Things to buy

One of the more vexing questions you face after buying an RV is this: What do I buy now?

There’s seemingly a million little details to learn about, and a million little things to buy and research, all of that takes time better spent on planning your actual trip rather than shopping. With that in mind, here are some of the items we bought for our van.

Important caveat–We don’t even have our van yet! Though we have easily over half a million road trip miles under our tires, we haven’t spent day one in an RV. What we list below are not recommendations so much as just where we ended up after spending hours and hours researching these products online.

We’ll update the list with proper recommendations as we test things out and see what works and what doesn’t.

Mikasa bone china dinnerware set
We considered Corelle, probably the most popular choice for dinnerware in the RV world. It’s made by Corning, in the USA, of a special, durable glass. Thin and lightweight, we just couldn’t find a pattern we liked. We found these bone china Mikasa dishes (should be right below the Corelle in terms of durability) at a Homegoods store–and filled our cart. We like the Jenna pattern but there are several others that were similar. Then we googled. The whole thing was $10 less online, even from Mikasa directly. So we ordered from Amazon (our purchase price in March 2026 was $88). Whatever you get, remember that you don’t want the plates too flat.

Liberty Tabletop Flatware
If you are looking for quality metal forks and knives, have a look at Liberty Tabletop. They bought out the old Sherrill, New York, Oneida factory after it closed in 2005 and started their own flatware company–becoming the only stainless steel flatware company in the United States. Great stuff, we’ve used them for years. They offer many traditional patterns and several unique choices, including their skull pattern, a favorite of mine.

MIU 2-piece Silicone Splatter Guards
We don’t normally use splatter guards when we cook but given the tight quarters of a van’s galley, or cooking on the outside folding table, we think they will be needed. This set at Costco (we paid $25) looks to be especially well made and comes in two sizes–the larger size may not fit easily in a drawer, we will see.

Cuisinart Venture Portable Grill
This is admittedly an experiment. Not only do you want to minimize the number of cooking appliances you bring on the road, but when you do get an appliance, you want to buy a physically small model. While certainly not large, this Cuisinart Venture is not small, either, but it is cute, and it seems like it might cook well, if we can fit it in somewhere. We’ll store it in the Noovo’s Plus’s “garage” or in the Rover box, we hope. We purchased it from Amazon (purchase price in November 2025 was $125).

Carote cookware set
We saw these on various van influencer YouTube videos and thought we’d order and have a look at them. The big attraction here is that the handles are detachable, which would be of tremendous benefit in a storage-starved van, But are they junk? We’ve not used them yet, but upon opening the box, we were mightily impressed. Sold and durable-looking, and the handles are well-weighted and look well-engineered. In our brief tests, they hold onto the pots like they were welded there. We’re looking forward to cooking with them. We purchased the set through Amazon for a crazy-low price of $50.

Mrs. Meyers biodegradable dish soap
Our opinion here is not a well-formed one. We know that you need to use biodegradable soaps in a van since you are just dumping your gray water down some drain to empty your tanks. You need both biodegradable dish soap and biodegradable bath soap, save both end up in the same tank. We’ve never used Meyers before, but it is a popular brand and easy to find. We bought ours at over-priced CVS for $5.50 in March 2026.

Instant Pot 4QT RIO
Ever since Instant Pots first appeared, We’ve thought they were a gimmick. No serious person really uses these things for serious cooking. But then Darin bought our oldest daughter beans (yes, beans, Rancho Gordo beans) and she was cooking them in her Instant Pot, taking only forty-five minutes to make a batch versus four or five hours with a slow-cooker. For Christmas, our daughter bought Darin the RIO, knowing he couldn’t imagine cooking in a van without his beans. He’s been using it ever since, and it is amazing. We hope it fits. If not, Darin will have to leave his clothes and cameras behind to make room. We need those beans. Next: Learn how to cook all kinds of things in the device.

Ninja Blast Portable Blender
Darin is trying to come to terms with the idea that he probably won’t find room in the Noovo for his Vitamix blender. This little guy won’t have anything near the power, but it is extremely small and portable. We’ll do our best to adapt to its capabilities and will report back. We paid $54.

HB Tower Step Ladder
Even with the bed lowered to its lowest position in the Noovo Plus LB van, you are probably going to need some sort of ladder to get in and out of bed. Noovo does supply a ladder, but it’s one of the awful RV-style collapsible ladders with round metal rungs that are uncomfortable and not terribly secure when wearing socks or in bare feet. A member on the Noovo Facebook Group found this HBTower Step Ladder, which seems to be a perfect solution. It comes in a variety of colors, is made of aluminum, and has no top crossbar. We paid $54. There steps are made of aluminum, despite the wood look, and has faint ribbing that should offer a good amount of traction. I might apply Cattongue grip tape ($20), just to be sure.

Casaluna bath towels, from Target
We looked all over for quick-drying, high-quality bath towels. The waffle weave style seemed to be our best bet. We shopped everything from our local Costco to the San Francisco Brooklinen without much luck. Then we stumbled onto the Catalina line, at Target, of all places. Good-looking, well-made, with a hanging “hook” in the middle of the towel, and manufactured in Turkey. Sure seems like a winner. They go on sale from time to time. We purchased ours at 40% off the list price.

Modiwell Toilet
A Novo comes standard with a Thetford 223S cassette toilet but we chose the Modiwell instead. The model Noovo installs is the Modiwell LE-310 and the basic idea is sort of similar to a Diaper Genie but instead of forming a “sausage roll,” each flush is heat sealed in individual packets–a little weird perhaps but the advantages are no tank dumping and no smell from a black water holding tank. Each to their own! The Modiwell is not built into the shower in any way and, in practice, you can move the toilet to the hallway (it doesn’t store waste and thus, unlike the Laveo toilet, doesn’t become super heavy–don’t think about it), giving you ample room in the shower. At this point, we’ve not used one, so all of its advantages to me are still theoretical. Note that it is very difficult, if possible at all, to change your mind about cassette vs removable toilet after the van is built. With the removable toilet, there is no plumbing installed and the shower is slightly taller (the floor has been lowered). It’s also worth pointing out that it is common to hear people say that they try to minimize the use of their van toilet, taking advantage of all of the toilets available at Walmarts, gas stations, campgrounds, and so forth. Our cost from Noovo was $500, well under retail.

Modiwell refills
You’ll want to have Modiwell refills ready and accessible. Amazon sells them in a two-pack with the coagulant and as a two-pack without. We bought one of each. The Two-pack with coagulant was $42, and the refill-only two-pack was $35. That all sounds easy, but Modiwell makes the refills in three colors: A transparent white, a transparent blue, and an opaque black. We know, we know, but there are reasons why a person might choose the white or blue! According to Modiwell, here are the differences: The blue refill bags are made of a soft material, are less prone to tangling, and do not have odor-eliminating properties. Recommended operating temperature range: 0°C – 40°C (32°F – 104°F). The black or white refill bags contain a deodorizer and are made of a firmer material. Recommended operating temperature range: 10°C – 40°C (50°F – 104°F). Without the slightest hesitation, we ordered all of our refills in black.

Camco RV Water Tank Filler with Shutoff Valve
We purchased this in 2019 for some other project, we forget what, and found it unused in our garage, still in its packaging. With the Noovo you don’t hook up to the local water supply–you just fill your tank. Use a water filter to keep your tank clean (and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to smell and taste the water before filling your tank) and use this filler hose with its handy valve to make it all that much easier.

Power Watchdog Smart RV Portable Surge Protector 30 Amp
The Noovo doesn’t have a built-in system to prevent power surges and you can’t really trust campgrounds. This Power Watchdog is the best surge protector we could find, with great reviews and a high price to match. We paid $309 at Amazon in January of 2026 for mine. Note that the Power Watchdog is plugged first into the campground plug, then have a look at the readout, and if all is well, plug it into your RV plug.

NOCO Boost GB70: 2000A UltraSafe Jump Starter
Darin has one of these (a slightly smaller model) for his FJ Cruiser, and he recently bought them for Lori and our two daughters. We’ve used it to help out strangers on the road on many occasions, but one day we will need to jump-start our own vehicle–and we will be thrilled to have it handy. IWepaid $159 in December of 2025. Buy this case, too: Peyyargo Storage Case.

RVGuard 30 amp 15-foot RV power cord
You’ll need a power cord to plug in your van (Noovo supplies adapters for the cord to regular household plugs and to the big 50 amp plugs, but inexplicably doesn’t supply the cord itself. Some people prefer 25 or 30 for cords, others seem to go with shorter cords on the idea that surely a small, maneuverable van can get close to the plug outlet at most any campground. We went with the 15-foot. We know nothing about electricity, but the brand RVGuard seems to have good reviews and a good product. It feels well-built. Note that the higher amp plugs and adapters have little grab points on their backs that help you to avoid getting your fingers near the prongs. Good idea. We paid $30 for a 15-foot cord, and we will see if we need something longer as we gain experience.

Duct-Aid Medical Grade Adhesive
If you work in a trade at a job site, or know someone who does, you’ll know that job site medical treatment, usually self-administered, will often involve Duct Tape. This medical-grade tape is basically the same idea, just purpose-built for medical use. We’ve never used it before, but it comes highly recommended. Wepaid $15 for ten feet of tape.

Dewalt Cordless Screwdriver
We bought this mostly trying to avoid buying a more bulky drill-shaped tool for tightening screws, removing things, and so forth. Our thinking is that you, of course, want to carry a set of tools in the vehicle but you want to keep it limited to what you are really going to do in the field–knowing that Noovo has a three-year mobile repair service warranty, AAA offers RV coverage, and there is almost always a Home Depot, Walmart, or a Something somewhere nearby. We know we’ll end up with a full toolbar of stuff in the end, but just pretend with us for a while. We paid $85 at Amazon, but these are probably cheaper at the big box stores.

RhinoUSA 14-piece tire repair kit
We’ve never used a tire repair kit before, but this small, inexpensive item might one day save the day. This looks like it will take some strength to make work, but when it’s raining and getting dark and we’re are at the side of the road, we’re hoping we’ll be able to summon our inner Hulks to get the job done. We paid $16 at Amazon.

Bond It Rescue Tape
Bond It Rescue is what it sounds like–a repair tape that will maybe save you one day. You can use it for minor (and temporary) plumbing and electrical repairs to allow you to get your RV back home or to a shop for proper care. Seems well worth the $10 we spent for a 1″x12′ roll.

JACO ElitePro-X Tire Pressure Gauge with Lightning Chuck (100 PSI)
You need something to check the air in your tires, of course. This Jaco unit is expensive but it is said to be amongst the more accurate units, plus it has two useful features. First, it clips onto your tire valve rather than requiring you to hold the gauge’s receiver tight against the valve–you know how that goes. Second, it has a button to release pressure if you’ve gone too high or desire to air down a bit. Be sure to get the 100 psi model. We paid $50 at Amazon.

GoTreads Regular Traction Boards
We already have traction boards (see Getting Unstuck), but we wanted to try a set of GoTreads, a folding traction board, since they can also serve as shims to put under our tire or tires to help level the van. They are on the expensive side–we paid $200–but many people use them. Perhaps one day we’ll get a chance to do a comparison between a traditional traction board and the GoTreads.

Bunker Industries Traction Board (Gen 7)
We are sure we will eventually get stuck somewhere in the Noovo, and these traction boards will be the primary hope to get out. we’d never heard of this brand before Neal Kirby recommended them on the Facebook Group. We compared these directly with the better-known MaxTrax (at 3x the price) and liked these better. We will see. We paid $80 at Amazon.

Rhino USA 4-inch Recovery Tow Strap
It’s probably worth mentioning again that this list is a list of stuff we bought, not that we’ve used or know anytime about. That goes double for tow gear. Many of the recommendations for tow gear push toward a kinetic rope, but that seems overkill for our needs (not to mention expensive and, worse, bulky). The other option usually mentioned is a tow strap, which can raise concerns about damage to the vehicles from the “bump” or “jerk” when the strap goes taut. But there is yet another option, a recovery tow strap, which has a little stretchiness to it to soften that bump. We paid $54. It’s a big, heavy strap.

Bunker Industries Soft Shackle Hitch Receiver
For the attachment point on the Promaster, it would be great if that point were in the centerline of the back of the van, and thus, a Bunker Industries Soft Shackle Hitch Receiver ($43), which goes into your hitch and is secured it’s hitch pin (included).

Factor 55 Quick Release Hitch Pin
I didn’t love the Bunker hitch pin, so I also purchased a Factor 55 Quick Release Hitch Pin ($22).

Overland Vehicle Systems 5/8″ Soft Shackle (x2)
How do you connect the recovery tow strap to the hitch receiver? You have two options. Hard shackles, which are essentially heavy-duty D-rings, or the safer to use but much more expensive soft shackles. For the 9500 lb Noovo, you need a beefy soft shackle. We paid 50 each (you need two).

Rhino USA Heavy Duty Recovery Gear Storage Bag
To hold it all, I picked up this Rhino storage bag ($20). Pro tip: To make it all fit, unwind the strap, which comes rolled in a circular shape, and preroll it as an oval.

Apple 27-inch XDR Studio Display (VESA mount version)
The TV that Noovo installs as a standard option is a 32-inch Samsung Frame. It has certain advantages for van use: It is thin, it has a non-glare coating, and it potentially could be used as an electronic picture frame (which would be cool but would take power, of course). It has certain disadvantages as well: It is an old TV, a 2023 model, it is pre-4k, and it is not a very bright screen. Noovo’s not cheeping out here–there’s not much choice in that market at that size. The size category is an industry orphan when everyone wants larger and larger televisions. Darin’s solution (as a photographer) was to go big–not in size but in price and capabilities. The Apple 27-inch XDR is $3300 (not a typo), but it is the best monitor you have ever seen. Period. Too small? Just use the extended VESA mount (listed here) to move it a few inches closer, and it will appear to be the same size. It runs off your Mac or iPad (see compatibility list).

Master Mounts 404L Locking Cantilever TV Wall Mount 25″
This is the TV mount that we are going to use with the Apple XDR Studio Display–a member of the Noovo Facebook Group found it, and it seems a good solution to using the monitor as both a TV and a screen for photo and video editing, where you want the screen fairly close to your computer. When using a 27-inch screen, you only need to move it eight inches closer (which you can with this mount’s extended capabilities) for it to replicate the perceived size of a 32-inch TV. It was cheaper to buy at Amazon since, via the manufacturer’s site, you have to pay a high shipping fee. We paid $95.

Starlink Mini
Starlink needs no introduction from us. If you want a reliable internet connection while on the road, they are the only game in town. Noovo offers the larger dish as a permanently mounted option (which is what we ordered), but since Starlink gave a free Mini and a discounted plan, we want to experiment with it. If you didn’t get the roof-mounted Starlink, you need the Mini. The standby mode of the Mini is $5 a month, but it’s not widely known that it still gives you a low-bandwidth internet connection, enough for e-mail and texting, and more if you don’t mind a slow web experience.

Peak Design Packing Cubes
Darin is a photographer on purpose and a Peak Design slut–as he’s sometimes called–purely by happenstance. It crept up on us. First, the camera straps, then the backpacks, then the tripod, the Wash Pouch, the tech bag, and finally the carry cases. Like Hemingway’s description of going bankrupt, it happened slowly, then suddenly. When Darin learned there was a Peak Design store not far away, and there were in-store-only secret deals to be had, well, we drove up and bought a pile of packing cubes. We will see how they fit in the various Noovo storage compartments. Note: We love the Peak Design products, but we’ve had bad luck buying directly from Peak Design–awesome warranty service, very poor sales customer service. Buy their stuff in person at the store (in stock items only), or from their Amazon store (which ships directly from Peak Design but should be a good experience) or, best yet, from B&H Photo.

ClearSpace Clear Plastic Storage Bins
The Noovo Facebook group is cool for a lot of reasons, but one of those reasons is that people find great solutions to living and traveling in a van. We saw someone mention these clear bins and that they were a near-perfect fit for the Noovio cupboards. Six hours later, through the magic of Amazon, they were at our house. They look to be high quality, and the plastic is very clear. Seems like a winner. They come in a 2, 4, 6, and 8-pack. We bought the 6-pack for $56.

Sliding Door Stopper
You take this small piece of machined aluminum and epoxy it to the rail your van’s sliding door slides on, and voila! Your door, instead of being all the way open or all of the way closed, now has a middle position to stop at, letting you keep the door open with more privacy. Made by OpenGlass Studio. We paid $18.

Dodge Ram ProMaster Van Sliding Door Handle Upgrade
The stock door handle is small. This screw-in replacement is larger and more comfortable. ready upgrade. Mace by OpenGlass Studio. $22.

RVision Cup holder
When you order a Noovo, the company doesn’t do much of anything, aside from optional upgraded seat covers, to upgrade the “cockpit” area. One glaring bit of weirdness that needs to be addressed is the Promaster cup holders. They are not just weird, they are potentially dangerous. For reasons unfathomable, the engineers positioned them way, way down on the floor. When driving, you have to lower your head more or less to the level of the dashboard to reach your drink. Crazy. This needs to get fixed, big time, and RVision fixed it with the CHA–their “Cup Accessory Holder.” It’s a drink holder, which looks to be perfectly matched to the color of the Promaster dash plastic, and it easily mounts well above the factory drink holder. This is a must-have accessory, so much so that Noovo should include it in their build or at least make it a listed option on their site. It’s $119 at their site.

Rover Box (Noovo upgrade)
Vans are so very tight on storage space, and you need a place to put all the dirty stuff and the hoses and power cords. Thus, almost everyone seems to opt for an aluminum box attached to the rear of the van. Noovo uses Rover products (which are very good) and you have two options: The Rover Tactical or the Rover Titan. The Tactical has room on top to tie down a propane tank, to mount bicycles, or even to use as an outdoor cooktop. The Titan is bigger, taller. The Tactical is 30″ x 24″ x 15″ (6.25 cubic feet) while the Titan is 39.4″ x 23.6″ x 16.3″ (8.8 cubic feet). We chose the Titan, though we are looking for a pull-down shelf to facilitate outdoor cooking. They are made in Illinois.

Padded leather seat covers (Noovo upgrade)
We were dubious about these seat covers until the day before we put our deepest down when we were given an impromptu tour of a Noovo Plus by owners in the parking lot outside of a Lake Tahoe van show. They look great, and the owners say they are easy to keep clean. The upgrade price seems inexpensive for covers of this quality, not to mention the improvement in seating comfort.

Ladder and tire carrier (Noovo upgrade)
This Noovo option gives you a ladder to climb up to inspect the roof (we intend to make little to no use of this opportunity) and also provides a place to mount the spare tire, which otherwise would be secreted under the tail end of the van. You don’t want the tire under there if you get a flat because your tire won’t go flat in some nice, clean, comfortable spot. And if someone else is changing your tire, they will have a smile on their face when they see how easy you have made it for them. Note the large screw that the tire mounts on extends an extraordinary long distance. It seems sort of dangerous to have it sticking out like that. Some people hang storage bags from it, and others have the screw cut shorter. Rover, the manufacturer of the tire carrier, seems to have reasons for wanting the screw to be so long, but we don’t know what they are.

All-terrain tires (Noovo upgrade)
Noovo offers all-terrain tires and upgraded rims, which we chose. As of this writing, the tires are Goodrich KO3s. Many people like these, other people like other brands. Check the Noovo Facebook Group for the most recent discussions or pose your own question on which is best for your particular use. But you should upgrade to something. Note, that if you don’t mind the hassle, you can purchase the van with the standard tires, have the rims and tires removed and replaced with whatever you like, then sell the old (though unused) tires and rims. People report being able to sell them more or less instantly–saving significant money.

iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max
It’s not just the quality of the phone, it’s the integration of the phone’s capabilities into the rest of the phone. The current iPhone has three cameras, which allow for five settings: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x. The 0.5x, 1x, and 4x can be set to produce high-resolution 48 megapixel images. It’s a great camera. And if you really want to know what Darin thinks the best camera is, read “Seriously, what’s the best camera?“

DJI Osmo Pocket 3
This is probably the most popular YouTube “influencer” video camera, and there is probably a reason why. Its main superpower is to greatly reduce the jerkiness and shakiness of handheld shots, all the while keeping the horizon level, even if you tilt the camera. Super easy to use. Darin bought his a while back, but the current price is $439.

DJI Mic 3 two-Person Compact Wireless Microphone System/Recorder
The merger of computers and microphones has resulted in this small, incredible DJI product. The mics “clip” onto your closing with magnets and allow you to speak clearly to the camera or phone, even when at a distance (though you will want to use them even when close to the camera, too). They sound great, don’t require you to set levels, and come in one, two, and three microphone sets (more than one mic can send sound at the same time). We bought the two-mic version for $249.

Peak Design Travel Tripod
Super useful for all kinds of things, use a tripod for a while–even with a cell phone–and you will always have a tripod around somewhere nearby. This Peak Design Travel Tripod is small, light, and sturdy. There’s a carbon fiber version, too, if you are counting ounces. The aluminum version is $399.

Note: despite the temptation of great wealth, we are not part of any affiliate program!