At the end of a long day on the trail, there's nothing like a delicious meal in the great outdoors. It's easy to fall into the trap of carrying tons of kitchen supplies, but with careful planning, you can prepare, cook, and clean up with a relatively simple kit. Below, we've collected some of our favorite overland camping kitchen gear to help you stay hydrated and nourished in the backcountry.
Dometic GO hydration faucet
Dometic GO Hydration Water will be back on our list because it's one of the most useful and innovative items we've come across. The faucet has a built-in water pump and can be used with almost any water container. The battery and pump are built into the faucet and can dispense 1 liter per minute, approximately 150 liters per charge. A magnetic base holds it in place, and a simple tap of your finger on the top of the touch sensor turns it on and off. It also comes with a small LED light, so you don't need to turn on the light to have a quick drink at night. If you don't have a gravity watering system, the GO is a great solution and also a great addition to your DIY campervan setup.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $100
GSI — 24-piece destination kitchenware set
If your utensils consist of the odd knife, fork, etc. you bought at a thrift store, consider transitioning to this 24-piece kit from GSI. It includes a four-piece cutlery set of forks, spoons, and knives, a cutting board, a utility knife, a spice shaker, a spatula, and most importantly, two seasoning presses. Large items fold up into the sleek travel case, making it easy to clean up your cookware. A scrub pad is also included! When packed, the entire kit weighs less than 2 pounds. Perfect for moto camping!
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $54.95
Read more: Editor's Choice: Overland Refrigerators and Freezers
Hitchfire — F-20 Barbecue Ultimate Grill Station
Planning to do some serious grilling on your next adventure? Make it big with Hitchfire's F-20 Ultimate Grill Station BBQ. As the name suggests, it attaches to a trailer hitch receiver for stability and a small footprint, but the Ultimate Grill Station includes a third-side burner and a folding table for prep or serving. Ignite the twin 10,000 BTU main burners and pack all your favorites into the 18 x 22 inch cooking area while boiling water or heating up desserts with the third burner. The burner can also be folded up if not needed. Compatible with fuel sources both large and small. A rotating grill mounting arm allows for flexible setup and configuration, and the grill can also be removed for tabletop use. Truly the ultimate.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $849
Lodge — Cast Iron Cook-It-All
Packing six cast iron pots and pans won't do everything the Lodge Cook-It-All system can do. This innovative four-piece (two-handle) cast iron system gives your inner camp chef the freedom to create campfire masterpieces from skillet, wok, griddle, Dutch oven, grill, and most importantly, pizza oven configurations. You can create one. Plus, it can be folded for easy storage. Comes with a 33-page cookbook full of camping cooking ideas.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $124.95
Lodge — Chainmail Scrubber
When it's your turn to wash the camp dishes, use this Chain Mail Scrubber from Lodge to quickly scrub away any hard-on food. Featuring a silicone core for added grip, chainmail won't ruin the flavor of your cast iron or carbon steel pans. Quickly deal with stubborn burnt food scraps using minimal water and soap. When you get home, put it in the dishwasher to clean and sterilize it.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $21.95
Mountain Summit — Gear Roll Top Kitchen
Not everyone can afford to install a luxurious deployable kitchen. Instead, keep it simple (and super portable) with Mountain Summit Gear's roll-top kitchen. In storage and transportation mode, it can be used as a folding chair. However, it will open and be ready to use in about a minute. It features four sturdy surfaces, including two swing-up shelves and space for a camp stove, as well as a zipper-removable storage compartment with two shelves and space for large cookware. Adjustable legs provide stability on uneven ground. The aluminum framework makes it lightweight and strong, and it folds nearly flat, minimizing its footprint.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $149.95
Read more: Review: Dometic CFX3 45 Refrigerator
Nomadica — All-in-one gas BBQ grill
You can mix and match cooking systems, or you might be better off getting started right away with the Nomadica All-in-One Gas BBQ Grill. The all-in-one gas BBQ grill features a U-shaped flame head instead of the typical round burners to better distribute heat across the cooking surface. The package comes with 3 different cooking trays and a snug carrying bag to keep everything organized. There's a large pot support for stovetop cooking, a barbecue-type grill with skewer support, and a cast iron pot with a lid for epic mac and cheese recipes. Everything fits into a small carry bag.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $259
Nomadica — Magic III Folding BBQ
Let's face it. Sometimes, grilling burgers, vegetables, and meat cuts is all you need. Even if you have a camp stove, it's no different than grilling chicken wings or corn on the cob over charcoal with the Nomadica Magic III Folding BBQ. Most portable barbecues take up a lot of space, but the Magic III folds up so small that it easily fits into even the smallest rig. The stand is removable so it can fit into a small travel case. Even if you don't have a barbecue, you can use it as a small outdoor fire pit.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $72.00
Zempire — 2 Burner Deluxe & Grill
It's hard to tell many camp stoves apart, but you can tell the Zempire 2 Burner Deluxe & Grill apart by the last word: “grill.” His second cooking area, located below the twin main burners, allows you to brown steaks, pork chops, burgers, hot dogs, vegetables, and more. It can also be used as toast! The top has a large cooking area with high-power burners to quickly boil water. The stove connects to a large propane tank with a Type 1 adapter hose. You can even cook and grill at the same time, and the lid works with a foldable side panel to protect your cooking area from the wind.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $279.99
