Review: Gerber Camp Kitchen

We've been Gerber fans for years, having tested out—and thoroughly approved of—several of their knives over the years. And, of course, we love cooking up tasty meals while car-camping (who doesn't?). So when the company released its new Camp Kitchen suite, we were all over it, snatching up a few key items to improve our camp-cooking kit. Here's a rundown of some Gerber gear that we'll be packing along, from now until the snow flies.

The ComplEAT Griddle ($65) and Saute Pan ($80) help take meals to the next level, with minimal effort and easy clean-up. The griddle's square shape maximizes space, while the detachable handle makes for compact storage. From eggs to brats, burgers to pancakes, this carbon-steel pan does darn near everything cast-iron can do, at a fraction of the weight. For stews, stir-fry, and veggies, the saute pan is equally advantageous, not only for its hefty 2.6-quart capacity, but also for the basting dome lid, which seals in moisture and flavor. As with the griddle, the saute pan handle detaches and stows inside, keeping your camp-cooking box streamlined and organized.

Aside from appropriate pots & pans, the most important tool in any kitchen is a knife—and Gerber's ComplEAT Knife Set ($85) gives you three good ones. From chopping veggies to slicing steaks to peeling potatoes, this set has every eventuality covered. The small paring knife, serrated utility knife, and large chef knife sit nicely in the hand, hold an edge well, and are corrosion-resistant, so no worries about packing 'em up before they're completely dry.

Last but not least is the ComplEAT Utensil Set ($29.75), which is strong enough for car- and river-camping, while being compact and lightweight for backpacking, too. Fork, spoon, spatula, and multi-tool all snap into place for streamlined storage between meals. The spatula and fork also snap together to be used as tongs, for flipping bacon and rotating brats—handy, eh?

Gerber's got quite a few more items in its ComplEAT product line, including a cool Tableware Set that we've got our eyes on, as well. For ideas, peruse their Camp Kitchen collection and pick the items that best augment your own camp-cooking kit.