After a long day of hiking to your camping spot and preparing your bed for the night, a solid meal can make all the difference to your mood and overall energy levels. That’s why it’s well worth investing in some serious cookware so you can prepare a feast for you, your family and friends.
We’ve put together a selection of camping cookware ideas below, keeping in mind weight, portability and functionality to make sure your outdoor eating is both efficient and delicious.
So whether you’re cooking for one or have a big sit-down meal planned by the fire, look no further than our picks below.
Best camping cookware to buy in 2024
Fire-Maple Feast Heat Exchanger Set
If you're looking for a complete set that will help you cook a variety of meals over the campfire, this may be the best option for you. It also compacts down into a portable set so shouldn’t take up too much space in your backpack.
The full kit includes a kettle, pot and frying pan which they say is especially ideal for a camping site that has between two to three people.
Made from a non-stick material it should not only make the cooking easier but also the clean up a breeze, which may otherwise be especially tricky with limited access to water.
REDCAMP Camping Kettle
If all you need is a simple cup of coffee to perk you up in the mornings, or a tool for boiling water to help with food prep, this compact kettle from REDCAMP is a wise idea.
The handle can be folded down to save space, and the spout has been designed to be nice and short to make it even more portable without compromising on a smooth water pour.
Camping Frying Pan
A simple frying pan can make all the difference when it comes to camp cooking, so why not invest in this lightweight idea.
With a special handle that folds into the pan itself, this should be a nice space saver when taken on your next trip, while still delivering when it comes time for meal prep.
It has a no-stick coating to make life easier and food more palatable, and has been made with anodized aluminium so should be tough enough to withstand the occasional knocks of camping life.
Jazooli Aluminium Compact Mess Tin
If you’re camping alone and cooking for one, you may not need a series of fancy tools, but it’s still a good idea to pack some cookware to make sure you’re well fed on your next adventure.
This simple kit includes all the essentials, with two mess tins so you can prepare two separate dishes without having to wash in between meals, a full cutlery set, a fuel stove and even a handful of fuel blocks to fire it up.
The full kit weighs just 800g in total, and the cutlery even sticks together which is especially ideal for storage and also means you're less likely to lose an individual item.
Stanley Adventure All-In-One Fry Pan Set
Not only does the handle on this clever frying pan fold away beneath the cookware itself to save space, it also locks in place when cooking to make sure you have a firm grip of your next meal.
It has a sizable diameter of just under 22cm and holds a capacity of 0.94 litres while only weighing 950 grams, which means it's spacious but still lightweight.
Eurohike Trek 2 Person Cookset
If you're on a couple's camping outing, this two person cook set will be all you need to make sure you don't go hungry at the end of the day. It features a pot for boiling, a pan for frying, and two mugs so you can relax with a cup of hot chocolate as you sit by the fireside.
Especially lightweight at just 315g, this also has pop out handles which can be collapsed when you're ready to pack everything away.
Browse the best collapsible and lightweight camping mugs in our guide.
NGT Double Grill Pan
Treat yourself to some grilled food as you settle down for the night, or even in the middle of your next mountaineering mission with this grill pan kit from NGT. The die cast pan has a non -stick coating which means no wasted food and no unnecessary mess, and it's been designed to spread the heat evenly for a quick and well cooked meal.
The lid can also be separated to create two standalone pans if you want to prepare multiple dishes.
