A pan with a lid that fits, and a handle that does not melt.
Nearly every recipe here is one pan and one burner. What you want is a pan that is wider than it is deep, because a narrow pan scorches in the middle, and a lid that actually seals – the rice method and the couscous method both depend on trapping steam off the heat.
Non-stick makes washing up possible with a cup of water, which on a trip is a bigger consideration than it sounds.
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.