Cooking foods in the outdoors is very important so it is important to have the correct cookware that will do the task. Cooking in the outdoors can be messy and it can be very frustrating as well if you do not have the right cookware. I went everywhere online and found several amazing family camping cookware sets. These items below are a few of the best that I am aware of that can help people cook foods while in the outdoors. I know that these are some of the best because of the amount of positive customer reviews.
Best Family Camping Cookware Sets – Quick Chart
Family Camping Cookware Sets | Weight | Pack Size | Materials | Pieces |
1. Magma Products, 10 Piece Gourmet Cookware Set | 12.99 lbs | 10″ x 10″ x 8″ | Stainless steel | 10 |
2. Camco Stainless Steel Nesting Cookware Set | 14.1 lbs | 8.3″ x 10.9″ x 10.9″ | Stainless Steel | 10 |
3. Abizoe 12 Piece Non-Stick Cookware Set Non-Stick Pans and Pots | 7.72 lbs | 12.64″ x 11.18″ x 4.8″ | Aluminum | 12 |
4. Wealers Camping Cookware Set | 7.3 lbs | 12″ x 12″ x 9″ | Stainless Steel | 8 |
5. Calphalon Premier Space Saving Pots and Pans Set | 37.8 lbs | 28.74″ x 17.52″ x 15.16″ | Hard Anodized Aluminum | 15 |
6. Stansport Family Cook Set SS | 9 lbs | 10.75″ x 7.5″ x 10.5″ | 18/10 stainless steel | 7 |
7. Odoland 22pcs Camping Cookware Mess Kit | 4.59 lbs | 8.78″ x 8.7″ x 6.65″ | Aluminum | 22 |
8. Texsport Kangaroo 7 pc Camping Cookware Outdoor Cook Set | 3 lbs | Hard Anodized Aluminum | 7 | |
9. MSR Quick 2 System Cook Set | 1.76 lbs | 7.7″ x 7.7″ x 4.8″ | Hard-anodized aluminum | |
10. REDCAMP Camping Cookware Mess Kit | 0.96 lbs | 7.5″ x 4.7″ | Anodized Aluminum Alloy | 11-22 |
11. Jetboil Flash Personal Cooking System | 14 oz | 10″ x 6″ x 6″ | Aluminum | 2 |
12. Stanley Base Camp Cook Set For Four | 5 lb. 6 oz | 11.1″ x 10.9″ x 6.1″ | 18/8 Stainless Steel pot | 21 |
13. MSR WindBurner Personal Stove System | 1 lbs | 4.5″ x 8.3″ x 4.5″ | Aluminum | 2 |
14. Stanley Camp 24oz. Cook Set | 1.6 lbs | 3.7″ x 3.9″ x 11.6″ | Stainless Steel | 3 |
15. GSI Outdoors Bugaboo Base Camper | 2.42 lbs | 10″ x 10″ x 6″ | Aluminum |
How To Choose A Family Camping Cookware Set
Types Of Camping Cookware Sets
Tableware
A lot of backpacking tableware can be used as a cookware as well. This is to shed backpack weight, and free up more room. These are often made out of some form of metal like titanium or stainless steel. Getting a tableware or cookware that is multipurpose is ideal for backpacking.
Backpacking Cookware
Backpacking cookware are often lightweight and compact. People have to think about the amount of weight that they are going to carry and the amount of space they have in their backpacks. Backpacking cookware are designed to be carried for lots of miles. They are meant to be light so that they do not require a lot of energy in order to be carried.
Car Camping Cookware
Car camping cookware are very large and bulky. These cookware are very similar to the cookware you will find at your own home. Car camping cookware are more durable though and they are also lighter than home cooking equipment.
Kettles / Water Boiler
There are many different kinds of kettles for camping. There are kettles that are meant for tea and boiling water. Then there are coffee makers like percolators, French press, espresso makers and so on. These cookware are important to a lot of people who love camping and love to have their morning coffee.
Mess Kits
Mess kits are multipurpose, all in one set of cookware and tableware. Most mess kits are meant to be used for cooking and for eating foods. Mess kits will often have everything you need to cook and enjoy your food for one day. These are often lightweight, compact and ideal for backpacking.
Choosing The Camping Cookware Set Material
Hard-Anodized Aluminum
This material is very cheap and inexpensive. This is a very common material found in a lot of backpacking mess kits. The cookware made out of hard anodized aluminum will often have a Teflon non-stick coating. This will make the item easy to clean and easy to cook with. This type of material is durable but not scratch resistant.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is one of the best material for cookware. A lot of my cookware at home are made out of this material. This is scratch resistant, heats up easily, beautiful or aesthetically pleasing, rust resistant and corrosion resistant. This is also very safe and non-toxic. One of the best materials to use for a camping cookware.
Titanium
Titanium is also a very good material for a camping cookware. This material is very popular for backpackers. This is very durable and heats up easily. It has a lot of the benefits of stainless steel while being lighter in weight. Titanium is somewhat expensive though so expect to pay for a little bit more for a cookware made out of this material.
Cast Iron
Cast iron is very heavy and not a good material for backpacking. However, for cooking, this is one of the best materials to use. There are a lot of cookware that are made out of cast iron. You can bring cast iron cookware for car camping purposes. This material is just too heavy to be used for backpacking.
Health Concerns That People Should Think About
Teflon Non-Stick Coatings
Teflon is a non-stick coating that is often found in a lot of cookware. This makes the cookware easy to cook with and easy to clean because the food particles do not stick on the surface of the cookware. Teflon had a bad reputation though because it was found out that PFOA was very toxic to the body. Most cookware now that are coated with Teflon do not have PFOA in them.
Ceramic Non-Stick Coatings
Ceramic is safer and more expensive than Teflon. A lot of people prefer to use ceramic non-stick coating because it does not have a bad reputation. However, not a lot of cookware have ceramic nonstick coatings on them. So your choices maybe limited.
BPA Free
BPA has been known to make people sick and that this is very toxic to the body. So if you are going to get tableware that are made out of plastic, make sure that it does not have any BPA. Most item descriptions will often tell the customer that the item is BPA-free.
Camping Features To Think About
Durable
The durability of the item is very important. Cookware meant for the outdoors does not always mean that they are going to be more durable. Cookware for the outdoors will often mean that the item is going to be lightweight and compact. So sometimes durability gets sacrificed so that the item does not have enough weight. It is important that you do your research and make sure that the item that you are getting is durable.
Easy To Clean
The item or items have to be easy to clean. We are often very tired after a camping trip. The last thing we want to do is spend an hour cleaning cookware, portable stoves, grills, grates and so on. We want to relax. So it is important that our cookware and most of our camping gear to be very easy to clean. This way we do will have more time relaxing after a camping trip.
Conducts Heat Easily
Since you might use a gas stove or gas grill for a camping trip, it is important that the item conducts heat very well. If the cookware conducts heat very well then you will have more control over the flame and be able to cook the recipes better. It saves a lot of gas as well. You do not have to use a lot of gas to boil water or cook recipes.
Portable
Make sure that the item is very portable. This means that the cookware is compact and lightweight. You really do not want to bring anything heavy while camping outdoors. It will give you lots of problems and headaches. It will be very hard for you to pack, unpack, transport and carry the item. It is the same for cookware. It is just better if the item is portable.
Price
If you want high quality items, then you have to pay a little bit more. However, if you are not planning on going camping for a lot of time then you do not need anything high quality. Something inexpensive and budget friendly will do the trick since you are not going to use the cookware often. If you love to cook though, you should get a high quality set of item. It is just better and more fun that way.
Best Family Camping Cookware Sets
Here are some amazing family camping cookware sets that are very good. These are very durable, heats up easily and easy to clean. All product links are affiliate links.
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1. Magma Products, 10 Piece Gourmet Cookware Set
Weight: 12.99 lbs
Pack Size: 10.8″ x 10.8″ x 8″
Materials: Stainless steel
Pieces: 10
Feature Summary: Made for RVs and boats, even heat distribution on gas, electric, or ceramic cooktops, stainless steel, encapsulated triple-clad bottoms, oven and dishwasher safe, nested design
Short Review: This is an outstanding family camping cookware set. This is made out of marine grade stainless steel that is very high quality. It makes each cookware piece very durable and heats up rather quickly. This is great for rv, boat, and car camping purposes because of the nested design but it is too heavy for backpacking. There are different kinds of cookware in the set which allows you to cook different kinds of recipes. The stainless steel material is very high quality. This is really the set that you buy if you are serious about making good food for car camping trips. The price is very expensive which is the only drawback.
2. Camco Stainless Steel Nesting Cookware Set
Weight: 14.1 pounds
Pack Size: 8.3 x 10.9 x 10.9 inches
Materials: Stainless Steel
Pieces: 10
Feature Summary: 18/10 stainless steel clad cookware with aluminum core which heats and cools quickly and evenly, oven and dishwasher safe and is rust-resistant and durable, nesting cookware conveniently saves valuable space
Short Review: This cookware is awesome and a lot of people believe so too. Out of all the items I have tried, this is still so outstanding that I still recommend it. This is made out of stainless steel with aluminum core which makes this very durable, lightweight and the nested design makes this very compact also. Great cookware set for rv, boating and car camping. This is incredibly durable and very easy to clean as well. You can also use this at home as well which makes this a very multi-purpose cookware set.
3. Abizoe 12 Piece Non-Stick Cookware Set Non-Stick Pans and Pots
Weight: 7.72 pounds
Pack Size: 12.64 x 11.18 x 4.8 inches
Materials: Aluminum
Pieces 12
Feature Summary: Cookware set can be used on electric, gas, ceramic and induction stovetops, nonstick Cookware set features hard anodized aluminum construction for excellent conductivity and even heating
Short Review: I love this nested cookware a lot. This is suitable for all types of stovetops. The nested design makes this great for car camping purposes too or if you don’t have a lot of space in your home. I am very confident that this item is extremely well made due to the fact it is extremely sturdy. This is made out of aluminum which is why it is both very durable while also being very non-stick. It works well and can be used to cook a lot of dishes or recipes. This can be used for a lot of outdoor activities. It can be used for picnics, work, or other types of activities.
4. Wealers Camping Cookware Set
Weight: 7.3 Pounds
Pack Size: 12 x 12 x 9 inches
Materials: Stainless Steel
Pieces: 8
Feature Summary: Lightweight engineering for those long treks through the mountains, a field trip with the kids or a day at the beach, smaller pots conveniently cascade into the largest pot and pack neatly into the travel tote bag
Short Review: I am constantly amazed for the reason that this outdoor cookware continue to satisfy a lot of people. This stuff is superb! This is made out of stainless steel and it is beautiful. I just love cookware that is made out of stainless steel because they are often very durable and non-toxic as well. This can be used on an open fire too which makes this very outdoor friendly item. The lightweight and nested design makes this ideal for backpacking purposes also. So if you want a good cookware for both car camping and backpacking then this is a good choice.
5. Calphalon Premier Space Saving Pots and Pans Set
Weight: 37.8 pounds
Pack Size: 28.74 x 17.52 x 15.16 inches
Materials: Hard-Anodized Nonstick
Pieces: 15
Feature Summary: Stacks smaller and nests in any order, saving up to 30% more space, built to last, with a 40% longer-lasting nonstick, metal-utensil-safe, with a durable, 3-layer, hard-anodized aluminum interior
Short Review: This cooking set is very high quality. The item works well for home use but since it has a nested design, we can also bring it for car camping purposes. The item is non-stick which makes cooking a lot easier and cleaning the pots and pans a lot more effortless as well. The set is oven safe and dishwasher safe which is great since these are features a lot of people love on their cookware sets. The set has 15 pieces which is good enough to cook various types of dishes and recipes. The only drawback is that this is pretty expensive so not a lot of people are going to be able to afford it.
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6. Stansport Family Cook Set SS
Weight: 9 lbs
Pack Size: 10.75 x 7.5 x 10.5 in
Materials: 18/10 stainless steel
Pieces: 7
Feature Summary: This pots and pans set is made from kitchen quality 18/10 stainless steel and triple-Ply 2.0mm aluminum-clad bottom for superior conductivity and even heating, 7 items easily nestling together
Short Review: This family camping cookware set is impressive and I like it a lot. This is made out of stainless steel which makes the cookware very durable and very beautiful as well. This is a little bit heavy though which is why this is not good for backpacking. However, this is great for car camping. I love recommending this item to other people considering that this is wonderful. This is a little bit expensive but you get a lot of cookware that is very high quality for that price. Overall, a good set of cookware that can cook a variety of dishes.
7. Odoland 22pcs Camping Cookware Mess Kit
Weight: 4.59 Pounds
Pack Size: 8.78 x 8.7 x 6.65 inches
Materials: Aluminum
Pieces: 22
Feature Summary: Each piece has a non-stick Teflon coating for easy cleaning and durability, fordable handles on pan or stove can be folded to save space, large size pot can be hung over the fire
Short Review: This is a great cooking set for camping. This comes with a tableware set also which is great. It means that people don’t need to pay for tableware as well. This comes with a pot, frying pan and a kettle which is enough for most car camping trips that lasts for a few days. Every item has a price and this one has an incredibly affordable one. The tableware set is made out of stainless steel which makes the set very durable and non-toxic also. This cookware is one of the finest that is available right now plus this has a lot of unbelievable characteristics.
8. Texsport Kangaroo 7 pc Camping Cookware Outdoor Cook Set
Weight: 3 Pounds
Pack Size:
Materials: Hard Anodized Aluminum
Pieces: 7
Feature Summary: Made of durable, lightweight aluminum, has easy cooking / easy cleaning DuPont Teflon non-stick interior Two-tone heat treated exterior finish
Short Review: A whole lot of people are generally amazed at how fantastic this cookware set is. I like the revolutionary design of this item. This works well and should produce a good amount of satisfaction for a long time. The price is pretty good and the weight is also very light. A good item that can be used for backpacking and car camping. It is useful for other outdoor activities as well. Cookware sets like this one make cooking while in the outdoors a lot more fun and this is very durable also. The set has a nested design and comes with a mesh bag that you can just attach to the outside of your backpack in case you want to use this for backpacking trips.
9. MSR Quick 2 System Cook Set
Weight: 1.76 lbs
Pack Size: 7.7 x 7.7 x 4.8in
Materials: Hard-anodized aluminum
Pieces:
Feature Summary: Compact and efficient for backcountry trips, non-stick coated pot for sauces and simmers, lightweight, and ultra-compact backcountry meal prep solution
Short Review: I like using this camping cookware and I know that you will too. This is a high quality set of cookware that also has a pretty expensive price. This set is very lightweight and comes in a nested design so it is good for camping and backpacking. I like that this is pretty resilient. MSR is a great company that creates a lot of amazing outdoor gear and cookware. This is very lightweight, compact and should lasts for many years to come. A very multipurpose cookware set that can cook a lot of recipes and dishes.
10. REDCAMP Camping Cookware Mess Kit
Weight: 0.96 lbs
Pack Size: 7.5″ x 4.7″
Materials: Anodized Aluminum Alloy
Pieces: 11-22
Feature Summary: Made for the outdoors, versatile multi-purpose item, easy to clean material
Short Review: I love this cookware set or mess kit. Amazing item for the outdoors. One of the best things is that this item has a good amount of positive customer reviews which suggest that a whole lot of people are extremely happy with their purchase of this. I love this thing. This unbelievable company consistently go beyond my expectations and they are becoming exceptionally popular. Nested design makes this very compact and easy to carry. The weight is very light also. The purchase price is wonderful and this is very durable. So if you are new and don’t know what to get then this is a good choice to start with because it is very affordable and have most of the items you need to cook and be able to eat your foods while doing an outdoor activity. Not of the highest quality but this is very useful and very affordable.
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11. Jetboil Flash Personal Cooking System
Weight: 14 oz
Pack Size: 10 x 6 x 6in
Materials: Aluminum
Pieces: 2
Feature Summary: Multi-purpose that is also very useful, boils water in a lightning-quick 100 seconds, ultra-storable Coffee Press stores perfectly inside the cooking vessel, convenient, reliable, push button igniter, thermochromatic color-change heat indicator
Short Review: I am very pleased that I purchased this due to the fact this is a rather fantastic family camping cookware set. This is a stove and pot combo which is great for backpacking and for car camping. This is great for making coffee, cooking stews, and other recipes. I love that you can often look at the consumer feedback and you will notice how numerous people love this item. I really like this company and judging by this wonderful item, a lot of people will like this company too. This is a little bit expensive though but the design is very revolutionary and works well also.
12. Stanley Base Camp Cook Set For Four
Weight: 5 lb. 6 oz
Pack Size: 11.1 x 10.9 x 6.1 inches
Materials: 18/8 Stainless Steel pot
Pieces: 21
Feature Summary: Prep kit brings the ease of indoor cooking outdoors, dishwasher safe, cookware and tableware meant for four people, great for backpacking trips
Short Review: Another amazing cookware set but this time it is made by Stanley. Stanley makes a lot of cookware that are great for camping and backpacking. This has enough cookware and tableware for four or more people. This is an amazing set that is very compact and light. It is lightweight and compact enough that we can use this for backpacking also. So if you are looking for a cookware / tableware set that is good for car camping and backpacking trips then this is a good choice. The pieces are small though since people that go backpacking want their gear to be lightweight. So smaller pieces will reduce the weight. Works well and very portable.
13. MSR WindBurner Personal Stove System
Weight: 1 lbs
Pack Size: 4.5 x 8.3 x 4.5 inches
Materials: Aluminum
Pieces: 2
Feature Summary: Love how high quality this is, compact, all-in-one stove and cookware solution, more fuel efficiency than conventional stoves, 100% primary air combustion, enclosed design & internal pressure regulator
Short Review: This cookware sticks out over a great deal of other similar items. The usefulness this brings for camping and backpacking purposes is amazing. There are plenty of items with a beautiful design however this item is very gorgeous and has plenty of features also. This has an amazing design that is very intuitive and works well. This is great for backpacking and car camping. This is somewhat expensive though but most people only need one of these and they are good to go for a backpacking trip. I love that this is very compact which means we will have more room in our backpacks if we ever take this into a backpacking trip.
14. Stanley Camp 24oz. Cook Set
Weight: 1.6 lbs
Pack Size: 3.7 x 3.9 x 11.6 inches
Materials: Stainless Steel
Pieces: 3
Feature Summary: Designed the handle to provide maximum comfort and stability, use in your kitchen on your induction or electric cooktop, or while camping on top of a campfire, entire kit is made with BPA free materials
Short Review: We are usually searching for some really good family camping cookware sets such as this. This saves a lot of space so that we can have more space in our backpacks. This is great for camping and performs very well and this is very versatile as well. This is great for boiling water, cooking foods but most of the time, I use this to make coffee. There are two cups inside which makes this set amazing for beverages. This is extremely high quality and has continued to please a considerable amount of people. The price is pretty low and the benefits are incredibly high.
15. GSI Outdoors Bugaboo Base Camper
Weight: 2.42 Pounds
Pack Size: 10 x 10 x 6in
Materials: Aluminum
Pieces:
Feature Summary: Designed to be high quality, practically no effort required to clean this item, useful and multi-purpose, nested design and easy to carry
Short Review: Among the best family camping cookware sets is this. This is a very lovely item. It is beautiful to the eyes and has a lot of attributes that go with it. I love the lightweight material this is created out of because no one wants to carry heavy items. A high quality item that is great for backpacking and car camping. GSI is a very good company and this is another cookware / tableware set from them that I really like.
I got the stainless steel brand. I love stainless steal, only material that works well for cooking imo.
NGL, got the expensive one and it is awesome.
I love your website. I decided to go with a different brand. The set was made of titanium and I am happy with it. I thought I would just thank you for your website because I found the information to be useful.
I’m new to camping and backpacking. I didn’t think I was going to get any of your recommendations but the MalloMe mess kit was just right for me. I use it 2-3 times per year. It is cheap but I can cook and boil water with it.
Me and my friends spend a lot of time with nature. We either climb mountains, hike, backpack, camping, bike and more. We always go with Stanley. Well designed and works well.
The MSR is great for car camping and backpacking. I use it for backpacking and it is very light. I love cooking delicious foods while inside the woods and this cookware set is perfect for me.
My family and I love to go car camping. We would drive 8-9 hours to different states just to have fun and sleep with nature. I gave my Mom the Magma cookware set and she loved it. It was expensive but I knew she would love it. It has been two years and the cookware set still looks new.