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Article updated on February 29, 2024 at 8:00 PM PST

Best Camping Cookware for Your Summer Adventures

Enhance your outdoor experience with the best camping cookware, coolers and portable grills for 2024.

Our Experts

Written by 
David Watsky
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David Watsky Senior Editor / Home and Kitchen
David lives in Brooklyn where he's spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips. Since earning a BA in English from Northeastern in Boston, he's toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom. Right now, he's likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or researching the best way to make bacon. Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week.
Expertise Kitchen tools, appliances, food science, subscriptions and meal kits.
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Our Picks

$40 at Amazon
gsi
GSI Santoku knife set
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$80 at Amazon
Coleman stove in tent
Coleman Triton 2-burner propane stove
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$406 at Walmart
weber q grill at campsite
Weber Q portable gas grill
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$90 at Amazon
coleman cooking set
Stanley adventure camp cook set
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$199 at Amazon
man tending charcoal grill
GoBQ charcoal grill
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$55 at Amazon
Person pulling coleman cooler
Coleman rolling cooler
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$35 at Amazon
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Hydro Flask water bottle
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$145 at Amazon
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IceMule Pro backpack cooler
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$52 at Walmart
coleman coffee system
Stanley pour-over coffee system
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$250 at Amazon
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Yeti Hopper flip portable cooler
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$20 at Dick's
grill over fire
Camp Chef campfire grill
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$18 at Amazon
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Wakeman collapsible sink
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$14 at Amazon
long lighters
BIC long lighters
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$100 at Amazon
camping table
GCI outdoor slim-fold camp cook station
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$10 at Amazon
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Collapsible measuring cups and spoons
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$15 at Amazon
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CasusGrill instant biodegradable grill
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See at L.L. Bean
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L.L. Bean side table (currently unavailable)
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If you’re planning to spend time in the great outdoors, there are a few items you’ll need to survive. Perhaps the most important thing is good food. Eating well during a days-long camping trip, a fun rafting journey or hiking adventure is essential. Preparing with the right gear for camp cooking is the right place to start. A few simple tools turn the process of making meals around a campfire from a pain in the you-know-what to an enjoyable task and group bonding experience. Remember, a well-fed campsite is a happy campsite. 

While your campsite setup may vary, there are basic camping cookware necessities that every outdoor chef and hungry camper should have at their disposal. A good set of dinnerware, camping pans, a portable grill and a good cooler are just a few items that you'll want to secure before setting out into the wilderness this summer. 

Best camping cookware for 2024

$40 at Amazon

GSI Santoku knife set

Cookware is key, but you'll also need some sharp knives and a place to use them if you plan on making some real meals at the campsite. This top-rated GSI set has your three essential knives -- chef's Santoku knife, a paring knife and a serrated knife for bread and softer vegetables. Plus, there's a cutting board to slice and dice and a washcloth to keep things tidy.

Read more: Best Meal Delivery Services of 2024

$80 at Amazon

Coleman Triton 2-burner propane stove

A propane stove can be good if you're looking for something a little more sturdy than a campfire to cook over. Some options provide up to four burners and fancy versions even include a grill top. You'll be able to cook up a storm, or at least something a little more impressive than a can of beans.

$406 at Walmart

Weber Q portable gas grill

Weber's Q 1200 gas grill is the best portable model out of more than a dozen we've tested. It features one powerful burner that heats the 189-square-inch cooking surface to 500 degrees for perfectly seared meats and vegetables. The Q 1200 has Weber's signature sturdy and smart design with two foldable side tables for prep and an ignition button that works effectively. It's the ultimate camping grill. 

$90 at Amazon

Stanley adventure camp cook set

It's a good idea to have at least a small pot or pan for boiling water too, if only for your morning camp coffee. This stainless steel pot with a vented lid is good for cooking small batches of food too, and it comes with two nesting insulated cups to sweeten the deal.

$199 at Amazon

GoBQ charcoal grill

If you're more into charcoal cooking, GoBQ's portable charcoal gets the job done and couldn't be easier to get fired up. It's made from flame-resistant silicone and fiberglass and weighs just 9.1 pounds, making it perfect for hiking, camping and music festivals.

$55 at Amazon

Coleman rolling cooler

Camping coolers should be light enough so they don't break your body moving them in and out of the car but not so flimsy that they don't keep things cold for a few days. The Coleman rolling cooler is a good mix of both. It weighs just 12.7 pounds but maintains ice for up to five days.

$35 at Amazon

Hydro Flask water bottle

Whether you're spending a week in the wilderness or just going on a light hike, you're going to need a reliable water bottle. I'm a big fan of this Hydro Flask, which features double-walled insulation. It'll keep cold beverages chilled for up to 24 hours and keep hot beverages warm for up to 6 hours. Plus it comes in lots of pretty colors, so you can look stylish on and off the trails, and in various sizes. (There's also a version with a straw lid.) Just make sure you clean your water bottle often.

Read more: The Best Portable Grill for 2024

$145 at Amazon

IceMule Pro backpack cooler

These beauties strap right on your back so you can take your cold drinks or perishable ingredients on the trail with you. I personally love the leakproof foldover top with a clip since it eliminates the need for a fragile zipper and pushes all the air out to keep things colder. It's a sturdy, comfortable and well-designed camping cooler backpack and a great pick for the outdoorsy types.

$52 at Walmart

Stanley pour-over coffee system

Pour-over coffee is the most logistically simple coffee system for camping, and Stanley makes a popular model that'll brew cups in minutes. 

$250 at Amazon

Yeti Hopper flip portable cooler

It's best to invest in a separate cooler for beverages since you'll be opening it more frequently than the main food cooler (and you want all your edibles to stay well chilled). This Yeti model holds up to 12 cans plus ice so you can drink to your heart's content in the great outdoors; if you're bored with canned wine and beer, try making camping cocktails. 

$20 at Dick's

Camp Chef campfire grill

If you don't want to invest in a portable propane grill, you have other options. A grill grate can be your new best friend when it comes to cooking directly over a campfire. This handy cooking accessory creates a flat surface so you can grill, fry and heat foods more evenly over an open flame.

$18 at Amazon

Wakeman collapsible sink

Don't forget about clean-up -- properly disposing of food outdoors helps keep the bears away, and washing camp cookware is part of that process. A collapsible sink is ideal for doing dishes in camp. Better yet, get two: one for soaking, one for rinsing. You can also find double-basin camp sinks.

$14 at Amazon

BIC long lighters

These make lighting campfires and igniting grills a snap. Grab a four-pack while you're thinking of it.

$100 at Amazon

GCI outdoor slim-fold camp cook station

You're going to need to put all that food somewhere, after all, and the picnic table will quickly be overtaken by backpacks, cups and playing cards. This foldable table is lightweight and great for all sorts of outdoor entertaining. Its multiple levels and surfaces allow you to corral all your cooking gear in one place and give you a clean space to prep food too. (If all you need is a basic table that packs up small, this will do the job.)

$10 at Amazon

Collapsible measuring cups and spoons

When packing for any trip, space is limited. This is especially true when you're responsible for carrying everything you bring along on your back. To save space, try using collapsible drinkware, watering jugs and even measuring cups and spoons. They're compact, less cumbersome and perfect for making sure you don't have to eyeball pivotal ingredients.

$15 at Amazon

CasusGrill instant biodegradable grill

This nifty portable grill is one-time use but lightweight and easy to transport and completely biodegradable. Perfect for mobile camping trips with lots of hiking and biking, you'll be ready to cook in 5 minutes with roughly 60 minutes of cooking time.

See at L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean side table (currently unavailable)

You might not think it's worth the space in your bag but having a table goes a long way to create order when you're cooking in the great outdoors. Not to mention it'll keep food away from dirt and animals while you're prepping and eating. This collapsible aluminum table weighs just eight pounds but opens up to provide 324 square inches of outdoor table space.

This model is currently unavailable but there are a few good options to explore on .