I, honestly love a good old outdoor adventure during the summer! Relaxing in the midst of nature, in a sweet bubble of my own, away from the hectic city life – sounds like heaven to me! Although, one thing that always worries me before any outdoor getaway is the meals! I’m a food lover through and through, and having warm and freshly prepared (and tasty) meals at all times is a must for me. A good meal isn’t always guaranteed though when you’re getting down and dirty in the outdoors, but we can always try our best! Hence, we’ve curated a collection of portable and functional kitchen appliances that will help you prepare delicious meals even when you’re surrounded by nothing but the wilderness. From a battery-operated ice-maker to an electric pizza oven for your backyard – we’ve collected a whole range of super cool and helpful outdoor cooking appliances that will deliver great food to you without fail.
1. Yuanye
The Yuanye is a portable outdoor barbecue grilling pan that you can bring to your outdoor adventures this summer. Though it looks like a portable projector, it is a super useful outdoor kitchen appliance that has been amped with a gas tank, fire source, and oil storage module.
Why is it noteworthy?
When you open it up, you’ll see two partitions where you can grill your meats on one side and your vegetable on the other. The design of this portable grill is inspired by the usual suitcases we bring when we travel, from the foldable design to the handle and all the accessories. But instead of being storage for clothes and other stuff we need, it’s actually for the food we need when going on a picnic or camping out in the middle of nature.
What we like
- You can cook steak and barbecue all kinds of meats as well as different types of vegetables with the Yuanye, allowing you to prepare a balanced and well-rounded meal
- Fashionable + good-looking appliance
What we dislike
- It’s a concept
- Looks a bit heavy to be carrying around, better suited for your backyard or close distances
2. The Calicamp Storage Drawer
The Calicamp storage drawer with outdoor kitchen fits into trunk space under the bed of the VW California and Multivan (other vehicles can be equipped on special request) and pulls outs for functionality, serving as an extremely useful and undeniable add on to your camper.
Why is it noteworthy?
The pull-out kit adds deep storage space for your gear or wings out on one side to provide a cooking platform with an installable grill, stove, and more; turning the camper van with no or small kitchen into a van with a gourmet-style fold-out kitchen.
What we like
- It comes preloaded with a charcoal grill, stove, trash bin, and cutting board to present an expandable kitchen
What we dislike
- It is designed for the VW California and Multivan. Other vehicles can be equipped on special request
3. The Viuu Bottle Opener
Bottle openers are probably the only EDCs to have undergone the least amount of innovation – a handle and a head are what you usually get. But YUUE Design Studio decided to revamp the age-old bottle opener. This one looks almost like a decorative piece, but without compromising on any of the functionality. You can now get your drinks ready in a really unique + effective manner with the Viuu Bottle Opener.
Why is it noteworthy?
The design is inspired by window grill patterns, specifically those from classic Chinese architecture. There are three shapes featured: one hexagonal, one rectangular, and one with a semi-circular design. All of them have these patterns that may remind you of windows in old houses if you live in such a place influenced by this kind of architecture.
What we like
- Inspired by classic Chinese architecture
- Gives the traditional bottle opener an interesting makeover
What we dislike
- There are no handles to grip while opening the bottle, only the grill design
- Seems more decorative than functional
4. The FLEXTAIL EVO ICER Ice Maker
The FLEXTAIL EVO ICER ice maker is the ultimate ice maker with a built-in battery, and it also happens to be the world’s first. It tackles all the issues you face with the traditional portable ice makers, such that they do exist, but are burdened with slow speeds, and power cords.
Why is it noteworthy?
Right off the bat, you can immediately see that the EVO ICER is meant to be carried anywhere. Weighing only 20.9 lbs and smaller than most portable ice coolers, the ice maker can be easily lifted and positioned where you can easily make and grab as much ice as you need.
What we like
- The 200Wh battery inside means you don’t have to worry about power sockets, and the EVO ICER can run for as long as three hours on a full charge
What we dislike
- Doesn’t have an option to chill drinks inside if needed
5. Makit’s Portable Microwave
Makit’s portable microwave utilizes a cordless XTGT system to assist you in heating your meals and snacks when you’re on the go on your outdoor adventures. It features 40-volt rechargeable batteries, which can use up to 500 watts for eight minutes and then 350 watts after that to save energy.
Why is it noteworthy?
When the batteries are fully charged, it will be able to warm up 11 meals or 20 drinks. It also has a USB port so you can also juice up your smartphone or a gadget, but of course, you’ll probably have to choose between your meal or your device. The microwave also comes with a handle and a strap so you can carry it around with you.
What we like
- If you’re worried about safety, the design has safety measures in place for the user’s convenience
- It also deactivates when it’s tilted or when the door is opened
What we dislike
- If you’re warming up frozen meals, it might take up more energy so you’ll be able to reheat fewer meals
6. The Volt 12
The Volt 12 is a compact, kitchen-and-outdoor-friendly oven that reaches ripping temperatures of up to 850°F (450°C), allowing you to bake the perfect pizza in under 90 seconds, just like your favorite pizzeria.
Why is it noteworthy?
Unlike Ooni’s other pizza ovens, the Volt doesn’t need firewood or gas to heat up. This upgrade to electrical heating significantly reduces the pizza oven’s overall footprint, allowing it to be as compact as the Volt 12 is. About as wide and deep as your regular oven (but half as tall, given how pizzas are usually flat), the Volt 12 sits anywhere inside or outside your house.
What we like
- The Volt 12 comes with an incredibly sleek powder-coated outer surface and a triple-paned borosilicate glass door that retains heat within the oven
- Clean-energy pizza oven
What we dislike
- Only for cooking pizza – does not support cooking other food
7. The Lava Box
The Lava Box is a concept for a portable stove that looks minimalist, classy, and not at all like the usual that you see being carried around in campsites and beaches. In fact, you might think it’s a vinyl player or a projector, or a luxury box. They’re actually some of the design inspirations for this stove or rather the mood board used in coming up with the final look. What you get is a box with a cover and when you open it, that’s where the stove shows itself.
Why is it noteworthy?
It’s a single burner with a refillable butane gas container fitting right under it. There’s a wooden know on the right that lets you adjust the flame level for things like when you’re heating water, frying something, or grilling pieces of meat. There are also wooden handles on the side for when you need to move the stove when it’s in use or has recently been used and you don’t want to burn your fingers.
What we like
- Small enough to carry with you on your outdoor trip
- Inspired by a vinyl player
What we dislike
- It’s still a concept!
8. Choi’s Portable Electric Pot
Designed by Yunsoon Choi, this portable electric pot is conceptualized for cooking soups and stews while camping. It would make a great add on to your camping gear this summer!
Why is it noteworthy?
When cooking soup, campers can use the appliance’s main basin to combine all of their ingredients. Just around the basin’s front panel, a timer and temperature control interface allows users to adjust the cooking conditions of each stew and soup according to its recipe. An additional light attachment is also integrated into the build of Choi’s electric pot, allowing for late-night cooking to soothe those munchies.
What we like
- Through a telescopic layering system, the different modules of Choi’s electric pot can fit into one another and be carried by a raised, removable handlebar
What we dislike
- It’s a concept!
9. The +Base Modular Griller
The +Base modular griller, supports almost any kind of cooking you’d want, from frying (teppanyaki), smoking, stewing, grilling, or even keeping wine warm in the form of a unique and innovative griller!
Why is it noteworthy?
Made by a small family-owned Japanese factory that specializes in sheet metal fabrication, the All-in-One Grill is carefully designed to maximize the limited amount of space available, like small grooves on the grill’s frame that keep the skewers in place. The wooden base that protects tables from the grill’s hot bottom also acts as a lid when the griller has to be stowed away.
What we like
- Let’s you cook in seven different ways
- Simplifies outdoor cooking
What we dislike
- Hardcore grillers may not prefer this design
10. Roll
Roll is an attempt to preserve not only the flavors of food but also their presentation. It eschews the traditional square or rectangular shape of food containers in favor of something round. It’s a unique bowl food container that would be perfect for your picnics this summer!
Why is it noteworthy?
What makes Roll different from bowl food containers (which do exist, of course) is that it wholeheartedly embraces the culture of using the lid or dish cap as a plate. That’s why the cap itself was made to look presentable, using soft and clean tones like ivory, sky blue, and terracotta. The idea is that you set the freshly cooked food on the lid itself and then later just cover it with the glass bowl when it’s time to put it away.
What we like
- The next time you want to eat the food, you don’t have to rearrange the food again to make it presentable
- Roll takes the food container concept upside-down, literally, by making it usable, whether as a bowl with a round lid or a plate with a bowl cover
- Perfect for outdoor summer picnics
What we dislike
- Not the most shape-efficient design/shape