Budget friendly Chuck Box contents:
Coleman Cascade Classic Camp Stove: Despite our initial thought of this stove being on the inexpensive / less durable end of the spectrum, it pleasantly surprised us and held up well thus far in the elements (it worked just fine on both windy days and days with light rain). The only downfall is that the propane hookup protrudes directly out of the side of the stove; therefore, without any DIY modifications, it merely hangs off the side of the stove / Chuck Box which I imagine could cause damage over time or even snap off if not properly supported. Beyond the gas hookup, we are happy with this product and plan to continue using it.
Coleman Cascade Classic Camp Stove
Bugaboo Base Camper Ceramic Cookset – Large: This set was as advertised and we were neither impressed nor disappointed with it. The one feature we did like was the BPA free non-stick surfaces. I feel as though often times “non-stick” pans still have certain items that stick or create a mess but we were impressed with their ability to cook items (especially eggs which is our most commonly cooked item when camping) without having to oil/grease the pan first. Overall, we’d recommend this cookset.
Bugaboo Base Camper Ceramic Cookset - Large
Stansport Deluxe 24-Piece Enamel Tableware Set: There is a reason why you see these in nearly every camping or outdoor store and it is simply because they are fairly inexpensive and get the job done. They aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing but they certainly get the job done, are durable, easy to clean, and most importantly, they all stack nicely to conserve space. Lastly, our initial thought was that the silverware was thin, thus, potentially breakable / bendable but we had no issues with their durability.
Stansport Deluxe 24-piece Enamel Tableware Set
Lodge Cast Iron 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet: Simply put, we love cooking on cast iron and we love this pan. I did make the mistake of not adding enough oil the first time I used it (i.e., it hadn’t been seasoned thoroughly enough yet) and ended up burning some food scraps on the pan pretty badly. As you may or may not know, you are not supposed to clean cast iron with soap and water which can create a bit of a conundrum when food gets burnt on your pan. Don’ worry, we found a great solution! If you pour a healthy amount of oil into the pan (any kind of eatable oil will do), add some coarse salt (it won’t dissolve in the oil and act as a nice scrubbing mechanism), and put over low heat, you can scrub the pan with the salt/oil mixture via a tong with paper towel applied to the end which allows you to scrub away the burnt food. Once complete, thoroughly wipe away the excess salt, oil, and burnt food scraps and voila! Your pan will look as good as new!
Lodge Cast Iron 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Wesqunie Camping Cookware Utensil Set: As the saying goes, sometimes you get what you pay for. We weren’t totally disappointed, everything served its purposes but there were a few notable traits we weren’t totally fond of, including: (i) the spatula is thinner than I’d like so flipping pancakes and eggs can be a bit clumsy as opposed to having a thin spatula that can easily slide under food and (ii) the can opener and whisk were a little flimsy and we bent them slightly without excessive force (albeit they are still functioning just fine, just a little bent). Overall, we’d give these items a “meh” rating if you know what I mean.
Wesqunie Camping Cookware Utensil Set
Stanley Adventure All-in-one Boil + Brew French Press | 32 oz: We loved this product. We are coffee feens and this made it fun to make coffee over our Coleman grill or even the open flame at times. We’d give this a thumbs up review and recommend it to others.