ProView – GSI Outdoors Bugaboo Ceramic Base Camper Review

As an avid car camper, I figured the GSI Bugaboo Ceramic cooking set would be a great addition to my cooking set up. I was able to put these to the test by replacing all of my pots and pans with the Bugaboo medium set for a month of truck camping/living in the springtime of Colorado. 

With winter coming to a close, I slowly moved out of my concrete foundation and into my summer home on wheels; my pick up truck and truck camper, set up with all of the fun activities for springtime in Colorado. Between skiing spring corn in the Elk Range and petaling freshly dried dirt in Fruita, I try to feed myself, and friends along the way, happy and healthy food. This week’s menu included locally roasted coffee, fresh bagged salads, rice and stir fry, and pesto ravioli with peppers and chicken sausage. 

Sizing

I chose the medium size Bugaboo cookset which ended up being the right size for my needs. Besides the fact that I see myself as a medium sized dude, I figured I spend most of my time cooking for 1-3 people, usually 1-2. While the 3L pot is the largest pot I’ve ever had in my camp kitchen, I felt like it was a nice addition to have. It was especially nice to use as a large bowl rather than a pot.

Lunch time salads were often whipped up in the large pot (so long as you did not use metal cuttlery which could chip the ceramic nonstick) and easy to eat out of when the handle was removed. One benefit I could see from getting the size large, is that the 5L pot appears to have two side handles that are not removable. I think this comes down to personal choice. 

Removable Handle

The removable handle seems to be quite the staple in packable camp cookware. My opinion is ever fluctuating on this feature and here are a few reasons why. First off, I tend to lose small items in my messy kitchen box, and this handle was a frequent no show to cook nights. I often discovered the handle later in the morning buried at the bottom underneath spare propane bottles. Maybe this is just a personal issue but there has to be plenty of people less organized than myself out there who would struggle with this even more.

The handles ability to be removed easily allows for very efficient compactness when packing away for storage. I also enjoyed using the pots as just bowls, and not having the handle in the way as I held my dinner bowl. These benefits don’t make up for the fact that I do still feel this feeling like a fragile item that always felt like it was on the verge of breaking or falling off. Overall, I would like this feature much more if they could make a slightly larger, more sturdy handle that felt more like you were cooking at home. 

Packability

Packability is my favorite part of the Bugaboo cookware. The ability to have two pots with lids and strainers, a frying pan and even a cutting board, in the space that used to occupy just one pot, is really what made me desire this cooking setup.

Packing is quite self explanatory, like packing babushka dolls, small goes inside big. The addition of the cutting board, which doubled as a convenient serving plate, is helping to prevent the rubbing of metal on metal. The removable handle did not have a secure place to rest and was oftentimes frustrating. The metal handle will easily scratch the pots non-stick lining when placed inside, yet easily lost when not secured to the pots. 

Pro Tips

• The frying pan, turned upside down, doubles as a great hot plate
• Don’t leave the handle on the frying pan while cooking. The handle weighs more than the pan and can tip over easily. 
• Ceramic coating makes clean up a breeze with just boiled water and paper towels. 

The Final Word

Overall, I really enjoyed this camp cookset. I love the packability and size paired with the durable non-stick ceramic lining. I’m grateful the Bugaboo will be replacing the pots and pans I used to lug around, yet I don’t see it being able to replace my love of my camp sized cast iron skillet. I’m sure one of the other GSI Outdoors cookwares could eventually take its place, but not this one. GSI’s build quality is top-notch and I believe that these pots will see many adventures to come.

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