Another RV Project: A Pull-Out Shelf for Our Oven

We've been busy doing projects this season as we are staying put for awhile in Florida.  We still have a long to-do list, but some really nice improvements are happening.  Here's another one Barry recently completed.

Sometime prior to selling Pearl, our 2007 Newmar Bay Star, the previous owners had removed the gas stove and cooktop and replaced it with a brand-new electric True Induction cooktop.  We liked the cooktop, but it left us without an oven, just a large storage "hole" where the oven used to be.

Induction Cooktop

This photo from the dealer shows the "hole" under the cooktop.  They had put a black Newmar portfolio with all Pearl's manuals inside it.

Since Pearl's microwave doesn't have an convection function, one of our first RV purchases last winter was a large "toaster" oven that does a lot more than toast:  it bakes, broils, and convects.  We love it.  It's large enough that we can roast veggies or a turkey breast, do some baking, or heat a casserole.  

​But its size was also a problem as it wouldn't go into the hole front-out. It had to be stored facing sideways and pulled out every time we wished to use it.  We could either put it on top of the cooktop or onto our aluminum folding table. Functional but hardly convenient.

Another inconvenience in our cooking setup was that to use the induction cooktop, we had to run the power cord from underneath it up to an outlet above the countertop.  

So, after living with these inconveniences for months, we knew we needed some changes!

First, Barry wired up a new outlet so the induction cooktop could stay plugged in underneath all the time.  He also installed a switch that activates the outlet.  The red light by the switch illuminates when it is "hot"; a good reminder to turn it off when we're through cooking.  We can plug the oven into the new outlet as well.  

His next step was installing a pull-out shelf for the oven.  Here's how it looks fully retracted..

When we want to use the oven, we simply pull out the shelf.  This would not be safe with young children around, as the oven walls get hot when it is in use, but for us, it's just fine.

We tried it out to bake the holiday pumpkin pie, and I'm pleased to report it was a complete success!

The pull-out slides Barry bought are very robust and won't let it the shelf come flying out when we are underway.  They have good holding power when the shelf is pushed in.

A few finishing touches remain; I hope to find a matching drawer pull to make it even simpler to pull out one-handed.  I also plan to polyurethane the drawer surface and touch up the stain and poly on the outer drawer face.  But the functionality is there, and it's so nice not to have to pick up and carry the large oven over to another spot to use it.

Stay tuned as we have more improvements to come!