My Grab-and-Go Camp Kitchen

I thought I was about done buying camp gear once I had the self-contained Sprinter van. Turn the key and go. Then I started thinking about the trips when I’m not taking the van.

I already have plenty of camping equipment. What I wanted was something simple for quick road trips in my truck with the rooftop tent, the Jeep, or the Mercedes GL. Those vehicles have inverters, but I wanted portable power I could move around. Something with a handle that could also make sense in a rental car.

That led to a few additions: a Jackery power station, a small BougeRV fridge, a Dezin hot pot, and a surprisingly useful plastic BBQ tray.

Portable power with the Jackery 1500

The Jackery 1500 was the starting point. I wanted a separate power source for refrigeration, cooking, phone charging, fans, and the other little things that make camp easier.

I bought mine on sale at Costco for $600 with a 100-watt solar panel included. I sold the panel for $200, which put my net cost for the Jackery at $400. Not bad. Those were my purchase and resale prices at the time, so don’t take that as a deal you can necessarily buy today.

Solar wasn’t a priority for the way I travel. I’m usually driving during the day rather than sitting in one spot with panels out. Wall charging and charging while driving fit my trips better. I also bought an alternator charging hookup and found that it worked pretty well.

The main appeal is having the power in one portable unit, separate from the vehicle’s built-in setup.

A BougeRV fridge without the ice

Next was the BougeRV 23-quart portable fridge. I paid $199 for it. Honestly, I didn’t have much of a size reference when I ordered it. It looked adequate in the pictures, and the size has worked out well for what I wanted.

For one or two people, I think it’s a useful size. My rough packing estimate is about three days of food and drinks for two people, or potentially a week for one person, depending on what you bring. Without ice taking up space, there’s more room for the food itself. No soggy food either.

I bought the fridge without a separate battery because I already had the Jackery. I didn’t see the point in adding another battery for my use. I’ve also plugged the fridge into a vehicle’s cigarette-lighter outlet while setting up camp.

With the fridge running by itself, I remember seeing roughly 10 percent of the Jackery’s charge used over 12 hours. That’s an observation from my setup, not a guaranteed runtime. Weather, temperature settings, and how often the lid gets opened can change the result. It was enough to make me happy with the combination.

The Dezin hot pot earns its space

I saw someone using a small electric pot in a car-camping video and thought it would be perfect for the lazy days when I don’t want to set up a grill or get charcoal going.

The Dezin 1.5-liter hot pot and steamer has become one of my favorite additions. I’ve reheated pizza, made omelets and bacon, and steamed vegetables in it. That’s a pretty useful range of meals out of one little pot.

It’s also been easy to wipe clean. For the kind of quick meals I had in mind, it does what I wanted without much setup.

The simple addition I keep using

The honorable mention is a plastic BBQ food tray. I bought four: two for the Sprinter and two for cooking at home.

They’re intended for moving food to and from an outdoor cooking station. I’ve been using one as a dinner plate at camp. It’s easy to hold in my lap in a camp chair, works on a table, and feels more manageable than a round plate. Cleanup is simple, too.

Nothing complicated about this one. It’s just useful.

A simple setup for the other trips

The Sprinter already has its own setup. These additions give me a convenient way to keep food cold, make a meal, and have portable power when I’m taking something else.

That was the whole idea: a few pieces of gear that make the quick trips easier.