Coachman Laser 640

The Coachman Laser 640 has a lovely, spacious, full-width shower room, and twin-axle stability. We set out to see whether the Coachman’s build quality matches it looks

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he combination of top-end specification, a fixed bed and the stability advantage of four tyres on the road is a package that a lot of caravanners seek. And there’s a fair amount of choice out there in the £22,000-plus range.
So how do you choose the ideal caravan for you? It’s useful to begin by ticking boxes on equipment. Inboard water tank. Tick. End bathroom. Tick. Lots of kitchen surface. Tick. Extractor fan. Tick… The Coachman Laser’s ticks quickly mount up.
Then it’s good to look at the detail. We’ll start our test with the water tank. Essential equipment if you plan to caravan in freezing temperatures, of course. The Laser’s tank is actually inside the caravan, rather than under-slung, so you have the confidence that, no matter how sub-zero the temperature gets, you’ll always have a shower in the mornings.
Our next tick went to the full-width shower room.
The important detail here is that the little room is not so little – in fact it’s larger than most. And it has more cupboard storage than most. The shower is square, tucked away on the nearside. It has a substantial clear plastic door with a simple wave pattern etched across its centre. There’s a high-quality cotton Roman-style blind over the window – one of many touches in the 640 that give it its distinctive look and feel.
During our test week, we came to love the 640’s kitchen configuration. We prepared food in the kitchen, with the glass sink top down. We set out plates on the dresser opposite the kitchen, and there was plenty of space to stand some Chateauneuf du Pape for the steak and a bottle of something white for the fish starter..This is a caravan for those who enjoy cooking without restricted space.
Lower cupboard kitchen storage isn’t the best in the business for a caravan of this length. That’s because Lasers have Truma blown air heating – and the Truma unit has to be accommodated within the furniture. In caravans with Alde heating, all the components are hidden away. In the 640, the Truma unit is in the dresser, taking up space that could be a cupboard in an Alde-heated caravan. The number of caravans equipped with this hot water-based system increased in 2010 and again for 2011 – because more caravanners are coming to appreciate its superior all-enveloping warmth. All things about caravans are comparative and, while levelling no criticism at Truma heating, buyers will compare the Laser 640 with Lunar’s Delta RS of a similar layout, and some of the Sterlings and Swift Conquerors, all hovering around the same price and all with Alde heating.
But the Laser has something the others don’t. It’s the build of the front bed. The base is metal-framed and you draw it out from under the offside settee across the corridor to meet the nearside settee. It’s a lot more robust than slats that roll out from the front drawer unit. And you gain a drawer here; Coachman front cabinets have three drawers – and that, when you add in the three in the dresser and kitchen, makes a total of six drawers. Add in all the top cabinets, too, and we think we can tick the box marked good storage!
So, the Laser 640/4 ticks a lot of boxes. But we’re well aware that when you’re deciding on a caravan there is more than specification at stake. Ambiance plays a big part in the decision-making process – and the Laser 640, with its mix of cosy looks and convenient features like the double-sided TV cupboard and big, galley-style kitchen, has a lot going for it.
 

The Coachman Laser 640 has quality stamped all over its furniture and its solid construction. You just get the feeling Coachman caravans are built to last – and you’d be right. The spacious washroom is lovely. But we think the best part of this caravan is right in the middle. It’s the galley-style kitchen, with a huge nearside dresser. You’d never have to be economical with space. The Laser 640 is a caravan for people who enjoy cooking and entertaining friends.