Camping Kitchen Equipment Guide
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Great camping food starts with having the right equipment in your camp kitchen. In this guide, we share what we consider to be essential camp cooking gear for front country car camping.
What camping cooking gear do you recommend? What equipment do I need to cook your recipes? Ever since we started Fresh Off The Grid, people have asked us what camp cooking equipment they need to get started.
There are so many fancy camp cooking gadgets and gizmos out there, it’s hard to know what’s worth it and what’s not. So we have put together this stripped-down list of must-have essential camp cooking gear.
With this gear, not only will you be able to cook all of the car camping recipes we share on Fresh Off The Grid, but your overall enjoyment of the outdoors will be drastically increased. So if you’re new to camping or looking to build your camp kitchen from scratch, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get started!
Our must have camp cooking essentials
1.) Camp stove
It doesn’t get any more fundamental than a camp stove. But with dozens of models out there, finding the perfect stove can be a challenge!
If you are just starting out, we recommend you steer clear of the funky alternative options and go with a classic 2- burner propane stove. They’re versatile, allowed everywhere (even during most fire bans), they use widely available fuel (1 lb green propane canisters) and operate just like your home range.
Camp Chef Everest
We’ve upgraded to the Camp Chef 2-burner stove and have nothing but great things to say about it. Solidly built, high-powered 20,000 BTU burners, excellent simmer control, great wind protection, and adjustable legs. By going overkill on the burner strength, this camp stove overcomes cold weather and blustery conditions. It’s hands down the best camp stove we’ve used.
Buy on Amazon
Eureka! Ignite Plus
While we haven’t used this stove personally, the people over at REI have been giving it rave reviews. Slim profile, great simmer control, and substantial 10,000 BTU burners. This is definitely one to check out.
2.) Cooler or fridge
We camped for a very long time without any form of refrigeration, but once we invested in a cooler for car camping and a refrigerator for our van, the quality and freshness of our meals improved tremendously. No other piece of camp cooking equipment has had a greater impact. Also, cold beer. Who can argue with that? Yes, a cooler or fridge is a lot of money upfront, but in our opinion, it has been absolutely worth it.
Yeti Cooler
There has been a lot of advances in cooler technology over the years with Yeti leading the pack. After shopping around, we finally landed on the Yeti Tundra 35. It’s super rugged, insanely insulated, and just the right size for a long weekend camping trip. We know Yeti gets a lot of hype, but we can say that ours has lived up to expectations.
Dometic Fridge
We installed a Dometic CFX65 in our camper van, which is a fairly large unit. However, Dometic also sells a lot of smaller sizes like the CFX35 that would be perfect for overlanding and/or car camping. They even sell a Lithium-Ion battery bank so you can keep the fridges running when off the grid.
The main advantage of a fridge over a cooler is obvious: no ice to deal with. No ice taking up half the space of the interior, no ice melting away in the hot sun. With a fridge, so long as it’s hooked up to power, it’s always cold.
3.) Water jug
Being able to store a decent amount of water close to your campsite is a must. If you want to be able to get any serious cooking done, don’t want to be making multiple runs to the water spigot. So picking up a water jug makes sense. But here’s the catch: every single camp water jug, jerry can, or aqua cube we’ve ever used has leaked. So what’s to be done?
Igloo Water Cooler
Don’t waste your money on a chronically defective “camping” water jug that will fail you the first chance it gets. Use what every construction worker and little league coach has been using for decades: an Igloo water cooler. They’re tough, won’t leak, and as an added bonus, keeps your water cool.
Check price on Amazon
4.) Cast iron skillet with lid
This is the MVP of our camp kitchen. With a good cast iron skillet, you can cook nearly all of the car camping recipes we have on this website.
Cast iron can be used on a camp stove, over a campfire, or nestled in a bed of charcoal. It has a naturally non-stick surface, superior heat retention, and is virtually indestructible.
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
What love about Lodge’s skillets is that they’re very well-made and very reasonably priced. The 10-inch skillet is ideal for two people, the 12-inch skillet is better suited for 4 people.
We highly recommend picking up a lid for your cast iron skillet. It lets you trap heat inside, so you can wilt leafy greens, steam rice, or finish cooking the whites of a sunny-side-up egg. You can also place charcoals on top of your lid, so you can cook from the top down.
Lodge Cast Iron Lid
You can buy a cast iron lid separately for your skillet, which inexplicably turns out to be a better deal than buying them together.
Check price on Amazon
Pan Scraper
A lot of people are freaked out by how to clean a cast-iron skillet, but ever since we picked up one of these cast iron pan scrapers, clean up has been a breeze. Just scrape it out under warm water, dry completely, and lightly oil. That’s all you need to do.
Check price on Amazon
5. Non-stick skillet
Whether or not this is an “essential” piece of camp cooking equipment is debatable. You can get by without it. But if you are cooking scrambled eggs, pancakes, salmon, or anything else delicate, then there is no substitute for a good non-stick skillet. If paired with an appropriate silicone or wooden spatula, this skillet will last for years.
GSI Bugaboo Series
We have burned through (in some cases, literally) a few nonstick pans over the years, but we have been very impressed with the durability of this series. We carry one 8” skillet one 10” skillet in our camp kitchen. The handles fold away making them super easy to pack.
6.) Dutch oven
A Dutch oven is one of the most versatile pieces of camp cooking equipment you can own.
Sauté, steam, boil, fry, and bake – if you can imagine it, you can probably make it in a Dutch oven. A flat lid with rim allows you to stack charcoals on top, while support legs on the bottom allow you nestle coals underneath.
If you are new to camping, you can probably get by without one, but it’s definitely the gateway into making the really fun stuff.
Lodge Dutch Oven
There are some very expensive camping Dutch ovens out there, but if you’re just getting started then we recommend you pick up this one by Lodge. It’s reasonably priced and does a fantastic job.
7.) Heat resistant gloves
If you plan on doing any amount of cooking over a campfire, we highly recommend picking up some heat resistant gloves. Pick up cast iron skillets, adjust campfire grill grates, and even rearrange smoldering logs in the fire by hands.
Grill Armor Heat Resistant Gloves
We’ve used gardening gloves, welders mitts, and oven hot hands in the past, but none of them compare to these gloves. The heat protection they offer is unbelievable. Just don’t get them wet – which can produce scalding hot steam.
Check price on Amazon
8.) Decent knife + cutting board
Whether you’re slicing steaks, chopping vegetables, or whittling the perfect s’more stick, having a good knife is essential when you’re preparing a meal in the outdoors.
Just like in your home kitchen, the quality of your equipment is important, both for function and for your safety. So invest in a good set of knives for your next camping adventure.
Knife Set with Sheaths
If you have the room, why not pick up a whole set of relatively inexpensive set of stainless steel knives? We really like these with the protective sheaths, so they get dulled or accidentally puncture something during transport.
Check price on Amazon
9.) Tableware and silverware
Ceramic plates are too fragile and plastic forks & knives seem too wasteful. If you’re serious about camping, it’s worth investing in some dedicated outdoor tableware.
Crow Canyon Plates, Trays, and Mugs
If you would like a more refined “Sunset Magazine” look to your tableware, Crow Canyon Enamelware offers a variety of very elegant designs.
Check price on Amazon
GSI Enamelware Set
You can’t go wrong with enamel camping plates. They’re super durable, easy to clean, and the speckled finish captures that classic camping look.
10.) Coffee setup
There are lots of different ways to make coffee while camping, what’s important is that you have a way that works for you.
If you’re interested in hearing about all the options available, we have the Ultimate Guide to Camp Coffee. However, but here we will recommend our personal favorite method:
AeroPress Coffee Maker
This is our #1 favorite way to make coffee. A combination between a pour-over, French press, and a pneumatic press, the Aeropress is an innovative brew method that delivers incredibly rich and smooth coffee. It compresses the grounds into a small puck, making cleanup a cinch. We’ve been using the Aeropress to make our coffee every morning (at camp and at home!) for the past few years.
Check price on Amazon
GSI Stainless Steel Kettle
We’ve used this kettle to make coffee nearly every morning for the past two years and have nothing but good things to say about it. Durable stainless steel can be placed over a campfire or stove, the spout doesn’t dribble, and the compact size is perfect for 2-3 people.
Check price on Amazon
11.) Insulated mugs
While this isn’t a true “essential”, we can’t imagine camping without them. An insulated camping mug makes a world of difference. Now we can leisurely sip our coffee all morning long without accidentally burning our hands or rushing to consume it before it gets cold. It has definitely brought us much joy.
Hydroflask Coffee Mug
Not too big and not too small, Hydroflask mugs are a great vacuum-sealed camping mug. They come in a bunch of cool colors so you can really brighten up your morning routine.
Compare price: REI | Hydroflask
Nice-to-have equipment
While we wouldn’t consider any of these pieces of gear to be absolutely essential, they are very nice to have nonetheless. Depending on the type of camp cooking you’re doing, they can be quite useful.
HaloVine Wine Glasses
Glass stemware is not really cut out for adventures in outdoor wine drinking, but these shatterproof wine glasses are. We like that these glasses are stackable for easy storage in our kitchen box!
Egg Holder
There are a lot of bogus, borderline gimmicky camping accessories out there, but a plastic egg holder is actually worth it. We lost a lot of good eggs before we decided to get one of these.
Charcoal Chimney Starter
Particularly useful when using charcoals, this collapsible portable chimney can get your coal going in minutes without the use of noxious smelling lighter fluid.
Portable Grill
While most campgrounds have campfires with grates, their condition can be less than appealing. This portable grill can be placed on top of the campground grill grate (with the legs collapsed) or used on it’s own (when free-standing). This can be particularly useful when free camping on public lands, where there are no grill grates that accompany fire pits.
Instant-Read Thermometer
When you’re just starting out cooking in the outdoors, knowing the exact temperature of a piece of meat or the inside of your Dutch oven can be very helpful. Until you develop the senses to go by feel, it’s better to know. This probe thermometer is a great way to take the guesswork out of whether that steak is finished cooking or not.
Collapsible Sink
We recently picked up these collapsible buckets to use as a camp sink. They feel really durable, but we’re a little disappointed that they don’t nest into each other when collapsed. Still, a pretty good find.
Steramine
After washing your dishes, add one of these tablets to your rinse bucket to disinfect against bacteria and viruses. It’s more effective than old-fashion bleach and much gentler on your skin.
Dedicated camp cooking utensils
Buying a new set of “camp kitchen” utensils is one of the smartest things we’ve done. It’s so much easier to have our dedicated gear stored all in one place rather than hunting around the kitchen and trying to multipurpose items right before we head out the door. It really reduces the risk of arriving at the campsite and realizing you’re missing a critical piece of gear.
↠ Tongs
↠ Spatula
↠ Ladle
↠ Wooden Spoons
↠ Can Opener
↠ Bottle/Wine Opener
↠ Flat Metal Skewers
↠ Box Grater
↠ Cutting Board
Hi. Thanks for the post. I’d be curious to know how this might have evolved now 11 months in! If time permits to reply or perhaps, and better yet, update post, this reader would be entirely grateful! Thanks for doing what you do! Amanda
Hi Amanda! We are actually working on updating this soon! While things have evolved over the last year, for the most part nothing major has changed. I’d say the biggest difference is that we switched out that enamel pot for a Dutch oven, and then a few small things here and there. We’ll have our updated setup posted in the next month 🙂
Hey Amanda! So we just updated this whole list yesterday. Removed some items ( that after this summer we decided we can’t really vouch for anymore) and added a bunch of new ones. Consolidated some sections, expanded others, and added photos to make it easier to search.
Hey guys, great web site, very inspiring for my future motorcycling journeys
Coming up starting in spring 2017…. can’t wait.
Really appreciate you sharing your experiences….
Peace & love to all fellow brethrens of the roads less traveled!
I don’t camp very often, but I’ve been wishing that I could find a way to carry embers with me, so that when I got to the next campsite, I didn’t have to light a fire from scratch.
carry some cotton balls and vaseline, much safer than driving around with hot embers
Thanks guys for providing little bit experience of camping. I never went for it but always wonder how it feel. Thanks for sharing some experience and thoughts. This is really great!!
Coffee can change everyone’s mind into peaceful nature.
wow, after reading this now I want to go out camping. Am gonna look for good camping sites nearby…here in India, there are few and far.
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful info
Thank you very much for sharing awesome article.
I never went for it but always wonder how it feel. Thanks for sharing some experience and thoughts
Hi,
Love your site! Your passion shines through for sure. Best of luck!
Thanks for the kind message, Tom!
Awesome guide!
Probably one of the best I have read:-)
I really need a aeropress coffee maker!!!
Thanks for the inspiration!
This is a great article. Nicely organized and very clear. I am just getting into camping and when looking at tips, products, gear, etc. your head can explode with some much info out there. I like the way this article explains what you really need, I just made my list and going to the store (and ordered some stuff online too), thanks to this article I feel more confident on what I need to get. Thanks for sharing, awesome work!
You could wrap clear packaging tape around the outside of your Nalgenes to keep the measurements from rubbing off.
Um, that’s genius! Such a good idea!!! Thank you.
Thank you for this blog! My husband and I are new to camping and this site has helped a ton!
great article. agree with all the positive comments above and appreciate the effort and thought. I have referenced several times in my effort to update and enhace my setup for month+ trip from CA to Teton to Yellowstone to Glacier in September.
Cheers.
I love the organization in this article, it is well written as well. We operate camping safaris in Uganda and finding equipment has been a nightmare. We will use the references here.
If you are into Dutch Oven Cooking, I feel the Maer lid lifter is a must. It gives you the ultimate control and holds up really well.
Thanks for the suggestion. Never heard of the Mair lifter before, but it looks great.
Coffee: I take whole bean and a Zassenhaus hand mill when camping. I used to use one of those 3-cup stovetop percolators, but am switching to a pour-over cone & natural brown filters for quicker, easier clean-up.
Sea-Summit now also offers a collapsible cone for drip coffee. It has a fine mesh, but I still use paper inside. More options! Strictly Organic coffee roaster in Bend, OR. is one of the few places where you can get Ethiopian Yirgacheffe…As an former coffee roaster myself, that is one of the finest coffees in the world….don’t tell anyone, the crop is not very large 😉
Don
We’ll have to check out that Sea-to-Sumit collapsible cone. And we definitely won’t swing by Strictly to inquire about that coffee. ????
One thing I would add is a meat thermometer. Especially useful when you’re drunk in the dark!
I think you’re right. Why guess if your food is done when you can know. We added it to the list. Thanks for the suggestion.
That’s a great article! I have also planned to go for a hill camping, can you please suggest anything related to camping in hilly areas?
Thanks Pat! Our biggest suggestion for cooking anywhere there is uneven ground is to make sure you have a table or camp stove with adjustable legs. It’s really hard to find anything level at a normal campground, nevermind if camping in the hills. So yeah, find adjustable legs for your table and camp stove.
We LOVE LOVE LOVE your recipes! Your kitchen gear list is pretty good too! I would just mention that the lid of your Dutch oven can double as a skillet, we find a tortilla warmer comes in SUPER handy if cooking in batches (for lots of people or multiple menu items that need to stay warm) and anyone serious about camping should consider building a patrol box (aka chuck wagon) w/legs and fold out counter space that houses all camp kitchen gear! It’s a game changer!!!
Thank you so much! We just updated this article to mention that a Dutch lid makes for a great skillet lid too. Megan’s father actually just built out his own chuckwagon from scratch and now we’re super jealous.
Great list! I needed to update some of my gear and will definitely be checking out some of your recommendations here. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the outdoors and sadly, my gear stash is majorly lacking now. Thanks!
Going off grid and road trip to outback Australia in 2020. I am loving your camping ideas and recipes. Very keen to try prior to trip! Sonya
This is a great list! However, may I recommend adding some products that make staying clean while camping easier? I’m always looking for new recommendations to get the grime off at the end of a long day of hiking!
How about a Chuck Box to carry all this kitchen gear in. Got any good ideas?
The Chuck Box Company makes a completely roto-molded chuckbox. Kanz Outdoors also makes a standing chuck box that converts into a kitchen. There are also a ton a DIY versions we’ve seen over the years.
I have this for my dedicated camping cooking utensils and love it!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B7XVTR7/
That looks like a really fun set! Thanks for sharing.
I think it is important to remember that you can use lightweight backpacking gear for car camping but you cannot use car camping gear for backpacking.Too heavy! If you are interested in both, go lightweight!! It might be more expensive but you save money by not having two sets of gear. Been there, done that.
This is a fantastic guide! I had to convert from my single, ultralight-backpacking gram weenie ways to car camping with the girls, and this guide was invaluable. I do have to throw a plug in for the Sea To Summit series of collapsible water bags though…bombproof so far and fold easily into the camp kitchen tote. The ol’ classic Igloo is just to big for an SUV ????
Thanks for the suggestion, we’ll have to give Sea To Summit’s water bags a look!
Recently bought a Kelly Kettle, and it’s a brilliant addition. Sooo much faster to boil water for tea and dishwashing. Can also be used to cook on. Highly recommend.
Hi guys, awesome post. Especially the Aeropress tip. I have one that I use at home and for some reason never thought of taking it away camping. I have always used one of those little stove top ones that you put the water in the bottom and the coffee in the top, Aeropress makes so much more sense. Lighter, quicker and way less hassle.
Thanks
Rudiger