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May 20, 2023

7 best camping cookware sets for the outdoor chef

No kitchen? No problem. There’s something truly wonderful about enjoying a meal

No kitchen? No problem.

There's something truly wonderful about enjoying a meal outdoors under a huge open sky far away from any possible Seamless or Grubhub delivery zone. A proper and well-designed camp cookware set will make your meal preparation efficient, enjoyable, and even (possibly) more delicious.

Cooking at a campsite doesn't require a plethora of pots, pans, and utensils but rather, a few well designed, multi-functional pieces and the means to make (and contain) fire. Most camp stoves run on isobutane fuel cannisters which are easy to ignite and keep burning.

If you’re looking to elevate your outdoor cuisine preparation skills, there's camp cookware that can help you achieve that while not costing you tons in space or weight. After all, one of the reasons (and benefits) for a camping getaway is to escape from the constraints and pressures of your everyday life. No one wants to carry more than they need into the wilderness with them.

Here are some top-rated camping cookware sets for feeding yourself (and others) while away from an indoor kitchen.

BioLite CampStove 2 Complete Kit

I bought my BioLite CampStove when the company was only a few years old and it remains one of my favorite pieces of camping gear. Like the original CampStove, this one turns fire into electricity while providing a complete camp kitchen at the same time. It works with twigs, pellets, pine cones, and other trail debris so you don't have to carry fuel canisters.

This kit includes a portable grill, kettle pot, and coffee press; everything you need for a proper meal in the great outdoors. The kettle pot converts into a convenient carry case for the stove and the grill packs down to three inches, leaving you more room in your pack for other essentials.

Stanley Adventure Even-Heat Camp Pro Set

This 11-piece camp cookware set includes a 75-quart stock pot, 9-quart saucepan, a frying pan, vented lids, collapsible cutting board, spatula, spoon, two trivets, and a locking bungee. The pots and pans feature a multilayered bottom for even heating over fires and grills. And the set nests together in a space saving design, although, because of the above mentioned stainless steel double bottom, is not the lightest.

It's a perfect camp cookware set for a base camp or a car camping kitchen.

Snow Peak Multi Compact Cook Set

If you’re looking for lightweight, backpacking-suitable cookware, this set from Snow Peak is for you. The pots have foldable handles and the lids function as both plates and saucepans (as well as lids for the pots). The smaller pot and lid fits inside the large pot in a compact, portable design.

Designed for one (or two people at most), the pots hold around 34 ounces and 26 ounces. Snow Peak products also have a lifetime guarantee.

GSI Outdoor Pinnacle Dualist HS Cookset

The Pinnacle Dualist HS Cookset has everything you need to create a meal for two in the backcountry. The set includes two insulated mugs, two bowls, two folding forked spoons, a strainer lid, a sink sack, and a 1.8-liter boiler. The hard anodized aluminum heats up 30% faster than other pots.

One of the coolest things about this set is that the welded stuff sack doubles as a sink or washbasin at camp, making cleanup so much easier than the standard river washing technique. The nesting design leaves room to accommodate a stove and 230 gram fuel cannister inside.

GSI Pinnacle Camper Cookset

For camping groups of four people, consider this larger 23-piece GSI Camper Cookset which comes with four plates, four mugs with sip it tops and sleeves, four bowls, a 2-liter pot with strainer lid, a 3-liter pot with strainer lid, frying pan, foldable and removable handle, and the cool GSI stuff sack/wash basin.

The handle locks onto brackets of the pots and frying pan when needed and the strainer lids and rings are heat and crush resistant.

Sea to Summit X-Pot 5-piece Cookware Set

Sea to Summit makes a range of unique collapsible cookware pieces. This five-piece set includes a 2.8-liter pot with translucent strainer lid, two 22-ounce bowls, and two 16-ounce mugs, all of which nest inside each other and collapse flat; the ultimate in space saving design while maintaining functionality.

The pot features a hard anodized aluminum base, and all pieces are manufactured from BPA-free, food grade, heat resistant silicone.

MSR PocketRocket Deluxe Stove Kit

Most every backpacker and bike packer I know has a PocketRocket stove, myself included. The pressure-regulated PocketRocket is super compact with a push-start ignition, delivering boiling water quickly.

This camp cookware kit comes with a 1.2-liter aluminum pot, hot and cold safe 28-ounce bowl, strainer lid, pot handle, and stuff sack. All total, the set weighs in at a little over 13 ounces.