Best Portable Camping Kitchens

Looking for a portable kitchen for camping? Below are the best kitchen stations.  All of them are folding, have space for your camp stove and have lots of storage. Some of the camp kitchens even have sinks as well.

If you aren’t sure what camp kitchen you need – like how big the camp kitchen should be – then scroll down to the buying guide section. Or see this article about how to set up your camp kitchen.

 

Top Picks

 

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Camp Kitchens Comparison Table

Product	Countertop Size	Folded Size	Weight	Sink	Shelves & Tables	Weight Limit
GCI Outdoor Master Kitchen	56x22"	35x22x6"	22.4lbs	Yes	4	173lbs
Coleman Pack-Away Portable Kitchen	31.5x21.3"	31.5x11"	13.8lbs	No	2	300lbs
GCI Outdoor Slim-Fold Kitchen	24x16"	35x21x4"	19lbs	No	5	203lbs
SylvanSport Over Easy Camp Kitchen	70x18"	40x19x7"	44lbs	Yes	2	N/G
CampSherpa Kitchen	27x17"	27x18x16"	14lbs	No	2	N/G
Vevor Folding Camp Kitchen	49x13"	31x20x6	19lbs	No	4	66lbs
Alpine Mountain Gear Roll-Top Kitchen	49x14"	31.5x20x4.3"	10.2lbs	No	1	N/G

 

Best Portable Camp Kitchens Reviewed

Note: “Total counter size” does NOT include side tables; it only includes surfaces which are strong enough for holding a stove and food prep.

 

1. GCI Outdoor Master Kitchen

Size and Portability:

The main thing to like about the GCI Outdoor Master is that it has a huge amount of counter space. The countertop is 56 inches long with the sink closed.  With the sink open, the countertop is 42 inches, which is still big enough for your stove and to prep food. There is also a side table at top which brings the total space to 70 inches – though the side table isn’t quite sturdy enough for chopping food on.

Despite being so large, the kitchen folds down compact. Folded, it is only 35 x 22 inches and nearly flat at 6 inches thick.  It’s easy to fit this into any car trunk.

Sturdiness:

The frame is made out of steel and the countertop is heat-resistant aluminum, so the kitchen is very sturdy. The main counter can hold 48lbs, the shelf holds 35lbs and each side table holds 30lbs.

Extras:

There are a few hooks on the side tables for paper towels and other supplies. It would be nice to have some more hooks, though you could add your own utensil organizer under the table.  The sink isn’t removable, which makes it hard to clean, especially if the drain gets clogged.

Buy at Amazon

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2. Coleman Pack-Away Portable Kitchen

Size and Portability:

The Coleman Pack-Away Portable Kitchen consists of two parts. The first part is a folding table which is is 31 x 21 inches.  It turns into a carrying case for the kitchen, which is pretty cool. The countertop isn’t the largest but is fine if you are making simple meals at camp for small groups.

The second part is a frame meant to hold your stove.  It clips onto the main counter, so you can also use the main table by itself. Instead of a flat tabletop, the frame just has two metal sliders on top.  The sliders move closer or further apart to fit your stove. The design of the Coleman kitchen makes it more lightweight and packable than other camp kitchens.

Sturdiness:

The Coleman kitchen has a very high weight limit of 300lbs, so is sturdy.  However, the leg lengths aren’t adjustable so it doesn’t always sit well on uneven ground. 

Extras:

There’s a mesh shelf underneath the main table as well as a lantern hook and utensil hooks.  They aren’t the sturdiest but will get the job done.

Get It Here

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3. GCI Outdoor Slim-Fold Outdoor Cook Station

Size and Portability:

Here’s another great camping kitchen station by GCI Outdoor but this one only has one countertop. There are also some side tables which give you extra space, but these tables aren’t really meant for chopping food on.  You’ll have to do your food prep somewhere else and carry items to the side tables until you are ready to use them.  While the kitchen is fairly lightweight at just 19lbs, it is still bulky.  It will take up a LOT of trunk space.

Sturdiness:

The Slim-Fold is very sturdy.  It can hold over 200lbs worth of supplies, which means you can use it to hold larger grills and not just gas camping stoves.  It’s very durable and tough, so expect it to last you through many camping trips.

Extras:

There are hooks on the fold-out shelves for paper towels, tongs, and other camp supplies. Otherwise, it’s a fairly basic camp kitchen station.

Buy at Amazon

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4. SylvanSport Over Easy Camp Kitchen

Size and Portability:

The SylvanSport kitchen has two bamboo-topped countertops: one for your stove (32 x 18 inches) and another for food prep (38 x 18 inches).  This gives you a total of 70 inches of countertop space.  There’s a zip cabinet underneath with two shelves.

All this space means the kitchen is HEAVY. It weighs 44lbs, so not a good pick if you need to carry it into camp. It’s also BULKY at 40x19x7″ when folded, so you’ll need a large vehicle.

Sturdiness:

The SylvanSport kitchen doesn’t list a weight limit.  However, it does seem pretty sturdy.  The cabinets are even sturdy enough to hold food without sagging, which isn’t the case with most cheap camp kitchens.  The legs are adjustable for uneven ground.

Extras:

The SylvanSport Over Easy is one of the coolest and most functional camping kitchens available.  It has almost every feature you could possible need to do serious cooking while at camp.

There’s a collapsible sink station, built-in windscreen, trash bag holder, paper towel holder, and tons of utensil storage. They really thought of everything down to the Velcro straps to hold the cabinet doors open. The only thing that’s lacking is a lantern hook.

Get It Here

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5. CampChef Sherpa Camp Kitchen Table and Organizer

Size and Portability:

The CampChef kitchen is very small.  It’s tabletop is just 27×17 inches and it sits 28 inches high. This means there is only enough space for a stove but no space for food prep. There are four “drawers” in the kitchen which give you storage for food and equipment. This is a great compact solution for campers who make simple meals.

Because it doesn’t fold down, the camp kitchen is still fairly large when packed up (27x18x16″).  But you don’t have to remove your items from the kitchen cabinets, so it’s easier to set up and pack than other camp kitchens. It only weighs 14lbs, which is one of the lightest camp kitchens you’ll find.

Sturdiness:

The CampChef Sherpa is very sturdy. I love that it has four separate legs so it sits well even on uneven ground.

Extras:

There are four zip storage drawers in the kitchen. One of the bags (the blue one) is insulated and works as a cooler bags.  It could also work as a sink.  The bags are actually pretty big and will hold around 14 cans of beer each.

Get It Here

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6. Vevor Folding Camp Kitchen Station

Size and Portability:

The camp kitchen comes with multiple parts, so it takes a bit longer to set up than the other camping kitchens reviewed here – but it’s still very simple and easy.  Once set up, you get a nice amount of countertop space.  The main table (for your stove) is about 26 x 13 inches.  A fold-out second countertop is about 24 x 13 inches.

Sturdiness:

Vevor is a Chinese brand which makes knockoff products.  Not surprisingly, this means the camp kitchen is flimsy.  They don’t list the weight limit but versions from other sellers can hold 66lbs.

The smaller countertops should be fine for chopping soft foods like tomatoes but I wouldn’t want to put too much pressure on it.  The built-in windscreen for the stove area seems like it would blow over in bad weather. On the plus side, the legs are adjustable. This makes the kitchen more sturdy to use on uneven ground.

Extras:

There’s a water-resistant “cabinet” that hangs underneath the side table.  It gives you two shelving units for storing food.  I personally find it annoying to zip and unzip the unit, but it’s good for keeping items when you leave camp.  There’s also a shelf plus a side table and lantern hooks.

Get It Here

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7. Alpine Mountain Gear Roll Top Kitchen

 

Size and Portability:

This roll-top kitchen by Alpine Mountain Gear (also called Mountain Summit Gear over at REI) has two separate countertop surfaces: one for your stove and another for food prep.  The first counter is approximately 26 x 14 inches and the other is just under 23 x 16 inches.  This gives you a total working space of 49 inches.

Sturdiness:

Since the kitchen station is so lightweight, it shouldn’t be surprising that it’s also flimsy.  You especially need to be careful with the latches on the legs. Though the legs on the fold-out counter are adjustable so it actually works well on uneven ground.

Extras:

This is a very basic kitchen station.  It has just one shelf underneath and no other extras.  You’ll have to bring your own organizers.

 

Get It Here At Amazon or REI

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Do You Really Need a Portable Kitchen?

A camping kitchen is NOT a must-have item (I’ve set my stove up on the ground on many trips!). However, if you are camping with a large group or long-term camping, you may want a portable kitchen for these reasons:

• Keeps your kitchen supplies organized
• You won’t have to crouch over
• Safety – no worrying that someone will trip over the stove

 

Buying Guide – How to Choose a Portable Camp Kitchen

Not sure what portable camping kitchen you need? Here are some guidelines to make sure you get the right size and features you need.

 

It Must Have a Heat Resistant Tabletop

No, you can’t use just any folding table as your camp kitchen.  It must have a heat-resistant surface or the countertop can melt!  Also check whether side tables are heat-resistant so you can set hot pots down directly without melting them.

 

How Large Does a Camp Kitchen Need to Be?

Your camp kitchen should be large enough to hold your stove and ideally also have space for food prep. For a double burner stove and  medium-sized cutting board, you need at least 52 inches of countertop space.

If you are making simple meals which don’t require a lot of prep, then you can opt for a smaller camp kitchen.  If you have a lot of food prep, you will need something much larger.

 

Number of Countertops

Ideally, your camp kitchen should have three sturdy countertops. This allows you to create three stations:

1. Prep station
2. Cooking station
3. Serving station

If you have another table at camp (such as a picnic table), then you can get by with a portable kitchen with only 1 or 2 countertops.

 

Storage

Storage is a huge plus with camping kitchen since it will help the kitchen stay clean and organized.  Camp kitchen storage comes in many forms, including:

• Shelves
• Covered “cabinets”
• Mesh storage under the table
• Hooks for utensils, pots, and pans
• Paper towel holder

Note that the weight limit on these can be pretty low.  If you have heavy items to put in your kitchen, such as the cooler, make sure you check the weight limit!

 

Stability and Weight Limit

You don’t want your camp kitchen to topple over with a lit stove on it.  The ground at campsites isn’t always level or very sturdy, so you’ll need to make sure you choose a very stable camp kitchen.  Look for:

• High weight limit
• Sturdy materials like aluminum frames or steel, not plastic
• Legs which lock in place
• Four individual feet instead of two; the individual feet rest better on unsteady ground

 

Portability

For portability, you’ll want to look at the weight of the camping kitchen and how small it folds down. A carrying case with  handles is also a big plus.

Unfortunately, most good camp kitchens weigh at least 20lbs. Any kitchen lighter than this is probably going to be  flimsy.  Likewise, the more storage and countertop space the kitchen has, the less portable it will be.

 

Ease Of Setup

If you are staying at one camping spot for a longer time, then it isn’t a big deal to spend some time setting up your camp kitchen.  But you don’t want to waste a hour setting up and taking down the kitchen for an overnight camping trip.

 

Is There A Sink?

The best camping kitchens have built-in sinks, some with even a faucet for bringing water to the sink.  Others have an area where you can put a bin for holding your dirty dishes until you take them to be cleaned.  It’s a nice feature but not always necessary, especially if you just want to use a few plastic bins for cleaning up your dishes.

Read: How to Wash Dishes Camping

 

Height

Most camping kitchens are made so you can use them while standing up.  There are some shorter camp kitchens though.  The benefit of these is that they take up less space, are lighter and more portable.  However, you will probably want a chair to sit in while using them or be prepared to hunch over while cooking.

 

Lantern Pole

This is one really nice extra feature to have on a camp kitchen, especially if you don’t want to set up your kitchen near a tree where you can secure a lantern.  You’ll appreciate the extra visibility when doing dishes in the dark!

 

Need more help getting your camping kitchen setup right?  Read: Camping Kitchen Essentials List: How to Set Up Your Kitchen Like a Pro

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Image credit: “Outdoor Kitchen” (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by Anne Bennett