Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

EHU - what do you use it for?

21 replies

NoahsArks · 03/03/2019 10:44

Loads of people seem to have EHU nowadays. I can see it would be handy to charge things up but what else? How would my life be transformed by taking electrical items camping?

Thinking of getting a cable for this year but not 100% on what I would use it for.

OP posts:
profpoopsnagle · 03/03/2019 11:27

We first got one in 2012. We use it if it's available but we're not bothered if the campsite doesn't have it (but we also camp for about 5 weeks per year).

We have an electric low wattage kettle- I drink copious tea so that saves on using the gas. We also have some clip on lights from ikea, which are useful for when we camp at Easter, as it can sometimes be dark from 6pm, and we can still read. We also have a small fan heater which we only use if we have to at that time of year. We can run our electric coolbox or use a hired fridge. And we charge phones and sometimes use the car dvd player to watch a film.

I do hark back to the olden days though- I found I slept so much better when we were forced to go to sleep at 9pm because we couldn't see to read.

CMOTDibbler · 03/03/2019 19:55

We mostly have it as DH has to use a CPAP machine at night, and though it can use a leisure battery, its a PITA for more than a couple of nights. Then for the kettle, charging devices etc. But if we didn't need it for CPAP I wouldn't bother

TheClaifeCrier · 03/03/2019 19:58

Fridge, portable induction hob, kettle, charging devices, lights, airbed pump.

Before we had kids we used to camp in a two man with sleeping mats and a single trangia stove for all our cooking. I'm not sure I could face that now!

trilbydoll · 03/03/2019 20:00

We went to France last summer and hired a fridge. I don't know what the alternative is because there was no space in the car for a cool box! Altho we used it to charge phones, that wasn't the main reason for having it.

blackteaplease · 03/03/2019 20:11

I used to scoff at EHU, thought it wasn't proper camping. Now we use it for lights, mini fridge, kettle, heater in the UK, charging phones, DVD player if its raining again . It's so useful

Cockadoodledooo · 04/03/2019 22:19

Fridge, kettle, toaster, fan heater and charging things. Would probably be microwave too if we had slightly more space in the trailer!

chillpizza · 05/03/2019 20:56

Fridge, mini oven, hob, fan heater, light, pizza oven, pump, chargers, kettle, toaster, laptop for bad weather movie and my newest purchase a tiny Hoover so I can vacuum pack clothes etc and Hoover all the grass off my carpet Grin

Original poster
NoahsArks · 05/03/2019 21:06

I am loving the tiny hoover idea! My tent seems to be permanently full of sand. I am thinking of a fan heater to extend our season a bit. Lots of good ideas here. Thanks!

OP posts:
Veronicat · 05/03/2019 21:09

What's the fan heater to get? Any recommendations?

whoosit · 05/03/2019 21:20

Can I ask what kind of fridges you use? I think it's the next piece of camping equipment I need to add to our collection! Just a standard mini fridge? What's the difference between that and an electric cool box? Thanks for any info and recommendations.

Cockadoodledooo · 05/03/2019 22:34

Our fridge is similar to this one from Go Outdoors. Runs off gas too so we're not tied to always having a hook up.

profpoopsnagle · 06/03/2019 06:55

I just got a basic fan heater from Tescos. You need one which can give out 1kw - 2kw of heat, I wouldn't go any higher. If we are using the heater, we wouldn't use the kettle at the same time as it might trip the electric. I would also highly recommend one with an automatic cut out if it gets knocked over, to cut the rick of it starting a fire.

Veronicat · 06/03/2019 07:53

Thanks profpoopsnagle! We have converted our van ourselves so are thinking of just getting a hookup lead to come through a side window for cold days as we are often in the highlands. We currently have a calor gas fire but it takes up so much room!

ReasonedCamper · 06/03/2019 15:55

I never use EHU.

I don't like sites or pitches with EHU because they are always much closer together than the more 'wild camping' style sites.

And I worry that they might have a TV or amplified music as they have EHU. I go camping to enjoy peace and quiet and birdsong, not other people's music.

I also can't reconcile myself to using a heater in a tent because the insulation is so poor - it just seems like using electricity to heat the night sky. But this isn't actually logical as we have a campfire and heat the planet that way.

I have a one ring gas cooker, and otherwise cook in or over the fire. Phones get charged in the car when we go on a trip.

I don't want to take an or buy any more paraphernalia.

squeefy · 07/03/2019 16:18

only use ehu when dh is there really. when we do have it its for charging phones etc. maybe use the hairdryer. everything else is gas . use a coolbox with icepacks.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/03/2019 16:28

Like other we use a heater, lights, chargers and the kettle Smile

Bugsymalonemumof2 · 08/03/2019 17:37

Heater lights and charging/cooking here

Girlinstripedpyjamas · 09/03/2019 20:35

Charging mainly! Oh and the electric cool box which is marvellous

BackInAtLast · 18/03/2019 22:10

Oh my days...we zap the grid with our EHU in a tent. Everything except a TV, I hate hearing people's TV in tents!

We have mini fridge, fairy lights, aero beds that inflate themselves when plugged in...kettle, hairdryer, yes I took the Dyson last year...everyone laughed but honestly brilliant 😂 ummmm a little heater (only ever had a two bar thingy but it's great), I'm actually thinking of taking the slow cooker this year as it is soooo good (well not every year is like last year for the weather!). We have teeny toaster v handy too. Obviously phone charging for all the teens. We used to take a mini DVD player when kids were younger for bedtime...no longer needed.

BackInAtLast · 18/03/2019 22:16

Whoosit...we had a plug in cool box for years, but found that it really only keeps things cold when cold already, also gathers water...and not easy stacking things in it. Our campsite freezers weren't up to much so we gave up on those too.

I bought a second hand proper mini fridge online and it's amazing! You can get them in John Lewis the Russell Hobbs one, but look online!

We also take an old '70s big coolbox just for putting ice and vino in as the fridge isn't massive. As last year was a scorcher we found this v useful.

Also get Chillys bottles to refill water, they stay cold in boiling sunshine and I've had mine 2 years and it doesn't leak.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread