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Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE review

Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE review

Tony Barthel
RV Review, Travel Trailer Review

Honest RV review of the 2025 Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE

Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE

Today’s RV review is of the 2025 Forest River Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE. This is a small couples’ travel trailer and is a floor plan you can find that’s quite common because, well, it just works. For the most part. We got to see a preproduction version at RV Open House and thought it was a good package for the price. But there are a few competitors that offer some significant features that I think are worth the money - more on that in a moment. 

Okay I’m going to have to make a button or something on that name - it’s ridiculously long. But the “Select Edition” portion of the name designates that this is a more entry-level variant of the Freedom Express series. These are laminated trailers - we have an article detailing how RVs are built and why it matters. 

RV companies have choices in the materials and processes they use to build RVs so just because one trailer has a smooth skin doesn’t mean it’s as well made as the next trailer of like build. This trailer uses a man-made substrate (Azdel) on both inside and outside walls and then Coachmen vacuum laminates their trailers - to me this is a better way of building a trailer wall. The Azdel can withstand moisture and offers superior sound insulation to the luan that was traditionally used which would crumble if it got wet like a politician with a lie detector.

Start at the road with the Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE

As always we’re going to start where I think an RV makes the most difference - down here at the road. I guess you could say we’re starting in the gutter but no, let’s stay classy. 

This rig rides on an off-brand tire using a simple leaf spring suspension. This is the least optimal in my opinion - the more noise, vibration and harshness a low-grade suspension transmits into the body of the RV the more chance for things to shake loose. 

There is only one connection point for the sewer which is a plus. 

Also I like that Coachmen puts the stabilizer jacks at a 45° angle to the chassis - I’ve been told this can help keep a trailer stable. Another thing I liked was that the spare tire was mounted below the tongue of the trailer. This normally wasted space isn’t a bad place for the spare and does bias the weight a little further forward. 

The flooring Coachmen uses in this is a 5/8” plywood decking over an aluminum frame which is pretty bulletproof. 

Something I hadn’t seen before but which made a lot of sense was that there wasn’t a receiver hitch on the back of this trailer but it does have the reinforcements to the frame to support one. So if you do decide that you want a receiver hitch on the back of this trailer it’s simply a matter of getting one that’s compatible and bolting it on. That makes a lot of sense. 

What’s inside the Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE

This is essentially a one-room schoolhouse. What I mean by that is that essentially the entire interior of the trailer, except the bathroom of course, is a single space. 

Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE specifications

The bed is up at the front of the trailer is a proper queen-sized bed which is nice. Sometimes in smaller trailers you get a shortie queen so your feet dangle off the edge, although I tend to sleep with my feet dangling off the edge anyhow. Yeah, I’m weird. 

There is a windshield here and the shade over the windshield is an accordion shade and those don’t do much to block light, quite honestly. I’d be happier if they just dumped the windshield already. 

What you do get are little side cubbies on either side of the bed where you can put your noisy toys when you’re done playing with them before bed even though we all know we’re not supposed to be doing that right before bed. But, come on, it’s fun to goof around on the Internet. And there’s an outlet in the cubby that Coachmen probably put there for a legitimate reason like a CPAP machine but that we’re probably going to use to charge said noisy toy. 

Oh, point of distraction, I found the neatest fold-up charging stand for my iPhone, AppleWatch and AirPods on Amazon. I know I’m not supposed to look at my phone before bed but when it’s on this stand it glows red if I tap it and I can see the time so I dig it. 

Each side of the bed also has hanging closets and a pretty large drawer. Above the bed is a single open storage compartment with a net over it and I suppose you could put totes or baskets in there unless you just want visitors to be distracted by your rolled-up undies. 

Kitchen in the Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE

This trailer has the same 12 volt refrigerator as we have in our own new trailer and, thus far, I have been thrilled with it. It opens from either side but it’s also remarkably efficient. 

Unfortunately they selected the lousy 17” oven that tends to have hot spots and really doesn’t fit much. I wish they had gone with the two-burner in-line model in the floor plan and then just went with a convection microwave instead, but this is what they did. Why don’t these RV companies read these reviews? 

There is a good-sized sink here and something Coachmen does is take advantage of the space under the sink with a u-shaped drawer for utensils. This is a brilliant idea. 

There are also other cabinets and drawers so you get a decent amount of storage in the kitchen of this rig. Add the pantry right at the entrance of the trailer and now you’ve got plenty of storage for most travelers. 

The air conditioner in here is not a ducted model meaning all the cool air comes out of the AC shroud itself so not much is getting to the bathroom. The fact that Coachmen put a tiny do nothing fan in the bathroom doesn’t help matters. 

Oh, and that bathroom is pretty tight for a guy built like me. I could do the job I came in to do but it would be a challenge to do the associated paperwork, if you catch my drift. 

Because of the interior layout the seating choice is a couch that is sort of a theater seat in that the footrests do flip up and there’s a center arm rest. But the backs don’t recline. There is also a free-standing table for the couch. 

Something taller travelers will appreciate is the 81” ceiling height inside this RV - this is taller than most and especially taller than a lot of lighter, smaller towables. 

Conclusions about the Coachmen Freedom Express Select Edition 19SE

I like this trailer’s floor plan and there’s a lot that Coachmen did right here. According to a study by KOA, who studies these things, most RV owners don’t get to use their RVs as much as they’d like and don’t travel far. So, in that case the leaf spring suspension of this trailer isn’t such a big deal, quite honestly. 

If you do plan to do a lot more traveling the Rockwood Mini Lite 2109s or the Lance Squire SQ19 might be worth looking at, although either of these will set you back more than the Coachmen. So that’s why there are so many choices. 

I always feel it’s my job to more share with you what creates the price difference and what to look for but you know you and what’s important to you. And, as always, I also sincerely appreciate your feedback here or on the StressLess Camping Facebook Group. 

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