People have different preferences when it comes to cooking while camping. Some campers love using a campfire, others are fans of propane and butane stoves, and others like the eco-friendly solar cooking option.
However, if you use a portable generator or have electric hookups on your campsite, a new range of electric devices arises as potential alternatives. With this in mind, it is fair to ask: can you take an electric skillet camping?
Yes, you can. They are portable and excellent options for campers but you need to pay attention to some details, such as power consumption. Let’s go through a detailed review of how to use them and the best options in the market.
Best electric skillet for camping - Our top recommendations
To help you choosing your electric skillet, we have picked 5 options to suit your needs.
- Budget Friendly Option – BELLA Electric Ceramic Titanium Skillet
BELLA Electric Ceramic Titanium Skillet comes with a great value for money relationship and weighs only 4.74 pounds. It requires 1200W of power input at 127V, making it compatible with most electrical hookups.
Measuring 16.73 x 12.2 x 7.87 inches, it will be easy to cook for a small to medium group of campers. Its non-stick surface facilitates cleaning and maintenance.
- Lower power consumption option – Elite Gourmet EFS-400
Elite Gourmet EFS-400 weighs only 1 pound and is ideal for backpackers and solo campers. It only uses 600Wh to operate, and you can easily prepare an individual meal while camping.
Its small cooking surface (7” x 7”) is squared-shaped and has sufficient room to prepare eggs, bacon, a small steak, or heat your food.
- Best Overall –Presto 6-inch Electric Foldaway Skillet
Presto 6-inch Electric Foldaway Skillet will suit well medium to a large groups of campers. The pan dimensions are approximately 15. 75″ x 11. 87″ x 2. 87″, which is sufficient to cook a meal for many people.
Presto is known for its heavy-duty features, with tempered glass and stay-cool handles to allow maximum safety when handling the device.
It comes with a heavy cast aluminum base and a non-stick cooking surface that facilitates cleaning and maintenance.
- Multi-functional option –Techwoood electric skillet 1500W
Techwoood electric skillet 1500W is a multi-functional skillet (with a grill and griddle, ideal for those who want some versatility when cooking.
The grill will allow you to cook a juicy and delicious stake without any smoke, while the griddle will be ideal for preparing your preferred breakfast.
- Best Option For baking – HeHoGoGo 3 in 1 Electric Skillet (Baking)
HeHoGoGo 3 in 1 Electric Skillet (Baking) already comes with 04 different detachable plates for baking and grilling.
You can bake your cookies, muffins, and small cakes with the special trays or use the grill to prepare your fish or steak!
What are the advantages of an electric skillet for camping?
There are many advantages of using an electric skillet for camping, such as:
- Portability and easy to use
- Safety
- Even heating
- It serves many purposes, and you can cook a wide variety of meals
- Easy maintenance and cleaning
- Smokeless cooking
- Come with a thermostat for temperature control
- You can use it inside your tent with no Carbon monoxide poisoning risks.
- The skillet itself will not cause tent condensation (however, depending on the food you are cooking, it might expel some moisture).
Can you cook anything in an electric skillet while camping?
You can cook almost anything you want on an electric skillet. They are effortless to use and carry around, making them perfect for campers.
In essence, you can consider that they are similar to a frying pan, and, therefore, everything you can do on a frying pan, you can cook on a skillet. Some great options for campers are:
- Omelettes
- Bacon and Eggs
- Pan pizza
- Chicken
- Spanish tortilla
- And many other options.
One of the most significant advantages of a skillet is that it holds consistent heat across the cooking surface, ensuring optimal heat transfer to your meal preparation.
Can you cook pasta in electric skillet?
Yes, you can!
There are several ways to do it, but our preferred method is to put everything together (pasta, seasonings, sauce, and water) in a skillet at 180-celsius degrees and leave it cooking until the pasta achieves your preferred softness.
Constantly check the pasta to ensure the water levels are sufficient – watch the video below for some guidance.
What is an electric skillet good for?
Electric skillets will help you a lot during camping trips. They are suitable for:
- Frying food
- Sauteing, for those who don’t like using any fat for cooking
- Meals that need temperature control – most of them come with thermostats that allow temperature regulation
- Slow cooking given temperature control mechanisms
- Roasting
- Steaming and baking
Does an electric skillet use a lot of energy?
With plenty of options available in the market, it is natural to think that you can find a wide range of wattage consumption.
Overall, the average power input for these devices is in the vicinity of 1000W, with some units using as low as 600W, such as Elite Gourmet EFS-400, and other devices using up to 2000W, such as Hot Pot with Grill, 2000W 2 in 1.
The more wattage, the faster and hotter your electric skillet will be. However, if you are camping off-grid and using a portable generator, the smaller versions might be worth considering.
Can Jackery Generator power an skillet?
Jackery is a famous solar-power generator with different capacities, ranging from 500W to 1500W.
Depending on your generator’s size and the power consumption of your electric skillet, Jackery can efficiently run an electric skillet for a couple of hours and help you cook.
For example, Jackery Solar Generator 1500W would be able to run Elite Gourmet EFS-400 for approximately 3 hours, which is more than enough to cook your meals.
If you plan to use it, you should pay attention to your cooking device’s voltage and amperage requirements.
Another very powerful option for portable solar generators is Bluetti Solar Generator , which comes with devices with up to 4000Wh.
Can you use an electric skillet like an oven?
Yes, you can. However, it will suit better smaller cooking portions, such as cookies, biscuits, baked potatoes, baked fish and chicken, etc.
If you are baking, make sure that you keep the skillet’s lid on top of your food to ensure a “stuffy” cooking area (as you might have in an oven).
Can you use an electric skillet in my tent?
Yes, it is safe to use inside your tent. Electric skillets do not release CO or deplete oxygen levels, making them very safe for indoor use.
However, we still recommend cooking with air circulation and avoiding placing it next to your tent walls and flammable gear (there are overheating risks).
FAQ
Can an electric skillet be used as a warmer?
No, we do not recommend doing it. It is an inefficient and inappropriate manner to heat your tent. Instead, we recommend using the following options:
- Propane Heaters (gas heater)
- Butane Heaters (gas heater)
- Kerosene Heaters (liquid heater)
- Electric Heaters
- DIY Tent Heater (Candle Heater)
- Catalytic Heater
If you want a detailed guide on the advantages and disadvantages of each heating method, read this article.
Does an eletric skillet consume more energy than a stove?
Overall, electric skillets will consume less energy than a electric stove, which will require much more energy to bake stuff.
How do you clean an electric skillet?
You should clean the device straight after use. It is straightforward – if you are camping, we recommend pouring some water on the cooking surface and some dish soap to facilitate the removal of any dirt.
With a sponge, gently rinse and remove the dish soap until you note the pot surface has no debris of fat remainders. DO NOT use a scrub sponge since it will damage the non-stick coating.
Hot water will help you clean the device – ensure that the equipment is turned off and there is no power input when you maintain it.
What can I use to cook instead of an electric skillet when camping?
There are many options, such as:
Conclusion
As you can see, an electric skillet might be a great option for cooking while camping. It comes with several advantages for campers, such as:
- Portability and easy to use
- Even heating
- It serves many purposes
- Easy maintenance and cleaning
- Smokeless cooking
- Come with a thermostat
- Can be used inside your tent without causing condensation or safety concerns.
The major drawback is having an electricity hookup close to you. If you are off-grid camping, it might be worth considering bringing a solar-power generator, such as Jackery Solar Generator 1500W or Bluetti Solar Generator 2000W.
