A cookware set doesn’t need to be fancy to cook a good camp meal. This three-piece Camping Cookware Set is the cheapest we’ve tested, at $38: a pot, a frying pan and a kettle in hard-anodised aluminium that nest together in a mesh bag. We’ve taken it on several weekend trips, including to Coorongooba Campground, and it does more than we expected for the price.
What’s in the box
A pot with a lid, a frying pan and a kettle with a beaked spout, all in food-grade hard-anodised aluminium with a non-stick surface and folding, heat-resistant handles. They nest into one bundle in a mesh carry bag. The set weighs about 550 g and suits two or three people.
What we like
- Heats quickly and evenly
- Light: 550 g for three pieces
- Non-stick, easy to clean
- Nests into one small bundle
- Works on a stove or the fire
- Kettle with a pouring spout
What we don’t
- Handles can get warm
- No bowls or utensils
- Feeds two or three at most
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Material | Hard-anodised aluminiumNon-stick surface |
| Weight | 550 g |
| Packed size | 16 × 10 cm |
| Included | Pot with lidFrying panKettleMesh bag |
| Features | Folding handlesNesting design |
Nesting and packing
The kettle sits inside the pot, and the pot inside the frying pan, so the whole set packs to about 16 × 10 cm, not much bigger than a 600 ml water bottle. It weighed 550 g on our scale without the bag. The mesh bag keeps everything together and the soot off your other gear, and it has held up after being stuffed into backpacks, panniers and roof pods.
On the fire and the stove
We’ve cooked with it on a butane stove, over a campfire on our portable grill and on a small alcohol burner, and it handled them all. The anodised aluminium heats quickly and evenly, and the non-stick surface works: with a splash of oil, food rarely sticks unless you leave it on high heat for too long. After several uses over flames and coals there’s no warping or discolouration, and even scrambled eggs or porridge wipe out easily.
The kettle
A lot of small sets make you boil water in a pot. This one has a proper kettle with a beaked spout, so it pours cleanly into a mug or a coffee maker without spills. It boils water quickly, which saves gas, and its handle is heat-resistant, though the handles on the set can still get warm.
Size and handles
The pot and frying pan are sized for small meals for two or three people: ramen, couscous, eggs or a one-pot pasta. The folding handles have an anti-slip grip and fold away to pack. There are no bowls or utensils in the set, so you’ll need your own.
How it compares
It’s the cheapest of the three cookware sets we’ve reviewed. The Naturehike Cookware Set adds a second pot and scored higher, and the Firemaple Feast 2 is the sturdiest, with a bowl and scoop, at more than twice the price.
This one Camping Cookware Set |  Firemaple Feast 2 |  Naturehike Pots | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What’s in it | Pot, pan, kettle | 1.5 L pot, frypan, kettle, bowl, scoop | 2 pots, frying pan, kettle |
| Weight | 550 g | 686 g | 450 g |
| Price paid | $38 | $85 | $60 |
| Our score | 7.9 | 8.6 | 8.8 |
Conclusion: Camping cookware set Aluminium 3PcsConclusion
This Camping Cookware Set is a simple, cheap three-piece set: a pot, a frying pan and a kettle in hard-anodised aluminium that nest into one 550 g bundle. It heats fast, works on a stove or over the fire, has held up without warping and cleans easily. The handles can get warm, there are no bowls or utensils, and it feeds two or three at most. At $38, it’s a good first cookware set for car camping and short trips.
A simple, cheap set that does more than you'd expect, and a good first set at $38.
The pot, frying pan and kettle nest into one 550 g bundle, heat fast on a butane stove or over the fire, clean easily and haven't warped. The handles can get warm, there are no bowls or utensils and it feeds two or three at most.
- Hikers
- 4WD tourers
- Car campers
Yes. It’s inexpensive, heats fast, nests neatly and works on flame, coals or a stove. It feeds two to three at most, and there are no utensils or bowls included.
