The Power Wagon's tailgate is the right size for cooking — 56" wide, drops to a stable horizontal surface at counter height. Three paths: a Drifta slide-out kitchen module ($1,800), the more straightforward Decked CrossBox if you already have their drawers ($580), or DIY with a folding table + Camp Chef stove for $350. Pick based on how often you camp and how much you cook.
A "camp kitchen" on a Power Wagon ranges from minimal (a stove on the tailgate, a cooler nearby) to a full slide-out module with sink, propane plumbing, prep surface, and integrated storage. Where you land depends on how often you camp and what you cook.
Drifta Stockton Slide-Out Kitchen ($1,800) — Australian-built, the reference. Mounts in the bed or to a drawer system, slides out the back of the truck, includes a sink, stove mount, prep surface, storage for utensils + dry goods. The "I am serious about camping" answer. Common 2-3 week build wait time.
Decked CrossBox ($580) — bolts to a Decked drawer system (which you'd need separately, $1,400 — see pw-overland-drawer). Provides a kitchen module above the drawers with stove platform and storage. Less feature-dense than Drifta but bundles into the Decked ecosystem cleanly.
DIY tailgate kitchen ($350) — folding aluminum prep table ($120) + 2-burner Camp Chef Everest stove ($180) + plastic dry-goods tote ($30). Setup at camp is 3 minutes. Pack down is 3 minutes. The right answer for 80% of camping use cases.
Camp Chef Everest 2X ($180) — the universal stove pick. 20,000 BTU per burner, runs on standard 1lb propane bottles or 20lb tank via adapter, ignition lights with a click, integrated regulator. Replaceable parts. Lasts forever.
Power Wagon-specific: the tailgate has a 56" wide drop surface at exactly counter height (~32" from ground). It's almost custom-designed as a cooking workbench. Don't fight that — embrace it. A DIY tailgate setup uses what the truck already provides.
Propane handling: any stove burning propane in the bed needs ventilation. Don't cook in the bed under a closed topper. Stoves with low-CO emissions (Camp Chef Everest is one) are fine in the open air with the tailgate down.
Honest framing: the Drifta is beautiful and most owners who buy one love them. But for occasional camping (5-15 nights/year), the DIY tailgate setup is the right answer — you save $1,500+ and pack down to a tote that lives in the garage between trips. The Drifta is for full-time overland life or commercial use (guide service, expedition outfitting).
This is the setup most Power Wagon owners actually want, and it costs $350 to assemble from parts you can source in a weekend.
The whole setup pitches and strikes in about three minutes and stores in the garage between trips — which is exactly why it beats a fixed module for anyone camping fewer than ~20 nights a year.
Carbon monoxide is the real hazard, and it doesn't care how nice your setup is. Never run a propane stove in the bed under a closed topper or in any enclosed space — cook with the tailgate down in open air. The Camp Chef Everest is a low-CO design, but "low" is not "zero," and a tarp pulled over the cooking area in rain has killed campers.
Watch the wind. The Everest's open burners struggle above about 15 mph of wind; a $25 folding wind screen pays for itself in fuel and patience. And mind the tailgate's finish — a hot stove base will discolor a painted or plastic-capped tailgate over time, so put a silicone mat or thin cutting board under it.
Finally, be honest about how often you cook. A Drifta or CrossBox that lives bolted in the bed costs you payload and bed space year-round for convenience you use a few weeks a year. Most owners over-buy here.
| Part | Vendor | Est. price |
|---|---|---|
| Drifta Stockton Slide-Out Kitchen Module (Australian premium — most popular) | Drifta | ~$1800 |
| DECKED CrossBox (bolts to Decked drawer system as a kitchen module) | Decked | ~$580 |
| Camp Chef Everest 2X stove (2-burner, integrated regulator, propane) | Camp Chef | ~$180 |
| DIY tailgate kitchen — folding aluminum table + stove + tote | varies | ~$350 |
Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.
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