Leaving the hustle and bustle behind and going camping with friends and family is a great way of making memories and digging your heels back down into nature. But no camping trip is complete without an adequately stocked camping cookware set to keep the troops on top form and happily fed. Read on for our handy buying guide that will help you choose the right tools to see you through a tonne of hiking trips in the UK and beyond.
Collected from Amazon, Decathlon, Argos and eBay, our top 10 list of the best camping cookware includes premium cookware from Sea to Summit, Snow Peak, Odoland and more. Whether you're looking to dazzle the family with stainless steel and cast iron pots, pans and kettles, or you're chasing a lightweight aluminium or titanium set for 4, you'll find something special in this list that's perfect for you.
Quick List - Top Camping Cookware
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Cooking while camping is made all the more easier by having the right tools. By peering into what makes some camping cookware stand out from the rest, you'll be well-positioned to pick up some great cookware today that'll last well beyond tomorrow.
Although a little weightier than aluminium, titanium is another highly sought-after metal used in camping cookware for its hardened and durable construction. If you're searching for the kind of camping cookware that'll bring out the campsite chef in you, then you'll be wanting a stainless steel set.
Giving you a reminiscent experience of home cooking, stainless steel allows you to cook your way to campsite dining heaven, ensuring that no matter the amenities, dinner will be delicious. Last but certainly not least, cast iron pots and pans are great for placing over the campsite fire's hot coals to slow cook, providing a spectacularly smokey flavour to your food.
Camping cookware represents something different for every camper. With the avidly-keen to the occasional campers all needing their cookware to suit their particular needs, it makes a one set to fit all approach far from possible.
One piece to the cookware puzzle that nobody can argue about is the classic pot. Pots are the number one tool for campsite cooking because, well, the one-pot dish rules. If you'll be needing a more substantial set, then don't fret, as there's plenty of camping cookware sets with multiple pots and pans to inspire your campsite cook ups.
Pots and pans are great when featuring folding or collapsible handles as they fit well into your gear and have little chance of snapping off. Beyond pots and pans, cookware sets are known to feature kettles, gas stoves, cups, cutlery and even dinner sets. The list can be endless, but as long as you've got your pot - you'll be alright.
One way to understand the effectiveness of a camping cookware set is to look at the size of their pots in litres. While the dimensions of individual pots and pans can get a little bit lost in translation, looking at the litres is an easy way of figuring out whether you'll have leftovers or you'll be scraping the bottom of the pan.
Pots in the 1.5 - 3 L range are considered large for camping cookware sets, easily feeding four hungry campers from a single cook-up. If you're looking to keep things minimal, then pots and pans around the 500 - 700 ml mark should suffice for just one or two. That said, many camping cookware sets feature pots and pans in multiple sizes, giving you plenty of scope to up the litres-ante if there are more bellies to fill.
The only thing to note is to remember to pack an adequate amount of gas stoves. This will allow you to have pots and pans frying and boiling away simultaneously, seeing you put together a fabulous feast for the family.
For the people who have strong intentions of filling their backpacks, hiking some trails and seeing what they're made of, the weight of your pack is an essential aspect. Acquiring truly lightweight gear usually means shopping for products that are at the top of their game.
Brands who put worth in the lightweight nature of their products are clearly doing so because they know the score. They've been the ones out there, surviving with nothing except what's strapped to their backs. Therefore, this dedication to weight-minimising is typically linked to premium products that excel at keeping you light on your feet and ready for that next hill.
The most lightweight and simple cookware sets for trekking weigh as little as 200 - 300 grams in total. However, sets stacked with accessories that cater for families blow the scales out, often weighing over 1.5 kg. Comparing the weight of various cookware will help you realise which one's are weight-sensitive and which one's put worth in lowering their price, not their weight.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sea to Summit Camping Cookware Set | ![]() | Collapsible Silicone With Hard-Anodised Aluminium Base | |
2 | Snow Peak Trek Cook Set | ![]() | Japanese Titanium With a Lifetime Guarantee | |
3 | Primus Stainless Steel Cookware Set | ![]() | Premium Stainless Steel Pot and Pan Set | |
4 | ZYVoyage Titanium Cookware Set | ![]() | Lightweight and Durable Titanium Cookware Set | |
5 | Bulin Camping Cookware Kit | ![]() | Stacked Cookware Set for Big Campsite Cook-Ups | |
6 | Nuovva 3-Piece Cast Iron Skillet Set | ![]() | Cook Over Coals With This Cast Iron Skillet Set | |
7 | Quecha Hiker's Camping Cooking Set | ![]() | Feed the Family With This 4-Person Dinner Set | |
8 | Odoland Camping Cookware Kit | ![]() | Non-Stick Cookware Set With Two Stainless Steel Cups | |
9 | Summit Tiffin Camping Cook Set | ![]() | Thoughtfully Put Together Tiffin Tin Set | |
10 | Mil-Com Camping Mess Tin Set | ![]() | Cheap 2-Pan Set for Easy Camping |
Sea to Summit has designed its camping cookware a little differently from the rest, as the collapsible silicone walls of the pot and kettle enable you to keep things trim and slim in your backpack while hiking. It's designed to feed 2 - 3 hungry campers comfortably with a very minimal weight of 750 g.
You also don't need to worry about the cookware holding up to the heat, as each piece in the collection features a hard-anodised aluminium base for cooking. The silicone can also handle up to 150°C, putting your mind at ease when the flames are flaring.
This 2-piece pot and pan kit sets the benchmark for quality through construction. Snow Peak has sourced the very best Japanese titanium for this extra-special set that provides you with a remarkable lifetime guarantee. The price, therefore, is justifiably high for such a simple pot and pan set.
Weighing just over 200 g, every camper who puts worth in reducing weight should invest in this cookware set and not look back. There are also two smaller sizes available for the solo adventurist types who like to keep things simple.
Primus know the importance of eating well while camping and their premium stainless steel set prove it. Through the high-quality construction, you'll be poised to prepare the same great food that you whip up at home and wow your family and friends along the way.
The large pot can fit 3 L of your finest campsite munch and comes with a matching 1.8 L pot and a frying pan. If this sounds like too much pot for your cooking needs, Primus also have a smaller set for two.
Stripping it right back to the bare cooking essentials is this small yet durable three-piece set by ZYVoyage. Constructed entirely of the desirably durable metal 'titanium', you'll be able to take this set on its fair share of expeditions with full confidence in its ability to endure.
Each of the three pieces comes with a folding handle to help stow the set away while not in use and eat in style when desired. Weighing next to nothing at 239 g for the entire set, this is a solid option for the avid camper who's still mindful of what they spend.
Being made primarily of hard-anodised aluminium, this stacked set by Bulin is built to last. Absurdly popular on Amazon for its unrivalled value for money, this is a mid-range cookware set that has got its priorities straight.
The set includes two pots with the largest of the pair able to fit 2.6 L of stewing goodness to feed the whole family. To top it off, the entire set fits snugly inside an included carry bag complete with a handle, making your camping life that much easier.
For the right camping environment, cast iron is a hard material to top. Purposed to endure incredibly high heat and keep cooking, cast iron can be put straight onto hot coals or placed over the campfire with a suitable grill.
Each of these three frying pans is constructed entirely from quality cast iron to bring a smoky element to your campsite meal times. Obviously, with cast iron, the additional weight comes into play, making this set a good one for driving but not walking to the campsite.
Decathlon's signature camping and hiking brand 'Quecha' are excellent at supplying decent gear to budget-savvy adventurists. The hardwearing stainless steel cookware features a non-stick coating as well as an aluminium base for efficient heating.
The 4-person dinner set is also made of food-grade silicone to ensure easy cleaning and eating. It may not be the lightest of sets, but considering what you get for your money, it successfully achieves what it sets out to do - to feed and please.
Odoland's camping cookware kit is brimming with camping accessories that will make you weak at the knees. The 11 piece kit consists of an aluminium cookware set with a non-stick coating for easy cooking.
In addition to this, you'll receive a kettle, a set of folding cutlery, a basic camping stove, a carabiner and two carry bags to keep everything in check. This is a winning set for the campers who don't want to spend a mint on their kit. The only hitch is the aluminium isn't hard-anodised, putting its longevity into question.
Constructed from a combination of tin and stainless steel, this tiffin set by Summit is simple yet effective. Featuring two pots with folding handles, cutlery and a lid that can also moonlight as a plate, it's hard to believe the lower than most price.
The low price can be put down to the budget nature of the set's construction, which is less than likely to endure hiking hardships. Although, with the full set weighing in at only 400 g, this is a commendably lightweight cookware offering.
For the campers who need very little to be happy, this aluminium twin-set of mess pans is ready to serve. It makes a great duo for heating cans of soup or bringing dehydrated food and water to the boil.
Music to the ears for campers with tight budgets, this pair of pans is one of the most affordable options out there. The only point of contention would have to be their weight which sits at 500 g. Although this doesn't sound like a lot, it's double that of the premium two and three pot sets further up the list.
Sure, most of us only go camping a few times a year at best, but we owe it to ourselves to be adequately equipped when we do. By ranking and reviewing the 10 best camping stoves, tables and cool boxes, we've put you in the enviable position of being that camper that's thought of everything!
Going on camping trips is a great way of reconnecting with the natural world and the people you love. And just like in our 'normal' lives, some of the biggest focal points of each day are mealtimes. We hope this article has put you in touch with the perfect camping cookwear that is sure to last many trips.
Author: Connor Macanally
No. 1: Sea to Summit|Camping Cookware Set
No. 2: Snow Peak|Trek Cook Set
No. 3: Primus|Stainless Steel Cookware Set
No. 4: ZYVoyage|Titanium Cookware Set
No. 5: Bulin|Camping Cookware Kit
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