Buying an RV is a big investment, and it’s important to ensure you invest in a top-quality vehicle for your RV camping adventures. We’ve decided to review some of the best RV brands on the market because, with hundreds of RV manufacturers on the market today, we know it can be hard to know where to begin.
It’s important to consider the quality of construction, features, warranty, and customer service of each RV brand, as well as its overall customer satisfaction ratings when purchasing your first camper.
Check out our top picks for the best RV brands! We hope this review helps you find the perfect RV to explore the great outdoors.
What Qualities Make A Top RV Brand?
The best RV brands have qualities that truly stand out from the rest. They have well-designed interiors and exteriors that make them look stylish and modern.
They also provide a comfortable ride with plenty of storage space, luxurious amenities, and the latest technology features.
Not only that, but the top RV manufacturers also offer excellent warranties to ensure your investment is protected.
Here are a few bullet points to consider when shopping for a new RV.
- Excellent Customer Service– The best brands often have excellent customer service. A top-quality RV brand will have an excellent reputation with its customers from pre-purchase all the way through to follow-up maintenance and repairs. Be sure to check customer reviews and ask fellow camping friends for recommendations.
- Consistent and Top Quality Products– The most obvious consideration is the overall manufacturing quality. An excellent RV will be made from durable, high-quality materials and have a good reputation for build quality and construction. When doing a walk-through or research, look for shortcuts that may have been made in the build quality. While many RVs may have less-than-perfect construction, some are definitely worse than others. Inspect the build quality of the furniture, cabinetry, and other furnishings inside. Things like sloppy glue left on external surfaces, nails that aren’t adequately placed, and construction of cabinetry and furniture that isn’t put together properly are sure signs that care wasn’t taken in the manufacturing process. Some manufacturers tend to overlook this aspect and use low-class materials that are cheaper, which in turn affects the overall performance of the RV and creates a poor experience for the customer.
- Innovation & Improvement– The best doesn’t mean perfect. What truly makes the best RV brands is that they continuously listen to the needs and desires of the RV community. They meet these needs by making innovations and improvements to the RVs they produce.
When shopping for an RV, it is important to compare the features and prices of different brands to find the best one for your needs.
With so many RV brands on the market, it can be hard to determine the right choice. This guide will help you identify some of the best RV manufacturers available and what features they offer.
Should I Buy A New Or Used RV?
While you may not be buying a brand-new luxury RV, you should still consider the build quality of a used RV, perhaps even more so.
In fact, sometimes the best value for your money is to purchase an RV that is 3-5 years old from a known RV brand that has a stellar reputation.
When buying your rig, you should also consider if you want the responsibility of owning an RV or would rather just rent an RV for your occasional camping trips.
Here are the pros and cons of buying a new RV vs. a used RV.
New RV
Pros
- Clean, smells good, and is nice-looking.
- No one has ever used it before
- Warranty from manufacturer is a given
- You have the exact RV that you want if you have it customized by manufacturers according to your preferences
Cons
- Higher price compared to used RVs
- The depreciation rate can be high
- Insurance costs are pretty pricey
Used RV
Pros:
- Lower price
- Low Depreciation rate
- Previous owners might have fixed previous issues on the RV
- If you’re patient enough and do your research, you might get the exact RV you want for a lower price.
Cons:
- Previously owned
- There may be underlying issues or damages that need to be fixed
- Your options are quite limited
- Warranty can be an issue
- You may have to renovate– here are RV remodel ideas that might make this con a pro!
Best RV Brands
Winnebago Industries, Inc. derived its name from Winnebago County in Iowa, and has been a household name since it started in 1958.
They are one of the most recognizable names in the industry and are known to produce high-quality motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheel products, and the most recent addition to the list are the motorboats.
High-quality materials such as fiberglass, real wood, stainless steel, and aluminum are used to manufacture their products.
Winnebago truly values its relationship with customers, evident through a sponsored organization called the WIT club (Winnebago International Travelers), wherein anyone who owns a Winnebago is eligible to join. This club lets you enjoy perks as a Winnebago owner, such as discount savings on a variety of products, newsletters, and access to social activities.
Winnebago produces some of the best-selling RVs out there including the Minnie line of travel trailers, Winnebago Adventurer 35F, Winnebago Travato, Winnebago Boldt, and Winnebago Revel.
2023 Winnebago models- Class A models' price starts at $188,341.00
- Class C models' price starts at $136,075.00
- Camper Van price starts at $134,581.00
- Travel Trailers' price Starts at $37,182.00
Jayco is an American brand that was recently acquired by Thor Industries in July 2016 and is known in the industry for manufacturing best-selling recreational vehicles on the market. Founded in 1968, its founders Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager started developing the trailer fold-down system in 2 chicken houses and a barn in a simple area in Northern Indiana.
From their humble beginnings, they continued to grow and are now one of the top manufacturers of recreational vehicles including “Pop-up” camping trailers, toy haulers, travel trailers,fifth-wheel travel trailers, Class A & C motorhomes.
They are one of the first companies to be 100 percent green certified through a TRA Certification. Known for manufacturing RVs that are sustainable, the company has received numerous recognitions including a Bronze Award – Trailer Life 2015 Readers’ Choice Award and Quality Circle Awards.
Jayco also developed a travel club named “Jayco Travel Club,” with over 100 chapters across the US and Canada.
They prioritize excellent craftsmanship, which is evident through several features included in the RVs they make, including Jayco’s Magnum Truss roof system, which can withstand 4,500 pounds and is 50% more effective compared to other motorhomes. They also offer great features in some of their RVs, which is the Jayco Climate Shield system for ultimate weather protection even when the temperature reaches up to 100°F or dips to 0°F.
One of the most famous travel trailers they made is The Jayco Jay Flight has been on top for several years and counting.
2023 Jayco Models- Travel Trailers Price Starting at $24,309.00
- Fifth Wheels Price Starting at $61,725.00
- Toy Haulers Price Starting at $105,105
- Class B motorhomes Price Starting at $145,050.00
- Class C motorhomes Price Starting at $127,718.00
- Class A motorhomes Price Starting at $167,168.00
If you’ve been in the RV community for quite a while now, you probably know the brand Forest River. Forest River, Inc. is an American company widely known in the recreation, transportation, and cargo hauling scene.
It was founded in 1966 by Peter Lieg, who had the vision to build an RV company dedicated to building and developing recreational vehicles that would allow people to enjoy the outdoors.
From manufacturing pop-up tent campers, travel trailers, and fifth wheels, they now expanded to building more RV options, including Class A, B, and C motorhomes, toy haulers, truck campers, park model trailers, destination trailers, cargo trailers, commercial vehicles, buses, pontoons, and mobile restroom trailers.
It further expanded its position in the market by acquiring multiple brands and companies. These are Coachmen RV, Dynamax Corporation, East to West, Palomino, Primetime manufacturing, Shasta, etc.
To build a stronger community among Forest River RV owners, the Forest River Owners’ Group (FROG) was formed in 2011. Rallies and tours throughout North America are among the many activities held by the group.
The company produces RVs using superior building materials and pays special attention to constructing each model. After manufacturing, they ensure that a full inspection is done on each model before they’re available for sale.
The top-selling travel trailers they produce are the Forest River Grey Wolf, Forest River Cherokee, Forest River Wildwood, and Forest River Salem.
For more information about Prices for their RVs, you can check their website here.
Dutchmen Manufacturing, Inc. is an RV manufacturer based out of Goshen, Indiana, and has a long history of innovation and marketing leadership from 1988. It was founded by Dave Hoefer, Glen M. Sylvester, and Larry Schrock In, and by 1990, it became the second-largest manufacturer of travel trailers and fifth wheels in the US.
In 1991, the company was acquired by Thor Industries and is now one of the most recognizable manufacturers of travel trailers, ultra lites, fifth wheels, toy haulers, destination trailers, and park models.
The Dutchmen produce several famous brands of RVs, including Aerolite, Aspen Trail, Breckenridge, Coleman, Denali, Dutchmen, Infinity, Kodiak, Komfort, Razorback, and others.
Depending on the Rv models that you will purchase, Dutchmen have different types of construction processes which include roof construction, insulation, Slideout technology, walling, and decking.
Some of the best models they produce are the Endurance 3506 travel trailer, Astoria Platinum 3173RLP, and Aspen Trail 1900RB. They also manufacture RVs that are perfect for every season, like the Aspen Trail models, which include excellent heating features which are perfect for the colder seasons.
Airstream is among the most recognized brands when it comes to recreational vehicle manufacturing. Its infamous rounded shape and polished aluminum coachwork are what make it stand out from the rest. The company was founded by Wally Byam and began building trailers out of Masonite in his backyard in Los Angeles, dating back to the 1920s. It is now a division of Thor Industries with more than 800 employees and is the oldest in the industry.
Every Airstream travel trailer is made by hand in Jackson Center, Ohio, USA, using superior materials for the best quality performance, safety, and comfort.
Airstream models can be pricey compared to other brands, but they have good reasons for that. One is they build it with the highest standard, and some owners are living testimony that these trailers have been passed down in their family from generation to generation. The second reason is the iconic aluminum exterior and its lightweight quality making it easier to tow.
Also, One thing that makes them great is that they have environmentally conscious construction, evident from the recycled materials they use, such as recycled glass for insulation.
Some of the most recognized models they produce are the Flying Cloud and Globetrotter.
2023 Airstream Models- Travel trailers- prices range from $46,000.00 to $188,100.00
- Touring coaches- Prices range from $147,570.00 to $289,911.00
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If you’re planning for an RV camping trip to the Smoky Mountains, I recommend you read this article on Smoky Mountains vacation guide and explore the awesome campgrounds that surround it!
To make your trip more fun and exciting for the kids, try this great photo scavenger hunt idea from PhotoJeepers!