When it comes to touring caravans, being prepared with the right accessories can make all the difference to your personal comfort and overall touring experience.
There are a few essential caravan accessories that can enhance your experience on the road. While modern caravans often come well-equipped with mod cons, some must-have accessories aren’t always included in the sale price. You might be able to negotiate some of these extras when purchasing your touring caravan, but it’s worth knowing which items could make life on your travels that little bit easier.
Below we’ve listed our suggestions for caravan accessories we feel you won’t want to be without.
Towing mirrors
Towing mirrors are an essential caravan accessory, attaching to your car's existing wing mirrors to ensure you have a clear view behind your caravan while towing. To comply with UK regulations, your towing mirrors should provide visibility at least 20 metres behind the caravan and four metres out on both sides.
Step
Caravan habitation doors can sometimes be quite high off the ground, making access a bit tricky, especially when you’re loading up. Adding a sturdy step provides a safer and more convenient way to get in and out of your caravan.
Fire extinguisher/blanket
While these are not a legal requirement, it is a good idea to have one in case of an emergency. This useful vehicle fire extinguisher guide gives some insights into fire safety, types of fires and the types of extinguishers available. Hopefully, this is one of those caravan accessories you’ll never need to use, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. If you are purchasing a pre-loved touring caravan and it already has an extinguisher, check to make sure it hasn’t exceeded its expiry date.
Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors
These are essential caravan accessories that help keep you safe by alerting you to fire or dangerous carbon monoxide levels. Since caravans are compact spaces with gas appliances, the risk of fire or carbon monoxide buildup is higher than in a typical home. To ensure they remain effective, regularly test your detectors and replace the batteries as required. It’s also a good idea to carry spare batteries so you’re never left unprotected.
Spirit level
Keeping your caravan level is crucial for safety, comfort, and functionality. A stable setup prevents movement inside, ensures appliances like fridges and cookers work efficiently, improves sleep quality, and allows proper water drainage. It also helps doors and cupboards function properly without sticking or swinging open. Using essential caravan accessories like a spirit level and levelling ramps makes it easier to achieve a stable and hassle-free setup on your travels. Read our article for useful tips on levelling your caravan.
Electric hook-up lead
Touring caravans use a mix of 12V battery power and 240V mains electricity, allowing them to function both on and off-grid. Using 240V mains electricity will allow you to power electrical wall sockets and appliances, such as TVs and microwaves. An electric hook-up cable will connect your caravan to a campsite electric hook-up point, so you can watch TV to your heart’s content. Just ensure you have one that is long enough. 25 metres is generally sufficient for most campsites we have visited. Read our article on caravan electrics to learn more about it.
Leisure battery
A 12V battery is one of the most important caravan accessories you’ll need for providing a power source when you're staying at a campsite without an electric hook-up. Leisure batteries keep essential systems such as lighting, the water pump, and other appliances, running when hook-up is unavailable. Investing in a high-quality battery will improve performance and longevity, and reduce the risk of power failures, when you need it most. It’s also a good idea to carry a spare, especially for longer trips or off-grid adventures. Always check that your battery is fully charged before setting off and perform regular maintenance—such as cleaning terminals and topping up distilled water (for non-sealed batteries)—to keep it in top condition. For extended off-grid camping, a battery charger or solar panel can be a valuable addition to your inventory.
Water container
A water container is an essential to ensuring you have a supply of fresh water during your stay. There are various types to choose from, including collapsible containers, and high capacity rolling models. Opting for a container with wheels or one that can be rolled will save you the strain of carrying heavy loads across the campsite, making refilling your onboard water tank much easier.
Some rolling containers, like the Aquaroll, are designed specifically for caravanning as they hold large volumes of water, while being easy to transport. When choosing a water container, consider its capacity, ease of use, and compatibility with your caravan’s water system. Pairing it with a submersible pump can make filling your onboard water tank even more convenient.
Food grade hosepipe
Caravan accessories like food-grade hosepipes are good to have when staying on fully serviced pitches, with a freshwater tap. Unlike standard garden hoses, food-grade hosepipes are made from materials that help to prevent contamination, so your drinking water remains clean upon transfer to your freshwater tank. You simply connect the hosepipe directly to the tap, using and appropriate connector.
Waste water container
Often referred to as a Wastemaster, this type of container is used to collect "grey water" (wastewater from washing, cooking, and showering) until it can be properly disposed of. Many caravan sites have designated grey waste disposal points, so always check with the site operator to ensure you’re emptying it in the correct place.
To direct wastewater from your caravan into the container, you’ll need a wastewater pipe. Flexible, corrugated pipes are a popular choice as they’re easy to position and store. If you’re staying on a fully serviced pitch, you can also connect a waste pipe directly to the site's drainage system, eliminating the need for a waste container altogether.
The use of a wastewater container makes transporting grey water easier, especially on larger sites. It can also help to reduce prevent grease build-up and unpleasant smells from lingering in your caravan.
Security
Whether it’s parked at home, on-site, or in storage, keeping your caravan secure is crucial to protecting your investment. At the very least, consider investing in a hitch lock and wheel clamp, two essential caravan accessories that help to deter thieves and prevent unauthorised towing.
A hitch lock fits over the caravan’s tow hitch, making it difficult for anyone to attach it to a vehicle without the proper key. A wheel clamp secures one of the wheels, preventing it from being moved. For extra protection, consider using a security post on your driveway or a steering wheel lock if your caravan is motorised.
Other useful security measures include an alarm system, a tracking device, and window or door locks to enhance overall protection. Many insurers require specific security devices for coverage, so always check their requirements to ensure your caravan is adequately protected.
Other caravan accessories to consider
One of the challenges of caravaning is realising you’ve forgotten an essential item once you arrive at the campsite. While some campsites sell basic provisions, they may not have exactly what you need, and you may not want to travel miles to get to the nearest town to get it.
Keeping an inventory of essential caravan accessories, such as kitchenware, bedding, tools, and spare parts can helped ensure you’re always prepared. And, if you leave your caravan stocked between trips, you’ll save time and effort each time you set off. However, it’s important not to overpack and exceed your caravan’s legal weight limit. Below is a list of other caravan accessories you may wish to pack.
- A torch and spare batteries - Handy for electrical failures and navigating the campsite in the dark.
- Toiletries - you’ll always need things like toilet roll, toothpaste, deodorants and soaps.
- Kitchen utensils - Include crockery, cutlery, cooking utensils and storage containers in your inventory.
- Lightweight storage boxes - To stop items becoming loose in transit and rolling around inside the caravan. Boxes are handy for keeping everything clean and dry, taking food out on day trips, or even storing muddy clothes to keep them from messing up the interior.
- Dust-Buster – Good to have if take your dogs on trips.
Don’t Forget Caravan Insurance!
The list thing on our list of essential caravan accessories is caravan insurance. Although it isn’t a legal must-have, it’s a good idea to consider it. After all, caravans usually aren’t covered by car insurance. That means if you’re involved in an unfortunate incident—like an accident, damage or theft —and you don’t have specialist insurance, you could be left to cover the costs. But with caravan insurance, you can be covered for a variety of scenarios, whether your caravan is static or attached to the car.
We've been helping people with caravan insurance for over 20 years, so we know how to find a suitable policy for you and your caravan. You'll also get superb customer service at Lifesure! Our award-winning team is always on hand to help.
So why not fill in our online form to get an instant quote or call us on 01480 402 460 and one of our agents will be happy to help.
Disclaimer: The sole purpose of this article is to provide guidance on the issues covered. This article is not intended to give legal advice, and, accordingly, it should not be relied upon. It should not be regarded as a comprehensive statement of the law and/or market practice in this area. We make no claims as to the completeness or accuracy of the information contained herein or in the links which were live at the date of publication. You should not act upon (or should refrain from acting upon) information in this publication without first seeking specific legal and/or specialist advice. Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited trading as Lifesure accepts no liability for any inaccuracy, omission or mistake in this publication, nor will we be responsible for any loss which may be suffered as a result of any person relying on the information contained herein.
