Best Outdoor Cooking Gear

Outdoor cooking ranges from boiling water for freeze-dried meals on a backcountry trail to smoking brisket in the backyard, and the right gear makes each scenario enjoyable rather than frustrating. We organized our picks by cooking scenario: ultralight backpacking, car camping, and backyard outdoor cooking, so you can find the right gear for how you actually cook outdoors. For backpacking, the Jetboil Flash is the gold standard for fast water boiling, reaching a rolling boil in under two minutes with its integrated pot and piezo igniter. Car campers who want real cooking capability should look at the Camp Chef Everest 2-Burner, which delivers 40,000 BTUs and works with standard pots and pans. For backyard cooking, the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill combines grilling, smoking, and air frying in one portable electric unit that needs no propane. Do not overlook accessories that make outdoor cooking practical. An instant-read thermometer like the ThermoPro ensures meat reaches safe temperatures every time. A quality cooler keeps ingredients fresh for multi-day trips. And lightweight camp cookware like the GSI Halulite boiler nests compactly for transport while being sturdy enough for real cooking.