Cooking outdoors may sound a bit dreamy, if not romantic, to those who love nature. But without the right cookware, you’ll fall out of love quickly. Hard-to-clean cookware that gives an uneven cook and is slow to conduct heat is easy to come by, but the right cookware set for camping and backpacking can be more elusive.
Luckily, I love both camping and cooking, so I dug through thousands of product specs and user reviews to find some quality products that won’t let you down. Here’s some of the best camping pots, pans, and more available online now.
Stanley Adventure Even-Heat Camp Pro Cook Set
Though we doubt you’ll have a dishwasher at your campsite, it’s helpful to know that the Stanley Adventure Even-Heat Camp Pro Cook Set is in fact dishwasher safe upon your return home. This cookware set distributes heat evenly, too, which can be tough to achieve outdoors.
If you’re looking for durability and aren’t concerned with high price tags, this high-quality set from Stanley is worth checking out. Considered a “buy it for life” item by some reviewers, the set is said to be great quality, and it won’t rust over time.
The set includes one 4.75-quart stainless-steel pot, a 9-quart saucepan, and a 8.5-inch frying pan—all with vented lids. Also included in the set are a collapsible cutting board, spatula, spoon, two trivets, and a locking bungee for keeping everything safely stored in the stock pot when not in use. Despite loving this high-end type of camping cookware, we think it would be better suited for a car camp or RV camping trip due to it being heavy to carry. It definitely isn’t a solution for hikers.
Stanley Base Camp Cook Set for 4
For those looking to spend less on a quality Stanley cookware set, the Base Camp Cook Set is a great option. Scratch-proof as well as rustproof, this cookware set has everything a family of four would need for a camp kitchen.
An easy pack, the set consists of 21 nested components, including a 3.5-liter pot with a vented lid for boiling water and soup, 7-inch frying pan, cutting board, spatula, serving spoon, and drying-rack trivet. Not to mention the four of each 6-inch plates, bowls, and forks. All stack into the 5-liter pot with a locking bungee, making it easy to pack.
It should be noted that more than one reviewer mentioned the plates are a bit small, but we don’t see that as a major issue. A couple shoppers do warn that it isn’t the easiest set to clean; however, if you’ve been lugging around a heavy backpacking stove to your campsites, you’ll appreciate the upgrade.
Again, due to the weight of this set, we wouldn’t suggest hiking with it. But if you’ve got a short walk from your car to your campsite, it’s a great option.
GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Camper Cooking Set
With the option to configure for two or four people, this cookware set from GSI Outdoors weighs just 3.62 pounds, making it a great option for backpacking trips. Despite being lightweight, however, this set is on the pricier side.
Included are four plates, four insulated mugs with sip tops and sleeves, four bowls, a 2-liter pot with strainer lid, 3-liter pod with strainer lid, frying pan, one attachable folding handle, and a stuff sack that doubles as a wash basin. All included cookware is made of durable anodized aluminum and coated with non-stick teflon.
One criticism we came across in user reviews is that people wish the set included more than one handle, as it can become a pain to constantly transfer it between three different pieces of cookware, but otherwise people love this set.
Bisgear 16-Piece Portable Cookware Kit
Whether you’re just getting into the outdoor life or you aren’t ready to invest in pricey equipment, this camping cookware set from Bisgear is a great solution. Affordable and perfect for a light pack, the set comes with a total of 16 pieces.
Despite featuring a lot of items, we’d suggest this set for quick, easy camping meals rather than a full feast, which is probably fine for most backpackers looking to travel light. It includes a mini stove with Piezo ignition, compatible with any 7/16-thread fuel canisters, but we wouldn’t suggest relying on that. If you’re looking for a great camping stove, there are definitely better options out there.
It’s hand-wash only, as well, so this set isn’t one to toss in the dishwasher when you get back to your home kitchen. Included in the set are an anodized aluminum pot and frying pan, pan covers, a stove storage box, two BPA-free bowls, soup spoon, carabiner, stainless-steel folding knife, fork and spoon set, an additional folding spoon with fork, sponge, and a bag to store everything in.
We use a set like this at our campsites from time to time, and it’s fine for quick meals, but if you’re looking for something that’ll last a lifetime, we’d invest a bit more and get a better set.
Odoland Camping Cookware and Mini Stove
Affordable and easy to store, this camping cookware and pot set from Odoland is a great on-the-go option for hikers or anyone looking to pack super light. The set also includes a mini stove, and while reviews on that aren’t necessarily bad, they do mention that the igniter corrodes easily. We’d suggest being ready to invest in a separate stove, considering the price point of this set.
This set tests negative for lead, and it’s easy to store in the included carry bag. The nine-piece cookware set includes the mini stove, two aluminum non-stick pots, one silicone-insulated cup, one cutlery set, and two carrying bags (presumably for if you lose one). The pots also have user-friendly handles that fold back onto the pots when not in use, so you won’t have to worry about switching back and forth between the two.