When camping organization meets innovation!
If you’ve ever packed for a camping trip, you know the chaos: running around the house trying to remember every utensil, pot, and pan you might need. The plastic bins fill up fast, you’re digging through drawers for spatulas and lighters, and somehow—every time—you still forget something important. By the time you’ve unpacked at camp, twenty minutes have vanished and you’re already missing a knife, towel, or soap.
That’s the reality of a DIY camp kitchen—well-intentioned but inefficient. Enter the UCO Cookit Camp Kitchen: a 47-piece, all-in-one outdoor kitchen that unfolds into a complete cooking station. Instead of packing totes and mismatched gear, the Cookit gives you everything—tools, tableware, prep space, and cleanup gear—in one organized system that’s always ready to go.
Why We Created the Cookit
The Cookit was born out of frustration and field testing. After countless weekend trips and gear hauls around the Pacific Northwest, our Seattle-based team realized that cooking outdoors didn’t have to be chaotic. We’d watched friends juggle cutting boards on their laps, lose utensils in the dirt, and spend more time unpacking than eating. We wanted a better way—a portable, thoughtfully designed kitchen system that brings comfort and confidence back to camp cooking. The Cookit is our answer: built for real people who love food, the outdoors, and the feeling of making a great meal under open skies.
1. Setup Time
DIY: Before you even start cooking, you’re sorting through bins, unstacking pots, untangling utensils, and realizing you left your lighter in the car. You spend 15–30 minutes getting “situated,” only to find your cutting board buried at the bottom of a tote. By the time your fire’s ready, everyone’s hungry and patience is wearing thin. The worst part? You’ll repeat this whole process again when you pack up to go home.
Cookit: With the Cookit, setup takes less than a minute. You open the lid, unfold your prep area, and everything you need—utensils, dishes, cookware, soap, even a scrubber—is exactly where it should be. You go from car to cooking in under 60 seconds. No rummaging. No forgotten gear. Just instant efficiency.
2. Packing and Portability
DIY: The night before a trip, you’re trying to remember if you packed everything: the pot, the spatula, the dish soap, the plates, the bowls, the knife, the scrubber… it’s a mental checklist that never ends. You fill up multiple plastic bins, hoping you didn’t miss anything, but there’s always something left behind—usually something crucial. Once you arrive, those bins take up half the trunk, and unloading them feels like a second job.
Cookit: Everything nests inside one organized case. The Cookit folds flat, slides easily into your trunk or gear shelf, and carries like a suitcase. No last-minute list-making. No mental load. Everything from your stainless-steel pot and skillet to plates, cups, and utensils is already packed. It’s grab-and-go simplicity for campers who want to spend their time outside, not in the garage.
3. Durability and Longevity
DIY: Plastic bins crack, lids warp, and cheap folding tables don’t last more than a few trips. Mixing gear from home might work once or twice, but eventually you’ll find yourself replacing broken pieces, lost utensils, and melted handles. Not only is it frustrating—it’s wasteful.
Cookit: Built from rugged materials, the Cookit is made to handle years of use. The stainless-steel cookware, reinforced utensils, and ECO Recover Recycled™ polypropylene tableware are durable, heat-resistant, and easy to clean. Every piece is designed to withstand real outdoor cooking—no flimsy parts, no cracks, no compromises.
4. Organization
DIY: The DIY method usually means one big bin full of chaos. You dump it out, scatter everything on the picnic table, and hope you can find what you need. You lose utensils in the dirt, double-pack items you already had, and forget where you put the soap. It’s frustrating, inefficient, and takes up unnecessary space.
Cookit: Every item in the Cookit has a designated home. Dividers keep small items separated, utensil loops hold your tools in place, and mesh bags organize bottles and cleaning gear. There’s even a tool rest for your spatula and spoon, keeping them off dirty surfaces. You’ll never ask “Where’s the knife?” again.
5. Cleanup
DIY: With a DIY setup, cleanup is a guessing game. You might use a plastic bin as a dish tub or walk to the nearest spigot balancing greasy plates and soapy water. By the time everything’s dry, you’ve spilled gray water and left your sponge somewhere near the fire pit.
Cookit: The Cookit includes an integrated wash basin, dish scrubber, and dedicated soap and sauce bottles. The four organizational tubs double as dishwashing stations, and every piece of tableware dries quickly and packs neatly afterward. Cleanup takes minutes—not half an hour.
6. Efficiency and Time Saved
DIY: Think about how much time you lose on each trip—packing bins, unpacking bins, repacking bins, and cleaning scattered gear when you get home. It’s hours of extra work that add up fast. A weekend trip can easily turn into a 10-hour packing marathon between setup and teardown.
Cookit: Everything about the Cookit is designed to save time. It’s a self-contained kitchen where every piece has a purpose. From prep to cleanup, the system keeps you efficient, organized, and focused on the good part—actually cooking and eating. Less time spent managing gear means more time enjoying the outdoors.
7. The Overall Experience
DIY: A DIY camp kitchen can feel like survival mode—messy, disorganized, and tiring. You’re constantly improvising, and half the time, you’re cleaning up when you’d rather be relaxing by the fire.
Cookit: The Cookit makes cooking outdoors feel effortless. You can prep breakfast, lunch, and dinner without stress, keep everything organized, and wrap up fast when you’re done. It transforms cooking from a hassle into a highlight of your trip—an experience you’ll actually look forward to.
What’s Included in the UCO Cookit Camp Kitchen
Every piece has a purpose. The Cookit comes with 47 coordinated components designed for real outdoor cooking:
- Corrugated Polypropylene Box
- Four Organization/Dish Tubs
- Four Dividers for Tub Organization
- 1.8 Quart Mixing Bowl
- Stainless Steel Chef's Knife
- Polypropylene Cutting Board (10.5" x 15")
- 10" Stainless Steel Skillet with Triple-ply Bottom
- 3 Quart Stainless Steel Pot
- Mesh Bag for Bottles and Scrubber
- Dish Soap Bottle (120 mL)
- Sauce Bottle (120 mL)
- Dish Scrubber Tool
- Case for Kitchen Tools
- 12" Reinforced Nylon Turner
- 12" Reinforced Nylon Serving Spoon
- Tool Rest for Kitchen Tools (11.8" x 4")
- 4 ECO Recover Recycled™ Polypropylene Plates – 9"
- 4 ECO Recover Recycled™ Polypropylene Bowls – 7"
- 4 ECO Recover Recycled™ Polypropylene Cups – 12 oz
- Zipper Pouch for Cutlery
- 4 ECO Recover Recycled™ Polypropylene Spoons
- 4 ECO Recover Recycled™ Polypropylene Forks
- 4 ECO Recover Recycled™ Polypropylene Knives
The Verdict: Smart Design Wins
The UCO Cookit Camp Kitchen isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a revolution in camp cooking. While a DIY setup costs time, energy, and sanity, the Cookit gives you a professional-grade kitchen in a single, packable system. You’ll spend less time hunting for gear, less time cleaning, and far more time doing what you came for: enjoying good food and good company outdoors. Shop the Gear UCO Cookit Camp Kitchen
