Best compact cooking gear...

[likesachange]

Hi all

This is our 3rd year at lemans now and we really need to up our camping kitchen ... We have been pretty embarrassing previous attempts relying on a mini camping stove .. Bearing in mind there are 5 of us this year...
What is the best compact cooking device out there.?? Tbf I am in a m5 this year so I guess it doesn't need to be too compact..
A something that will cook half a dozen burgers and suasages at once would be nice....

[battered]

Go to a camping/caravan shop and get a double gas burner affair that runs off a separate cylinder. You have the space so don't mess about with a single burner affair that needs to be packed in a rucksack.

[Rosscow]

We have a Cadac, plenty big enough for what you need and packs down into a carry bag. This is what we have:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cadac-Carri-Chef-Gas-Combo...

[anonymous-user]

I wouldn't bother with anything but a Coleman dual fuel, like this: http://www.coleman.com/product/dual-fueltrade-2-bu...

[Rosscow]

Out of interest OP, where are you camping? At the track or a campsite?

[battered]

bulldong said:

I wouldn't bother with anything but a Coleman dual fuel, like this: http://www.coleman.com/product/dual-fueltrade-2-bu...

I think that's a bit OTT for something used once a year in a sunny campsite near a village, but each to his own. FWIW I prefer gas for occasional use, petrol is prone to gumming up. I have spent too many sunny afternoons blowing out jets in Alpine campsites and trying to coax a blue flame out of an MSR while my gas-equipped mates lazed about making smart comments.

The MSR still needs maintenance and stays at home, and these days I just chuck a new Epigas can in the box come spring and have done. Ooh, you won't do that in the Himalayas. Maybe not. But I'm going to Derbyshire.

[Foliage]

id just get a couple (or more) of these -

http://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/portable-gas-st...

Cant really go wrong, buy 2 so you have a backup and you can cook 2 things are once, bottles come in packs of 4 usually.

Test them before you go, handy to have knocking around the house in case of a power/gas cut, also useful for doing beans or similar when you do a bbq at home.

[anonymous-user]

battered said:

bulldong said:

I wouldn't bother with anything but a Coleman dual fuel, like this: http://www.coleman.com/product/dual-fueltrade-2-bu...

I think that's a bit OTT for something used once a year in a sunny campsite near a village, but each to his own. FWIW I prefer gas for occasional use, petrol is prone to gumming up. I have spent too many sunny afternoons blowing out jets in Alpine campsites and trying to coax a blue flame out of an MSR while my gas-equipped mates lazed about making smart comments.

The MSR still needs maintenance and stays at home, and these days I just chuck a new Epigas can in the box come spring and have done. Ooh, you won't do that in the Himalayas. Maybe not. But I'm going to Derbyshire.

I have had no such problems.

[battered]

Foliage said:

id just get a couple (or more) of these -

http://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/portable-gas-st...

Cant really go wrong, buy 2 so you have a backup and you can cook 2 things are once, bottles come in packs of 4 usually.

Test them before you go, handy to have knocking around the house in case of a power/gas cut, also useful for doing beans or similar when you do a bbq at home.

That's a bargain and a half, at that price it's hardly worth taking them home!

[eastsider]

Foliage said:

id just get a couple (or more) of these -

http://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/portable-gas-st...

Cant really go wrong, buy 2 so you have a backup and you can cook 2 things are once, bottles come in packs of 4 usually.

Test them before you go, handy to have knocking around the house in case of a power/gas cut, also useful for doing beans or similar when you do a bbq at home.

We use two of these and its a fairly decent setup for egg & Bacon breakfasts. Webber 'go anywhere' portable BBQ for all other meal requirements!

http://www.birstall.co.uk/products/weber_go_anywhe...

[chopper602]

What about a Trangia, with a gas conversion. Pots, pans and burner in one unit. Very compact and handy.

Should be able to find them cheaper than here :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trangia-Non-Stick-Cookset-...

and factor in the gas burner. They do literally, last a lifetime.

[Foliage]

eastsider said:

Foliage said:

id just get a couple (or more) of these -

http://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/portable-gas-st...

Cant really go wrong, buy 2 so you have a backup and you can cook 2 things are once, bottles come in packs of 4 usually.

Test them before you go, handy to have knocking around the house in case of a power/gas cut, also useful for doing beans or similar when you do a bbq at home.

We use two of these and its a fairly decent setup for egg & Bacon breakfasts. Webber 'go anywhere' portable BBQ for all other meal requirements!

http://www.birstall.co.uk/products/weber_go_anywhe...

Yep decent charcoal bbq is a must for camping

[Chicken Chaser]

I've tried a range of cooking options over the years, ranging from the cheap portable stoves listed above to expensive doubles and triples including party grills etc.
I've come back to the simple canister stoves by camping gaz. They're not too different to the cheaper options but they have an automatic cut off valve in case the gas blows out. They work best in a sheltered position but they're so easy to use, transport and the transport of gas too.

[battered]

chopper602 said:

What about a Trangia, with a gas conversion. Pots, pans and burner in one unit. Very compact and handy.

Should be able to find them cheaper than here :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trangia-Non-Stick-Cookset-...

and factor in the gas burner. They do literally, last a lifetime.

Trangias are great, I have one that I bought in 1983. I've hammered it and it still comes back for more. I've stopped lugging the heat shields round though, they are heavy. I've also given up on meths, it's slow to boil and expensive in the UK. I just use the pans and kettle. You'll actually struggle to get a cheap one, they are expensive and always have been, especially in the Johnny-come-lately non-stick variant shown. A cheaper one is form Clas Olsen, it's a near copy of the Optimus version of the Trangia and yours for about a tenner.

However a Trangia, any Trangia, is bloody useless at sausage bacon and eggs for 6. It's just too small. Double burners is what you need. 'Course if you want heat then you cut a slot in the side of a Trangia and slide in an MSR International. Light the blue touch paper and stand well back. If the burner isn't clogged with soot then it melts snow in femtoseconds, always assuming the aluminium doesn't melt first.

[likesachange]

Thanks for all he suggestions will have a look through them all.

Oh and we're staying at tetra rouge

[jep]

The 3rd post down has it nailed, a Cadac does pretty much everything you would need. The only thing it doesn't do is BBQ over coals, but a Son of Hibatchi would nail that for you too.

[fatboy18]

You need to check out the Beer Mountain food forum
http://www.forum.beermountain.com/viewtopic.php?t=...

[66mpg]

If you do go for a petrol stove I would steer clear of pump petrol as much as possible. Visit your local garden machinery/ chain saw dealer and get some Aspen 4T. This product is basically petrol without the additives present in pump petrol. It lights more easily and burns cleaner resulting in less soot build up and fewer jet blockages.

I use it in a Coleman lantern and two MSR Whisperlite stoves.