PORTABLE LOG-BURNING STOVE
There is a romance that comes with cooking over an open fire. But in reality, it’s incredibly difficult to consistently create tasty cuisine over raw flames. This is where the Frontier Stove really comes into its own; it keeps alive the dream of cooking over a driftwood fire, but does so with an eye to practicality and safety. We were especially impressed by the ingenious set-up design, with foldable legs that install in a matter of seconds after taking the stove out of its bag. Pack Size: 52cm x 33cm x 33cm. Weight: 12kg. Priced at £199 (01872 870839, anevaystoves.com).
CAMP COFFEE
Aeropress is known as one of the best coffee-making companies in the world, and it has perfected camping coffee with new model, the GO. Its ingenious design packs everything away into the main cup. Once assembled, all you need to do is push down the chamber and it makes incredible coffee in seconds. The GO is equally quick and easy to clean down, giving you more time to enjoy the brew and the view. Priced at £31.99. (01380 872950, aeropress.co.uk).
FOOD FLASK
If you need to keep your food piping hot, the Hydro Food Flask does it in style. We love the bright Pacific blue to liven up a grey day, and it can keep food warm for six hours. Or if you prefer to cool down after a hot session at the beach, your ice-cold smoothie will be waiting for you – and the double-layer insulation means there won’t be any condensation to dampen everything in your bag. Priced at £32.95/18oz (futureproof.life).
NATURAL WOOD UTENSILS
This beautifully made Campfire Prep Set from Primus makes cooking outdoors feel special, with tactile wooden utensils and a high-quality knife. Even the carry case is a work of art, and has been designed so you can tidy your tools away straight after cooking and wrap them up out of sight, putting aside the washing up for later. From £65 (alpinetrek.co.uk).
SAFE DRINKING WATER
When filling up water from a tap you’ve never used before, you always have an element of doubt in the back of your mind. The Flex Gravity Bag takes away this uncertainly by providing a thorough filtration system that eradicates any bacteria or parasites. It looks good too, is easy to suspend from a tree and, with a 4-litre capacity, provides a perfect safe drinking water solution every time. Pried at £47 (snowleader.co.uk).
BOWLED PLATE
Why is every plate not designed like this Campfire Plate? With its high sides, it makes outdoor eating considerably more comfortable and also doubles up as a bowl, meaning a single plate can be used for breakfast, lunch and tea. Manufactured from food-grade stainless steel, it complements the cutlery and cookware for those who like aesthetic consistency in their pots and pans. Diameter: 21cm. Priced at £12 (themountainfactor.com).
COLOUR-COORDINATED CUTLERY
There is nothing more frustrating than getting to the beach and realising that you are missing two forks and a spoon from the pile of cutlery you brought. This will never happen with the Primus Leisure Cutlery set because each knife/fork/spoon combo is kept together by a holder made of heat-resistant silicone that comes in six colours. For families, this has the added advantage of making the children responsible for their own coloured set! £12 each (addnature.co.uk).
STAINLESS STEEL COOK SET
When it comes to coastal cooking, you want something that will stand up to sometimes harsh conditions. This durable stainless steel Campsite Cookset is exactly what you need, and it will take a battering outside for years and years while still serving up a treat. Opening it up feels like unravelling a stocking full of goodies; packed into the bag are two pots (one 1.8 litres and the other 3 litres) with their own lids and colanders, and a frying pan – everything you need to create an edible masterpiece oudoors. Priced at £95 (cotswoldoutdoor.com).
NAUTICAL-STYLE COOL BOX
We love this blue Fulmar cool box because it does the simple things so well. With no electricity, it can keep food frozen for up to four days! And a clever little bung at the bottom helps you drain water effortlessly without emptying all the contents and turning the box upside down – it is touches like this that make outdoor cooking much more relaxing. Dimensions: 51.5cm x 36.5cm x 33cm. Weight: 2.8kg, holds 30 litres. Price: £65.99 (+45 7050 5900, outwell.com).
