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Why Pressure Cookers Remain King

I enjoy being retired because I can explore obscure topics without feeling guilty that I should be doing “real work.”

In my last post, I investigated the energy efficiency of tabletop cooking appliances and was surprised by how energy-efficient pressure cookers were. Some were over eight times more energy efficient than a large crock pot I tested. That was amazing, so I thought I would research them more.

Pressure cookers have always remained popular in countries with high energy costs or limited energy resources. However, they became less common in the US market after microwave ovens and crock pots gained popularity in the 1970s. However, they have had a significant resurgence since the introduction of the Instant Pot in 2010.  

In the late 1600s, Denis Papin developed a primitive pressure cooker called the Steam Digester. It was used to extract fat and break down animal bones.  

The Steam Digestor-Image from Wikipedia.

In 1857, Louis Pasteur published his first paper on the role of bacteria in fermentation, heralding an understanding of the role of microorganisms in cheese production and milk spoilage.  His research led to the germ theory and the role of microorganisms in disease.  

By the late 1800s, manufacturers were using pressurized steam to sterilize the contents of canned foods. In 1905, the National Pressure Cooker Company (now National Presto Industries)  started manufacturing large pressure canners for commercial operations. In 1917, the USDA established a canning pressure of 15 PSI as the standard. The USDA deemed pressure canning the only way to safely can low-acid foods (meats, beans, etc.). Canner retorts are the predecessors of the home pressure cooker.

Alfred Vischer introduced the first home pressure cooker, the Flex-Seal Speed Cooker, in 1938. However, the Presto pressure cooker, introduced at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, was the one that caught the attention of homemakers. The Presto was revolutionary as it utilized a simple twist on the pressure lid instead of relying on screws or clamps. The 1930s were a time when home kitchens were starting to modernize.  One can only imagine the significance of the pressure cooker, a device that could cook food three to ten times faster than conventional methods. Pressure cookers became a hit, similar to the home microwave oven’s popularity when they became affordable in the 1970s. The original Presto Pressure Cookers were made of aluminum.

The Flex-Seal Speed Coooker-Image from eBay seller.

World War II ended consumer manufacturing as industries were reassigned to the war effort, but demand for pressure cookers remained high. Presto stopped manufacturing pressure cookers but continued manufacturing retort canners, deemed necessary for the homefront war effort. However, they were made of steel, as aluminum was too crucial for the war. 

Companies in the US resumed production of home pressure cookers in 1945.  Since there was a high demand for pressure cookers, multiple manufacturers took on the task.  Some companies were more concerned with profit than safety and produced unsafe units. Stories about pressure cookers exploding are from this time.

Any kitchen tool can be dangerous, from a dull kitchen knife to a saucepan left unattended on a stove. Modern pressure cookers are kitchen tools, so they fit into this list. However, they have multiple safety features built in and are very safe if used according to common sense and the provided instructions.  

My pressured story

I grew up in a household that used a pressure cooker several times a week.  My mom made the most amazing soups, stews, goulash, chicken paprikash, chop suey, pot roast, swiss steak, and so much more in her Model 40 Presto aluminum pressure cooker. The cooker was built like a tank, and she also used it as a regular pot by leaving off the pressure regulator.  It was the gadget of choice to make popcorn as its thick base made burning popcorn less likely. 

This is exactly how I remember my mother’s Presto Model 40. Purchased some time in the 1940s and still in active service 80 years later. Image from an eBay seller.

This old-style unit operated slightly differently from more modern cookers.  You waited until a stream of steam came out of the vent tube before popping on the regulator, which seemed to have a spring design as it allowed you to cook at several pressures.  I’ll talk more about regulators later in this post. 

My mom used that 4-quart cooker to feed a family of seven until the mid-1970s when she bought an aluminum 6-quart Presto. She continued to use both pots depending on her cooking needs. The new pot had the more familiar “jiggler” style pressure regulator.  Both required very little maintenance.  Every year or two, my mom would send me to our local 5 and 10 store to buy a rubber gasket, and I also recall going there once to buy a rubber pressure plug.  Both purchases were inexpensive.

This Presto is very similar to the 6-quart cooker that my mom bought in the 1970s. It was functional when I inherited it, but its flakey paint made me not use it. Image from an eBay seller.

When my mom passed, my sister got the Presto model 40 and continued to use it regularly until 2017, when her operator error destroyed it. Since the Model 40 was produced in the 1940s, that pot lasted almost 80 years! I was given the 6-quart Presto but didn’t use it much.  The yellow paint on its exterior was badly flaked and looked ugly.  Instead, I bought a new stainless steel pressure cooker and continued the family cooking tradition.

I’m a gadget guy, so I have many kitchen appliances. I find learning how to use them enjoyable. During my adult life, I have used all sorts of pressure cookers in various situations, including when I camp.  I am sold on them and know they are both speedy and efficient.  However, I didn’t realize how energy-saving they were until I researched my last post. 

In that post, I discovered stove-top and electric (think Instant Pot) pressure cookers were significantly more efficient than slow cookers. I always thought the Crock Pot was the small appliance energy king.

Why are pressure cookers beneficial?

  • They cook 3 to 10 times faster than standard cooking methods.
  • They are one of the most energy-efficient cooking appliances.
  • They retain nutrients more than many other cooking methods. 
  • They are highly versatile and can cook anything from a hearty bean soup to a delicate cheesecake.
  • They can transform tough cuts of meat into tender, delectable dinners.
  • They can cook multiple foods at once without mixing flavors.
  • Dehydrated foods like dried beans can be cooked without pre-soaking.

How can they cook as fast as they do?

Pressure cookers require liquid, which they boil and turn into steam.  That steam pushes out the air in the cooking vessel, at which point the pot seals and pressure builds in the pot.  

Liquid water is always trying to turn into a gas. If you pour some water on your driveway, it will evaporate into a gas.  You can accelerate that evaporation process by adding energy to the water in the form of heat.  The water will boil, and you can see the evaporation process as steam. Water boils at sea level at 212F (100C).  No matter how much energy you supply to the pot, the liquid water will never exceed 212F. It is at equilibrium with atmospheric pressure pushing it down at 15 PSI (pounds per square inch). 

Water will boil at a lower temperature at high elevations where the atmospheric pressure is less than 15 PSI, and the converse is also true. If there were a way to increase the atmospheric pressure above 15 PSI, water would boil at a higher temperature.  A pressure cooker can do just that.

The atmospheric pressure at sea level is 15 PSI. A standard American stove-top pressure cooker operates at two times this atmospheric pressure (15 PSI + 15 PSI = 30 PSI), allowing the water in the vessel to be heated to 250F (121C) instead of 212F (100C), and this cooks food faster.

PSI’s impact on the boiling point of water. Image from hippressurecooking.com

But why does a pressure cooker cook foods faster than an oven, which can reach 400F and beyond? Food cooked in an oven has an insulating layer of cooler air around it, slowing down the cooking process. Convection ovens use a fan to break through that insulating layer partially, so they cook faster than conventional ovens. Pressure cookers eliminate the air-insulating layer by pushing it out and replacing it with scorching steam.

Additionally, all foods are mostly water. A carrot is around 88% water, and a pot roast is around 70% water. Under normal atmospheric pressure, this internal water can only be heated to 212F at sea level (just like the water in the pot itself).  However, it can reach higher temperatures under pressure, allowing food to cook faster.  That additional heat breaks down connective tissue faster, which is how a tough pot roast can turn into a delectable dinner in only an hour of cooking. 

I just told you that water’s boiling point depends on atmospheric pressure and that water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitudes as there is less atmospheric pressure. This reduction in boiling temperature can lengthen the time it takes to cook something in a pot, and the same is valid for using a pressure cooker at high altitudes. A US stove-top pressure cooker will increase the pressure in the cooking vessel by 15 PSI above the outside pressure. The general rule is you need to add around 5% more cooking time for every 1,000 feet above 2,000 feet elevation. If you are cooking something that requires 60 minutes of pressure cooking time at sea level, it may take 63 minutes at 3000 feet above sea level. 

Secret Added Time.

It may sound impressive that a pressure cooker can cook something in less time needed by traditional methods, but that time is calculated after the appliance has reached pressure. The liquid has to boil and create steam for this to be accomplished, and depending on the volume of liquid in the pot, that may take a bit. As a loose rule of thumb, assume around ten minutes to reach pressure, at which point timing begins. If a dish says it will be done in 15 minutes, add the boiling/pressure-building time.  That would be 10 min (pressure building time) + 15 min (pressure cooking time) or 25 minutes total cook time.

Quick Release vs. Natural Release.

The heat is turned off at the end of pressure cooking time, but the food continues to cook. Recipes will either tell you to let the pressure come down naturally or to release it quickly. 

In a natural release, you let the pressure come down naturally. Often, this means waiting 10 minutes and then doing a quick release. Food will continue to cook in this mode, but slower. Meats, like beef, can become dry if you do a quick release, as the change in pressure will pull moisture out of them. A natural or slow release prevents this.  

A quick release is most commonly done by tilting a jiggler-type regulator or moving a lever on a spring-type regulator (see your instruction book). Some old stove-top books may tell you to put the base in a pan of water or to carefully run cool water on the lid.  A quick-release stops cooking and is used for many delicate foods, like fish and vegetables. Editor’s Note:  NEVER place the base of an electric cooker in a pan of water, and NEVER run cool water on the lid of an electric cooker.  You will destroy it if you do. 

Different manufacturers use different pressure standards.

A word of caution: US stove-top cookers typically pressurize at 15 PSI, modeled after USDA requirements for sterilizing foods. Their operating temperature is 250F (121C).  European stove-top cookers often pressurize to 13 PSI; their operating temperature will be 245 F (118C), not 250 F. Some Chinese stove-top pressure cookers operate at 8 PSI, yielding only 234F (112C). 

Most electric pressure cookers cycle between 10-12 PSI and cook at a lower operating pressure than a standard US stove-top. This means you may need to adjust cooking time with different pressure cookers. For instance, something that would cook for 45 minutes using a standard 15 PSI stove-top pressure cooker may take up to 60 minutes using a typical electric pressure cooker. 

Some manufacturers produce cookers whose operating pressures are different from model to model.  The Spanish company Magefesa does that.  Some pressure cookers have US and European models that pressurize at different levels. The German Fissler brand cookers use 13 PSI in Europe and are recalibrated to 15 PSI for their US versions. 

A Fissler German pressure cooker. Pricey but well thought of. Image from Amazon.com

Many pressure cookers list their operating PSI (or kpa) on their product page or the cooker.  If you can’t find the operating pressure of a pressure cooker, you will have no idea about proper cooking times. 

Although making adjustments between machines may sound confusing, they are easy to implement. Cookbooks written for a particular appliance and the recipe books provided with the gadget will automatically give you the correct cooking time. Additionally, you will likely gain an intuitive understanding. For instance, if I use an Instant Pot recipe on a stove-top pressure cooker, I know to reduce the time a bit. However, when purchasing, I would stick with a standard 13 or 15 PSI stove-top or a 10-12 PSI electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot and many others).  There is a wealth of information on these devices and tons of recipes. 

A real pressure cooker danger.

Some exotic pressure cookers, like the Instagram-trending Afgan pressure cookers, may be dangerous due to contaminants.  Afghan pressure cookers use reclaimed aluminum, sometimes from old car parts. Afghan pressure cookers have been known to leach lead into foods. 

PSI vs. kpa.

Pressure can be measured in several different ways. For US pressure cookers, we use PSI (pounds per square inch); for the rest of the world, they use kpa (kilopascals).

15.0 PSI = 100 kpa  temp 250F,  cook time 23% of traditional cook time

13.0 PSI = 90 kpa    temp 246F,  cook time 27% of traditional cook time

11.5 PSI = 80 kpa    temp 242F,  cook time 32% of traditional cook time

10.0 PSI = 70 kpa    temp 241F, cook time 33% of traditional cook time

8.0 PSI   = 55 kpa    temp 234F, cook time 40% of traditional cook time

Pot-in-pot cooking.

It is possible to put another cooking vessel inside your pressure cooker. For instance, you can put a springform pan inside to make a cake or cheesecake (made under steam). You can also buy inexpensive stacking pots that fit typical pressure cookers. Using this method, you can cook two foods simultaneously, and their flavors won’t mix.  

Different types of lids.

The lid on a pressure cooker must be secure, or it will fly off when under pressure. Presto revolutionized the home cooker by using a flange/twist-on design that is still very popular today.  Some manufacturers use other methods that have also been proven to work. For instance, some third-world countries produce cookers with clamp-on lids as this style is more straightforward to manufacture.  The famous Indian company Hawkins makes cookers that use a tip-in and clip lid.  As long as the lid is secure, all is good, no matter the design.

Can I fill a pressure cooker to the top?

No. The maximum you can fill a pressure cooker is ⅔ full, as you need room to generate steam. Some foods can only be filled ½ way (for instance, rice and beans) as they tend to expand and could block the vent tube. The instruction book supplied with your machine can provide you with more details.

Maximum filling levels for pressure cooking. Image from hippressurecooking.com

Do I always have to add liquid to my pressure cooker?

Yes, your pot must have liquid to operate under pressure. Depending on the cooking time, a cup of water will usually do. Naturally, liquid dishes like soups already have water in them. 

Why does my electric cooker say “BURN” on its display?

Electric cookers are limited by their heating elements.  If you don’t have enough liquid in them or the only liquid is very thick, like tomato sauce, the cooker may burn some of the food on the bottom of the pot.  This can cause temperatures to rise, which is then sensed by a thermostat, and the cooker will shut down to protect itself. It is essential to read recipes as they stipulate how to put food in a pot.  For instance, a recipe may say to add broth and then tomato sauce but not mix the two. The broth can turn to steam, and you won’t get a “BURN” warning. 

Do I need a cooker that can operate at multiple pressures?

Some pressure cookers can operate at more than one pressure.  However, the vast majority of pressure cooker recipes use high pressure.  For most, having only one pressure is all that you need.

Can I use my home pressure cooker for pressure canning?

Probably not. First, you must ensure that your unit operates at 15 PSI (the USDA standard) and maintains that pressure.  Sterilization is based on both temperature and time.  However, there is no way that a consumer can safely calculate a pressure cooker’s internal temperature.  Poorly canned foods can breed a deadly organism called Clostridium botulinum. This bacteria produces the botulism toxin (botox), one of the most deadly neurotoxins. A very tiny amount can kill you. This botox is the same substance used to give people chemical facelifts, as it paralyzes the nerves controlling facial muscles.  However, that substance is medical grade and precisely diluted.  The bottom line is that If you are into canning, you are best off buying a pressurized canner (retort canner) designed for the job. Canners are calibrated and designed to get up to and maintain 15 PSI.

Are pressure cookers safe?  I hear that they explode.

Some pressure cookers built during the 1940 post-war times were shoddy and could rupture.  Modern pressure cookers have multiple safety devices and are safe if you follow reasonable operating procedures. Can you force a pressure cooker to explode?  That is unlikely unless you deliberately modified it, as was done in the Boston Marathon bombing.  The worst that can happen is that one of the safety mechanisms would activate and release a blast of steam, potentially spewing boiling water and food, providing you with a mess to clean up. I have used all types of pressure cookers for over 50 years and have never had a problem. However, use common sense; don’t leave the house when operating a pressure cooker.  I stay in or near the kitchen using a stove-top unit and remain within earshot when using an electric pressure cooker (which is more automatic). 

Are aluminum pressure cookers safe?  

The urban legend that aluminum pots cause Altzehiemer’s disease has long been debunked. However, aluminum may leave acidic foods, like tomato sauce, tasting metallic. This is not dangerous.  I have never tasted this, so that this ability may be genetic. Anodized aluminum does not impart a metallic taste.  

Aluminum pressure cookers are cheaper than stainless steel pots but are only manufactured as stove-top units. The American Test Kitchen advises getting a stainless steel cooker due to the metal taste issue and their concern that an aluminum pot is less durable. However, my mom’s aluminum pot was almost 80 years old before an operator error destroyed it, so I would say that they are still pretty durable.

I would choose stainless steel if you can afford it, but go for aluminum if cost is a significant issue.  

A typical aluminum pressure cooker. Image from Amazon. com

Do pressure cookers have parts that I need to take care of or replace?

Despite their advanced abilities, pressure cookers are relatively simple devices. A few parts may wear out over time.

-The gasket is a silicon ring that seals the lid and pot.  I remove mine and wash it separately.  I then replace it or leave it loose in the pot to be placed the next time I use my pressure cooker.  Never store a pot with the gasket (seal) in place and the lid locked.  This will squeeze the gasket and may impact its ability to seal. If a pot can’t hold pressure or the gasket looks damaged, it should be replaced with the same type. If you have a brand-name cooker, you can find gaskets specifically for that brand.  If you have a Chinese no-name cooker, you can measure the inner diameter of the gasket in centimeters and find a replacement on Amazon, Walmart.com, or eBay. Different gaskets have somewhat different builds, so try to find one similar to your original if you have a generic cooker. 

Some people keep several gaskets, one for savory foods and another for desserts, as a gasket can pick up odors. I sometimes use the top rack of my dishwasher to clean a removed gasket. Some say soaking a gasket in a diluted vinegar solution can eliminate “gasket odor.”  Gaskets are inexpensive, so having an extra one on hand is a good idea.

My mom would have to change the old rubber gasket on her Presto every year or two.  Current silicon gaskets are advised to be changed every 2-3 years.  However, I check mine to see if it looks good and works OK. If so, I continue to use it. My Mealthy electric pressure cooker is 6 years old, and I still use the same gasket.

-Another replaceable item is the float valve. When the cooker is pressurized, this valve pops up an indicator on the lid. It also seals the pressure cooker and locks the lid from opening. The part that may go bad on the valve is the little silicon ring at its base. If your cooker isn’t pressurizing or this silicon ring looks damaged, replace it.

Should I buy a Chinese or off-brand pressure cooker?

Brand-name cookers stand by their pots. Presto makes reasonably priced pressure cookers, and they still have parts for cookers that they sold 50 years ago.  Kuhn Rikon, Fagor, and Fissler are long-standing, reputable European companies. Instant Pot seems to support their electric pressure cookers (at least to a degree).   

However, I have used several Chinese stove-top and electric pressure cookers that seem to be well-made.  If you buy an off-brand stove-top, ensure the pressure cooker reaches 15 PSI. Some sold on eBay and Amazon do not, reaching only 8 PSI. 

As far as I know, most electric pressure cookers cycle between 10 and 12 PSI, so recipes used from one electric cooker to another don’t need to be adjusted. I have used my Mealthy electric pressure cooker for years, and it works as well as an Instant Pot.  The Mealthy was roughly the same price as a similar Instant Pot but came with extras, impacting my decision. 

Consumables, like the sealing gasket and the silicon washer for the float valve, appear fairly generic on many off-brand models (made in the same Chinese factory?). As long as you match a part correctly, they seem to work. 

I have seen some generic gaskets titled “For stainless steel pressure cookers.” I can’t say if that identifier is essential or just marketing. 

What size pressure cooker should I get?

Stove-top pressure cookers come in all sorts of sizes.  I have seen 2-quart, 4-quart, and even 10-quart electric pressure cookers, but they are usually 3, 6, and 8-quart units.  American Test Kitchen suggests getting an 8-quart cooker because “you can always cook less in an 8-quart, but you can’t cook more in a smaller cooker.  However, I disagree.  My sister has an 8-quart electric for her 2-person family and would always make too much food in it.  She got a 3-quart electric and is much happier.  I often cook for five adults and have never had a capacity problem using my 6-quart cookers.  For years, my mom used a 4-quart stove-top for a family of 7.  However, when she made stew, she cooked the potatoes separately, and when she could, she eventually bought a 6-quart stove-top unit.  

A 6-quart pot works in most situations and is the most flexible as it can accommodate relatively large amounts of cooking but can also easily cook smaller portion sizes. Remember that a pressure cooker can only be filled 2/3rds full, and some expanding/foaming foods like rice and beans should only be filled ½ full. 

First Generation Pressure Cookers.

These stove-top pressure cookers have a simple design. Air is expelled from a vent on the oven’s lid. On top of the lid’s vent tube is a regulator of a calibrated weight. When pressure builds past 15 PSI, the weight is slightly lifted, and the excess pressure is released, causing the weight to rock.  The process continues, causing the weight to “jiggle” back and forth.  These pressure cookers are sometimes called jigglers because of this. Once the regulator starts to jiggle, the operator turns down the heat so that jiggling is relatively gentle.  Timing starts once the regulator is rocking. 

Advantages:

-A straightforward mechanism that has few moving parts.

-It is evident when the unit reaches pressure and if you need to readjust the heat to achieve gentle rocking.

-These cookers tend to be less expensive than generator-two pressure cookers.

Disadvantages: 

-It is possible to lose the regulator.

-These units may lose a little more liquid in the form of steam than second-generation PCs. 

-Some people find the rocking, accompanied by a swish-swish sound, scary.

-Unless you change the regulator, these units can only operate at one PSI (not a big deal).

This first-generation “jiggler” pressure cooker uses a weighted regulator that rocks open once the pot’s pressure exceeds 15 PSI. The arrow is pointing to the regulator.

Second  Generation Pressure Cookers.

Second-generation stove-top pressure cookers use a spring-type regulator that doesn’t jiggle. Instead, these units hiss a bit (some more than others).  They usually have an indicator that says they are under pressure and may have several pressure levels. 

Like Generation-One units, you start on high heat, and when the indicator shows that the pot is under pressure, you lower the heat to maintain that pressure. For some cookers, you want to see a gentle stream of steam; in others, you are given a clear visual indicator that the pot is under proper pressure.  Your pot’s instruction guide will tell you what to look for. 

Advantages:

-May lose less moisture than Gen-One cooker.

-Quieter than a Gen-One cooker.

-Can often achieve several different pressure levels (not very important)

Disadvantages:

-May be more expensive than a Gen-One cooker.

-Some may prefer a Gen-One cooker’s clear visual and auditory cues.

Note:  My mom’s 1940s Model 40 pressure cooker likely used a spring regulator, and her first jiggler was purchased in the 1970s, so I’m not quite sure why some experts labeled jigglers as “first-generation.”

This is a second-generation stove-top unit. The arrow points to the regulator, which does not jiggle.
The arrow points to the “float valve.” As the pressure builds this valve will pop up sealing the pressure cooker and locking the lid as a safety feature.
The float valve has popped up in this photo, signaling that the cooker is sealed. Now, you need to wait until a steady stream of steam comes out of the regulator (see next photo).
Looking carefully, you can see a stream of steam coming out of the regulator. Once this happens, lower the heat until you see a gentle but steady stream of steam. This is when you start your time.
This Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker emits very little steam. Instead, you monitor the pressure indicator on the top of the lid. Once you move to the second red bar, lower the heat to maintain this pressure level.
You can see that two bars have emerged.

Both Gen One and Gen Two Pressure Cookers:

Stove-top pressure cookers can last a lifetime. 

They are high-quality pots that can be used as regular stockpots when needed. In this case, the cook leaves the regulator off/open on the pressure lid or uses a different lid. Some pressure cooker manufacturers sell a separate glass lid for non-pressurized cooking. 

What can a stove-top pot do?

Cooks Soups/Stews/Tough meats:  Yes

Has software programs for common foods: No

Set and (almost) forget operation: No

Slow cooking function: Yes (if used like a stove-top Dutch oven)

Make Rice: Yes (a favorite ability)

Make hard-boiled eggs: Yes

Make Yogurt: No

Sous Vide foods: No

Cook other grains: Yes

Make desserts like cheesecake: Yes

Can saute in the pan: Yes

Cook at 15 PSI: Yes (Many)

Can last a lifetime: Yes

Requires  AC outlet: No

Third Generation Pressure Cookers.

Third-generation cookers are electric, the most obvious being the Instant Pot. However, the Instant Pot was not the first electric pressure cooker on the scene. The first electric cooker was introduced in 1991, and the Instant Pot came out in 2010.  

I had a Nesco electric pressure cooker in the mid-90s that worked very well.  My Nesco had typical pressure cooker functions and a slow cooker setting. The Instant Pot and its clones added a lower temperature setting to make yogurt and some simple timing programs for common foods, like stew and rice. The Instant Pot became a hit because it was featured on Amazon during a Black Friday sale.  Robert Wang was wise to call the Instant Pot something different than a pressure cooker as that neutralizes Urban Legend explosion fears. People got intrigued by pressure cookers and didn’t even know it!

Advantages:

These pots offer set-it-and-forget-it capabilities. Press a few buttons, and the cooker will reach pressure for a set amount of time and then go to keep warm. In most cases, the operator is responsible for releasing pressure if indicated.  

Disadvantage:

-Requires an AC outlet.

-As a small electric, the lifespan of a 3rd generation is limited.

-Many more components than a stove-top unit.  Circuit boards, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, thermal fuses.  The list goes on.  

These pots typically cycle between 10-12 PSI, lower than a stove-top unit. Some smaller pots may have an even lower operating pressure. Only one electric pot, the Instant Pot Max, can achieve the standard 15 PSI. However, some reviewers noted that it didn’t cook any faster than typical Instant Pots, which are less expensive. 

What can a 3rd generation pot do?

Cooks Soups/Stews/Tough meats:  Yes

Has timing programs for common foods: Yes

Set and (almost) forget operation: Yes

Slow cooking function: Yes (some report poor results)

Make Rice: Yes (a favorite option)

Make hard-boiled eggs: Yes

Make Yogurt: Yes  (a favorite option)

Sous Vide foods: A few machines (poor results reported).

Cook other grains: Yes

Make desserts like cheesecake: Yes

Cook at 15 PSI: Only one machine, the Instant Pot Max.

Can saute in the pan: Yes

Can last a lifetime: No

Require AC outlet: Yes

I have used this Mealthy pressure cooker for 6 years. Prior to that I used a Nesco electric pressure cooker since the 1990s. The Nesco’s regulator was damaged, making the unit inoperative.
Electric pressure cookers operate differently than stove-top units. They may build to 15 PSI but then cycle between 10 and 12 PSI during cooking. This lowers their cooking temperature, so they cook a bit slower than stove-top units—image from hippressurecooking.com

Hybrid Machines

A few pressure cookers on the market combine their pressure cooking function with a convection oven (air fryer). This allows the user to cook food rapidly under pressure and then brown/crisp it. People who have these machines generally like them. However, they can be bulky and more expensive.

Several companies make hybrid pressure cookers that can also act as air fryers. This allows you to cook something and then brown it quickly. This is the original Ninja Foodi.
Another view of the Foodi. The pressure lid is on the pot. You can also see the air fryer lid permanently attached to the cooker.

Conclusions/Recommendations

A pressure cooker is a fantastic and safe cooking gadget.  It saves fuel, gets meals on the table 3-10 faster than conventional methods, preserves vitamins, and the food tastes great because all of the volatile aroma molecules are preserved.  Meats come out juicy and tender.  Vegetables have more vitamins, and rice, beans, and grains cook quickly.  You can make entire meals simultaneously without blending flavors with the pot-in-pot technique.  These pots will save you time and money; they use little energy while allowing you to cook cheaper cuts of meat.

The American Test Kitchen suggests buying a stainless steel cooker with a broad base for durability and quick sauteing of foods. This is good advice, but you can certainly use an aluminum cooker with excellent results. I have pressure cookers with typically sized bases and may have to brown large amounts of stew meat in two batches. I’m not working in a commercial kitchen, so super durability and saving 5 minutes of browning time are not crucial.

Stove-top pressure cookers offer the advantage of cooking at a full 15 PSI (faster cooking times). They can last a lifetime, be used as a high-quality stock pot, and be operated using many heating sources, from kitchen ranges to camping stoves.  They are the perfect cooking tool in a disaster situation. A cooker from Generation One or Generation Two cooks similarly. Remember, if a cooker operates at the same PSI, it will cook the same.

However, I suggest getting an electric pressure cooker for the first-time user.  Their ease of use and automatic nature make you more likely to use them. Additionally, dozens, if not hundreds, of websites and YouTube videos make it easy to get up and running. 

Hybrid cookers are loved by their owners due to their additional versatility.  However, that additional functionality may make an already daunting task even more difficult for a new user. Such an appliance can be purchased later if desired. 

Which type of cooker do I use?  The answer is “Yes.”.

Peace,

Mike

Images used for educational purposes.

camping, cooking in a van, living in a van, Negatives of van life, Uncategorized, Urban Stealth Camping, van kitchen, van kitchen design, vandwelling, Winter Camping, Winter in a Van

Van life, My Favorite Things.

I started my van life journey very simply. I pushed down the seats of my SUV and slept on an air mattress topped with a sleeping bag. In a laundry basket I had a small cook kit, a stove, a tarp, a flashlight, paper towels, matches, and a few other things. My clothes were in a duffel bag and I kept some food in a cooler and a box. This was all that I needed, and it alerted me to the reality that you don’t need very much to get by. However, I wanted to upgrade which led me to purchasing a Ram Promaster high-top in 2018.

Here I am in 2018 with my Promaster. It was a stock model with nothing in it. I had to add the side and back windows, and just about everything else. My very talented friend, Tom said he would help me build it out but I didn’t want to burden him with such a mammoth task so I found Wayfarer Vans in Colorado Springs and had them install a kit which made the van camping ready. However, I have heavily modified the van ever since with my friend and it has always been a fun way to build something together (I’m the chief screwdriver finder).

Violet’s innards from another angle. In this photo you can see that I had a side window and rear windows installed. I had this done locally at a custom RV/van shop in the city. I’m not very big on driving in huge cities, but I can do it if the motivation is high enough. Wayfarer now offers a lot of customization options, but in 2018 it was up to the van’s owners to get the van ready for modification.

Violet proudly showing off her side window.

One of the first things that we did was to install a roof fan and the solar panels. Both of these things were must for me and I use them on every trip. I have 400 watts of solar which charges my main battery and allows me to operate at almost 100 percent electric. The fan really helps to vent out the hot air and bring in the cool air at night.

Here you can see the vent fan from the inside. This fan can operate in two directions (pulling in air, or pushing out air). If you decide on adding a vent fan I would suggest getting one that can do this.

Here you can see my basic Wayfarer built. Compare this to my SUV photo and you can see that I have gone far up in van life status. The construction is very solid and has stood the test of time for 6 years. The box on the left is supposed to be a boot box, but it became my power station. Note the kitchen with a sink. Although functional, it did not suite my needs as I never really used the sink due to the mess. It had a 7 gallon water tank and a 7 gallon grey water tank that I had to wrestle with, and I didn’t like dealing with smelly grey water. We built a kitchen that better suited my needs. Also note the cavernous under the bed space. It was designed for adventure cargo, like a bike. However, I wanted to organize the space better for general van life.

Here I’m at Wayfarer Vans picking up my newly converted van. It only took them a morning to do what would have taken me a couple of months.

One of our first projects was to build out an under-the-bed storage space (#3). That has been one of my favorite modifications. This allowed a dedicated space for a slide out fridge (#1), as well as baskets that serve as my main pantry (#2).

The second photo shows the storage box from the “garage” end. Everything is very organized and there is still plenty of room for gear.

We opened up the “boot box” and converted it into a power station. My main battery and accessory battery gives me 4KW of power. Enough for just about any tasks that I need. I’m conservative with my power use and rarely dip below 80% battery. I have multiple ways to recharge my battery, but typically the solar panels are enough. I can also charge from my car battery/alternator. Lastly, I have a small gas generator, but I have never had to use it.

Another early project were these puck lights. However, they are also a regret as they are constantly disconnecting requiring me to take down panels to find the short. They use a remote control and I have had to replace the remote module a number of times. Now I more often use other sources of light.

I use every nook and cranny in Violet. Another project was installing a Wabasto gas heater (#1). The heater taps directly into Violet’s gas tank and barely sips any gas. I would say that its output is similar to one of those little electric heaters, which is enough to allow me to camp in the Winter. So far I have been comfortable with temperatures in the teens (Fahrenheit). You can also see my emergency toilet (#3). I have tried a couple of different types and am currently using a collapsible one. I seem to always find an alternate toilet option, but it feels good to have this backup “just in case.” The rectangular box (#2) is a 2000 watt quality inverter that takes power from my car battery and coverts it to AC power. This is an alternative way to charge my house battery when I’m driving. Now DC to DC chargers are popular, but they weren’t when I built out Violet. My solution may be a bit less efficient, but it works fine for me and also gives me an extra source of AC power. I originally had a no-name Chinese inverter that promised high output, but didn’t deliver so I went with a brand-name and I am glad that I did.

I also carry this small power bank which I can charge with a folding solar panel. I can take it out of the van to power devices like my video projector or computer, and use it inside for a convenient way to charge my phone. I like this particular battery bank as it re-charges very quickly. Some similar units charge very slowly. I believe in the motto ABC (always be charging). When I have shore power I like to charge everything to 100%.

A carpet is a must to keep dirt at bay. We cut this one to look like a wall to wall carpet, but it easily pulls out. My son asked why I got this pattern, but when he went camping with me he understood why-it hides dirt!

When I camp alone I almost always boon dock. However, when I’m camping with my wife or my son I will usually stay at campgrounds. Some smaller campgrounds will only have this type of power connector, so it is a good idea to have on board a simple 30 Amp to 20 Amp converter plug. They are inexpensive and can be found everywhere from Amazon to Walmart.

This is what the adapter looks like. I have used it many times over the years to convert a 30A socket into a 20A (typical) socket.

Another thing that Tom and I added was cruise control. It was a simple install and has made long drives a lot easier.

We also added swivel front seats. I have never used the swivel drivers seat, and rarely swivel the passenger seat. However, my wife uses it all of the time. This highlights the fact that what I find necessary, you may not. Hindsight suggests that it is better to build out slowly when you know what you actually need rather than trying to figure everything out in the beginning. You can also see my first attempt at a power station, an enormously heavy GoalZero 1250. I gifted that to Tom and his camping adventures when I upgraded to a lithium system.

A must is a garbage system that can be as elaborate or as simple as you want. I hang a grocery bag on the driver’s arm rest and change it out daily. It may not look great, but it works really well. I have never had a need to upgrade it.

Last summer’s project was to completely re-build the kitchen. I have enough power to go all electric, and I used an induction hob and a small microwave. I also have a capsule coffee pot as well as a small electric pressure cooker. When I’m solo I cook very simply, but when my wife or son are on board I tend to make real meals. I want their experience to be a good one.

This is my old kitchen setup using the Wayfarer kitchen. You can see the sink that I never used. Additionally, I had an induction hob mounted to the countertop which worked well, but took up valuable space. On the right side you see a microwave oven as well as a hassock toilet. I’m constantly changing things around. Why? Because its fun!

This summer Tom and I built a new kitchen that was better for my particular needs. By eliminating the sink, building in the hob and the microwave, and extending the countertop, I added an enormous amount of usable space. As an aside, we harvested the wood for the countertop from fallen trees. Tom used the planks to make flooring for his house, but there was some wood left over and that wood became Violet’s counter top.

In van life you can never have too many fans. There are a lot of small USB fans that are cheap, move a lot of air, and barely use any power. I’ll often use one in conjunction with my roof fan on very hot days.

Another one of my missteps. We installed a water port for the sink, and the sink is now gone. I also installed a power port, but I find it easier to run an outdoor extension cord through the sliding door.

I’m a little mixed on this one, a cellular signal booster. The improvement in cell reception has mostly been marginal, but recently it allowed me to very slowly view some webpages that would not have been possible with just my phone. Was that worth all of the money that I spent for the gadget? I don’t know.

Most of us use our phones to navigate. However, your phone’s GPS app requires a reasonably good cell connection to download maps. Two summers ago I installed a new radio that also has GPS as this unit has all of the maps preloaded. I have been in many places where Google maps won’t function (poor cell reception), but this unit does. This was an expensive upgrade, but you could also just buy an inexpensive dedicated GPS device off of eBay.

I also have an inexpensive dash cam. To be honest, I’m not sure I know how to get the videos off the camera. Fingers crossed that I won’t have to.

I mentioned that you need a light source. It is also important to have a portable light. This USB headlamp does the job for me, but there are many other options available.

A portable radio is a very nice addition. Yes, you have your car’s radio, but that could potentially run your battery down. I think I bought this radio off of eBay (note the Chinese hanzi). I have been in places with little cell signal so I can’t stream, but I can always get radio signals. A portable radio allows me to listen to the news and music when I’m sitting in a chair outside. Surprisingly, I seem to always find a NPR station. NPR has a lot of podcast like shows.

I also have an inexpensive “weather station.” Violet can get pretty hot in the summer heat and pretty cold in the winter freeze. I have found this little gadget informative over the years.

Since I no longer have a sink, you may wonder how I wash my dishes. I wipe off the remaining food with a paper towel, then spray with 100% vinegar, then wipe that off. It works as well as soap and water, but it doesn’t use up any water, and I have no smelly grey water to deal with.

Another addition that I added was this hitch for a bike carrier. Necessary if you want to take a bike with you, otherwise unneeded. Of course you can also pack a bike inside the van, but that can be a hassle.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but having a a decent water bottle is a must for so many reasons.

The simple water system that I have used for a number of years. This carboy holds 2 gallons of water, and I have 2, 3 gallon refill jugs in the van’s “garage.”

It goes without saying that you must have some sort of a first aid kit. I customized mine with things that I use. You can often buy small quantities of OTC meds at dollar stores making it inexpensive to change them out every year or two. I always have a variety of bandages, Motrin, anti-diarrhea meds, anti-histamines, kineseology tape, and other stuff on hand. I usually wind up taking a Motrin several times during any trip. Last summer I managed to poke a very sharp knife in my hand while trying to open a package. I was bleeding so much that I was leaking through band-aids. I taped the wound together with kineseology tape and that saved the day.

Another wonderful addition was a 3″ memory foam mattress pad that I added to the existing Wayfarer pad. I’m a big guy and a side sleeper, so I need the extra cushioning. Installing the pad took about 1 minute and it was a game changer for me.

This steering wheel desk turns Violet into an office on wheels. You can buy plastic ones very inexpensively on Amazon. However, my steering wheel was an odd size and the plastic one didn’t fit flat so we made our own.

When it’s hot and you have no shade you soon realize, “I need some shade!” There are many solutions and I have tried two of them. In the first photo I’m using a patio umbrella adapter on my hitch. That worked fine, but the MoonShade was more compact and did a better job. Neither require any permanent installation.

This may be hard to see, but you are looking at one of my absolutely most favorite things-rain guards! They allow me to keep my windows cracked during the rain and at night. They are an absolute must and take less than 5 minutes to install.

There are many other things that have made my van life easier. Some I use regularly, like a folding BBQ grate. Some things I use on occasionally, like a butane stove that allows me to cook outdoors. Some items I rarely use, but I’m glad that I have them, like a tow rope, traction mats, a tire pump, and a jump starter. Some are just fun, like my Omnia Oven.

I’m a life long camper, have been vehicle camping for a long time, and van camping for 6 years. I’m also a gadget guy so I’m constantly upgrading and changing things as that is part of my fun. I thought I would share some of my gear with you today. Your needs and desires may be completely different from mine. Do your own thing, and HAPPY CAMPING!

Peace

Mike

cooking in a van, Uncategorized, van kitchen, vandwelling, Wayfarer Van Weekend

The Wayfarer Weekend-Vanlife

Retirement brings both familiarity and surprises.  Routines and novel experiences.  It is no more static than working life, it is just different. And so I decided to go to a van dweller meet up, and here I sit outside of Bozeman, Montana in a barn, typing this post.

I decided to come here because I wanted to have the experience of meeting other van dwellers.  I wanted to talk to them, and I wanted to see their van creations.  I also wanted to challenge myself.

All of us at the meet-up had a basic buildout from Wayfarer Vans in Colorado Springs.  My Violet was born there in 2018, while most of the other vans at the get-together had a newer lineage and thereby fancier additions.  However, Violet was more than PVC walls and hand sewed colored cushions. Every year my friend Tom and I would tweak her, add to her abilities, and increase her functionality. Violet may not be the newest Wayfarer van, but I absolutely believe that she was the most beautiful of them all.

Today’s post goes beyond paint colors and cushion choices.  Going to the meetup at the Star M ranch in Bozeman, Montana presented to me new challenges and surprising introspections that started well before I packed my travel snacks and filled my gas tank.

Despite my strong desire to attend I also had a sense of dread.  I had asked Julie to accompany me but, understandably, she wasn’t interested in a 1400 mile trip to a dusty field.  To go alone would mean that I would have to face any and all challenges of the journey by myself.  To go alone would mean that I would have to put on my functional extrovert face,  a performance that I am skilled in donning, but still an energy-draining experience.

As a professional interviewer, I have no problem engaging others when I am invited to do so.  However, I have never quite gotten over my childhood expectation of being seen and not heard.  It is immensely difficult for me to walk up to a stranger and start a conversation.  My upbringing taught me that my thoughts and opinions were of interest to no one.  

Intellectually, I have long known that this is not the case.  Most people are happy, even eager to engage in casual conversation.  However, old tapes run deep.  Many years ago I decided to challenge those beliefs, and I did so in my usual manner of study, brute force, and repetition.  My teacher was my friend, Tom.

Tom and I are very similar in our interests and temperament.  However, we come to the table with different skill sets, and so we tend to utilize each other to compensate for those areas where we need shoring up.  Our friendship has a practical side in that we constantly help each other to be “better.”

Tom has superior social skills and has an effortless ability to engage with strangers.  I have witnessed him on dozens of occasions extracting personal information from a person that he has just met.  “So how much money does a cement truck driver make?”  Would be typical of a question that he would have no difficulty asking, and one apparently that most people have no problem answering.

I have the knowledge of how to engage with people, but watching Tom taught me that it was OK to engage with them.  This may sound like a trivial distinction, but it is not.  I have successfully adopted his techniques many times over the years, but I have never done so in an environment where I would be interacting with dozens of strangers, alone and without the benefit of an event that I was in charge of.  The thought of doing so added to my anxiety, but it was insufficient to stop me. I have not gotten as far as I have in life by yielding to my anxieties.  Fear is a barrier that I will climb over or burst through if necessary.  I lived an early life being told that I was worthless.  I was not about to live an adult life when I subconsciously told myself the same thing.  I have value.  I can contribute.  I will only be limited by my true limitations and not by remnant ghosts from the distant past.

I usually deal with my anxiety by planning and problem solving, which is what I did for this trip.  I wrote out a grocery list and made sure that my 12 volt Dometic fridge was sanitized and clean.  I charged my USB flashlight and Bluetooth speaker.  I checked the local weather and explored several plotted courses on Google Maps.  I still had some residual anxiety, but that was to be expected.

What I didn’t expect was what happened to me several days before I started my trip. On Saturday I cleaned out and washed Violet, and I reorganized her storage. I also gathered nonperishables from our pantry.  On Sunday I was supposed to go to a cousin reunion, but I had tickets for a Paramount production of “Kinky Boots.”  I had purchased the tickets before the pandemic, but the play was on hold once shelter-in-place was instituted.  This would be the first time that I would attend a public performance in almost 18 months.  Sadly, this would mean that I would miss the reunion.

The play was a bit of fluff with a dash of “message.”  The premise was ridiculous, a business is saved from bankruptcy by a drag queen who helps a straight-laced shoe factory owner make kinky boots designed to support drag queen feet. However, another message was folded into the fluff. Two men, very different, each dealing with the demons from their past help each other.  I left the play feeling that my time was well spent, but I also acknowledged that the overall experience would be quickly forgotten.

On Monday I was to help my friend Tom.  He was remodeling a bathroom for a Naperville client.  He wanted me to take some before photos of the space as it would soon be demolished. These photos would serve as a counterpoint to photos that I would take of the finished job.  The latter laboriously photographed and carefully edited to make the bathroom appear beautiful enough for a spread in “House Beautiful.”  

I take these jobs very seriously and I approach them as such.  On Sunday night I pulled out my professional gear, a Canon 5D Mark IV, and charged its battery.  I selected and mounted a wide-angle lens on the camera body, and I made sure that my flash was in working order.  As I said above, Tom helps me, and I help Tom.

On Monday I felt off.  I drove to Tom’s place and got into his Flex.  We arrived at the remodel site and were greeted by the client.  Tom looked over his shoulder at me and told her, “This is Mike he is an amateur photographer and he will be taking some photos for me of the bathroom.   That simple statement caused me to snap out loud, “I’m a professional photographer.”  It also caused something to snap inside of me.  It is clear that the client and her husband picked up on my comment as they continued the line of conversation in a joking way, but with a slight air of classism. With a chuckle, the husband asked me where my gallery was, and if I was planning on submitting my photos to “Home and Garden.”  It was not the right thing to say to me at that moment.  I bit my lip, weakly smiled, and offered a comment designed to end his line of questioning.  He quieted and left the room. There was no way that I was going to jeopardize my friend Tom’s job.  However, I was now boiling inside.

Dear readers, I am almost always a very calm and deliberate person.  It is extremely unusual for me to raise my voice, and even more unusual for me to do so without a thoughtful and logical delivery.  However, as soon as his clients were out of earshot I let loose on poor Tom.  My rage was palpable as I told him in no uncertain terms that telling a client that I was an amateur inhibited me from doing my job to the best of my ability.  I reminded him that I was doing professional work for him, despite the fact that I was doing it for free.  I highlighted to him the time spent before and after a shoot, and the effort involved during those periods.  Tom’s tendency is to interrupt and explain, but I was having none of this.  With my finger pointed at him, I told him in no uncertain terms that I didn’t give a shit about his excuses.  It was as if I was possessed by an outside entity.  My rage dumped on him, but there was no sense of relief, rather I was consumed by a sense of confusion.  What just happened, and why did it happen?  I had no answer.

I helped Tom with a few menial tasks, but I did so quietly.  I made small conversation, but it was stilted and awkward.  Finally, he drove me back home, but he didn’t take me there, and instead he took me to his Devonshire property.  “Aren’t you going to take me home,” I asked? “Mike, you drove your car here,” he replied.  I was so upset that I completely had forgotten that I had done so.  I got into Violet and drove the 5 minutes back to my house and promptly went upstairs and laid down on my bed as I tried to process what had just happened. One of the reasons was apparent.  Like many men, I value respect above other values.  In my mind, Tom was disrespectful of me by calling me an amateur when I have done many professional-level jobs for him.  His actions were further amplified by the clients’ comments that seemed to imply that my attestation that I was a professional photographer was subject to ridicule.  Still, my out-of-control retort to Tom seemed well beyond a simple case of a bruised ego.

After a bit, I forced myself out of my bed and went downstairs.  I was still feeling surly and felt obligated to warn both Julie and Kathryn that I was very crabby, but not angry at them.  However, I emphasized that my anger was generalized and that they should stay clear of me.  As the day progressed I continued to feel a general dissatisfaction towards everyone, especially myself.  I was completely baffled why I was being so reactive.  Yes, I had some anxiety about driving to Bozeman, but that hardly could be the nidus for my volcanic rage. I just don’t feel that level of anger.

As the day went on I started to feel progressively more guilty about the morning’s events.  I shot Tom a few friendly text messages. In turn, he did the same and mentioned that he wanted to formally secure Violet’s Wabasto heater. Tom had helped me install the heater a few months earlier and mentioned doing this final step at that time.  However, this was not necessary for the trip. My sour mood continued.

I’m usually good at identifying behavioral triggers, but I was coming up dry.  As the evening progressed I called my sister, Nancy, and voiced my concerns.  Nancy is a professional therapist and offered me both support and insight.  Unfortunately, I had already examined and discounted the behavioral causes and effects that she suggested.  Yet, I was ever grateful for her support and kind ear.

Julie was in the room folding laundry as I pondered my anger with Nancy.  Julie asked, “Would you like to hear my thoughts?”   “Of course,” I replied.  Her first thought was that she had recently gained some accolades and she wondered if I was feeling upstaged by her.  I replied, “No, I’m happy when you succeed.  I like basking in the glow of your successes.”  She paused for a moment, almost to second guess what she was about to say.  “Maybe it was the play?”  I responded, “The play, why would that silly play have such an impact on me?” “Well, it involved men who were a disappointment to their fathers who didn’t believe in them. Fathers who wanted their sons to conform to their wishes while ignoring their dreams and aspirations.  Sort of like your childhood.”  Click… 

Who would have thought that a simple play would have such a profound impact on me.

I instantly felt a release as the anger that I was feeling washed away from me.  I hadn’t been able to figure out my reaction because it was too primitive, too dangerous, too risky to bring into my conscious self.  Julie could see my internal conflict and her Ph.D. training gave her the ability to articulate it in a clear and therapeutic way for me.  I was very grateful. Later that day I talked to my sister, Carol.  Just like my sister Nancy, she was completely supportive of me and completely accepting.  Like Nancy, she had no reservation to tell me that I was special, good, and loved.

I now realized that on the morning of the incident Tom represented my father and thereby served as a lightning rod for the anger that I was feeling on a subconscious level.  In my primitive mind, he was rejecting me and my talents.  I felt like he was saying that I was not good enough. This feeling was exacerbated by Tom’s client’s comments that humorously mocked the idea that I could consider myself a professional. 

When I turned 18 I decided to take control of my life and I used the rage that I felt as a tool to propel me forward.  I was going to allow myself to be who I was, do what I thought was in my best interest, and not allow anyone to be disrespectful of me or my abilities.  No one had to agree with me, but no one was allowed to make fun of me.  Doing so would result in the full force of my abilities to put them back in their place.  Thankfully, I almost never had to do the above as most people were both respectful and considerate towards me, and this only increased as I amassed ever more degrees and titles.  However, the play opened up a wound that I thought was long healed, and anger that I felt I had conquered decades earlier.

The next day I met with Tom, who was quiet and a bit standoffish.  He had driven to a different suburb to buy a specialty tool to affix the Wabasto heater for me and refused when I offered to pay for the part.  After he secured the unit I asked him if he had a minute because I needed to talk to him.  To the best of my ability, I made sincere amends to him for my actions from the previous morning.  My tough-guy sailor mouth friend was genuinely hurt by my prior eruption, and he let me know that.  I felt relieved to say that I was sorry but genuinely upset that I hurt his feelings.  I hoped that my bad actions had not irreparably damaged our friendship.  However, that was all that I could do.

Despite the relief of understanding my outburst, I still had the stress of the upcoming trip.  Tom signaled that we were good by offering to meet up for coffee on the morning of my departure.  Julie did an extra load of laundry for me so I would have enough shorts and shirts for my adventure.  Kathryn checked in with me several times to ask if I was feeling better, and both of my sisters continued to offer their unending support and love.  

There is something powerful about real love, and each of these individuals showed me this before my journey.  I am ever grateful.  They were there for me despite my crankiness.  I knew that I could get people to connect with me if I was brilliant, funny, interesting, or thoughtful.  Here were 5 people who loved me at a time when I was none of the above.  I was good enough just being me.  How many people don’t have a single person who truly loves them?  Here, I had five.  I felt blessed beyond belief.  

I still had to deal with my internal anxiety, but at least I was in a position to do so without the burden of past demons.  At 9:30 AM I boarded Violet to start my journey.  She was packed with clothes and groceries.  Next to me was my snack bag, hydro flask, coffee thermos, and Motrin.  I was as ready as I could be and feeling significantly calmer about the task ahead.

I had a fridge full of perishables and a “pantry” full of can goods. My sister suggested that I try packing my clothes in a laundry basket, which turned out to be a great idea.
Next to me was a bag of snacks, a hydro flask with ice water, a thermos full of coffee, and a bottle of Motrin.

I pulled out of my driveway while listening to mechanical directions from Google Maps.  Off I went.

The initial part of my journey was familiar and comforting as I drove past Rockford and into Wisconsin.  I had taken that path many times driving to Julie’s Minnesota family.  Beyond Minneapolis I would be heading to Fargo, North Dakota, then Bozeman, Montana.

Despite road construction driving conditions were good.  I entertained myself by scanning local radio stations, listening to Sirius radio feeds, and talking on the phone.  The trip was long, but I was feeling calm.  I decided to drive until I felt tired as opposed to driving a certain distance.  That feeling happened in Northern Minnesota.  I found myself forcing my eyes open and I knew that it was time to call it a day.  I searched for a campground but found none.  I found respite in a Minnesota rest area.  I pulled into a far corner of the parking lot, covered my windows with my homemade Reflectix shades, and crawled into bed.

My first overnight was at a rest stop in northern Minnesota.

The next morning I made a quick breakfast using my induction cooktop.  Pour-over coffee with cream, and oatmeal with dried cranberries.  After a quick cleanup, I was once again on the road.  This time I wanted to drive until I was about 3 hours away from my destination, the Star M Ranch which was outside of Bozeman.  I drove west and watched the foliage change from a lush green, to a duller green, then to a scrubby brown-green. I scanned a couple of apps to find a campground but could locate none.  It appeared that I was traveling in a vast zone of nothingness. Each exit proclaiming “No Services,” every one punctuated by expanses of rocks, dirt, scrub, and nothing more. Finally, I saw, “Rest Area Next Exit.”  I had found my next sleeping spot. 

A simple breakfast of pour-over coffee (made directly into my thermos) and oatmeal with dried cranberries.

The site was empty and isolated.  Housing only a small brown building with facilities and a parking lot.  It was perched over a valley with the meandering Yellowstone River cursing below.  Like the night before I quietly moved in and selected a distant, but not a too distant parking spot.  That night I ate a roast beef sandwich that I dunked into some microwaved Progresso Tomato Basil soup.  I worried if the spot was safe, and I further pondered if parking overnight was legal.  However, I took my chances, changed into my bedclothes, climbed into bed, and fell asleep.

On my way I took a little side trip to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The rest stop that I stayed in Montanna overlooked the Yellowstone river.
The next morning I looked at the window and saw what appeared to be a pair of men’s underpants outside my window. I don’t think it was there the night before.
When I woke up the entire valley below was enveloped in a thick fog.
The sign says it all.
This was right next to the Montanna rest stop. Beautiful!

I slept soundly, in fact too soundly.  I woke blurry, dull, and two hours later than my usual wake time.  I made some coffee, but I didn’t feel hungry.  I decided to wait until I could find a drive-through where I could grab a quick breakfast sandwich.  After washing my face and brushing my teeth I pulled myself into Violet’s driver seat and headed west down I-90 towards Bozeman.  My GPS signaled that I was three and a half hours away.

This was the only time that I ate in an actual restaurant on my trip.

Meetup-Day One

I drove down Stimson Lane and caught sight of a row of Ram Promasters in a field on my left.  A colorful “W” followed by the words, “Wayfarer Vans” highlighted the entrance to the venue.  I pulled in and was greeted by a cheerful staff member who handed me an envelope full of stickers and an itinerary.  Another staff person acted like an airport marshaller and slotted Violet between two other vans.  Once given the signal I placed her in park, turned off the key, and exited her confines.

Ten of the forty or so vans had already arrived.  Most people were sporting large 136 or 159 wheelbase Promasters,  but some were driving the much smaller Promaster City.  Wayfarer Vans had custom packages to convert all flavors of Promaster.  There was a size for every taste.

Some of the Promasters. Violet is the one with the red umbrella.
Another Promaster view. In all, there were three rows, and some random vans here and there.

To the left of me was a Promaster 159.  It was occupied by two ladies from Nevada, Joyce and Ellen.  They were both long-divorced who raised their respective children as single parents.  They were also long-time friends who eventually decided to live together.  One of them was in her 80s and they gained my respect with the knowledge that they had mutually bought the Promaster just last year so they could continue to explore the country.  They were instantly warm and welcoming.

On the other side of me was a man in a Promaster City.  Alan had a slight but wiry build that announced that he was a life-long athlete. He was gregarious in an effortless way, and he instantly engaged me in conversation.  After some time he moved to another group and acted similarly.  I could hear him laugh and joke with total strangers as if he had known them for years.  I was envious of his ability and felt a bit ashamed that I was lacking in that area.

Across me was a man who identified himself as a confirmed bachelor. Doug had moved from big LA to small St. George, Utah.  He said moved because he didn’t like what was happening in California.  I felt that it was best to not press for more information, but I made a mental note to keep my liberal leanings to myself.  Doug was a professional voice-over actor who could ply his trade anywhere that he had an internet connection. He was a friendly guy who was enjoyable to talk with.

Down the lane was another single man who had two immaculately groomed Schnauzers, a male, and a female wearing respective blue and pink harnesses. Vern was a retired IT professional who lived in LA and had a love of gadgets and a problem-solving mind that reminded me of myself. We got to talking and he revealed that he grew up in Chicago in the same neighborhood as I did.  However, he lived on the east side of Western Avenue, while I lived on the west side.  Another man entered our conversation and when he found out that we grew up in the same neighborhood he commented that we were probably playmates “in the day.”  Vern and I shot each other a glance as we both chucked and said, “probably not.”  Vern was black and I was white. Chicago was a racist town in the 1970s.  How grateful I was that this was 2021 and not 1971.  I think Vern and I could have been good friends in the day if not hampered by the limitation of our upbringing. 

I was making a strong and good effort to socialize, but I was doing so by putting on my functional extrovert persona. It was fun, but also exhausting.  I retreated to Violet for a supper of another roast beef sandwich, made expressly to use up my open package of cold cuts.  The remaining event for the day was a bonfire, and despite my exhaustion, I was committed to going. The bonfire was actually a lava rock filled circle outfitted with a number of Bunsen burner like jets.  It was an odd device likely designed to safely burn in arid and fire-prone Montana. I spotted a familiar face next to an open seat and approached the person asking if the adjacent spot was taken.  “I think so,” was the reply. I quickly moved to another spot and sat quietly as my level of awkwardness built.  I fumbled with my phone and tried to look occupied, but within short order, I knew that I wanted to leave.  I had pushed my envelope about as far as I could and there was nothing left in me that would allow me to once again start a conversation with a new stranger.  I was spent. I planed an exit strategy that I thought would be subtle.  I would go to the Port-a-Potty and then sneak off to Violet.  This was exactly what I did. Once inside I pushed in my Relfectix shade, popped in my Apple AirPods, and clicked on the audiobook that I was listening to, Becoming by Michelle Obama. I sat in the quiet with Violet’s cabin illuminated by 4 battery-operated faux candles that changed colors in a rhythmic and calming pattern.  The instant relief that I felt verified that I had made the right choice.  I’m an introvert and I can only do so much socializing.  Yet, despite all of my good efforts, I feared that I had failed.  I was judging myself based on a passing grade of being 100% perfect.  

I wondered if I had made the right choice by coming to the meet-up.  I was playing my comparison game.  Everyone seemed to have an easier time socially connecting.  I had done well enough, but I was play-acting.  I felt inadequate and slightly ashamed.  Yet, Violet’s safe and secure surroundings gave me the courage to go for day two.

1919 Barn turned into a party barn. This is where all of our meals were served.
Another photo that I took of the Star-M property.
Some of the Wayfarer employees camped out in tents.
Another property landscape. The clouds are rolling in, but so was the smoke from a forest fire.
This grain silo is now a water tank for the barn’s modern fire sprinkler system.

Meetup-Day Two

I woke up and ripped open a pudgy package of Epic XL shower wipes.  These one-by-two foot wipes have a slight eucalyptus fragrance and can serve as an emergency shower.  Since showers were not available at the ranch the Epic wipe would have to be an acceptable substitute.  As a dry camper, I am experienced using the wipes knowing that you start by cleaning your cleanest parts as you progressively scrub ever more needed regions.  Once hygienic I brushed my teeth, sprayed on a little cologne, and dressed.  

I exited Violet and immediately went over to the two ladies’ van as they were holding court with several other van dwellers.  They welcomed me and I felt at ease entering their circle.  The members of the group were no longer strangers, they were now, at least, acquaintances.  We all meandered to the barn for breakfast but we were greeted by a sign saying that it was delayed due to a catering mess up.  Our conversation continued in the barn and I revealed to them for the first time that I was a physician.  Perhaps oddly, I don’t like to tell people that I’m a doctor as it can sometimes set up an artificial barrier.   

Eventually, food arrived, an enormous selection that was quickly gathered from local stores by the Wayfarer staff.  We listened to a few talks after breakfast, and then the group broke up to go to various scheduled activities-mountain biking, a short hike, or free time. I thought about going on the scheduled hike, around two miles, and regarded as moderate.  I knew that this level of exercise was within my capabilities, but I held back.  I didn’t want to slow up more athletic hikers. This was another old tape from the past.  I never played team sports because I didn’t want to pull others down with my insufficiencies. Always being told how uncoordinated I was I believed that I would be a harm rather than a help to any team that I would join. I didn’t feel that I needed to challenge myself with this.   I elected to take my iPad back into the barn, now empty and quiet, and to start this post.  It was the right decision to make.

Something happened to the caterer, so the Wayfarer staff went out and bought an enormous amount of breakfast treats.
The smokey sky from forest fires led to some spectacular sunsets.
There were a number of talks. This one was on the history of the Star-M Barn and how it went from hay barn to party barn.

Eventually, I tired of writing and wandered back towards the campers and engaged in a number of conversations.  The staff videographer asked me if I wanted to do a video tour of Violet.  I agreed and the interview began. After the interview, we talked about cameras, editing software, and wireless microphone choices. Other van dwellers then came up to me with questions about Violet’s solar panels, microwave oven, organizational boxes, and Wabasto heater.  

I found that the empty barn was the perfect place to write this blog.

Jinny was a newbie who had questions about my induction cooktop. She was a bit unusual as she was an older Asian woman traveling solo. I made an honest effort to encapsulate useful information about induction cooking and how I monitored my electrical system to make sure that had enough power for my other devices, such as my Dometic fridge.

Later Jinny showed me her van, a completely tricked-out Promaster 159.  I got to know her a little better and it was clear that she had given a lot of thought to adopting this new lifestyle.  She had the book knowledge and it seemed like she was now hoping to gain the practical knowledge to successfully travel in a van.

Many van dwellers had cool toys, like this folding e-bike.

As in my conversations with other van dwellers, I didn’t want to assault her with my professional interviewing style.  The style where I can learn everything from a person’s favorite color to details about their sex lives in 45 minutes or less.  What I would learn about Jinny would be what she would choose to tell me.

She told me that she had a huge house in Seattle that she recently sold.  She purchased several acres of land outside of Seattle that already contained a 3 car garage and an RV garage.  She bought the land because of the RV garage and bought an RV without ever driving one. This was a mistake as the lumbering behemoth was stressful to drive.  She sold the RV and was much happier with her Wayfarer van.

She had a shed built on the land and had it converted into a tiny house. The residence didn’t have a kitchen but was reasonably close to the company that she owned.  When her employees went home in the evening she use her workplace kitchen to make Hello Fresh types meals, a portion which she brought back to her tiny house.  This seemed to work for her. Jinny was in the process of building a fourplex on the property, which she would rent out.  Once completed she would retire and use the rentals for her income.

Jinny showed me a photo of her beautiful daughter and her adorable grandchild.  They were living in Minnesota and I believe she was establishing her nomad lifestyle so she could spend more time with them.  I thought to myself, “What a fascinating person.”

Then it was time for another catered dinner.  This one consisted of a make-your-own taco bar but added the twist of pull pork and chicken mole fillings. Here I found Bill.  I had talked to Bill a few times before.  He was sitting alone and I asked him if I could join him.  Bill was a tallish man with a wild horseshoe style mustache. Bill retired from the airlines after working for them for over 40 years. He then converted his passion for woodcarving into a successful mail-order business but shuttered its doors when the company became so successful that it sucked the joy out of his hobby.  Bill said that he was always fascinated with trucks, so he then got his commercial license and became an 18 wheel truck driver for 10 years before he finally retired.  

Bill lost his wife 3 years prior to our meeting and it was clear that he still missed her terribly.  A former Chicagoan, he had moved to Mesa, Arizona decades earlier where he raised his two sons.  Bill was immensely proud of his two boys, one who lived in Colorado and the other in Arizona.  They came up in every conversation that I had with Bill.  I liked this about him.  Bill became my dining partner for the rest of the event.  I could imagine him as a next-door neighbor and friend who would stop by for coffee and chat.  That would be fun.

There were so many others that I talked to.  The couple originally from Glen Ellen, Illinois now living in Steamboat, Colorado after raising their kids.  They seemed the executive type, pleasant with ease with strangers that comes from years of neighborhood gatherings and business meetings.  They commented on how neat and organized Violet was.  I had to chuckle because they were right.  Three years of my obsessiveness combined with friend Tom’s carpentry skills had turned Violet into a well-oiled machine where there was a place for everything and everything had its place.  

There was Dana, a single woman in a 159 Promaster who was also fairly new to van travel. She had purchased some folding solar panels, but she was afraid to use them.  I helped her set them up as I tried to emphasize how easy the process was.  Dana was very social on day one but then seemed to disappear.  She left early noting that she wanted to beat the bad weather on her journey back to Colorado.  I felt that she had had enough of this adventure and wanted to return to the security of her basecamp. 

There was a couple from Indianapolis.  I met the first one during breakfast on day two and then her wife on day three.  They owned a coffee shop in Indie but were hoping to sell it so they could explore America in their camper van.  

There was the couple where the woman slept in her tiny converted Promaster City and the man slept in an adjoining orange tent.  I’m not sure what their status was.  Couple? Friends? Whatever their status it was clear that they genuinely liked each other.  

There was the guy with the giant German Shepard and the lady with the Golden Doodle and so many more.  When I saw someone I didn’t know I went up to them, introduced myself, and started a conversation.

The day ended back in Violet’s welcoming chamber, AirPods in, audiobook on.

Meetup-Day Three

I woke up to frigid temperatures and instantly turned on the Wabasto.  Like the day before I procedurally went through my hygiene and dressing ritual and then went outside to socialize.  Soon it was time for breakfast, sort of a Continental affair.  I grabbed a fruit cup, muffin, and a small parfait and balanced a cup of coffee on top of my plate as I made my way from the food line up the stairs to the dining tables. I sat with a group of familiar faces as I sipped my coffee and nibbled on my muffin. I smiled and occasionally offered comments as they talked about everything from the cold weather to Elon Musk.   

The frigid weather forced a number of van dwellers to pack up and leave as another number of them went off on various explorations.  I hunkered down in Violet, as the only jacket that I packed was a light hoody.  On occasion, I would wander out to re-engage with other dwellers to have pleasant conversations as I continued to reinforce my socialization skills.  However, after doing this for the two previous days I was also happy to have my alone time.  I wrote, read, and talked on the phone.  Prior to my journey, I had planned on taking a side trip back to Yellowstone, as it was only 90 minutes away from Bozeman.  However, my weather app said that the high in Yellowstone was going to be 42F on Monday, with a low of only 16F.  Some snow was also predicted.  I mentioned my change of plans while on the phone to my friend Tom, who was insistent that I should go anyway.  That was Tom, who was always interested in exploring and learning something new.  However, my short pants and thin hoodie suggested otherwise.  I told Tom, “We’ll see,” code to let him know that I wasn’t going to do it and that I didn’t want to debate my decision.  He understood, and we changed the subject.  

The weather report told me that a side-trip to Yellowstone was a no-go as all I had was a light hoodie to keep me warm.

I had now found my pace at the meetup.  Mixing socialization times with alone times gave me the balance that my introverted self required.  More conversations followed with Vern, Jinny, the camera guy, and others mixed with writing, reading, and thinking.  I was no longer exhausted, no longer mad at myself for not being the best “socializer” in the group.  I no longer criticize myself for not challenging myself further.  I was content.

One day it was so windy that this poor van dweller’s awning was torn to shreds.

Meetup-Last morning and the road.

Half of the 40 vans had already left the event.  I heard some people outside chatting, but many chose to avoid the bitter cold by staying inside their vehicles.  Eventually, it was time for breakfast.  This last meal was dubbed a “Grab and Go” meal.  However, most of us grabbed and sat down.  I found Bill and we both went down to the buffet line.  Balancing a biodegradable style plate I examined and placed items into it.  Some sort of egg dish, a small muffin, a little fruit.  At the end of the line was the coffee.  The cups were small, and so I filled two of them.  Now I had to figure out how to balance two cups and a floppy plate up the stairs to the dining hall. I didn’t do this gracefully, but I manage to get to the table without dropping everything.  

We sat and chatted and Bill invited me back to his van as I had expressed interest in how he liked a partition that he had purchased that isolated his van’s cabin from the front cab.  At the end of the demonstration, he offered me a few pre-soaped sheets that he said were great at removing van bug reside.  In my mind it was a gesture gift, suggesting a new friendship.   

I said a few more goodbyes, to Doug, the coffee ladies, even some random folks who I had never talked to.  I went back to Violet and made sure that her cabin was secure, lest everything wouldn’t go flying when I hit the road.

I wasn’t going to go to Yellowstone, but I wasn’t finished with exploring.  I set my GPS for downtown Bozeman and drove out of the ranch.  Bozeman is a town of around forty thousand and its downtown looks very similar to my hometown of Naperville.  Two and three-story buildings, many appeared that they were constructed during the first half of the last century. They were well maintained and the shops that they contained suggested that the town was doing well.  Sporting goods, coffee, bikes, spices and teas, the list went on.  I took a few photos, but I was chilled and didn’t linger.  

Downtown Bozeman is filled with cute shops and wide sidewalks.
A lot of the architecture had a 1900-1920s look.
I thought that this bike shop had an interesting sign.

I like visiting colleges and so my next stop was Montana State University, which was about six minutes away from downtown.  Here too, I got out and wandered.  The campus was spotless and pretty.  However, it was sized more like the small North Central College in my hometown rather than the behemoth state universities that I’m accustomed to in Illinois. Yet, it is the largest university in the state of Montana, with an enrollment of around fourteen thousand students.  I milled around with the students as they marched to their next classes and I was struck by how similar they looked to students that I had witnessed at other colleges that I had visited. Some were wearing heavy down vests, others in t-shirts and shorts.  Some with expensive clothes, others wearing Goodwill bargains.  Each bright face a potential future Elon Musk or Warren Buffett.  I looked at the grey hairs on my arms and then back to their eager faces and I became acutely aware of the different phases of our lives.  They were speeding towards expectation, I was lumbering towards acceptance.  We were both still moving, still growing.  However, I no longer felt the anxiety of urgency.  Rather, I was taking what I had and tweaking it to better fit who I wanted to be.

Like many colleges, Montanna State had a beautiful “Old Main” building.
However, there were also quite a few modern buildings.

I returned to the comfort of Violet and searched for a gas station, which I found on the edge of Bozeman’s downtown.  A tiny station with a small convenience type store.  I put the pump on automatic and went inside to grab a cup of coffee.  After filling a 16 oz styrofoam cup I wandered the store looking for a perfect snack.  There were rows of candy bars and protein bars.  Aisles of popcorn and beef jerky, end caps of snack cakes.  I took it all in, but nothing really appealed to me.  I approached the front counter and was greeted by a woman in her 40s.  She said, “Is that all?”  I could tell that she was sizing me up, and I must have looked a sight.  In front of her was an old man, somewhat disheveled, and with a full week’s growth of beard.  I saw her glance at me and then at Violet.  I could only assume that she thought I was homeless and I was concerned that she was passing judgment on me. She repeated, “Is that it?”  “Yep,” I said and reached for my wallet.  She said, “It’s only 99 cents and guess what?”   I replied, “What?”  She looked at me and gave me a big smile, “It’s on me.”  My eyes misted up and I returned the smile, “Really?  Thank you!”  This lady was likely making minimum wage yet she was reaching out with kindness to a stranger who she had never met and who she assumed needed a little TLC.  I felt lifted up by her random act of kindness.

The next days would be grueling as I wanted to return back home in two days, rather than the three that I allotted. Once again, I entertained myself with old radio shows, NPR, audiobooks, phone calls, local radio stations, and thinking. As I drove the miles I would cycle through these options.  As soon as one would become tiresome I would move to another.

I came across a National Monument, Pompey’s Pillar, a rock formation in central Montana.  The site is famous for many petroglyphs as well as the carved signature of William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame.  Apparently, his signature is the only remaining physical evidence of his journey with Meriwether Lewis. It felt good to gain free entry using my lifelong National Parks Senior Pass.  The ranger at the gate gave me a full history of the site and urged me to watch the park’s movie and to talk to the other rangers who were stationed on the rock itself.  Another nice person!

Pompey’s Piller National Monument is basically one big giant rock.
Climbing to the top of the rock provided some very pretty views.

There is only so much time that you can spend climbing a 200-foot rock, and it wasn’t long before I was once again sitting in Violet’s driver’s seat, heading east.  Driving in the western states of Montana and North Dakota is a lesson in isolation.  A thin ribbon of asphalt propels you forward, but much of the landscape remains the same.  Brownish green brush, endless rocks, the occasional buff or range of mountains.  It is all extremely beautiful, but disconcerting for an urban lad, such as myself.  I’m used to a certain degree of noise and congestion and I gain a level of comfort knowing that there are 5 gas stations, 3 grocery stores, and two hardware stores writhing a 5-minute drive from my house.  On I-90 I could drive 50 or even 100 miles without seeing a human-made structure.  I passed countless exits with signs that stated “No Services.”  With no connected town, these exits seemed to drop off the end of the earth into a zone of nothingness.  

The landscape was barren but breathtaking.

As I drove I sipped coffee, then Diet Pepsi, then water.  I rutted through my snack bag and munched on various trashy treats-Chex Mix, pretzels, Belvita bars.  The amount of non-nutritious foods that I was eating made me feel sick, and I longed for a salad.  However, that longing didn’t stop me from once again reaching into the bag to grab another crumb.

It was now around 6 PM and both Violet and I needed to fill up.  Google told me that there was a gas station 26 miles ahead, the only one-and so that would be my stop.  At the station, there was a man with snow-white hair and a bushy mustache who was fueling his Tahoe.  He was pulling a fishing boat and heading west to Washington state.  He too was a solo traveler and clearly feeling lonely.  In short order, he started to tell me his story, but I had to cut him short as I wanted to grab dinner from the Cenex store.  I entered the establishment and was greeted by the intoxicating aroma of gas station pizza.  However, when I wandered back to the food zone I was disappointed to only find three items on the warming shelf.  Two boxes of chicken strips and a breakfast burrito.  It appeared that they had been heated hours before and I couldn’t bear the thought of eating them.  I grabbed a bag of popcorn and a bottle of diet Mountain Dew-that would be my dinner for the evening.

Popcorn and diet Mountain Dew for dinner.

Yes, dear reader, I had a fridge and pantry full of things that I could have made.  Eggs, canned soup, lunch meat, and even some vegetables.  However, I just wanted to keep going.  I was missing my loved ones and wanted to get home.

I drove on until I could drive no further.  However, there was nowhere to stop.  No town, no hotel, no truck stop, nothing.  Now deep into North Dakota, I spied the blue and white sign of a rest stop.  At last!  My plan was to camp out there until the morning, but my heart sank when I drove in and saw a large black and white sign that said, “No Overnight Camping.”  I knew that it was best practice to move on, but I had nowhere to go.  I pulled into a slot and search for information on North Dakota’s DMV site.  They stated that it was illegal to park longer than three hours at their rest stops and that they considered that sleeping in a van was camping.  It couldn’t be any clearer.  Despite being exhausted I assessed my situation and came up with a plan.  Sleeping 3 hours would allow me to drive further to some other place, perhaps another rest stop or a truck stop.  There I could repeat the practice.  I set an alarm for three hours and crawled into Violet’s bunk.  This time I didn’t change into my sleeping shorts.  I wanted to be ready to move if an officer banged on my door and forced me to drive on.  Apparently, I turned off the alarm during the night because I woke at 6 AM-rested.  No one bothered me.  I meandered to the bathroom, which was completely empty.  I took a photo in there-a perfectly OK thing to do considering that I was alone, but somehow it felt a bit wrong. Then I was on the road again.

Taking a forbidden photo inside of an empty men’s room.
I was going to treat myself to a real breakfast on my last travel day, but the closest restaurant was almost 100 miles away!
I started my last drive with the sun directly in my eyes.

My last travel day was similar to the one before it.  However, as I went further east both the landscape and the population changed.  I drove on listening, thinking, snacking.  Julie was texting me and pressing me about my location and when I planned on returning to Naperville.  I was being deliberately vague as I wanted to surprise her by showing up a day early.  Dear reader, I’m not very good at deception, but I did my best.  She called me when I was driving through Aurora, about 15 minutes from home.  I tried to divert her direct questions and I could clearly hear the frustration in her voice.  When I arrived she was happy to see me but also peeved at me.  Later, Kathryn told me that Julie was worried about me because I was acting uncharacteristically confused.  She thought I could get lost or fall asleep on the road and she was concerned.  Apparently, her being miffed with me was based on this unnecessary worry. I apologized.

I finish this post from the comfort of my little study with its mullioned windows and overstuffed leather easy chair.  Despite its small size, it is larger than Violet’s living space by a magnitude.  My environment is now a controlled 72F and I have a bathroom only a few paces away.  Last night I took an endless shower, rubbing a thick bar of creamy soap over my body.  I shaved away a week’s worth of beard and felt the spacious wonderment of a king-size bed, silky sheets, and puffy pillows.  

I’m glad to be home, but I never felt deprived living out of Violet.  I planned her environment well and that planning has served me.

My out-or-proportion anger towards Tom surprised and shocked me.  The stress of the trip combined with the play and a few poorly chosen comments took calm and collected me and transformed me into a person that I felt that I had long left behind. Yet, it was still there.  Issues from the past still haunted me 50 years later.  It was a humbling experience.

I have taken long trips solo in the past, but that doesn’t mean that they are not stressful. I can fill hours of time alone, but it is more enjoyable to ride with a co-pilot.  Whether that is Julie or William sitting next to me, or Tom driving his own car.  

My biggest challenge was interacting with 75 strangers in a confined setting. Lessons from the past taught me that I should be seen but not heard and it has always been enormously difficult for me to initiate a conversation with a stranger. Over the years I have observed how my friend  Tom easily connects with others and I have modeled those observations to successfully break my inhibitions.  However, this would only involve a single person and for a short period of time.  I have never challenged myself to do so with 75 strangers in a venue that ran for days.

I was down on myself on day one.  Yes, I had started up multiple conversations with numerous people.  However, I was judging myself against another and clearly coming up short. His incredible ease of socializing made my efforts look paltry.  By the time that I was rejected at the bonfire, I was already exhausted and spent.  This amplified my feelings of inadequacy and I wondered why in the world did introverted me subject myself to this extroverted challenge.  I return back to Violet feeling defeated and exposed. Inside I felt a rush of relief and comfort. During that moment I gained a better understanding of myself. I am an introvert, I could expand my abilities and develop my social skills, but I would always be an introvert.  Extroverts, like Alan, are different creatures who gain energy from their interactions.  I enjoy people, but I need to recharge away from them which is why isolating in Violet felt so good.  

Indeed, I had made great progress.  Years ago I would have never approached a stranger to start a conversation.  Lately, I have had no problem doing this.  Now, I was on a trip that would force me to drive 3000 miles alone for the purpose of interacting with 75 strangers over an extended weekend.  I wasn’t Alan, but I was still doing pretty well.

As soon as I recognized what was going on I altered my approach.  I would still socialize.  I would still initiate.  However, I would give myself times to recharge in between.  Sometimes I would quietly think, or read, or write.  Any of these behaviors were enough to top off my battery and allow me to move forward and experience more.

The people that I met were all different, but they had a common thread-they were all incredibly nice and very interesting.  How fortunate I was to interact with them.  The hosting crew was also beyond pleasant.  I got to chat with Ian, the owner of Wayfarer Vans for a bit.  I asked, “Why didn’t you bring accessories to sell?” He replied, “I wanted this to be a family event, not a commercial one,” He succeeded.

I learned a little more about van life and a lot more about many interesting people.  Beyond the weekend warriors, there was the lady who bought me a 99 cent cup of coffee, the ranger who wanted to share the excitement of Pompeys Piller, and the man with the bushy mustache who just wanted to talk to someone. Each was kind, accepting, and generous in their own ways.

At 68 I still have much to learn.  Without realizing it I still am battling with demons from my past.  However, I continue to grow and advance.  I am who I am and some things will always be out of my reach.  With that said, I’m not a static creature locked into a persona created decades earlier.  I’m evolving in all ways.  My goal is to continue to grow but to also accept myself.  As an adult, I feel that I had pretty good ego strength.  However, it only took a few events to make me return to a past time.  I wasn’t able to shake off a minor blow to my self-respect.  I turned a molehill into a mountain.  Thankfully, with the help of others I was able to understand that process and (hopefully) use it to be a better person in the future.

I am so grateful to be me.  Living in my little town, touring in my little camper.  I will never be the most popular kid on the block, or the most famous, or the richest, or the most accomplished.  However, I feel that I am loved and I love others.  What more could I ask for?

Peace

Mike

12-volt cooking in a car, cooking in a car, cooking in a van, living in a van, Uncategorized, using a instant pot in a van, using a rice cooker in a car, van kitchen, van kitchen design, vandwelling, Winter in a Van

The Complete Van Dweller’s Guide to Cooking in a Car, Van, Or Minivan.

In my last post, I wrote about creating a usable kitchen when lodging in a hotel. This post will be on a related topic: cooking in a car or van. I would also suggest that you read my previous hotel-cooking post as some of those ideas apply to vehicle cooking. However, there are enough differences to warrant a separate post.

In 2018 I bought a cargo van and started the process of converting it into a campervan. I have traveled all over the country in “Violet” and have slept in traditional campgrounds, National Park campgrounds, rest stops, BML land, on the side of rural roads, and in urban locations. Usually, I live in a “sticks and bricks” house; Violet is my retirement adventure vehicle. 

Violet the van makes camping easy.
I have stealth camped in urban settings.
I have camped in gorgeous National Parks.
Looking out of Violet’s side door.
Violet’s cabin as viewed from my loft bed.
Parking in a Nation Park campground is both inexpensive and beautiful.
Glad that we added a power port to the camper van, so I could use a little heater.
A big fire in a snowy campground.

Today I will be writing about individuals who live in non-RV-type vehicles. There is some fluidity between RVers and vehicle dwellers. However, RVs are built with fully functional kitchens, where other vehicles are not.   

Skip my philosophical rant and go directly to the article by clicking this link.

Several different groups live in vehicles. Some Generation X and Z individuals live in converted vans to buck societal norms. They have rejected the astronomical cost of a college education and are seeking a different path, others shun a 40 hour/week rat race job. They want to live their lives on their terms, focusing on being in the now instead of waiting for retirement 50 years in the future. 

Other van dwellers are adventurers whose passion for outdoor activities takes them to remote and sometimes primitive locations. 

However, one of the most prominent groups of vehicle dwellers are those who do so because it is the only option available for them. There is an old line that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Unfortunately, that saying is more accurate today than it was a few decades ago. The disparity between the rich and poor is growing. Prices for essential commodities are inflating. The cost of food, rent, gas, and medical care is rising.  

The last time the minimum wage was increased was in 2009, and it currently is only $7.25/hour. If you are working 40 hours a week and making minimum wage, your yearly income will be less than fifteen thousand dollars a year.  

Ten million people survive on Social Security Disability in the US, with the vast majority of those individuals being adults. The average monthly payment for SSD is between $800 and $1800. I worked with many patients on SSD when I was a doctor, and most of them were getting around $800/month. That is $9600/year.  

One in six US residents receive Social Security, that is about 64 million individuals. The Social Security Administration notes that Social Security is the primary source of income for most elderly. The average monthly payment for Social Security is around $1500, or approximately $18,000/year.  

Forty percent of ALL Americans are one paycheck away from poverty (Prosperity Now). These individuals cannot deal with any significant unforeseen expense. In addition, those who make the least amount of money are often the most vulnerable to losing their jobs or having their hours cut.

Some suddenly find poverty because of a late-in-life divorce. These people are often women who may have had a low-paying part-time job during their marriage and now have to live on a minimal Social Security Check.

At this point, you may be saying that there are other resources for the poor. That may be true, but as a person who has worked with hundreds of individuals with low incomes, I can tell you that the reality is that additional help is minimal. Some can get food stamps, which average a bit over $100/mo. Even fewer can get subsidized housing. For instance, the average wait time for housing via the Chicago Housing Authority is 1-5 years. In addition, if you have a history of legal issues, you may be banned from this option. Charitable programs like food pantries, shelters, and “soup kitchens” are unreliable, limited, and often only in urban settings. 

If you are fortunate to be financially solvent, it may be easy to blame the poor. You may want to scold them to “Get a better job” or “Go back and get an education.” However, in many cases, this is not practical. Those on disability can’t work a full-time job. Retired individuals on Social Security often can’t get work due to ageism, and when they find employment, the amount of income they make is low. With that said, I have known several individuals who worked a low-paying part-time job to try to make ends meet, and I can tell you that these jobs are frequently unstable.  

It is easy to tell someone to go back to school, but not everyone can do this due to time, intellectual ability, or money. The scandal of online for-profit colleges illustrated this point. Their high tuition/high acceptance rates often placed poor and struggling individuals in worse economic straights. Imagine the scenario where a poor single mother tries to improve her financial position by attending an online university. Initially, she is drawn in by the idea that she will get a better job and pull herself out of poverty. The online university “helps” her secure unforgivable student loans, and she starts her classes. However, it is tough to work a 40-hour manual labor job, take care of a child, and run a household while attending classes. In addition, her substandard high school education has not prepared her well for the rigors of college work.  

She struggles through two years of schooling before dropping out with nothing to show for her efforts but her unforgivable student loans, which could easily be $35,000 or more. This debt sets her back further as bill collectors garnish her meager salary. In addition, her damaged credit impacts many aspects of her life. It is now more challenging to buy a used car, rent an apartment, or get a better job.  

By now, everyone knows that the middle class in the US is disappearing and that the gap between the poor and the rich is multiplying. The largest income growth segment in the US is for those earning in the top 5%, while the aggregate wealth of the poor has fallen from 7% in 1983 to only 4% in 2016 (Pew Research Center).

In the town that I live in, the cost of a typical one-bedroom apartment is well over $1000, and that does not include utility costs. In addition, most landlords require a security deposit plus the last month’s rent in advance. Also, many landlords do a credit check and will reject applicants with poor credit scores.

Of course, there are places in the US where rent is lower, but there are many places where the rent is much higher than where I live. Unfortunately, most jobs are located in high-rent locations. It is nearly impossible to rent an apartment in places like New York City, Seattle, or San Francisco without a good credit score and a good income.

Beyond the cost of housing, there have also been increases in other basic living costs. Electricity costs are estimated to increase by almost 3% this year. CNBC says that utility costs, in general, will increase by 10% this summer. If you have gone to the grocery store recently, you are aware that grocery prices are up. The national average increase is 2.6%, but it is often higher than that in many regions. A March 2021 article in “Forbes” notes that gasoline prices are currently high and that they are on the rise. The internet was once a luxury, but it has become a necessity. Like other utilities, the cost of the internet is going up (“Comcast is raising rates”-ARSTechnica).  

The bottom line is that millions of individuals in the US live on extremely meager incomes, and it is nearly impossible for many of them to increase that income significantly. Additionally, millions of US citizens have no savings or emergency funds, leaving them utterly vulnerable if they have an unexpected expense or job loss. In addition, in many urban locations, it is impossible to afford housing on a low income. These factors make it extremely difficult for the poor and working poor to live an everyday life.

There have always been homeless people, and there have always been individuals who lived in their vehicles. However, with the advent of YouTube personalities like Bob Wells, there has been a greater acknowledgment that vehicle dwelling is an acceptable alternative to traditional “bricks and sticks” housing. With that said, there has also been an apparent backlash in communities that shout the mantra, “Not in my neighborhood.”  

Cooking In A Vehicle

It is imperative for both health and financial reasons to be able to prepare food when you are living in a vehicle. Most can’t afford to go to a restaurant three times a day, and even fast food drive-thrus are expensive when used regularly. 

On a recent winter camping trip my friend made us “slow cooked” stew in a Dutch Oven.

Some are happy to exist on a diet of protein bars and trail mix. Other dwellers choose only to eat raw and unprocessed foods. However, both of these groups are in the minority. Most need a way to cook food in or outside their vehicles. 

The more dedicated and permanent a kitchen space is, the easier and safer it is to use. If you cannot have a permanent kitchen space, you will need to re-create a safe area every time you cook. Don’t take shortcuts here, as to do so will result in eventual accidents or worse.

I like to think of dwelling vehicles in three general classes:

Van class.

This includes cargo vans and other larger habitats like box vans, cargo trailers, and school busses. Van class vehicles have adequate space to permanently install a kitchen, which can be configured in various ways. It is possible to create a fully functional kitchen when living in a van class vehicle.

Violet started her life as an empty van allowing me to build her out any way that I wanted.
My permanent kitchen set-up includes a sink, cooktop, microwave oven, and a 12-Volt Dometic fridge.

Minivan class.

This group includes minivans, as well as some SUVs. Minivan class kitchens can be set up similarly to van class ones, but any build will be inherently smaller and more crowded due to the vehicle’s smaller size. A typical style is to build a small kitchen at the rear of the vehicle. These “hatchback” type kitchens are designed for outdoor cooking, but they often offer some accessibility inside the van. This dual functionality is essential, as it is not always practical to cook outdoors. 

Sedan class.

Most passenger vehicles fall into this category, including sedans, hatchbacks, smaller SUVs, and compact cars. If you live in a sedan class vehicle, it is easiest and safest to cook outdoors. Some dwellers will set up an outdoor camping-style kitchen, while others will cook on a picnic table or tree stump. 

There will be times when a sedan class dweller will need to prepare food in their car. If this is an occasional occurrence, they can probably get by with no-cook options, like sandwiches. However, there are situations where it is necessary to cook in a car regularly. I have seen clever mini-kitchens built-in sedan class vehicles, but these are the exception. 

Most sedan class dwellers use the passenger seat, their bed, or the top of a cooler as their cooking zone. These options are potentially dangerous, and it is imperative to make these spaces as safe as possible. This can sometimes be accomplished using an electric cooking device, like a small rice cooker, instead of an open flame stove. However, many sedan dwellers chose to use small gas burners, like hiking-type stoves, as they are versatile and convenient. When cooking, it is essential to have a surface that is as level and fire-resistant as possible. For example, a metal cookie sheet can be placed on top of a cooler to provide fire and spill protection. It is crucial to minimize the clutter around the “kitchen.” Most sedan class dwellers will have to set up and tear down their kitchen every time they use it. There can be a tendency to become lax in this regard, but that could be a disastrous omission.

Sedan dwellers often use hiker’s stoves because they are convenient, small, and versatile. However, they are easy to tip over so great caution is advised.

Inside or outside.

The more dedicated your cooking space, the easier it is to cook inside. However, cooking outdoors can offer advantages. It is safer, as you have more space, and you are surrounded by less combustible materials. In addition, grease and smells are left in the environment, not in your home on wheels. With that said, always cooking outdoors is not practical for many. There are times when the weather is too inclement and other times when you need to be stealthy. Therefore, even if you plan on cooking outdoors, you will need some sort of backup plan to prepare meals inside your vehicle. 

Cooking outdoors can be safer and as a bonus grease and odors stay outside. I use a little butane stove for my outdoor cooking.
It is possible to easily put together a makeshift outdoor kitchen. Here I’m camping in a beautiful National Forest on a site without any amenities.

Permanent vs. temporary kitchen.

I am a strong advocate of having a permanent space for your kitchen, but this may not be possible in all situations.  

I have a permanent kitchen in my campervan, but I also carry a small countertop-style butane stove so I can cook outdoors when desired. For me, this is the best of both worlds.  

Ventilation.

People worry about carbon monoxide poisoning, but this problem can be eliminated by cracking a few windows when cooking. Open flames consume oxygen, which also warrants ventilation. 

Fire/spills.

A considerable risk when cooking in any vehicle is fire. Additional dangers include tipping over a boiling pot on yourself or melting parts of your car. You need to be extremely careful and vigilant when you cook in a vehicle. The smaller or more cluttered the space, the greater the inherent danger. Naturally, it would be best if you always had a fire extinguisher at the ready. 

What you will need.

Your cooking style will determine your needs. As a rule of thumb, the most minimal setup will require something to heat food with, something to cook food in (which also can be used to eat out of), a cup or mug, a can opener, and some simple utensils, such as a spoon, fork, and sharp knife.  

Common additions include plates and bowls, tongs, a pancake turner, a cutting board/mat, a strainer, hot pads/gloves, and possibly a small whisk. Specialty items like a corkscrew, a potato peeler, or a coffee system may be necessary for some. Others may want measuring cups, a potato masher, or a food thermometer. The options are up to you. I have items that I use all of the time (a pancake turner), and I have other things that I use very rarely (a potato peeler). I know that it would be sensible to dump the potato peeler, but I’m not ready to do so.

Making pour over coffee in Violet the van.

Some dwellers get by using a deep-sided fry pan to cook everything; others equip with both a saucepan (1-1 ½ quart is a good size) and a frying pan (8’-10″ is useful). Still, others have more elaborate cook kits that include several pots/pans and a kettle. If space is very tight, you may want to use a nested camping cookware system. However, I would avoid buying a cheap Boy Scout-style mess kit, as they are too small, too thin, and generally burn food. 

If space is very tight you may want to use a nested cook set. Some are reasonably priced while still offering acceptable quality.

Most vehicle dwellers use household pots and pans, as they are thicker and cook more evenly than camping gear. I always suggest using non-stick pots and pans when possible, as these are significantly easier to clean. Using a real plate and bowl can make van life seem more normal. Having service for one is OK, but service for two allows you to dine with a guest or use the extra items when preparing food. 

You can often stock your van-life kitchen using existing items from your kitchen. These are from my sticks and bricks kitchen where I mostly use stainless steel and cast iron cooking vessels.
When traveling in Violet I prefer to use non-stick pots and pans as they are much easier to clean.

Pro Tip:

I know that I just extolled the virtues of using a real plate and bowl, but I often find it more convenient to use paper ones when I’m vandwelling.

Storage and supplies.

It is a good idea to keep all of your cooking tools in bins for easy access. Likewise, most people keep their shelf-stable foods in one spot. Don’t forget that you will need some basic seasonings like salt and pepper. Many vehicle dwellers add a few more spices that fit their various tastes. Typical condiments include cinnamon, chili flakes, cumin, oregano, taco seasoning, and garlic/onion powders. Depending on the cooking you do, you may also need staple items like olive oil and flour. Grocery stores can be found everywhere, so don’t feel compelled to have a stockpiled kitchen immediately. Plastic bags from grocery purchases are perfect for your daily garbage. 

There are grocery stores everywhere, so don’t feel a need to immediately buy everything that you can think of. Remember that you will be limited by your available storage space.

Water.

The amount of water that you carry will be determined by your vehicle’s free space, as well as where you camp. Traveling in a van allows you to carry quite a bit of water while living in a car limits your quantities. Some folks camp in urban settings where it is easy to replenish their water supplies; others reside on remote BML sites and need to have enough water on hand for a week or more. Water can be carried in any food-safe waterproof container. Some use dedicated camping-style jugs, while others use gallon water containers from the grocer.

Some van dwellers use camping-style water containers. Water weighs 8 pounds a gallon, so buy a size that you can carry.
Some van dwellers store their water in gallon grocery store jugs.

Food.

Most vehicle dwellers purchase and eat regular food, as dehydrated hiker’s meals are both expensive and (with repetition) bland. The choices are endless and determined by your eating preference, storage space, and ability to keep your food cold. There are many single-serving type foods at the grocer. Some popular items include Knorr Sides, Idahoan instant potatoes, tuna packets, and much more. Canned items like soups require no refrigeration, and hearty bread, like bagels, are crush-proof and stay fresh for a long time. I like to have a jar of peanut butter on hand, and I usually pack some quick-cooking pasta and oats. Since I have refrigeration, I usually have eggs, milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt on hand.

There are many already cooked shelf-stable foods. You can further “doctor” them up by adding canned tuna and other things to make a one-pot meal.
Since I have a refrigerator I can carry perishable foods like milk and bacon.

Where to buy groceries.

This may be an obvious section. Many van dwellers choose stores like Walmart, Aldi, and dollar stores as they offer the best bang for the buck. Some dwellers know when certain items get reduced, and that is when they shop. Remember, your storage space is limited, so you will need to buy food in amounts and sizes appropriate to that limitation. This may not always be the most cost-effective option.

It is a good idea to keep all of your shelf-stable foods in the same place. For some, a Rubbermaid-type bin works. I like using these baskets which are easily accessible when I cook.

Cooling and refrigeration.

I grabbed these foods from my pantry to illustrate that there are many foods that don’t require refrigeration.

It is perfectly possible to live full time in a vehicle and not have refrigeration. Many fresh fruits and vegetables don’t need refrigeration, and there are dehydrated, canned, boxed, and pouched items that are shelf-stable. In addition, it is wholly possible to buy something perishable as long as you consume it within a reasonable amount of time. However, having a way to keep things cold can be a game-changer and morale booster. Here are some excellent and not-so-good options. 

Thermoelectric coolers.

These gadgets are relatively inexpensive and can cool and warm. Some truckers use them in their air-conditioned cabs. A thermoelectric cooler can cool to around 30F below the ambient temperature. If the temperature is 65F, the cooler will be at 35F. However, if the ambient temperature is at 80F, the lowest possible temperature of the cooler will be at an unsafe 50F. In addition, thermoelectric coolers are not very energy efficient. Most vehicle dwellers who try these devices quickly abandon them.

Thermoelectric coolers may seem like a good idea, but most van dwellers find they useless.

Standard ice chest.

These insulated boxes come in a variety of sizes and price points. You can buy a basic one for around $20 or spend over ten times that amount on a fancy Yeti cooler. In reviews the Yeti cooler often gets high marks for its ability to keep ice longer. I own one, and I would say that it is better than a cheap cooler, but certainly not ten times better. I don’t think that they are worth the money, and I would not recommend buying one. If you want a high-end cooler, consider one of the many Yeti copycats, as they often sell for 1/3rd the price of a Yeti.  

Many who use a cooler quickly get tired of the expense and inconvenience of buying ice. However, a cooler can still function as a place to keep fragile foods fresh a bit longer. You can keep an ice-free cooler in a shaded part of your vehicle and further insulate it by packing your pillows and blankets around it. Delicate items, like bag salad, will stay fresher longer when stored this way. 

Coolers come in all sizes and price points. You can turn your cheap cooler into a Yeti-like one by wrapping it in polystyrene insulating boards from the hardware store. Don’t want to do that? Just cover the cooler with your bedding. Blankets keep you warm and your cooler cold.

Chest-style 12-volt compressor refrigerators.

Companies like Dometic have been making these fridges for years. They work great, and they are very power efficient. Unfortunately, they are also costly to buy, which places them out of reach for many. Luckily, there are now a variety of no-name Chinese 12-volt fridges available on places like Amazon. These units work well, but their reliability is unknown. You can buy one in a reasonable $200-400 range, making them somewhat affordable.

Dometic 12-volt compressor fridges are reliable and energy efficient. However, they are expensive.
You can buy this small Alpicool fridge for less than $200 on Amazon.

To operate a refrigerator, you will need some sort of house battery and a way to recharge that battery. There are many videos and blog posts on this topic. Every situation is different, so please take the following recommendation with a grain of salt. In general, you will need a house battery of around 100 Ah that is correctly connected to a solar panel that is at least 100 watts. Bob Wells says that 100 watts of solar is the minimum, 200 watts is ideal, and 300 watts is an abundance. I have 400 watts of solar on my van’s roof, and I have never had a lack of power. 

Many vehicle dwellers have house battery systems to operate things like a fridge, a vent fan, and interior lights. Some build their systems, which can be more economical. Others use premade “Solar Generators.” These are boxes containing rechargeable batteries, a solar charge controller (which allows the batteries to be charged by solar panels), a DC to AC inverter, and 120v, 12v, and 5.5v (USB) outlets. Solar Generators come with an adapter, so you can also recharge the generator via regular mains power when available. Some will also slowly charge through the car’s cigarette lighter. Solar panels are not included and are an additional cost. Some panels are mountable on your vehicle’s roof; others fold up suitcase fashion and can be taken out of the car and placed in the sun when needed. 

Solar Generators come in all sizes. This one packs a full 2KW of battery power.

If you want to recharge your Solar Generator in the wild you will need solar panels. These panels from Renogy mount on your vehicle’s roof.
If you don’t want to drill holes in your roof you can use panels that fold up and store in your vehicle. Take them out when you need to charge your Solar Generator.

Ways to cook.

There are many ways to heat your food. I will list them by category.

Parlor trick cooking.

There are magazine articles that extol the virtue of cooking food on the car’s engine block. The instructions usually read like this: “Wrap chicken in heavy-duty foil and heat for 250 miles.” This is not a practical way to cook, and I can’t imagine eating something cooked in this fashion.

Open flame devices.

There are many ways to cook via an open flame.  

Camping stoves.

The standard two-burner camp stove is a popular choice among van dwellers, as are single burner propane units. Both of these types of stoves use green 1 lb bottles of propane which are readily available. Propane tends to vaporize better in colder temperatures compared to butane, which may be necessary for some. In addition, it is possible to buy a hose adapter to connect your stove to a larger, refillable propane bottle (like the ones BBQ grills use). Using propane via one of these larger bottles is very economical.  

A classic two burner camping stove can be your van dwelling cooker.
Some van dwellers like the stability of this Coleman single burner propane stove.
Single burner stoves like this one are inherently unstable due to their height to width ratio. Yet, some van dwellers like them.

Tabletop butane stoves.

These units have become very popular among vehicle dwellers because they are compact, have a stable base, and are very easy to set up. They are powered by butane which comes in an aerosol container that resembles a hairspray can. These units have excellent flame control, which allows for precision cooking. They are also inexpensive to buy. The downsides are that butane canisters are harder to find than propane ones (although that is changing), and butane canisters may be a bit more expensive to buy. Also, butane does not vaporize well in freezing temperatures. 

It is possible to buy dual fuel stoves that can use butane or propane. Thereby having the best of both worlds. 

When I have used a butane stove exclusively for all of my cooking needs, an 8 oz can of butane was enough for a 10-day solo adventure. I was only making simple foods like grilled cheese sandwiches and bacon and eggs during that time.

Butane stoves are very popular among van dwellers due to their ease of set-up and use.

Backpacking type stoves.

These little stoves use small cans of iso-butane or a butane/propane mixture. They are designed for hikers, so their size is at a minimum. Many of them regulate their flames poorly. They are either off or running at full blast. They are especially good at heating water for dehydrated foods, but many hikers have figured out ways to cook full meals on them (check YouTube). Some stoves only cost a few dollars; others can cost over $100. The Jetboil system is a backpacking stove that is designed to boil water very quickly. Some vehicle dwellers keep one of these around for the sole purpose of rapidly boiling water for their morning coffee. 

The Jetboil system boils water very quickly.

When assembled, backpacking stoves are taller than they are wide, making them more likely to tip. In addition, their pot support is weak, making it easier for a pot to fall over. Yet, these units are popular among sedan dwellers as they are small and compact.

Before I completely built out my kitchen I used a little backpacking stove and a nested cook set from Stanley.

Gel fuel stoves.

You can buy little stoves that burn gel fuels, like Sterno. They are slow to heat, but they do work. However, Sterno has gotten expensive, and there are better choices for van dwelling.

Some like gel fuel stoves, but there are better alternatives.

Spirit-type stoves.

These simple stoves use denatured alcohol or other spirits as their fuel. Hikers like them because they are tiny and lightweight. They work in colder temperatures, and it may be easier to find fuel as they can run on a variety of “spirits.” They cook more slowly than canister stoves. The combination of an open flame and a liquid fuel makes their use in a vehicle risky. Also, burning some types of fuel can be toxic, so superior ventilation is a must. If you are insistent on using one of these stoves, I would suggest a Trangia model 25 or 27, as they have a stable enclosed base.  

Backpackers like alcohol stoves because they are very small and lightweight. However, the combination of an open flame and liquid fuel makes them undesirable for van life.
If you insist on using an alcohol stove choose one of the Trangia models with a broad base as they are more stable and the open flame is somewhat contained.

Other stove types.

There are a few other stoves that campers use, but I would not recommend them for vehicle dwellers. Some stoves burn little fuel tablets, and others burn twigs. Both of these options are better for outdoor cooking and are not suitable for in-vehicle meal preparation. 

Wood burning stoves have no place in a vehicle.

Lastly, some van class dwellers have installed little wood stoves in their vehicles to provide both heat and a cooking surface. Naturally, you have to vent these stoves via an actual chimney on your roof. To use safely you would have to be highly conscientious. I would not recommend using one of these unless you were very skilled and knowledgeable in their use.  

Cooking with electricity.

Yes, it is possible to cook with electricity, but to do so successfully you have to understand a little science. I promise that I’ll make this section understandable, so please don’t skip it as it is crucial.

There are two different systems that you can use when cooking with electricity in a vehicle. You can use a 12-volt DC system or use a 120-volt AC system-which is similar to the power system you use in your home. Cooking with electricity can be safer than cooking with an open flame. There is no carbon monoxide produced, and there is no open flame fire hazard. Cooking with electricity is even more appealing in tight/makeshift cooking situations, such as cooking in a sedan class dwelling. 

12-volt cooking systems

If you go to any truck stop, you will find a section in the store that sells 12-volt cooking appliances. These devices are varied and can range from 12-volt slow cookers to 12-volt mini frying pans. One popular appliance is the RoadPro lunchbox (144 watts). This lunchbox-style cooker is capable of reaching 300F, which allows not only cooking but also a little bit of browning/crisping. Another popular 12-volt appliance is the RoadPro 12-volt hot water kettle (100 watts). The kettle heats 20 oz of water very slowly to a boil (20-60 minutes). Since hot water is used to cook and rehydrate many foods, these kettles have some utility.  

The RoadPro lunchbox can reach a temperature of 300F.
Some dwellers like to use 12-Volt kettles like this one from RoadPro. However, they heat water very slowly.
Experiment: Can I successfully cook raw chicken using a 12 volt house battery? Answer: Yes!

In general, 12-volt cooking appliances are small in capacity, slow to heat, relatively cheaply made, and have no adjustable temperature regulation. With that said, some of them, like the RoadPro lunchbox, have a devoted following, and the many types of foods that you can cook in the lunchbox are amazing. Cook times range from one to several hours.

12-Volt appliances are usually, small, heat slowly, and don’t have the ability to adjust the heat.

12-volt cooking devices plug into the vehicle’s cigarette lighter, and because of this, they are limited to the number of watts that they can draw. Cars with a 10 amp cigarette lighter fuse can supply 120 watts, and vehicles that use a 15 amp fuse can provide 180 watts. As a comparison, many home small electric appliances use between 600-1800 watts of power. 

These devices can drain your battery, and so they should only be used with the car running. It makes little sense to idle your car for two hours, so they are best used when driving from point A to point B. This is why they are popular with truckers who are always on the road.

Another gadget that many find useful is the Hot Logic Mini, which is a collapsable slow cooker. The Hot Logic comes in both a 120-volt and 12-volt version. It only draws 45 watts, but still, it should be used with the engine running. Like other low-wattage appliances, cook times run between one and several hours. The Mini can’t brown food, but it heats so gently that it can’t burn food. You can even cook a packaged meal directly in its cardboard box without the risk of fire. 

The Hot Logic Mini is a soft-sided slow cooker that comes in both a 12-Volt and 120-Volt version.
Here I am experimenting with a Hot Logic Mini. This little gadget works surprisingly well as a food heater and slow cooker.

You can also use 12-volt appliances with your house battery system. Most Solar Generators (battery boxes) have a 12-volt receptacle capable of powering one of these devices. You will need a moderately sized solar generator, as well as a way to recharge the solar generator’s battery (such as solar panels). 

Let’s use the Mini and a 400-watt solar generator as an example. You could cook for about 8 hours before you would completely exhaust your battery (400 watts/45 watts = 8). Naturally, you don’t want to run your battery to zero, but you certainly can run the Mini for a couple of hours without much worry. The advantage of using your Solar Generator/house battery is that you can cook without running your car’s engine.  

Pro Tip: in reality, when the car runs, the system voltage is increased to 13.6 volts (or beyond). Therefore, when a vehicle is running, a 10 amp fuse will support 136 watts, and a 15 amp fuse will support 204 watts of power draw before it blows.  

120-volt cooking systems

It is possible to use some home-type small electrics in a vehicle carefully. Let’s look at a couple of options.

Powering 120-volt appliances using the car’s 12-volt system.

You can convert 12-volt DC power into 120-volt AC power by using a device called an inverter. These devices vary in price and quality. Lower-cost units are called modified sine wave inverters. These units approximate the cyclic nature of the 120-volt AC power that you use at home. More expensive inverters are called pure sine wave inverters. These units replicate the cycling that regular AC power has.  

Modified sine wave inverters can be used for many things, and they usually work well with simple appliances (like a basic rice cooker) and gadgets. Most phone/computer chargers will tolerate power from a modified sine wave inverter. I have seen videos where a modified sine wave inverter was used to power a microwave. However, the oven was less efficient and ran hotter than if it had pure sine wave power. In addition, it took longer to heat foods. 

The more precise that an appliance is, and the more computer controls that it has, the more likely you will need a pure sine wave inverter. For example, you will likely need a pure sine wave inverter if you power a medical device, like a CPAP machine.  

DC to AC Inverters that can generate up to 400 watts of power are often supplied with a cigarette type 12-volt adapter to plug into your car. It is perfectly fine to plug them into your cigarette lighter, but you should only use them in this way if your appliance uses less than 200 watts of power. 

You can plug a smaller inverter directly into your car’s cigarette lighter receptacle. However, you need to keep your power draw under 200 watts or you will blow a fuse.

If your power requirements are more significant, you will need to connect the inverter directly to the car’s battery terminals. Larger wattage inverters won’t include a cigarette lighter plug, as it is expected that you will connect those units directly to the battery.  

When using an inverter connected to the car’s power system, it is essential to have the car’s engine running so that its alternator can replenish the power that you are removing. There are limits as to how much energy you can pull off, and it is possible to deaden your car’s battery even with the engine running if the load is too large or the run time is too great. Your car’s owner manual can give you more information on this, or you can ask your mechanic for their opinion as to your vehicle’s capacity. Also, old worn-out batteries are less tolerant of extra power loads.

When cooking using the car battery/inverter method, it is essential to use relatively low wattage appliances. One excellent choice is a basic 2-6 cup rice cooker. These units use from 200 to 400 watts of power, making it unlikely that they will deplete your battery if your engine is running. A rice cooker is an amazingly versatile device that can cook many things. It is relatively small, sits stably, and is relatively safe to use. To learn more about using a rice cooker in a car, search for the “Living In A Van” channel on YouTube.

A small rice cooker (2-6 cups cooked) is relatively energy efficient, stable, and versatile.
I just ordered this 12-Volt rice cooker for $29 on Amazon. I’m curious to see if it is a reasonable alternative to a regular rice cooker.

Powering AC appliances using a house battery system.

Many vehicle dwellers have a house battery system to power fans, a fridge, and interior lights. If the system is large enough, it can also power small appliances.  

Higher wattage home appliances can be adapted for vehicle use. However, these require a beefy solar-powered system with adequate solar panels and a powerful battery. My current system has 400 watts of solar panels. My Solar Generator has 1.7 kilowatts of lithium battery power and a 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter. With that said, careless use of my electric appliances would quickly deplete even this system. I try to cook large meals during the day (when my solar panels can charge my battery), and I tend to make quickly heated foods (like warming up soup) once the sun has gone down.  

My friend, Tom, helped me install 400 watts of solar panels on Violet’s roof.

Pro Tip: high wattage demands deplete batteries faster than the same total draw at a lower wattage.

Pro Tip: a house battery can show quite a hit when using a high wattage appliance. However, part of that loss is artificial, and some of the power will return to the battery after 15 minutes of rest. 

Here are some of the appliances that I use.

Induction Cooktop

I use an 1800 watt induction cooktop that is permanently mounted in my kitchen area. However, I never use it at a full1800 watts. I cook between 300 and 1000 watts. Additionally, my cooking times are short. I make grilled cheese sandwiches or eggs, or I’ll heat a can of soup. Induction cooktops are very efficient as most of the energy goes directly into heating the pan. They are significantly more efficient than a regular electric or gas cooktop. 

I have permanently mounted induction cooktop.

Electric pressure cooker/Instant Pot

I am experimenting with a 3-quart electric pressure cooker. This unit uses 600 watts when pressurizing and much less energy when cooking (as the pressure has already been achieved). I recently made pork chops and sauerkraut in the cooker. I had to saute bacon and onions, brown four pork chops, and then the cooker had to take an enormous volume of food and bring it to pressure, after which it cooked for 14 minutes. The total operating time was almost an hour, and I used less than 22% of my battery power. I made the dinner for my family, but it would have lasted for four full meals if I were the only one eating. Using an electric pressure cooker is surprisingly efficient!

Cooking with a small electric pressure cooker has proven to be surprisingly efficient.
I cooked (actually overcooked) stuffed peppers in an electric pressure cooker and it only used 14% of my battery capacity. I made the peppers for my family, but if I was solo and on the road, I would have enough food for three full meals.

Microwave oven

I have a small 600-watt (output power) microwave oven that uses about 950 watts of input power. Lower wattage microwave ovens not only heat slower, but their energy conversion is less efficient than larger units. However, using a larger microwave would be impractical for several reasons in my small van. Even this inefficient microwave is pretty efficient, as I only use it for minutes a day to heat or reheat things. If I use it for 10 minutes a day, I am only consuming 158 watts of my house battery power (950watts/60 min x 10 min = 158 watts). 

I use have a small microwave in Violet that is similar to this one. It uses 950 watts of input power to provide 600 watts of cooking power.

Although I don’t use them, it would be possible to run other small electrics with my system. However, I would always have to be cognizant of the amount of power that I’m using. Running any battery down to zero can shorten its life. In addition, I need to reserve battery power for other things like running my 12-volt fridge and fan, as well as charging my iPad and iPhone.

Some other small electrics that I could run on my house system would include a small electric coffee pot (550 watts), a basic 2-6 cup rice cooker (200-400 watts), and even a bullet-style blender (250 watts). It is not practical to use high wattage/long cook time items, like an air fryer, unless you have an enormously large house battery system.  

If it is important, you can even have smoothies when living in a van. Bullet type blenders are fairly energy efficient.

It is all about the number of watts needed to operate the appliance and the time required to cook your food. All appliances will list the maximum wattage that they use on the back or bottom of their cases.

Let’s say you use a 100-watt appliance for an hour. You will have (roughly) used 100 watts of your house battery’s power. If you only cook something for half an hour in that appliance, then that same appliance will have consumed only 50 watts of your battery power. Naturally, these numbers are estimated as the conversion from your battery’s 12-volt DC system to 120-volt AC also requires some energy. However, using the above simple method will give you a rough idea of what you can use with your house system.  

Pro Tip: Many modern appliances have computer boards and digital displays that use power even when the appliance is off. When possible, I use appliances with manual controls or unplug those with computerized controls when not in use. 

Bonus Tip One.

It is possible to bake things when you live in a vehicle.  

Naturally, you can use a Dutch Oven placed in a campfire’s coals, and many videos show you the proper ways to do this.

Some use their RoadPro lunchbox for baking, as it reaches 300F. You can find examples of people making biscuits, cookies, pizza, and cornbread in their RoadPro on YouTube.

You can also use the Dutch Oven method on a camp stove. When using this method, choose a deep pot with a lid. Isolate the bottom of your baking pan from the pot’s base by using a heat-proof trivet. Some cooks add a layer of clean sand or rocks in the bottom of the pan to even out the pot’s temperature. However, caution is advised as some rocks will explode when heated (they contain moisture), and some sand contains contaminants. 

I have successfully used two different devices to bake with in my van. A Coleman collapsible oven and an Omnia stove-top oven. Both worked well. My van baking adventures were mainly for fun; I usually buy already baked items when traveling.

A Coleman oven sits on your burner and acts like a regular oven. They fold flat for storage. I keep a little pizza stone in mine to even out the oven’s temperature.
My 20-year-old Coleman oven seated on my camp stove. Here I am running a baking experiment in my regular kitchen.
The Omnia oven is a well-built, but somewhat pricey oven. It heats by sitting on your camp stove burner.

Bonus Tip Two.

It is possible to wash dishes without water. When living in-vehicle, water becomes a precious commodity. I use a modified method that Bob Wells and others have promoted. First, I prefer to use non-stick pots and pans as they are much easier to clean. While the pans are still warm, I wipe them out with a paper towel. I scrape off any burnt-on food with a nylon food scraper. When I have removed as much gunk as possible, I spray the pans with 100% white vinegar and then wipe the vinegar off with another paper towel. This method works very well. Also, I tend to use paper plates and bowls when possible as this cuts down on the amount of washing that I have to do.

You can safely clean your dishes without water. I use paper towels, a nylon scraper, and a spray bottle filled with white vinegar with surprising success.

Bonus Tip Three.

One way to conserve cooking fuel is to use the cozy method. This is useful for many foods that require water to rehydrate them. One example is Knorr Pasta Sides. Usually, you bring the packet’s contents and water to a boil, and then you simmer the mixture for around 7 minutes. Instead, you can bring the contents to a boil and then place the cooking pot in a cozy (insulated sleeve) to let the residual heat cook the food. Typically, you would increase the cooking time when using a cozy. If the instructions said to simmer for 7 minutes, I would leave it in the cozy for 10-15 minutes. You will need to do some experimenting to find the right time for your particular food. I made a cozy out of Reflectix and duct tape for a small camping pot that I have. It works great and cost almost nothing to make.  

Before I had a permanent kitchen I used a nested camp-style cook set from Stanley.
I made a cozy for my Stanley pot using Reflectix and duct tape. It cost almost nothing and works great.

When I’m hiking, I like to make dehydrated meals that I portion out into Ziploc-style freezer bags. When it is time to eat, I boil water and pour it directly into the freezer bag, placed in an envelope-style cozy. After a stir, I let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, and it is ready to eat. This not only saves fuel it also eliminates the need to clean up a dirty pot. I only use freezer bags as regular Ziploc bags can melt.  

If you are a part-time van dweller you can use your home base to make homemade Mountain House-style meals. I also use a dehydrator to make shelf-stable foods that range from vegetables to spaghetti sauce.

I use an inexpensive dehydrator to make shelf-stable foods that range from vegetables to spaghetti sauce.

Bonus Tip Four.

You can break the rules when making a packaged food. Let’s say the box says to add a tablespoon of butter. You can omit the butter and the food will still be edible. If you want to add some fat for flavor you can substitute a little shelf-stable cooking oil. Likewise, you can substitute water or water/powdered milk in instructions that call for milk. When making substitutions expect that the resulting product may not be quite as delicious as when made properly, but you can still eat it. Substituting is a great option when you are dwelling without refrigeration.

Conclusion.

I hope the above article illustrates that there are many ways to cook in your vehicle. It can be risky to cook in a confined space; the smaller the area, the greater the danger. You can minimize risks by using common sense. Set up a permanent kitchen or always create a temporary “kitchen” that is as fire-resistant as possible. Cook on a stable/level surface. Cooking with an open flame is possible but adds some additional danger. Ensure that you provide some ventilation when cooking with an open flame and keep a fire extinguisher handy. Cracking a window or two is usually sufficient when cooking. Avoid cooking with liquid fuels like alcohol unless you have a reliable, stable system (like a marine stove). 

Cooking in a vehicle requires your complete attention. Don’t surf on your phone or do other distracting activities while cooking. When possible, cook outdoors as it is more pleasant to do so and safer. Your cooking area should be as clutter-free as possible; crowded spaces increase the chance of you knocking over things, including your cook system.

Cooking your meals expands your menu exponentially. There is a multitude of foods that can be inexpensively purchased and quickly made. It is wholly possible to have a varied and healthy meal plan even if you don’t have refrigeration. However, the addition of a 12-volt fridge can expand your culinary horizons to a level similar to those that you would have in a sticks and bricks dwelling. 

Since I am a temporary van dweller, I tend to cook quick, simple foods. Grilled cheese, canned soup/stews, noodles, pancakes, bacon and eggs, and the like. However, permanent vehicle dwellers regularly make homemade stews, curries, and other more complicated meals. It is surprising to me to see how creative some cooks are. Individuals can make very elaborate meals using the simplest cooking systems. For real inspiration, search for “Backpacking Meals” or “Canteen Cup Tuesday” on YouTube.  

If you are just starting in van life, try to use cooking tools that you already own. A small pot or pan from your kitchen will likely work better than an expensive titanium hiker’s pot. Also, a $20 butane stove will be more versatile than a $100 tiny backpacker’s system. You can easily add to or modify your kitchen as your needs change.

I would also suggest that you start your van cooking life by preparing uncomplicated foods. I find it easier to use premade items, like Knorr Pasta Sides, rather than creating elaborate sauces from scratch. In addition, par-cooked foods like Minute Rice rehydrate quickly and save you both time and fuel.

Using precooked or par-cooked ingredients can save time and fuel.

When I cook a more complicated meal, like a homemade soup, I like to make it in quantity to benefit from the fruits of my labor over several meals. I also try to minimize clean-up by washing items as I cook, using non-stick cookware, and dining on paper plates. You may choose to forego paper plates due to environmental reasons, but I find them a necessity. 

Happy cooking

Mike