Boils water on sticks, which makes fuel weight somebody else's problem.
A chimney kettle burns twigs and boils a litre or so in a few minutes. For anyone treating water by boiling on a long trip, it removes the single largest fuel cost from the gas budget entirely.
Bulky, sooty, and needs dry fuel and somewhere you are allowed a fire, so it is a complement to a gas stove rather than a replacement. Never use one inside a tent, awning or van – see carbon monoxide.
Read before using this
Carbon monoxide alarm
Put it where you sleep. This is not optional kit.
Carbon steel or cast iron pan
Holds heat, takes a crust, and is the pan induction will actually heat.
Cast iron casserole
Heavy, and the only thing that cooks properly over embers.
Charcoal barbecue (portable)
The most heat for the least money, and the one that has killed people indoors.
Cook's knife and guard
One sharp knife beats three blunt ones, and the guard is the point.
Electric barbecue or grill
The one hot surface with no combustion, so no carbon monoxide.
Last reviewed 16 September 2026. Specifications and availability change and we do not track them, so check the listing against what is described here.