instead of against them
Many RVers use X-Chocks to provide wheel stabilization for their RV. Despite their 5-star rating and over 15,000 reviews on Amazon, most RVers stated they don’t notice much difference when using them. Therefore, it receives the number 8 spot in the worst RV products!
Because their impact isn’t all that noticeable, they’re easy to forget when packing up at the end of your camping adventures. Not removing them can cause a tremendous amount of damage to the tires on your RV, which is a costly mistake.
9. Trailer Jack Blocks
- ELIMINATES NEARLY ALL MOVEMENT AND SWAY in parked RV's and Trailers (Less Stress on Your Trailer)
- DOUBLE USE FOR YOUR MONEY: Use them as a seat, a motorcycle stand, or a water bucket to put out your campfire!
These trailer jack blocks from Andersen get an A+ for the concept but an F when it comes to execution. These are essentially plastic buckets you can use under your RV’s landing gear to limit the distance between the ground and your jacks.
However, many RVers have experienced these buckets repeatedly breaking. This can be extremely dangerous, especially if they’re actively holding up your RV. Are you willing to trust your RV and your safety in the hands of a product that has a poor reputation?
For example, take Changing Lanes’ review. Many other RVers have similar sentiments.
10. Wi-Fi Boosters
Another awful purchase you can make is buying a Wi-Fi booster for your rig. Many campground Wi-Fi networks are reminiscent of the 1990s dial-up speeds. You may be able to check your email and browse social media, but it’s likely to be painfully slow.
In most instances, Wi-Fi boosters simply boost the signal of an already sub-par network. You’re likely not to see any increase in speeds or functionality in most cases.
If you need to stay connected, it would likely be better to invest your money in creating your own internet connection in your RV.
Save Your Money When It Comes to the Worst RV Accessories
When you buy useless RV accessories, you’re just wasting your money. The more money you waste, the less money you’ll have for camping and other adventures while RVing.
Make sure you do your research before purchasing RV accessories. It may be tempting to jump on the bandwagon when the great thing comes out for RVing, but giving other users time to put the items to the test is wise.
What’s one RV accessory you regret purchasing?
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
