Looking forward to your next camping or caravanning adventure? If space is at a premium, you’ll know the struggle of fitting the essentials in your car or backpack.
Happily, there’s a huge amount of collapsible camping gear out there now, some of which may surprise you. From packable showers to folding fire pits, you’ll find a selection of cleverly designed accessories to help you upgrade your trip without sacrificing precious storage space.
The best collapsible camping accessories to buy today
Outwell Collapsible Kettle
- Buy now from Amazon (£46.95)
There’s no need to go without your daily cuppa when you’re staying away from home. While your average kettle would be too bulky to take on the road, this one packs down to fit into your travel bags. If you’re sleeping in a caravan, it’ll slide into drawers and cabinets for easy storage.
A practical everyday accessory, this camping kettle is dishwasher-safe and free from harmful BPA. Plus, you can place it on direct heat, so you won’t have to worry about melting any of the materials.
Choose between the 1.5L and 2.5L versions, and a range of different colours, including blue and black.
Find great alternatives in our guide to the best camping kettles for an al fresco brew.
Quechua Camping Bedside Table
You may never have considered enjoying the luxury of a bedside table during a camping trip, but now you can! This one folds up into a carry bag measuring 31cm by 20cm, so it’s a nifty item to keep in the car.
Once you’ve put the table in place, you’ll have 8.5L of space across an internal storage area, a removable shelf and two mesh side pockets.
Find more collapsible camping tables to take on your adventures in our guide.
Trespaws Travel Collapsible Dog Bowl Set
If you have a dog, a collapsible bowl is a handy item to take on camping trips - and you can make use of it on long walks from your home too.
These two bowls are made with BPA-free silicone, so they’re soft and easy to clean. You can even pop them in the dishwasher.
They also come with a useful carabiner clip, making it easy to attach them to your bag.
Find more of our favourite dog bowls in our guide.
Outwell Cazal Portable BBQ Grill & Fire Pit
- Buy now from eBay (£32.95), Camping World (£40.49)
We often think of barbecues as heavy, bulky items, but this steel one is specifically designed to be taken on the road. It folds up flat to measure 45 x 46 x 3cm and even has a useful carry handle.
Once you’ve popped it up, there’s a large V-shaped bucket for wood or coal, and a grill on the top for toasting your food.
Looking for a fire pit for your garden? Check out our favourite fire pits for creating a cosy atmosphere.
Trangia 27-1 UL Cook Set
Trangia stoves are brilliant for cooking while you’re away. Made from ultralight aluminium, this collapsible camping accessory is a durable and practical addition to any camping kit.
Plus, it’s quick and simple to use, which should take the stress out of meal prep on busy days.
In this pack, you’ll get two 1L pans and a frying pan, which doubles as a lid. The entire set weighs under 700g, so it shouldn’t be a burden to carry around.
Make sure you buy some Trangia fuel before you set off. There are also lots of handy Trangia camping accessories to browse, such as non-stick pans and frying plates, kettles and storage covers.
We've reviewed the Trangia 25 cookset in real-life conditions, so see our Trangia review to get an idea of this kit's capabilities. You can also read our other camping stove reviews to compare different models.
Collapsible washing up bowl and sieve
- Buy the sieve from Dunelm (£3.00)
There’s a whole world of collapsible kitchen gadgets out there, from colanders and bowls to draining boards, but these are two of our favourite folding items. The washing up bowl and colander will come in handy for everyday meal prep, and they pack down to slide into drawers and car boots.
The bowl is 17.5 x 38.5 x 32cm, so it can hold up to 9L of water. As an added bonus, the sieve is dishwasher-safe, so it’s easy to clean if you’re in a caravan or at home.
Pressure Solar Camping Shower
- Buy now from Decathlon (£49.99), Walmart ($79.99)
You can say goodbye to cleaning from a sink or washing up bowl if you have a collapsible camping shower in your bag. It’s a versatile item, which you can use to clean your kit, pets or sandy feet on beach days.
To prepare the shower, add up to 10L of water into the pouch and leave it in the sun to heat up. When you’re ready, use the on/off button to control the water flow.
There’s a pump system to pressurise the water, so you won’t need to hang up the bag above your head.
Find more portable camping showers in our round-up.
3 Collapsible Silicone Freezer Boxes
As we all know, plastic food storage boxes can quickly become troublesome, but these ones fold down for easy storage. As an added bonus, the grippy silicone should stop them sliding about in your bags or cupboards.
The boxes come with airtight lids to keep your food fresh, and they’re microwavable, so you can easily heat up your food if you’re in a caravan or at home.
Find more useful accessories in our list of the best camping gadgets to take on your adventures. If you need meals, see our reviews of the best camping food and hiking food you can buy.
We've also reviewed the best travel pillows and lunch boxes - find our favourites in the guides.
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