While some people like to show off how they can survive on just wieners and beans when they're camping, others go to the opposite extreme, and set up miniature kitchens that they use to cook full meals from scratch. People in that second group, however, generally have to cart around several cases of gear, that they have to assemble and tear down for every meal. What they need is a self-contained portable camping kitchen, where all their gear can be both stored and used ... and that just happens to be what Kanz Outdoors' Field Kitchen is.
The Field Kitchen is made from marine-grade aluminum and Baltic birch plywood, and when closed up, can be carried by two rubber-coated handles. When in use, its top lid hinges up to provide some wind protection for the stove, and can then be detached to act as a serving tray. A wooden front panel, meanwhile, folds down to serve as a food preparation surface. The entire unit can be placed on a picnic table, or it can stand on its own, using an optional set of long legs.
The basic US$595 version weighs 25 pounds (12 kg) and includes a silverware drawer, various compartments for plates and cooking utensils, and a top compartment designed to fit most popular two-burner camp stoves. For a hundred bucks more, Kanz will throw in a Coleman Powerhouse 414 2-burner dual-fuel stove. For $795, you will instead get a more powerful Partner Steel 2-burner stove.
With either of the stove-included versions, an extra $604 (bringing the total prices to $1,299 and $1,399) will get you an accessories package including a complete cookware set, side shelves, the long legs, and a second drawer kit. Other accessories that aren't part of the deal include a waterproof cover, a slide-out cutting board, an ice box, and a propane cylinder mount.
All versions of the Field Kitchen, and the accessories, can be ordered from the Kanz Outdoors website.
