9 Best Camping Mess Kits (2023 Reviews and Guide)

Have you ever been camping and made the mistake of taking your regular cookware? Yeah, that doesn’t work so well. Instead, what you need is an actual camping mess kit.

Camping without the convenience of your own kitchen is a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. If you have the right mess kit for camping, it will simplify things for you, take up less space and be a much better experience when cooking and eating meals.

This post will share some of the best camping mess kits for groups or solo campers.

Here is a quick look at our top 3 camping mess kits.

Best Camping Mess Kit

Mess kits for camping come in all shapes, sizes, and configurations. We have filtered through a lot of products to show you the best options for your camping adventures. With that, let’s take a look at which mess kit is right for you.

MalloMe Camping Cookware Mess Kit Gear

The MalloMe Camping Cookware Mess Kit Gear is an incredible mess kit for a solo camper. It comes with 10 pieces and can cook up meals nicely. It also comes with 1 folding spork, so you just need to add fire and food. This is an excellent mess kit for a solo backpacker.

It comes with an anodized aluminum non-stick pot, pot cover, non-stick pan, 2 bowls, folding stainless steel spork, soup spoon, wooden spoon spatula, and a cleaning sponge.

All this fits nicely in a nylon travel bag with a drawstring that can be looped on a backpack. This makes it perfect for the solo camper or backpacker with hardly any weight to carry around.

This mess kit is relatively small and lightweight. It is 6.6 x 6.3 x 3.8 inches and only weighs 1.13 Pounds. The pot and pan are made with anodized aluminum and are non-stick.

The handles on the pots are made of hard plastic, which does not get hot when cooking. Be careful to keep them out of the flame, though. They are plastic, after all.

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Odoland 22pcs Camping Cookware Mess Kit

Get ready for family camping with the Odoland 22pcs Camping Cookware Mess Kit. This mess kit has everything you need but the food and the fire. We used to have an entire bin full of pots, pans, and dishes for our family of four. It was ridiculous, but we learned to downsize quickly.

This all-inclusive mess kit contains plates, cups, spoons, and forks for four people. The plates and the cups are stainless steel, and the spoons and forks fold in half for packability.

The 8 oz. cups have a silicone insulated protector around them, perfect for hot or cold drinks. I really like that the silicone protector is a different color for each cup, taking away the confusion of who’s cup belongs to who.

This kit also contains 1 large aluminum alloy hanging pot, 1 aluminum non-stick pan, and 1 kettle. Each of these pieces has a non-stick Teflon coating. They are durable and clean up easily. This is so helpful while camping.

The Odoland 22pcs Camping Cookware Mess Kit only weighs about 4.5 pounds. It comes with two small-size bags and one large-size carry bag, making this kit easy to take with you. It is also very small, at only 8.9 inches by 6.5 inches.

This is a high-quality, all-inclusive mess kit that is very lightweight for coming with 22 pieces. You could take this anywhere. It would even be small enough for backpacking.

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Light My Fire Camping Mess Kit

This is my favorite portable picnic-style mess kit for 1. The Light My Fire Camping Mess Kit is a portable, compact set of containers to store food for travel. It comes in 5 different beautiful colors, which makes it extra fun and personalized for each camper.

This mess kit is a stackable set of bowls and plates with lids so you can prepare food in advance and travel with it. You can also just use it as a regular dish while camping. It comes with a utensil that has a fork on one end and a spoon on the other.

This mess kit is unique in that it is entirely made of plastics from plants. Practical and good for the environment. The kit includes one plate, one bowl, two airtight storage containers with lids, a spork, a cup with a lid, a cutting board, and a harness to keep it all contained.

This set is microwave and dishwasher-safe, which helps with cleaning up after your trip. It’s convenient to toss it all in the dishwasher after your travels. Then it’s ready to go the next time.

Made in Sweden, this mess kit is always 100% BPA-free plastic. These products are very durable and will last you for years. I just love that you could get a different set for each family member.

Great for any travel, especially day trips, this set only weighs 0.86 pounds. It also would be great for on-the-go lunches, dorm rooms, or anytime you want to bring some snacks with you on a trip.

Keep in mind this set is only designed for eating, not cooking. You would still need pots and pans for a camping trip. The Light My Fire Camping Mess Kit is made with the environment in mind, which is essential. If taken care of, this set will last you many years.

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Coleman Stainless Steel Mess Kit

The Coleman Stainless Steel Mess Kit is a simple yet effective mess kit. It is an excellent starter mess kit that you can add to. It’s a quality product with most of what a solo camper would need.

Coleman makes quality products, and this is no exception. It doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but it has the basics and gets the job done. This six-piece set nestles nicely into the stockpot for portability.

This set comes with a stockpot, a lid that doubles as a frying pan, and a locking, interchangeable handle. It also comes with a BPA-free bowl and mug. The mesh carrying net is handy for traveling and also can be used to air-dry your dishes.

This set only weighs 1.3 pounds, making it easy to carry along with you. It is also compact at only 7x7x5 inches. The pot and lid are made of high-quality stainless steel, making them durable and built to last.

This is an excellent set of cookware and dishes, perfect for scouts too. You just need to add a spork and knife. You should get many years of use out of this Coleman mess kit. Remember that this stainless steel is not a non-stick material. Food may get stuck to the bottom if it gets burned.

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G4Free Camping Cookware Mess Kit

Looking for a mess kit that even comes with a mini stove? The G4Free Camping Cookware Mess Kit has just about all two people would need for a camping trip.

My favorite feature by far is the included mini stove! You just need to supply your own butane fuel, and you can start cooking in no time. No need to pack a bigger stove. This tiny guy will work perfectly.

The set includes two non-stick pots, two non-stick pans, a mini stove (butane fuel not included), 2 cups, 2 of each: spoons, forks, knives, a wooden spatula, carabiner, loofah sponge, and a mesh bag.

The cookware is made of high-quality aluminum alloy, fast heating, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant. In addition, the non-stick coating on the inside of cookware is durable and helps keep food from sticking. This also makes cleaning up much more manageable.

The handles on the cookware fold back for storage and are coated with silicone, so they don’t get hot and are easy to hold. Just remember to keep them out of the flame, or they will melt.

This entire mess kit fits into the largest pot and weighs less than 2.5 pounds. The mesh carrying bag is convenient and can be looped through your backpack.

The G4Free Camping Cookware Mess Kit is an excellent mess kit for the price. It’s very affordable for all you get. The mini stove is a really great bonus for campers needing to minimize gear. Plus, it’s just really cool looking, as is the entire mess kit.

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G4Free 11PCS/13PCS Camping Cookware Mess Kit

The G4Free 11PCS/13PCS Camping Cookware Mess Kit is a genuinely excellent mess kit for a solo camper. It even comes with a mini stove. You just need to provide the butane fuel.

This set is perfect for a solo backpacker. It only weighs about 1.5 pounds and can be carried in the included carrying bag. It does not come with a cup, so add this to the mess kit. I am a bit picky about drinking cups, so this doesn’t bother me much.

The cookware is made of high-quality premium anodized aluminum, which conducts heat very quickly. The entire set comes with 13 pieces. They consist of 1 pot and lid, one pan, one mini stove, one storage box, one stainless steel folding spoon, fork and knife, two bowls, one carabiner, a wooden spatula, and a loofah sponge.

All of this fits nicely in the included mesh bag, which can also be used to help air-dry items. This mess kit also fits in the palm of your hand, the perfect size for backpackers or any camper looking to minimize gear.

The cookware handles have a silicone coating to keep them cool but will melt if exposed to the flame, so keep that in mind. On the other hand, we love that they fold down and save space, plus the silicone coating helps with hot handles.

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MalloMe Camping Cookware Mess Kit Gear

The MalloMe Camping Cookware Mess Kit Gear is an affordable mess kit for a solo camper. The best feature is that it comes with a mini stove, which saves space from bringing a larger camp stove.

You get 18 pieces in this mess kit, quite a lot for such a tiny package. However, it packs up nicely, is only 7.9 x 6.4 x 3.75 inches, and weighs 1.75 Pounds. This makes it easy for backpackers or campers wanting to carry less gear.

It has a pot with lid, cooking pan, wooden spatula, mini stove, two bowls, ladle, spoon, fork, knife, spork, cleaning sponge, storage box, mesh bag, and bonus survival bracelet. The utensils are stainless steel, and the cookware is made with non-toxic anodized aluminum.

Remember that this mess kit does not come with a drinking cup, but I guess that is not so bad, considering all you get for the price.

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UCO 4-Piece Camping Mess Kit

The UCO 4-Piece Camping Mess Kit is a great choice for meals on the go. This little set comes with a plate, bowl, spork utensil, and tether.

Perfect for meal transport and storage, the bowl and plate connect together with a tight seal. The tether not only holds them securely but also holds the spork in place.

The bowl and the plate have rubber grips on the bottom to prevent slipping. The spork is unique. It is made from durable reinforced glass nylon. It has a spoon on one end and a fork with a serrated edge on the other.

Microwave and dishwasher safe make this set easy to use at home or for day trips. It is also designed with the spoon’s curve matching the curve of the bowl, helping you get every last bite.

The UCO 4-Piece Camping Mess Kit weighs half a pound and is made from very durable nylon, which is BPA-free, Phthalate free, FDA food-safe nylon, dishwasher, and microwave-safe.

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Stanley Base Camp Cook Set for 4

The Stanley Base Camp Cook Set for 4 is my favorite all-inclusive mess kit. The only reason it wasn’t one of my top 3 picks is because of the price. Admittedly, it costs more than its competitors, but it is well worth it if you don’t mind spending more.

Stanley products have been around since 1913. Most outdoorsy folks are familiar with their extremely high-quality products that have stood the test of time. For example, we have a large Stanley thermos that has been on many trips and has seen a lot of hot cocoa!

This mess kit has just about all you need. It comes with a pot with a vented lid, frying pan, cutting board, spatula, serving spoon, four plates, four bowls, four sporks, a dish drying rack, a heat-resistant trivet, and a locking bungee.

The cookware is manufactured using 18/8 stainless steel. This cooking set is robust, scratch-proof, and rustproof and will last for years, possibly generations if taken care of.

Something unique is that the “stacking directions” are engraved on the lid, making it easy to pack it all back together. This is a bigger but better quality mess kit, so it does weigh more than 4.66 pounds. This isn’t much weight for all you are getting, but maybe not the best for a backpacker.

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How to Find the Best Camping Mess Kit

Types of Camping Mess Kits

All-inclusive mess kit– these mess kits have all you need for cooking and what you need to eat, including the cookware, dishes, and utensils. One thing some mess kits don’t include is a cup, so keep that in mind

Cooking mess kit– these mess kits contain pots, pans, lids, and usually a spatula, and sometimes they might come with a spork

Eating mess kit– these have your plates, bowls, and utensils. These will not come with any pots or pans. Usually, they come with a cup, but not always.

Material

Stainless steel is very durable and affordable but heavier than other materials. So stainless steel may not be the best option for a solo backpacker traveling light. But it’s a great option if you are willing to sacrifice some weight for durability. Food can get stuck on the bottom of stainless steel so you may do a little more scrubbing. Keep that in mind, also.

Aluminum (specifically anodized aluminum) is lightweight, affordable, and better for non-stick cooking. However, aluminum heats up quickly and is a good heat conductor, so watch your food closely, to avoid quick burning. Many times these come with a non-stick surface.

Titanium is the most lightweight material for cookware but also the most expensive. However, it is also very durable, so titanium may be worth the money if you are a backpacker looking for the best.

Plastic is obviously not for cookware but for plates, bowls, cups, and sometimes utensils. Plastic is affordable, very lightweight, and often dishwasher and microwave-safe. Also, look for BPA-free reinforced plastics. Some are even made of plant material and are better for mother earth.

You will often see silicone on the cookware handles, which is excellent for holding. You may also see this used for bowls, plates, or cups. Of course, this is also a very lightweight material.

How many campers are eating?

This is pretty clear, are you a solo backpacker, or are you bringing a team of kids? You need to ensure you have enough cookware for a bigger group because some pots and pans are small.

Size, Weight, and Portability

Someone will need to carry this stuff, so really think about how much you want to pack. If you are a backpacker, go with the lightest weight possible. If you have a bigger group and a vehicle, the slightly heavier stainless steel cookware would probably be just fine.

Cutlery

Not all mess kits come with cutlery or enough stuff for two campers but only one set of utensils. I know, weird, right? Also, not all sporks function as knives, so you may need to pack a knife unless you want to eat like an animal (not judging, I’ve been there).

Accessories

I have noticed many mess kits do not have a cup, but I am picky with my drinking cup, so this isn’t a deal-breaker. Also, very few come with a kettle. I am old school. I like kettles.

Many of the cooking mess kits come with a loofah or scrubby, which is nice. However, all good mess kits should come with either a carrying bag or collapse into one easy-to-carry item. Either way, they should all be contained for easier travel.

Price

This is a significant factor. You will notice that price increases when quality, durability, and portability increase. This is a personal preference and needs to be something you are comfortable with.

Consider how much you will use your mess kit and where you plan on using it. For example, are you a casual weekend camper with the family? Or are you a solo backpacker trekking for days out in the wild?

I would spend a bit more for a perfect mess kit if I am spending time out in the wilderness hiking all over.

How to Clean and Care For Your Mess Kit

Stainless steel is fantastic but can be a challenge to clean. It is not a non-stick material, so you may have to scrub it to clean it up.

Try using some dirt. It is a great natural scrubbing material, and you have plenty of it around. It’s a bit messy but will do the job, then good old soap and water.

You may need to soak your cookware. I pretty much always do. Finally, you can use a towel to dry your mess kit or just leave it to air dry.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a lot of different styles and options to choose from with camping mess kits. Finding the right one depends on your specific needs. Hopefully, our post helped you out.

Consider how many people are in your group and what utensils you need. Finding the best camping mess kit for your needs will be worth it.

If you have any questions, send us a message.

But most importantly, just get out there, enjoy nature, and eat like a king (or queen)….knowing you have the best camping mess kit!