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We selected 11 of the best cookware sets from GSI, Gerber, Snow Peak, Lodge, MSR, and more to test how well they met our outdoor culinary needs
Credit: Trish Matheny
By Trish Matheny ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ Updated September 17, 2026
The cookware set that's right for you will depend on how far you plan to stray from the car. We've tested comprehensive car camping cooksets as well as stripped-down, lightweight backpacking sets in this review.
For groups camping near the car, we love the Gerber ComplEAT 16-piece Cookset. It includes durable stainless cookware, and every component is thoughtfully designed with quality in mind. This set features enough capacity to feed a hungry crew of four, and the bowls and plates are large enough to hold a proper meal.
For a team of two heading into the backcountry, we love the GSI Outdoors Halulite Microdualist. This well-designed set is lightweight and packable while including the essentials (including great folding sporks) for a party of two to eat pasta or dehydrated meals on the trail.
We put all these camping cookware sets to the test, taking them on casual car-camping weekends, backpacking trips, and even expeditions. We've boiled water, seared meats, sautéed vegetables, scrambled eggs, examined craftsmanship, and assessed ease of cleaning. We spend hours cooking on the trail, tailgates, and picnic tables; read on for our recommendations for all needs and budgets.
Editor's Note: We updated our camping cookware article on September 17, 2026, after testing a new fleet of products.
The Gerber ComplEAT 16-piece Cookset definitely lives up to its name, providing a complete and high-quality cookware set that makes it easy to feed a family of four or a small group. The set includes a stainless steel, 5.6-quart stockpot and a 2.6-quart deep sauté pan with a super-durable and packable handle that switches between the two. There are two large lids (with holes for straining liquid): one flat lid and another that has a domed shape for when you really want to simmer flavors together. We love the thicker, insulated, and generously sized polypropylene plates and bowls — some of the sets we tested have smaller, flimsy serving dishes, but you can actually fit a meal in the Gerber's bowls and plates. They have measurements on them, which help in cooking, and they also have textured bottoms to help keep them in place. The bowls have an extended edge for a one-hand grip from the table to your chair. The set includes a durable carry bag with a little extra room for storing a dish towel or a bag of coffee for the morning, and also features a stacking diagram that reminds you how this set nests back together for packing away. We also love that it includes a large mixing bowl, which is great for whipping up some pancakes while the kids are still asleep or for serving up a salad.
SPECIFICATIONS
Components
2.6 qt saute pan, 5.6 qt stock pot, 2 lids, 8 inch detachable handle, 4 bowls, 4 plates, 10-cup mixing bowl, silicone hot pad, storage bag
Cooking Surfaces
Stainless steel
Servingware Material
Polypropylene
Packed Size
11 x 7.5 in
Measured Weight
8.56 lbs
The Gerber ComplEAT is definitely built for the front country. It would be perfect for an RV, car camping setup, or van life, but it's not packable nor lightweight enough to take into the backcountry. The set weighs over 8 pounds and measures 11 x 7.5 inches. There's no silverware included, so you'll need to bring your own sporks. We also wish the set included two hot pads instead of one, which would be helpful when grabbing the stock pot on either side when handling hot food or boiling water. Also, this level of luxury doesn't come cheap; it is one of the more expensive sets we've tested. However, the components are high-quality, and we expect the set to last for many seasons ahead. If the price tag is a dealbreaker for you, there are other complete sets available for small groups, like the Stanley Wildfare Core Full Serve 26-Piece, although the serving ware and skillet of that set are quite small. If you already have servingware but just want a top-of-the-line cookset, the OXO Camp Cookware Set with Travel Bag offers cookware that rivals some of the nicest pieces in our home kitchens.
The Stanley Wildfare Core Full Serve 26-Piece is our favorite way to feed a small group on a budget. The pot and pan are both stainless steel and high-quality, and there is a serving set for four people (including plastic bowls, plates, and dual-sided utensils). The set also includes a small plastic cutting board and a hot pad that attaches to the bottom, a collapsible spatula, and a serving spoon. Most components are easy to clean, and the entire kit nests easily into the pot, so it won't take up too much room in your camping kitchen bin. For those taking the occasional family camp trip, this set will do the job for a reasonable price.
Our biggest complaint is the quality of the plastic dishware, which has a small capacity and is somewhat flimsy. The utensils are also awkward to use and difficult to clean because some of the crevices can get food gunked into them. Including a cutting board was a nice touch, but it's small, and we also worry about cutting microplastics into our food. “Even though I didn't love the plastic silverware, I was actually impressed by the spatula, which was rigid enough to flip eggs and pancakes and to use for scraping the pan clean after messy scrambled eggs,” Trish said. For infrequent campers and families with kids, this is an affordable and compact set. If you just need to cook simple meals for two, we also tested the smaller Stanley Wildfare Go Two Bowl Prep & Cook Set 14-Piece, which is half the price and doesn't include the skillet.
The GSI Outdoors Halulite Microdualist is our favorite two-person backcountry cookset thanks to its lightweight and packable design that still includes essential servingware for two. The hard-anodized aluminum 1.4-liter pot boils water quickly, and the spout makes it easier to pour hot water into your coffee mug or into a dehydrated meal pack. The set includes servingware for two people, including insulated plastic mugs that stack inside a plastic bowl, collapsible metal sporks (which we love the design of), and a durable carry bag that transforms into a sink after your meals. This is a thoughtfully designed set that includes everything you'll need and nothing you don't, but if you want to go even more ultralight, the pot only weighs 0.7 pounds, and without the servingware, you could fit an even larger fuel canister inside. As the set packs now, you can also stack the lids of the mugs to free up space for a small backpacking stove and 110g fuel canister.
SPECIFICATIONS
Components
1.4L pot, strainer lid, 2 14 fl. oz. mugs with insulated sleeves, 2 14 fl. oz. bowls, 2 sip-it tops, 2 folding sporks, welded sink
Cooking Surfaces
Hard anodized aluminum
Servingware Material
Recycled polypropylene
Packed Size
5.5 x 6 in
Measured Weight
1.2 lbs
If properly cared for, we think this set will last for many seasons; however, the serving dishes are constructed from plastic. While it's easy to scratch with the included metal spork, we love that hot food and beverages never morphed the shape of the mugs or bowls, and the insulated mugs actually keep our hot drinks hot, so we often skipped the sipping lids. So long as you don't try to cook anything beyond pasta or mac 'n cheese, this set is easy to clean, featuring smooth surfaces with maybe an extra swipe or two over the printed measurements on the mugs and bowls. While we love that the collapsible handle also secures the entire kit inside the pot, the wooden toggle that cinches the bag closed isn't as functional as a plastic cinching component. This was our favorite two-person set for taking on the trail, but if you're looking to shave more weight, check out the minimalist Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2.0. It's been our go-to for solo and self-sufficient group missions for years.
We were impressed by the Microdualist's boil times in our controlled tests. This is our favorite set to take backpacking for two people. Credit: Trish Matheny
The OXO Camp Cookware Set with Travel Bag is our favorite choice for those on the extended road trip who want to cook quality meals. Whether you're deep in van life or spend ample time in your RV or truck camper, this is the set for those who like to eat well away from home. The durable and high-quality stainless steel and carbon steel cookware can handle everyday use over the long term, and also has enough capacity to easily cook a nice meal for a crew. The set includes two stock pots (2.3 and 5 quart) along with lids, a hot pad, a quality carry bag, and a carbon steel frying pan with removable handle. Although this set doesn't include serving dishes or utensils, there is a little extra space inside the carry bag should you purchase servingware separately. (If you're after something all-inclusive, check out the Gerber ComplEAT 16-piece Cookset, which has quality cookware and dishes to eat from.)
SPECIFICATIONS
Components
2.3 qt saucepan, 5 qt stockpot , 10 in fry pan, 2 lids, removable handle, silicone trivet, travel bag
Cooking Surfaces
Carbon steel (frying pan), stainless steel (pot)
Servingware Material
N/A
Packed Size
13.25 x 9.75 x 7.5 in
Measured Weight
9.09 lbs
While we love the sturdy and durable handle that locks into position during use, it gets old rotating the handle between the pots and pans, especially in the middle of cooking a time-sensitive meal. We also couldn't figure out exactly what comprised the nonstick coating on the frying pan. Don't get us wrong: we loved the non-stick cooking surface that fried eggs and pancakes without sticking and wiped clean easily, but we couldn't tell from OXO's website what the carbon steel pan was pre-seasoned with. And while we love the performance and the durability, it comes at a greater investment than other cookware sets. Still, we think this is a worthy investment, especially for those wanting to use these components on a regular basis.
The Lodge 3.2 Quart Cast Iron Combo Cooker stands out from the competition as a non-traditional cookware set – or at least, non-traditional compared to modern designs. This heavy-duty cast iron cookware is perfect for the foodie on the go who wants to prepare gourmet meals at their campsite. Many people are familiar with cast iron cooking in their own kitchens, but it's great for camping too because it's versatile enough to use over a campfire and practically indestructible. It's a naturally non-stick option with regular seasoning, avoiding any PFOA and PTFE-based coatings altogether. You can use this versatile set as two individual pans to cook up full-skillet breakfasts or combine them to create a Dutch oven, which is perfect for slow-cooking meats or baking over the campfire (we've even made cinnamon rolls and cakes at camp with this type of setup!)
SPECIFICATIONS
Components
3.2 qt Dutch oven, 10" frypan/lid
Cooking Surfaces
Cast iron
Servingware Material
N/A
Packed Size
16.5 x 10.38 x 4.63 in
Measured Weight
12.3 lbs
Perhaps the biggest drawback to this cookware set is the overall weight compared to more conventional options. At 12.3 pounds, this is by far the heaviest cookware set that we tested – anyone who has cooked with cast iron knows it can sometimes be a challenge to lift with one hand. You won't want to drag these cast iron pieces far from the car. With only two skillets, it is more of a foundation for your car camping kitchen rather than a complete, all-inclusive set. Whether you're cooking over a stove, on the grill, or over the campfire, the Lodge Combo Cooker is our top choice for travelers who want to cook like they would in their home kitchens.
The Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2.0 quickly became a favorite of our testing team for ultralight backpacking trips. It is one of the lightest, most versatile cookware sets we've tested for solo travel, owing to its innovative titanium design. The set includes one 30-ounce pot and a 16-ounce mug, which nest perfectly together. There is even extra space for a 3.5 oz fuel canister, a tiny backpacking stove, morning coffee, or utensils inside the included large, mesh carry bag. Speaking of coffee, we love that the smaller mug includes measurements on the inside, which helped us dial in the water needed for hot drinks and modest meals. We've used this top-notch cookset everywhere from the High Sierra to Yosemite Valley to South America and Spain, and love the lightweight performance. It's the ideal kit for solo trips, or when joining friends and everyone is responsible for their own kit.
SPECIFICATIONS
Components
30 fl oz pot, 16 fl oz cup, lid, mesh bag
Cooking Surfaces
Uncoated titanium
Servingware Material
Titanium
Packed Size
5.2 x 4.25 in
Measured Weight
0.4 lbs
The only caveat to this minimalist, ultralight set is the lack of features. It has everything you'll need for a solo trip into the wilderness, but it isn't really capable of preparing a meal beyond heating water for ramen or your morning brew. If you plan on doing more cooking than that, you're probably better off with the slightly larger MSR Fusion Ceramic 2-Pot Set. “After four years of use, I finally managed to dent the bottom of the smaller pot. I packed it at the base of my heavy backpack and tossed it onto a rock during a rest in the High Sierra, which dented it but hasn't really affected its functionality. I also noticed the lid shift after returning from a trip to Chile, where I'm sure the long travel smushed the pot enough to make the lid fit a little differently,” Trish remarked. All that said, if properly packed and cushioned, this shouldn't be an issue. This ultralight set is what we recommend for the solo backpacker or for those joining a self-sufficient crew that needs just the right amount of performance without the extra weight.
The Snow Peak set is great for hydrating oats or heating water for instant coffee in the backcountry. Credit: Trish Matheny
Product Comparison Table
We had so much fun testing backpacking cooksets everywhere from the High Sierra to Southern Chile and car camping cookware everywhere Utah's red desert to Yosemite Valley in California. Credit: Trish Matheny
How We Tested
Over the years, we've tested cookware sets all around the world, from Hawaii's beaches to Iceland's high tundra, the forests of Southern Chile to the foreboding backcountry of the High Sierra. They've been utilized by solo travelers and in basecamps with a dozen people. Wherever you go, you've gotta eat, and we made backcountry “Michelin Star” meals and simple veggie mixes. We subject each cookware set to the same controlled tests, both in the field and back in the lab. In our side-by-side tests, we boil water, scramble eggs, and prepare various meals to see how they perform. We evaluate all their features, assess how user-friendly they are in the field, their non-stick properties, how hard they are to clean, the packability of the design, and meticulously scrutinize their construction quality.
We break down our overall score into six key metrics:
Cooking Performance (30% of overall score weighting)
Ease of Cleaning (25% weighting)
Features (15% weighting)
Durability (10% weighting)
Packability (10% weighting)
Weight (10% weighting)
Why Trust GearLab
Our lead camping cookware tester, Trish Matheny, is no stranger to cooking outdoors and has dished up meals in some beautiful places. Trish is both a private chef and outdoor enthusiast who spends the majority of her time cooking in remote locations. She combines fifteen-plus years of professional cooking experience with her favorite outdoor pursuits – rock climbing, splitboarding, and long-distance trail running – to offer discerning recommendations for the best outdoor cookware.
We tested each set on the open road, in our kitchens, and the backcountry so that we could carefully evaluate the performance of each design and recommend the best application for every set.
Analysis and Test Results
We took the time to select a wide range of cook sets to compare. From full base camp setups to single pots and mugs, we've chosen options for all campers. We have tested sets for folks who prefer car camping, others who prefer to carry a backpack, for picnickers who want to carry a cookset for a day hike, and for the ultralight crowd. To objectively compare each, we rate them across six important metrics, including cooking performance, ease of cleaning, features, durability, packability, and weight. We then evaluate our testing perspectives based on the very best options for human-powered backpacking, pack-supported base camps, and car camping, where you won't be too far from the comforts of your campsite. It is important to consider how you will use a set of camping cookware to determine which metrics are most important to you. For example, if you're camping close to the car, you probably won't need to worry about weight.
Worse Value
Better Value
What's the Best Value?
If you're planning on basic meals, a lot of the high-end cooksets may seem unnecessary, but if you like to throw out all the stops for your friends around the campsite, there are lots of sets that feature lasting performance you'll be able to use season after season, like the 3.2 Quart Cast Iron Combo Cooker. The value for this set is high, considering you get two cast iron pieces and can probably pass them down to your children.
The Lodge set features a deep dish pot and a skillet that functions as a lid to create a Dutch oven. Credit: Trish Matheny
The GSI Glacier 1-Person stands out for its simplistic design and stainless steel construction. It's a decent set for anyone taking on a big solo mission, or who is simply part of a self-sufficient crew where everyone brings along their own personal kit.
The Stanley Wildfare Go Two Bowl Prep & Cook Set 14-Piece is a budget-friendly option for anyone who wants a pot and servingware for casual car camping weekends for two. The set is far too heavy to take into the backcountry, but will give you and your bestie enough components to whip something up easily when you get back to the car after your adventure. We loved using this set for quick meals like pasta or mac 'n cheese. We also tested the larger version, the Stanley Wildfare Core Full Serve 26-Piece. It's similar to the two-person model but includes more components and capacity for a group of four.
The Stanley Wildfare Go is a great choice for budget-conscious campers looking for a basic cookset for car camping. Credit: Trish Matheny
The Stanley Wildfare Core is the big brother of the Wildfare Go that includes a skillet and enough capacity and servingware for up to four people. Credit: Trish Matheny
Cooking Performance
We always seek cooksets that cook food evenly, boil water efficiently, and minimize heat loss so that precious fuel is not squandered. For cooking performance, we test how fast each will boil water, and we test which set will make the best scrambled eggs without sticking or burning to the bottom of the pan. We also cook several meals while noting the easiest options to use as well as those that require more attention. We've found that the non-stick pots are typically the easiest to cook with and have the fastest boil times.
Boiling Time Test
Boiling water is the foundation of camp cookery. It is likely the task that you will perform the most often. Whether you're making hot drinks on your bumper in the morning, boiling water for mac and cheese at camp, or trying to force down another freeze-dried meal in the backcountry, you'll be boiling water frequently and consistently. To test this, we timed how long it took to bring two cups of water to a boil with the main pot from each set. Our results varied considerably, as several factors can drastically affect boiling time.
We tested each cookset side by side in order to determine how quickly each pot could produce a rolling boil. Credit: Trish Matheny
The pot's diameter, depth, materials, and thickness are essential factors here. Pots that use thicker materials with better conductivity distribute heat more efficiently, thus leading to better cooking performance. Cooksets with 3-ply construction such as the Gerber ComplEAT and the Stanley Wildfare Core feature a more efficient boil time, while options like the OXO Camp are designed specifically for high heat. The OXO includes an “encapsulated base” or a disc of metal that more effectively conducts heat, which creates a faster boil and helps save gas over the long run.
Smaller pots often boil faster. For example, the Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2.0's 30-ounce titanium pot will boil two cups of water in around two minutes. The Halulite Microdualist was the next fastest boil time, with an average of a little over 2 minutes per boil. Both of these are great choices for the backcountry due to their compact size and fast boil time.
We love using the Snow Peak set for instant coffee deep in the mountains. Credit: Trish Matheny
While boil time can be a dealbreaker for those considering a compact backcountry cookset, it matters less when you're car camping. To separate our basic cooksets from our glamping cooksets, we cooked various meals to test the general cooking prowess of each design, and we also performed objective egg tests to see how each set performed side by side. Eggs are susceptible to temperature differences, and any hot spots created on the pan can quickly scorch the eggs, creating a difficult mess to clean. For this experiment, we cooked scrambled eggs in each skillet (or pot, if the set did not include a skillet) with plenty of butter over our two-burner propane camping stove or a single-burner backpacking stove.
Some of our tested cookware during the egg test.
It is rather obvious which of the sets cooked evenly with minimal sticking. The MSR Fusion Ceramic easily scrambles or fries eggs with minimal cleanup. MSR's proprietary Fusion ceramic coating provides excellent non-stick performance without the use of hazardous forever chemicals found in Teflon coating, which many companies are now moving away from. Although we prepared the eggs in a pot instead of a frying pan, the Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo's titanium cup worked surprisingly well – performing like something between a non-stick and stainless steel surface – and required minimal cleanup.
Though the Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2.0 only features a 16 ounce mug and 30 ounce pot, we still found it easy to fry an egg on the titanium surface. Credit: Trish Matheny
We also subjected the Halulite Microdualist to our scrambled egg testing, which demonstrated what we already knew: the best use for this cookset is simply boiling water for dehydrated meals, instant coffee, or meals like pasta or mac 'n cheese. The surface area of the pot runs so hot that it's difficult to regulate the heat.
The Halulite Microdualist is not our first choice for cooking food. It's best suited for boiling water for quick meals on the go.
The Gerber ComplEAT provides excellent cooking performance thanks to a 3-ply stainless steel cookware. It's not our first choice for an efficient rolling boil, but we enjoyed impressing our friends around the campsite by cooking a variety of meals, like ground beef for tacos. It heats evenly and is large enough to cook gourmet meals away from home.
We fried ground beef in the Gerber skillet, and it cooked the meat evenly and efficiently. Credit: Trish Matheny
Between the egg test and the boil time test, we can deduce much of what we need to know about the cooking performance of a cook set. If a pot set does these two things well, our anecdotal evidence suggests that all other cooking performance attributes will fall in line. Stainless steel is great for browning meat. Perhaps only the Lodge Combo Cooker can match the performance of laminated stainless steel in this realm. The Lodge cookware set also offers the ability to convert the two skillets into a Dutch oven so you can slow-cook your meat to perfection – an option our testing team appreciated while searing a tri-tip in Tuolumne Meadows. And perhaps it goes without saying, but we wouldn't recommend boiling water inside the Lodge pans unless you're boiling water to help speed up cleaning the pan after cooking.
The two Lodge cast iron skillets can be used separately or combined to create a Dutch oven option. Credit: Trish Matheny
The OXO Camp is another standout for its cooking performance. Its high heat capacity easily sears meat and sautéed veggies to create gourmet meals far away from civilization. This set is among the top performers, making it a great choice for van-lifers and those on extended road trips. We'd even use these in our home kitchen.
If you consider yourself a camp chef, the OXO Camp is a top-of-the-line cookset that you're likely to love.
The GSI Outdoors Glacier Troop is another great option for those trying to make a gourmet meal around the campsite. The pot can even be used over a campfire (though we don't recommend that for the skillet since it has a silicone handle that may melt). The handles make it easy to fill water near a stream or hang over an open flame. The capacity is substantial enough for larger groups, while the stainless cooking surface is perfect for just about any meal we cooked with the set.
Purchasing a cookware set that's a nightmare to clean and maintain between meals can be a real dealbreaker. No one wants to spend their precious time in the backcountry or around the campsite scrubbing their dishes between meals. On the flip side, if you're anything like us, you may also question the chemicals or coatings that make it a little too easy to wipe your cookset clean after messy meals. All the meals we made in these sets while testing also had to be cleaned up, from messy pasta dishes and oatmeal to caked-on scrambled eggs and meat.
Cleaning Methods Matter
Cleaning up your latest bean, egg, pepper, and cheese breakfast creation can be a hassle when camping. Be careful with how you scrub your pans, though, as the wrong brush can ruin your set. Stainless steel can handle abrasive steel wool pads, but you should treat all other sets more cautiously. Green scrubbing pads are the best way to go for aluminum and titanium sets, but if your pan has a non-stick coating, you'll want to be even more gentle and use a spatula or soft dishcloth to loosen and remove leftover food. We recommend boiling a little water in the pot to loosen stuck-on food.
It doesn't get much easier to clean than the MSR Fusion Ceramic. Rather than a coating made from forever chemicals, this updated ceramic coating transfers fewer chemicals into your prepared meals or boiled water. We found this coating to work pretty well; just make sure you use the provided felt pad along with silicone utensils to prevent scratches that will eliminate the nonstick coating.
The MSR Fusion Ceramic 2-Pot Set is tough to beat when it comes to nonstick performance and easy cleanup. Credit: Trish Matheny
The Lodge 3.2 Quart Cast Iron is also super easy to clean; simply heat some hot water inside (maybe scrape with a spatula or scrubby if needed — but no soap!), then wipe clean. Simply put them back on the burner over low heat to dry, and finally wipe lightly with your favorite oil so they're ready for the next round.
The Snow Peak Ti-Mini is also easy to clean. We often heat ramen with miso soup packets inside the large pot while using the smaller pot for coffee and oats in the morning. The only spot that can be difficult is the lip of each pot where it connects to the lid, sometimes we'll take a spork to release any caked on food, the printed measurements can also be a spot that needs an extra scrub, otherwise this set is good to go.
The lip on top of the Snow Peak pots can be difficult to get with your sponge. We often use our spork to loosen up the food that gets stuck. Credit: Trish Matheny
Basic cookware sets like the OXO Camp and the GSI Outdoors Glacier are easy to clean thanks to their stainless steel pots and lids with smooth interiors and rounded edges. The pre-seasoned carbon steel coating on the OXO set worked almost too well. We couldn't find any info on what exactly it was pre-seasoned with, although we hope it's non-toxic, since that is the general benefit of carbon steel.
The GSI Outdoors Glacier and OXO Camp were both very easy to clean, thanks to smooth surfaces and rounded edges. The OXO's skillet is pre-seasoned carbon steel, which performed very well as a nonstick coating.
The large capacity of all the Gerber ComplEAT components made for easy cleanup. Some food would get stuck in the textured bottoms of the servingware but a little soaking would go a long way. The stock pot and frying pan were both easy to maintain, you could scour the pan with a metal utensil before using soap and water to clean.
Messy scrambled eggs are a great objective evaluation of how easy a cookset is to clean. The Gerber performed pretty well here; the stainless steel was easy to scrape with a spatula before using a sponge and warm water to get the rest. Credit: Trish Matheny
The GSI Outdoors Bugaboo set's ceramic coating was super easy to clean; however, the servingware was somewhat annoying. The odd-shaped mugs and bowls make it difficult to reach all the nooks and crannies, especially if you have larger hands.
The Bugaboo features a ceramic coating we were able to wipe clean with our tortilla after cooking meat and veggies, but the plasticware is another story. Credit: Trish Matheny
Features
The components and features of a camping cook set vary considerably. Some sets we tested are as simple as two pots and a lid with the corresponding handle. For spartan kits like this, you will need to add components like dishes separately. We also looked at the different aspects of the cookware, like handles, and general ease of use while cooking and serving food.
Assuming a cooking group of 2-3 people, you need a couple of pots, around 1.5-2 liters, with lids and handles. A frying pan with a lid is essential to most people. A cutting board, knife, and serving spoon/ladle round out the group gear. Each camper needs a bowl or deep plate, a cup for hot and cold liquids, a spoon, and a fork (or a spork). In assembling this standard kitchen kit, you can choose a pot set like the MSR Fusion Ceramic and then add the rest on your own, or you can pick a kit with at least some additional accessories, like the Gerber ComplEAT 16-Piece Cookset.
Compact and lightweight options with limited features, like the MSR Fusion Ceramic, are meant to provide the foundation for your backpacking kitchen rather than an all-inclusive cookware set. Credit: Trish Matheny
Some sets incorporate all but the food, at least for basic camp cooking. These sets include the Gerber ComplEAT, the Stanley Wildfare Core, and the GSI Outdoors Bugaboo. Each set can serve up to four people and include pots, pans, lids, and servingware. The Gerber even includes a mixing bowl for pancakes or salads when you have fresh veggies around, although curiously, the Gerber set doesn't include eating utensils. Of course, you'll need to remember other cooking essentials for your camp cooking bin, including cutting boards, knives, dish towels, and other small details you can't live without at the campsite.
The Gerber, Stanley, and Bugaboo all feature stock pots, lids, frying pans, and plasticware for four. Of the three, the Gerber has the best features that we'd prefer for car camping without many sacrifices.
The Halulite Microdualist is a feature-rich, two-person set designed for backpacking. The entire kit includes the pot, lid, a carry bag that transforms into a dish tub, two mugs, two bowls, two collapsible sporks, and sipping lids. The entire kit only weighs 1.2 pounds, and you can always leave the servingware behind and eat from the pot if you have a specific fast-and-light mission in mind.
The Microdualist is a lightweight and packable set designed for two (pot not shown). Credit: Trish Matheny
The Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo is a sleek and lightweight design that is little more than a 16-ounce mug and a 30-ounce pot, along with a lid with a nylon tab that protects your fingers from the heat of the pot. This set comes with an oversized mesh carry bag that holds other essentials. Our testing team especially appreciated the measurements on the side of the mug so we could dial in our morning brew and backpacking recipes. This set of features, plus your stove, fuel, and spork are all you'll need for an ultralight backpacking trip.
The Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo is a great compact set with useful features that's good for backpackers.
Some sets we tested, like the MSR Fusion Ceramic, OXO Camp Set, and Lodge Combo Cooker, basically just include the cookware, so you'll need to bring your servingware separately. However, we appreciate some of the added features of the OXO set, like strainer holes in the lids, a quality handle, and a silicone trivet.
The MSR Fusion Ceramic's pot handle is very easy to use and is shared between the two pots. It's even easy to transfer between the two while cooking. Credit: Trish Matheny
There are many different ways to backpack and car camp, so allow us to make some recommendations.
Solo Travel: For fast and light missions where you're either traveling for an extended period solo or simply responsible for yourself within a self-sufficient group, options like the Snow Peak set are clutch. This versatile design allows you to heat water for instant coffee or a dehydrated meal without weighing you down. It's simple and basic, but you're carrying less weight on your back.
Backpacking in Pairs: If you're moving in the backcountry as a team of two, where one of you can carry the stove while the other packs the cookset, we'd recommend the Halulite Microdualist. It's extravagant for backcountry travel but not by much, and it's sure nice to have the insulated mugs and sporks without sacrificing too much space inside your pack.
There's not much to the Snow Peak Solo Combo, but it's perfect for lightweight missions in the backcountry where you're consuming dehydrated meals and instant coffee. Credit: Trish Matheny
The Microdualist is an ideal set for two people. You can split the weight and still enjoy the comforts of servingware in the backcountry. Credit: Trish Matheny
Pack Trips: If you're planning a big trip, where you'll be on the river for an extended period of time or you have a mule packing you into a base camp, options like the GSI Outdoors Bugaboo are great because they remain lightweight and somewhat compact despite their ability to feed and serve up to four people.
The Bugaboo has many features and components built to cook for and serve four people. We prefer other sets for car camping, but it's great for river or pack trips. Credit: Trish Matheny
Car Camping: If you're having a weekend at your favorite campground and want to be able to feed and serve four people easily without the teeny tiny packable plates and bowls, we can't say enough good things about the Gerber ComplEAT. This cookset nearly has it all (minus a cutting board, knife, and utensils), and is the perfect comprehensive car camping cookware set thanks to its durable and quality stock pot, perforated lids, and frying pan with removable handle. The set also includes 4 full-sized plates, bowls, and a mixing bowl that all fit inside the stock pot for easy transport.
The Gerber ComplEAT has it all. We love the full-sized plates and bowls, as well as the mixing bowl, that makes feeding a family of four easy.
Car Campers, Van-Lifers, and RVers: The Oxo Camp might be right up your alley. There's no servingware included, but if you're looking for quality cookware for extended or everyday use, this set provides. We love the heavy-duty stainless pot and non-stick carbon steel pan and sturdy handle (though it must be switched between the two).
If you're serious about eating quality meals at camp, the OXO set will treat you well. It's durable, high-quality cookware that offers great cooking performance for a small group. Credit: Trish Matheny
We have to give a shout-out to the Lodge Combo Cooker. It's incredibly user-friendly and versatile in that it can be used as two separate skillets or combined into one Dutch oven. Not to mention that it is safe to use on various cooking surfaces, from the comfort of your home kitchen to the grill, or smack-dab in the middle of a campfire. Many people swear by this set for baking sourdough bread in their home kitchens, too.
The Lodge skillets work together to form a Dutch oven or can be used separately as individual skillets. Credit: Trish Matheny
Durability
Durability is an important criterion when purchasing camping cookware. Ideally, we'd like our pots and pans to last a lifetime. But it's easy to be hard on our camping gear, even if the abuse is unintentional. Metal spoons and spatulas are common around the campground but can be damaging to delicate non-stick coatings like Teflon and ceramic. Cast iron and stainless steel pots and pans offer the highest quality and durability, thanks to the scratch-resistant materials used in their construction. Titanium is similarly inert and, therefore, loses little to no cooking performance with wear and age. Titanium also offers a ton of strength, even with a thinner construction, that reduces bulk without sacrificing quality and cooking performance.
The only product we were confident in giving a perfect 10 out of 10 score was the Lodge Cast Iron Combo Cooker. This set is about as durable as it gets, but we still recommend taking proper care of your cast iron to extend the life of this cookware for generations to come. Simply wash, dry, and coat with your favorite oil so these skillets are ready for your next gourmet meal.
The Lodge 3.2 Quart Cast Iron Combo Cooker is about as durable as it gets. Credit: Trish Matheny
We also appreciate the seemingly indestructible construction of the titanium Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo. Even though the titanium is thin, it's super strong and scratch-resistant. After four years of consistent use, it wasn't until recently that we managed to damage this set. We packed it on the bottom of an extremely heavy expedition pack, and when we tossed the pack down during a break, we accidentally dented the smallest pot. If you pack your backpack more thoughtfully, this can definitely be avoided.
We've taken this set all around the High Sierra and the Cochamó Valley and until this season, we never saw any dents.
We love the top-quality Gerber ComplEAT cookset that features ample durability in each component. We expect the stainless steel stock pot and frying pan with the sturdy and removable handle to last for many seasons to come. The polypropylene plates, bowls, and serving bowl are thick and solid and also feel built to last.
The Gerber servingware is constructed from a durable polypropylene plastic, with textured and insulated bottoms. We were quite impressed with its quality compared to some other sets with flimsier plastic servingware.
The OXO Camp is another standout for durability, thanks to a combination of stainless steel pots and a carbon steel frying pan. The carry bag is also top quality, and we think this indestructible set will serve you and your camp pals for many years ahead. Even the removable handle on the frying pan is sturdy and easily locks into position.
The carbon steel frying pan and removable handle included with the OXO are super durable and well-made. Credit: Trish Matheny
The GSI Outdoors Glacier 1-Person is quite durable, with a quality stainless steel pan and bowl. However, other affordable options like the Stanley Wildfare Core and Stanley Wildfare Go are a different story. While we love the stainless steel pots and pans, the plasticware leaves a bit to be desired. In fact, after minimal use, we bent the spatula included with the Core and noticed the bowls of both sets warped when filled with hot food.
We're not impressed with the thin servingware included with the Stanley cooksets, but we love the stainless steel pots, pans, and lids.
Many manufacturers are moving away from Teflon non-stick coatings and bringing interesting and innovative alternatives to the market. Ceramic non-stick coating exposes you to fewer forever chemicals, but it can be just as vulnerable to scratching and chipping as Teflon coatings, so you'll need to treat it with care.
Ceramic coatings are becoming more popular as people become more concerned about chemical non-stick coatings. The MSR Fusion's ceramic non-stick coating works quite well. Just treat it with care. Credit: Trish Matheny
Packability
Packability is important whether you're living out of your van or backpacking several miles into the wilderness. Some cooksets have all the features you'll need, but also take up a ton of space inside your rig. On the flip side, if you're carrying everything on your back and want to minimize weight and maximize space, this might be the metric you want to zero in on.
We generally look for a set with nested construction that will allow you to fit a fuel canister inside and that will not jostle around while you're hiking or driving your van to the next trailhead. Sets that nest well together or that simply took up less space scored the best here. Remember that you can also buy a set with more features and parse out individual components to make it more packable.
When you're carrying everything on your back, lightweight and packable cooksets are the best choice. Credit: Trish Matheny
For backpackers, the Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo stands out for its ultra-packable nesting design that takes up very little space. We even packed the Solo Combo inside our bear canister during a climbing trip into the High Sierra. You can easily store a small stove or fuel canister inside, or if you're anything like our lead tester, you'll tuck your morning brew inside for easy access.
The Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2.0 was one of the most packable options that we tested. It has a little extra room inside the largest pot for a small stove and fuel canister and even fit inside our bear canister during a climbing trip into the High Sierra. Credit: Trish Matheny
The MSR Fusion Ceramic is shaped to fit a fuel can and backpacking stove inside. We recommend protecting the fragile ceramic coating from any contact with metal by using a small piece of fabric, like the felt included with the Fusion Ceramic set. The GSI Glacier 1-Person can also fit both a small canister and stove inside. These kits are designed with an emphasis on lightweight backpacking adventures.
For backpacking, it's nice to be able to pack your fuel and stove inside your pot to save space. Just make sure you're protecting the coating with the included felt pad so it doesn't get scratched. Credit: Trish Matheny
The Halulite Microdualist is another packable design, but this one includes servingware for two. We found enough space to store an ultralight stove, lighter, and 110g fuel canister, but only if we stacked the lids, leaving space inside the upper mug for the canister. This set is easy to pack and is about the size of a Jet Boil stove.
The Microdualist's packable design is about the size of a Jetboil stove. Credit: Trish Matheny
Larger cookware can be quite packable as well. Some standouts include the Gerber ComplEAT, the Stanley Wildfare Core, and the GSI Outdoors Bugaboo. Each set includes pots, lids, pans, and servingware for four people that nest rather easily inside the carry bags for the Gerber and GSI, and beneath a thick bungee for the Stanley.
Each set includes cookware and servingware that nest inside the largest pot.
We also loved the OXO Camp for its stackable design, along with a spacious and high-quality carry bag that made this set easy to store inside the van or transport to the picnic table.
The OXO Camp is a very packable design despite its heavier weight.
Weight
Weight is a key consideration if you carry your cookware for any length of time on your back. If you're only transporting your cookware from the car to the picnic table, or planning on getting packed into the backcountry, or floating down a river, we recommend disregarding this metric.
But people who enjoy camping and backpacking (and only want to purchase one set of cookware) will want to consider the weight of the model they purchase carefully. Other camping settings fall somewhere in between. Deluxe backcountry base camps, like those supplied by canoe, airplane, or even short backpack missions, deserve comfy cookware, and weight is less of an issue.
You bet we were packing the Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2.0 for a 10-day first ascent climbing trip deep into the High Sierra. Credit: Felipe Tapia Nordenflycht
The four sets in the table below are the only ones in our test group that we really recommend for backpacking. You could also take the Stanley Wildfare Go set into the wilderness if you split it between two people, but it's not our recommendation.
Comparison of Backpacking Cooksets
Total Weight
Packed Size
Components
Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2.0
0.4 lbs
5.2 x 4.25 in
30 fl oz pot, lid, 16.9 fl oz cup
MSR Fusion Ceramic 2-Pot Set
1.0 lbs
7.7 x 5 in
1.5 L pot, 2.5 L pot, lid, removable handle
GSI Outdoors Glacier 1-Person
1.0 lbs
6.7 x 3.5 in
1 L pot, folding handle frying pan, metal bowl, plastic cup, stuff sack
The Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo is the lightest cookset that we tested. We love taking this set on solo missions or group outings where you're responsible for your own kit. This set is durable enough for everyday use and light enough to go anywhere.
Of all the cookware sets that we tested, the Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2.0 is one of the lightest and most compact. Credit: Trish Matheny
The MSR Fusion Ceramic is another super lightweight option, only weighing one pound, with great non-stick cooking performance. It's larger than the Glacier 1-Person but has a much higher capacity, suited for two to three people instead of just one. The GSI Glacier 1-Person is another lightweight set, weighing only one pound. Unlike the Fusion, it includes a frying pan along with servingware for one person.
The MSR Fusion Ceramic 2-Pot Set is one of the lighter options that we tested, weighing in at only a single pound for the entire set. Credit: Trish Matheny
The Halulite Microdualist weighs only 1.2 pounds for the entire two-person kit that includes a 1.4 Liter pot, straining lid, along with plastic servingware complete for two people. If you want to drop the cutlery and go ultralight, the pot and lid weigh only .7 pounds and could easily fit a backpacking stove and fuel canister for those trying to minimize weight while saving space inside their backpack.
The Microdualist pot only weighs .7 pounds if you wanna drop the plastic cutlery and move ultralight. Credit: Trish Matheny
Heavy-duty sets like the Lodge Combo Cooker, the Gerber ComplEAT, the OXO Camp, and the GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless are best for a car camping kitchen rather than as a backpacking consideration. Each weighs between 8 and 12 pounds and will require more space inside your rig.
Heavier options like the GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless are best suited for car camping. Credit: Trish Matheny
Conclusion
We cooked hundreds of meals in many different settings to test camping cookware, so you can trust our recommendations are sound and well researched. The shared experience of our testing team allows us to offer unbiased, expert recommendations. We hope this comprehensive review helps you find the perfect camping cookware for your needs, whether you're sticking close to the car, setting up your next base camp, or moving fast and light while covering a ton of beautiful terrain.
