Cookware

Recent Cookware Reviews

Outlery Full Set

Elegant eating utensils in a pocket size box. Intended to displace single use plastics, Outlery can also add a little elegance to outdoor meals in a variety of settings but is too heavy for extended backpack trips. The box   In the box Judging by my review history, I seem to have an inordinate fondness for spoons, or maybe outdoor cutlery in general. The internet in its infinite acquisitive wisdom seems to know about this, and so channeled an ad for Outlery portable cutlery in my general direction. Full review

MSR Alpine Utensils Spatula

The end of the spatula melted the first time I cooked with it. Bacon and eggs for two in a stainless steel frying pan, nothing extreme.       Full review

Funktion plastic cheese slicer

A lightweight, plastic, Scandinavian-style cheese slicer for the trail. Makes no-mess-no-fuss, thin cheese slices for a cracker snack, sandwich, or burrito. Worth way more than its weight in cheese slices.   Scandinavian simplicity The humble one-piece cheese slicer is baked into the Scandinavian way of life. In Norwegian it’s called an ostehøvel which translates literally as “cheese plane,” which sounds cool so I’ll use that from now on.  The cheese plane was invented in 1925 by Norwegian… Full review

Sea to Summit Alpha 2 Pot Cook Set 2.2

A nicely integrated cookset that efficiently fits the most important cooking and eating components for two people into a compact package at a reasonable weight for mid-light hikers. Well-suited to delivering a couple of steaming cups of joe on early mountain mornings and for making meals that involve a little more action than just boiling water. I’m a morning person. I wake up early, never use an alarm clock, and no matter what other plans I have for the day, I like to start the same way – with… Full review

P-38 U.S. Military Can Opener

This item will open a can very quickly and easily. I used one of these (Army issue) to open C-Rations in Army Basic Training in the '60s. I could easily open a normal size can in half a minute or so. Easy to use. It takes a little time to get the hang of it, but when you get it there is no problem. I have seen some people complain of rust. I never experienced a rust problem and I still have one that I got from a Vet friend 30 years ago that works great and has no rust. They are small and handy and… Full review

Coleman C300 Performance gas canister

A mix of propane and n-butane in a 240 g canister with non-standard dimensions. OK for summer use, but won't work with some types of stoves, and the non-standard canister won't nest well in some system pots   It may seem a bit odd to review a particular type of gas canister. After all, within a specified range, they are all pretty much the same—a mix of isobutane and propane (typically something like 80/20% in quality canisters) and sometimes n-butane (lower quality but actually quite serviceable… Full review

Solo Stove Pot 900

A nicely-featured 900 ml stainless steel pot that is designed to nestle around and be used with the Solo Stove Lite. While it can be used with many backpacking stoves—solid fuel, alcohol, canister, or liquid gas—it is recommended for use with the Solo Stove Lite, as the perfect fit of this stove within the pot helps to partially justify the high-end price for this piece of stainless cookware. One drawback: short handles tend to get hot when used over a twig stove. Solo Stove Pot 900 (pictured… Full review

Light My Fire Spork Original

It's a cheap, plastic spoon, fork, and knife. Good design from a durable, food-grade plastic. I had never owned a spork—or anything similar. REI wanted just over a dollar...so I gave in, to curiosity. I never really understood why I needed special cutlery, for camping. I was once gifted an ancient, ex-army set—knife, fork, and spoon—made of aluminium and fitting together, but I've never put them/it in a backpack. I usually use a spoon, for everything but cutting and preferably one which fits… Full review

Toaks Titanium Long Handle Spoon with Polished Bowl

The best utensil I've ever used for freeze-dried meals. Right. So, Toaks versus Sea to Summit Alphalight. Both are extremely lightweight. Effectively the same length. Practically the same cost.  The differences, though minor, are in fact major.  Toaks is titanium, whereas StS is aluminum. Titanium is tougher than aluminum; aluminum will bend where titanium won't. Now, titanium can *break*, but so can aluminum once it has been bent a few times. So that's something of a wash. A difference, yes,… Full review