campfire cooking kit equipment

Campfire Cooking Kit: The Best Equipment For Your Outdoor Cooking Needs

If you’re looking for the best campfire cooking kit to stock your camp kitchen, then you’re in the right place.

Let me show you a few of the best pots, pans, and other important items that don’t take up much room, offer easy storage, and can help you make delicious food right at your campsite!

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There’s nothing like taking a camping trip and cooking over an open flame. The food just tastes good!

While it may seem easier to use a portable grill (and it’s definitely a great option!), it’s an extra piece of equipment that can take up precious space and you don’t quite get the full camp cooking experience.

Outdoor cooking over a fire, on the other hand, gives your food flavor like no other.

And the good news is that if you pick the right high-quality pieces for your cook set, you can end up with a whole camp kitchen that takes up little space.

So if you’re looking for the best camping cookware sets, let’s dive in!


All In One Campfire Cooking Kit Options

When you’re thinking of what you’d like for campfire cooking equipment, it might be a good idea to consider an all-in-one set.

What’s great about these sets is that you get a range of cookware suitable for open fire cooking and they normally offer benefits such as stackable pots and compact storage.

These space-saving features make them the perfect choice if you’re backpacking, car camping, or have limited space.

An added bonus (and one of the best features) with all-in-one campfire cooking kits is that you’re less likely to forget a vital piece of equipment you might need since it is already assembled.

It really takes the thinking out of the planning and packing and makes it so easy to hit the road!


Top Picks For All-In-One Campfire Cooking Kit


Odoland 16pcs Camping Cookware Mess Kit

This 16 piece set is super compact and extremely lightweight but gives you all the basic campfire cooking kit necessities you’d need for your camping adventures.

It gives you more than enough cooking options and includes pots, pans, and even a mini stove as well as silverware and cups to go along with it.

You actually don’t need much more than this if you really want to go basic with your campfire cooking kit.

It’s perfect if there is only one or two of you, but you might need something a bit bigger if you’re camping with the whole family. 


Odoland 39pcs Camping Cookware Mess Kit

The Odoland 39 piece campfire cooking kit is a bit of an upgrade from the 16 pcs campfire cooking kit above.

It’s an excellent and really comprehensive cooking kit perfect for larger groups with more food to cook.

This set features a large pot that can hang as well as a small pot, frying pan, and kettle.

All pots and pans are made with nonstick coating and have foldaway handles.

It also includes silverware, cups, and plates which makes this camping kit a really good value. 


Widesea Titanium Camping Cookware Mess Kit

If you are going solo and looking for something that is simple, lightweight, easily boils water for freeze-dried food prep or your morning cup of joe, then you might want to consider the Widesea campfire cooking kit.

It really is very basic but does the job it was designed for perfectly.

Made from titanium, it’s durable and extremely lightweight.

It even comes with a tiny titanium camp stove!

It is perfect for someone that is hiking or camping and needs to save space and minimize weight. 


 Camping Kitchen Utensil Set

This camping kitchen utensil set is more of an add-on kit for those who really like to have access to all their utensils to make cooking by the fire super safe and easy.

It has everything you need including a cutting board, scissors, and spatulas. And it’s easy to keep together with the handy carrying bag.

While this isn’t the most practical for a lightweight camp, it is perfect for a compact utensil kit for your RV.

You’ll definitely have everything you need in your campfire cooking kit if you keep this utensil kit on hand. 


DIY Campfire Cooking Kit

While all-in-one cooking gear sets are great because they give you everything you need in one simple purchase, it might be a good idea to shop around and piece together campfire cooking equipment that is a little more customized.

That way you can choose an entire set of perfect size pieces based on your personal needs and outdoor activities.


Campfire Tripod

For those looking to set up an outdoor kitchen, a campfire tripod can be really handy, especially if you are cooking for lots of people.

They also allow you to simmer your food and leave it to cook without as much attention (as long as you don’t have the right campfire- you don’t need a roaring fire for slow cooking!).

You could easily use this cook stand in conjunction with the hanging pot from one of the kits or you could buy a nice heavy-duty cast iron pot. 

If you’re out in the country with limits on what you can carry, you can use this nifty little device to turn a stick into a handy tripod. 


Campfire Pots & Pans

There are lots of options out there when it comes to finding the right cooking pots, but the main difference between them is the material they are made from.

Your needs and the type of camping you are doing will determine what kind you want to buy. 

A lightweight campfire pot made out of titanium, alloy, or enamel would be more useful if you are moving around from place to place and have to carry all your equipment.

The downside of these pots is your food could burn from the high heat of a campfire, so there might be a slight learning curve.

On the other hand, cast iron pans are a good choice because they come in different sizes, are long-lasting if well cared for, safe for high temperatures, and have metal handles so there is no risk of melting.

Cast iron cookware would be too heavy to carry if you were hiking and needed lighter-weight options, but if you’re in an RV or tent camping, cast iron cookware can be a great addition to your RV outdoor kitchen!


Grill Grate

Grilling your food over an open fire is a great way to cook hot dogs, marshmallows, or really almost anything.

If you’re planning on doing more than roasting food though, you’ll probably want to invest in a campfire grill grate like this one.

It is definitely worth it! This is a heavy-duty grate is a great choice for open-fire cooking equipment.


Utensils

In addition to camping cookware, one thing you don’t want to forget is cooking utensils.

Cooking tools are more important than you might think when working over a hot fire and can really help you enjoy cooking in the great outdoors! 


Artisan Smoker Heat Resistant Gloves

A pot holder will work, but you might want to consider a pair of these when working around a campfire and hot food. It’s easy to burn your self so using heat-resistant gloves will keep you burn-free. 


Camping Knife

You will want a knife that will really cut.

A knife while camping is definitely imperative. You can choose one that is all-purpose or have separate lightweight knives for cooking in your outdoor kitchen only.

It really depends on space and ease of carrying. 

*If you choose to use a knife for general use as well as food preparation or cutting, please be sure to clean or sanitize the knife before using it with food and after touching raw meat!


Spatulas & Serving Spoons 

If you want to be really organized and go the not-so-basic way, you might want to bring spatulas and spoons for flipping and stirring.

It’s probably not that handy if you need to take minimal supplies or have to carry everything you need, but worth it for an RV. 


BBQ Tongs

 A pair of BBQ tongs is definitely a must. Keeping your distance when turning things in the fire makes cooking over one much easier and tongs allow you to do this easily. 


Grill Scraper

If you’re using a grill then you’ll need a grill scraper to keep your grill in good condition.

Remove any burned food from your grill with this wood grill scraper and make sure that your cooking surface is clean and ready for the next use.

*When picking a grill brush or scraper, be sure to choose a bristle-free option!  Serious health problems have occurred from tiny bristles being ingested 🙁


Can Opener 

Canned food can be a great staple when camping since they don’t need refrigeration and are non-perishable. But, that means you’ll need a way to open them.

Making sure you have a can opener on hand is pretty important so don’t forget this essential piece of campfire cooking equipment! 


Other Useful Campfire Cooking Equipment

While we’ve already listed the essentials there are definitely some other pieces of campfire cooking equipment that you might want to take with you. 

One thing I love to do when camping is to make comfort food.

We always bring marshmallow sticks so we can melt and eat some gooey marshmallows on the fire.

A popcorn popper is also a really fun thing to bring camping. 

Other items we’ve found really useful though not essential include:

  1. a grilling basket
  2. stainless steel coffee pot
  3. tea kettle
  4. pie iron

Keeping these with us in our RV has just made our camping experience a little nicer and more relaxing knowing we have everything we need when cooking at camp. 


Cooking And Fire Safety Tips

While we’re talking about campfire cooking it’s a great idea to run over some safety tips just to make sure you stay safe when cooking over a fire.

Burns are nasty things and can require immediate medical attention.

Something you definitely want to avoid on vacation!

Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind: 

  1. Use fire proof gloves when you can – this helps reduce the risk of burning your hands if you get too close or touch the pots and pans that have been sitting over the fire. 
  2. Potentially use a fire guard if you have children around and explain about fire safety to any children you are camping with 
  3. Remember that once the fire has gone out, there are still hot coals that can cause significant burns. 
  4. Don’t leave a fire unattended this is a significant risk. 
  5. Make sure your fire has gone out before going to bed. 
  6. Keep a clear space around the fire from anything – you don’t want a fire hazard that will catch alight. 
  7. Only use wood on your fire. Don’t add anything flammable!

FAQ’s

What kind of pan should you use over a campfire (and which to avoid)?

You really want to be careful using stainless steel or aluminum as they have a lower melting point. A roaring campfire can exceed this melting point. Caste iron, enamel, or titanium are good materials for cooking over a campfire since they will not warp and are very sturdy.

Many people use stainless steel or aluminum cookware but you do have to be mindful to cook over smaller fires.

Also, even though aluminum is a fairly light material, it may not be the healthiest option since there have been studies linking aluminum to Alzheimer’s disease.


Is it better to buy an all-in-one cooking kit or assemble your own?

There really isn’t any one answer for this question.

It very much depends on preference and personal needs.

All-in-one cooking kits are great for campers who are in tents or that have to carry all their equipment with them- especially if they are hiking long distances.

These kits provide space-saving lightweight convenience. 

However, if you are camping in an RV and trying to stock your outdoor kitchen, you have much more choice for storage and it’s probably better if you choose everything individually.

That way you know that you have everything you need and want to truly have a home away from home!


Last Thoughts About A Campfire Cooking Kit

When you first start out it can seem a little overwhelming to find the right campfire cooking kit or to put together your own.

But don’t overthink it!

Give a little thought to the type of camping you’ll be doing, how much storage or weight you can handle, and give the suggestions above a look.

I’m confident that after some consideration you’ll be able to find the best campfire cooking equipment for your needs.

Before you know it you’ll have everything you need to make delicious camping meals while hiking, camping, or enjoying your favorite outdoor activity!


Related Articles

Looking for more must-have RV essentials? Check out the RV gear section to find everything you need for your next camping trip!


campfire cooking kit

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