The Camping Forum

[Helmc69]

Hi was looking for advice on camping pans,I have got a little 2 pan set but they are not really big enough for 3 of us. They were fine when it was my son and I but now my husband has decided he actually likes camping we need a bigger set-don't want to pay too much!

[M0KAS]

i just use a cheap normal set from asda, argos ect, seems the camping pans are more expensive than a normal cheap set, ok the cheap set take up more room, but cost far less...

[nutgone]

Got mine from Ikea, they were an absolute bargain last year.

I would say any cheap set from a supermarket or somewhere like that. Nut try & go for stainless steel, as the cheap non stick ones tend to rust as the coating gets worn away.

Specific camping cookware is quite expensive when compared to cheap household stuff, which is fine if you're backpacking or lightweight camping, but if you're taking a car & have the room, you might as well save a few quid & have some pans you can actually cook with.

God luck anyway I believe Tesco Value do a stainless set with 3 pans (not certain though) & of course there's the legendary Ikea blue frying pan (the best £2.50 I ever spent!)

[Helmc69]

Hi thanks for your replies, will just get some supermarket pans then-cheers for advice

[Curlyminx]

I have ikea pans, although my frying pan isn't blue. Cheap and cheerful and sit inside one another nicely.

[nutgone]

Stainless steel though

Should always be stainless if possible.

(I moved into a flat once & there was supposed to be pots & pans already there. They were Tesco Value ones, cheap steel coated with non-stick. They were completely rusty & no amount of cleaning did any good, there's no possible way you could've coked with them. I put them in the recycling & bought some cheap stainless ones from Pound Stretcher. My camping ones were on special offer from Ikea last year, 2 pans & a pot for about £3.50 (I think), if you take the handles off they all fit inside each-other, I don't bother though as they fit nicely in my kitchen bag with handles on & my small measuring jug (Tesco Value) fits inside the small pan with all my (Tesco non-value but special offer) cutlery inside)

[livsnana]

I have a cheap set from Ikea as well, they are serving us well so far!

[Vicks2112]

I have a 2 person Vango pan set in Stainless Steel that come in a very neat drawstring bag. I personally don't like Aluminium, there's some research that using Aluminium is not good for you. Alziemers Disease was linked to Alumium cooking equipment.

So whatever you go for make sure it's Stainless Steel. I have a small Ikea Frying Pan too, I think it was a pound or two. The little Frying Pans that come with camping cooksets are usually rubbish and last for one breakfast fry up and then they get binned.

[Donnelly69]

No matter how tight your budget, please don't ever use aluminium pans

For those of you that do, here's a simple 'test'. Wash the pan, scrub it. Use hot or cold water, as much or as little detergent as you like, but make it clean. Let it dry and then take a piece of kitchen towel, slightly damp and rub it around the pan. The towel goes grey! I'm no scientist, but what ever comes off a clean pan, goes directly into your food and that can't be good for you!!

Stainless steel, or at least non stick every time. There's plenty of cheap offers out there

[Helmc69]

Thanks everyone-looks like it's a trip to ikea before my next camping trip!