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The tools for delicious meals outdoors or over an open fire. Camping Pans
We’ve reviewed our recommendations in this guide and continue to stand by them.
Whatever way you choose to camp, whether it’s in an RV, sleeping in a tent or backpacking in the woods, you’ll need camping cookware. Those who like whipping up a gourmet meal as a fun camping activity will want a bigger camping cookware set, while others may want to keep it simple with just the basics to make coffee or eggs. No matter your camping cooking style, we’ve got the set for you.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute , we’ve tested over 90 cookware sets, including nonstick, stainless steel, ceramic and copper. When we tested camping cookware, we evaluated their performance, like how well they were able to brown meat, and checked how easy they were to use to find the best camping cookware.
You can read more about how we evaluate camping cookware in our Lab and consumer tests — plus everything you need to know to shop for the best camping cookware — at the end of this guide. Looking for a tent or portable coffee maker to take on your camping trip? Check out our guide to the best camping tents and best portable coffee makers for camping.
GSI Outdoors' cookware set got us most excited about our next trip to the great outdoors. The smooth, Teflon-coated hard-anodized aluminum nonstick pans were the clear winner in our egg frying and cleaning tests, and the pans also boasted even heat distribution and uniform browning when we seared a steak on it. The eggs slid off the pan (without any oil!), and it just took a bit of hot water to completely clean the pan. The set also includes plates, mugs and bowls for four people which is not only convenient, but this was the only set that offered a fun mix of colors. The metal folding pot gripper does get hot while cooking, so exercise caution when touching with bare hands. That said, it was quite secure and easy to maneuver with a dish towel.
This cookware set comes with 21 pieces, was a top performer across all of our tests and you can snag it for under $100. There are enough plates, bowls and sporks to accommodate four people and our pros like how efficiently all the parts nested together. The vented lid is even marked with the correct stacking order so you can put it back together with ease when you're done cooking. In our tests, we were impressed by its ability to fry an egg without much sticking, plus the pans were extremely easy to clean after using.
Our Lab experts were extremely impressed with the nonstick coating on these pieces; the coating was so effective that we could fry and scramble eggs without a drop of oil and they still slid right off the pan! Not to mention, the pan cleaned up easily with warm water. If you’re staying at a campsite without water hook-ups, this is a great option that you can easily clean without a ton of water and scrubbing. This set is equipped with two pots, a fry pan and strainer lids, a cutting board, folding pot handle and a stuff sack that can double as a sink. To top it off, not only does the painted finish on the outside give it an attractive look, but it also protects the pot from abrasion or discoloration.
Small groups and families will love this four-piece camping cookware set. It's highly attractive, super lightweight and nest-able. While it was not a top performer in our egg frying tests and we found clean up to be a bit cumbersome, it was quite efficient in frying steaks and boiling water. We loved the foldable silicone handles, which never warmed up during cooking, making them super easy to maneuver. The metal kettle also set this cookware kit apart from its competitors because it was the only one with a fully metal kettle (other kettles had silicone sides which are not ideal for open fire because they can get damaged) that fit perfectly into the stacked set. While a lot of the other sets offer convenient perks like strainer lids, foldable cutting boards, utensils, plates and bowls, this did not offer any of those small add-ons, so plan to pack those in addition to this set.
If you're in the market for a stainless steel camping cookware set, look no further than this set from Stanley. The set contains a stainless steel stock pot, stainless steel frying pan and stainless steel saucepan that can make it through even the most rugged camping trip. Our experts found this set performed well in our egg frying and steak cooking tests compared to other stainless steel sets. Clean up was not as breezy as some of the other sets as it required extra soaking and scrubbing to rid the pan of crusted-on egg bits, but you can’t beat the efficiency and durability of this set. It's also stocked with trivets, a collapsible cutting board, a spatula and spoon for all your equipment needs.
Kelly Kettle's cookware set not only boasts a pot, a pan, cups and plates, but it also includes a large stove and kettle. The kettle and entire apparatus was no small undertaking, but we were impressed by the stove’s ability to hold a flame and stay warm. The metal pots and pans included in the set were quite hard to maneuver with the clip-on attachment, but it’s hard to match the convenience of having a source of fire with cookware and a kettle. In our tests, boiling water was incredibly easy and straightforward and it did not require much time. This kit may be excessive if you already have a camping stove or a jet boil, but if you’re looking for a set that offers both cookware and a source of heat, then this is a great option. If you plan to do a lot of cooking over the stove, it might be a good idea to bring other pans or pots because the ones included could only achieve basic tasks, like simmering water.
Whereas most camp sets nest together in a large cylindrical shape, this set includes a large pot, kettle and pan that nest inside of each other to form a slim, compact disc. (The pot and kettle have expandable silicone walls, which make this type of nesting possible.) In our tests, the silicone handles on the pan stayed cool to the touch the entire time, and they conveniently folded into the pan when we were done using them. We also really liked how easy it was to clean after frying eggs and searing steaks. The fun silicone colors are also an added plus to this humble set. Just note that according to the brand, this camping cookware set is designed for use with a camping stove and not directly over an open flame because it can damage the silicone.
Solo backpackers may only need a simple pot and cup to help boil some water and consume a meal, which is why we liked this simple two-piece set. It was the lightest of the sets we tested, making it a great option for a backpacker. We liked the mesh storage sack which helps keep everything together neatly, and it's able to nest a gas canister (sold separately).
It's not quite big enough to fry an egg or sear a steak, but it's the perfect size to boil enough water for a dehydrated meal plus a cup of coffee or tea. It's a sturdy, basic set that’s great for a backpacker looking for a simple cooking set up. We found the metal handles got quite warm when using, so you'll need to make sure to use protective gear.
We love this cookware set for a solo camper. It's so super compact and light that you could easily stuff this into your backpack. In our tests, we found that this anodized aluminum was not as effective in frying an egg as other sets, but for low-maintence cooking tasks, like boiling water or frying a protein, this set was extremely proficient. It includes a metal piece that can double as both a handle for the pots as well as tongs, and the lid can be used as a cutting board, fuel canister stabilizer and a colander, which we found to be convenient and an efficient use of weight and space.
If you have the space in your car or RV to stow away a cast iron pot, there’s no better option than this cast iron deep skillet. A top performer in our boiling and searing tests, this pot offers even heat distribution and unmatched durability. Because of its heavy weight (almost 11 pounds) it can be a bit more difficult to maneuver (especially over a campfire) and clean than the lighter cookware sets, but you can’t beat the volume, toughness and look of this sleek cast iron pot. The side handles and aluminum knobs become quite hot while cooking, so always use protective wear.
Keep in mind, cast iron pots do require a bit more TLC than some of the other nonstick or aluminum camping cookware options, so plan to pack a clean rag and maybe a little bit of oil to help season the pot after you use it. In our tests, we also used the 5.5 quart Dutch oven, which offered the same results when searing a steak, frying an egg and boiling water. However, we found its slightly larger size to be a bit too much for outdoor camping.
When testing camping cookware we tested over 12 sets, made 50 eggs, seared 10 steaks and brought 10 quarts of water to boil. We assessed how well the pans were able to brown meat and if saucepans were able to maintain a simmer. We also tested how well the nonstick coating or stainless steel worked. We evaluated how easy the camping cookware sets were to use and clean, whether handles became how to the touch and how easy it was to reassemble the stacked nesting order.
✔️ Weight and size: Depending on what kind of outdoor excursions you’re typically embarking on will factor into which cookware set is best for you. If you’re taking your cookware set backpacking, then you’ll definitely want a set that is light and compact. If you’re car- or RV-camping, you have a little bit more leeway with weight and size, since you have the luxury (well, in the realm of camping) of stowing it away. Sets that have pieces that easily nest together are always ideal because they are great for storage and help ensure that a piece never goes missing.
✔️ Number of pieces: Some camping cookware sets have upwards of 10 or 12 pieces whereas others only have two or three. Consider how many people you’ll be cooking for when you’re camping. If you’re only cooking for one, you can probably get away with having fewer pieces, but the more campers you’re feeding, the more pieces you’ll likely need for efficient and enjoyable cooking.
✔️ Ease of clean up: If you think doing the dishes in your home kitchen isn’t fun, just try doing them in the middle of a forest with no running water! You definitely want to look for unfussy cookware that will clean up easily. If clean up requires a great deal of maintenance, additional equipment or excessive scrubbing, it might not be the best cookware to take on your next camping trip.
✔️ Handles: Cooking in the great outdoors is certainly an art, so you want a set of pots and pans that feels good in your hand. Some cookware sets offer foldable silicone handles that stay cool to the touch while cooking, whereas some sets have metal attachments that you can hook onto the edge of the pan. Some offer no handles at all. If your pans become hot while they’re cooking, you might need to bring some protective heat wear in your gear, or just embrace the figure-it-out mentality of camping and use a T-shirt.
Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition.
Sarah Tane tested camping cookware and wrote this story. She is private chef and recipe developer. She's also written for many food magazines and is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education.
Sara Tane is a food writer and private chef based in Brooklyn, New York. She is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education and has written for Cooking Light, MyRecipes, Saveur, and The Feedfeed. She also has a serious thing for oysters.
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