Hard Anodized Nesting Cup Set

[Brian Andrews]

Okay…..I need more outdoor cookware like I need a hole in the head But, at the price of this cool little set, I couldn't pass it up, even if only to try it out.

I have went through a lot of cooking gear, more for experimentation than anything else. I have pretty much come to the conclusion to keep it as simple as possible. No tea kettles, no ghillie or kelley kettles, no soap, no sponge, no scrapers, no pot handles and no stove unless I absolutely can not avoid it. What I have come to settle on is a couple simple pots.

Still, the gear part of me will see a different set of "simple pots" and really want to try them out. Usually being too similar to what I already like and have keep me from acquiring anything more. But, a few days ago, I was in of all places Wal-Mart, and found this cool little Coleman set of hard anodized aluminum.

These are thicker than any anodized aluminum cookware I have ever seen (outdoor anyway). So, that makes them heavier than you would expect, but also lighter than they would be in SS. More durable I am assuming too.

Another feature that I really like is that both the big cups are clearly graduated.

It comes with a stuff sack, and here it is next to a nalgene for reference.

Without the sack.

The small cup is the same size as your typical glacier cup, and still nests on the bottle.

If all you wanted was the small cup, you could probably add the skillet/lid to the top of your bottle without much extra weight and no real space required.

Here is the set with the famous $3 Ikea hobo stove and 12cm zebra for size reference again.

Anyway, I was pretty pumped about this little set, so I thought I would share.

B

 

[Mistwalker]

Nice little set man thanks for sharing. And, above all else, thanks for reminding me I need to go to Ikea while I'm in a city that has one!

 

[ac700wildcat]

I bought this set a few months ago on clearance for less than 1/4 of the original price. I haven't used it yet, but I really like the way it is set up.

 

[Codger_64]

I bought this set a few months ago on clearance for less than 1/4 of the original price. I haven't used it yet, but I really like the way it is set up.

I'll check them out. I wouldn't be interested at the MSRP, but for hallf or less, they may be my next get for my kit.

 

[NDWoods]

I have the same set and have had it a couple of years. 2 thumbs up. Very versatile.

 

[neeman]

I have the same set sold by Blacks in London
Cheap and cheerful and works just right
A gas canister fits nicely in the small pot so it can carry a gas stove with ease

And how is that hole in the head???

 

[TheGame]

I'm actually in need of some new outdoor cooking supplies, and this looks pretty good. Thanks for posting :thumbup:

 

[neeman]

Game

They are a well valued good solid set
Not too heavy

 

[Brian Andrews]

And how is that hole in the head???

Just wait....it gets better. The UPS man has something for me coming soon

B

 

[kgd]

That is a nifty set Brian and a great score. What I like about that are the pots are tall and deep instead of short and shallow like most of the Coleman/other cook camp kits that are generally designed for use with a camping stove. Its always hard to resist a pot of the right shape and dimensions that nests with your other stuff.

Now, if you can only find a hard anodized version of your water bottle, you'll save about 8 lbs (exaggerating of course)...

 

[Codger_64]

I made the trip to my local store today to pick up a set and they don't stock them, just the Ozark Trails camp cookware set. I have another store 35 or so miles South that I will check out next weekend.

 

[Cyblade]

Walmarts website can give you a heads up if they are at a certain store so you can save some gas.

 

[Codger_64]

Walmarts website can give you a heads up if they are at a certain store so you can save some gas.

Didn't think of that. Thanks. Oh, and I am an old Codger that doesn't use interwebz money transfers or I would have just bought it off the website when I first looked it up. That and I like to coon finger and chicken eye before I buy!

Otay. It says they have the set at my second close store.

 

[schmittie]

I have the same set and like it well. I have them split up between two kits.

I am having trouble finding a twig stove that would fit with the smaller set. That Ikea stove looked to be the perfect size.

 

[Codger_64]

Look at the Emberlit and Emberlit mini stoves.

 

[Codger_64]

Well, I went to my second store near me in Savannah (a few miles from the Shiloh Battlefield here in SW Tennessee). Full price, a half dozen units with dust on the boxes. I coon fingered and chicken-eyed one set from an open box, then paid for it. I really didn't want to spend $32 (with tax) for a four pot aluminum cook set, but gear lust overcame me. MSRP on the website is $29.88 and my local store charged just that and no less. Maybe prices will drop this fall.

First impressions:

The set comes in a mesh bag which seems sturdy enough for the purpose. The bag has a draw string closure with spring cord-lock. Upon opening the set, my first action was to scrape off the "Made In China" stickers from the bottom of each pot. I weighed the set and they came up with a combined weight of 15 ounces on my digital scales, awful heavy for aluminum I thought. But they have very thick walls and I doubt they would easily dent or crush. Max dimensions nested are 4-7/8" wide x 6" tall.

The two pots with swing up handles fit as lids on the other two and the handle has a very positive spring-to-lock action into the riveted handle brackets. The other two with swing together handles have a slight cam-action, but nothing to lock the open or closed otherwise. Both systems beat having to carry and use a seperate spondinicle which would no doubt scratch the annodized coating. And the non-seperating handles negated the chance of loss.

If weight is an issue, go with more expensive titanium. Or seperate the pots into matching pairs and carry only one set. Or a single pot and have three spares. I will likely carry just one pot inside my stainless billy can so that I can make coffee and breakfast at the same time. Adding my OWS skillet and nylon GSC spatula, and polycarbonate fork and spoon, I think I am pretty well set for solo camp cookware for some time to come.

I would have preferred to have found them at a better markdown price, but I have wasted more money on other wants and needs so it wasn't a deal breaker. We'll see how well the inside and outside coating holds up. There were no use and care instructions inside or outside the box. I am supposing that if I treat the finish like I do TFAL, it should last a good while.

 

[Guyon]

I coon fingered and chicken-eyed one set from an open box, then paid for it.

You are a man after my own heart.

 

[Codger_64]

Quality and size are hard to discern from web photos. For me at least. Sometimes surprises are nice and I don't mind purchasing off of eBay or some other website. Other than the unexpected weight, there was really no surprises found with this set. The size was about as I had expected. There were no stretch marks as sometimes found on cheap aluminum deep drawn cookware. Each piece does have a deep Coleman logo stamped on the outside bottom. That leaves only a faint ghost image inside, nothing to interfere with cleaning.

The capacities, 12, 16, 20 and 32 ounces make for good variety. I don't know how the smaller sizes (pans they call them) would do for frying or drinking, but my goal was really just a smaller cook pot than my stainless billy can. I carry a plastic GEC cup for drinking coffee. The old Sierra cups put me off of ever wanting a metal cup for drinking hot liquids. By the time those cups were cool enough to drink from, coffee was well on it's way to being lukewarm.

If weather cooperates and the hurricane doesn't send bands through here next weekend, I'll do an overnighter on the river and report back on my cook outfit and how it works with both the Max Micro stove and the wood fired Emberlit UL. I suspect I may have to carry a pair of steel tent stakes for this set of Max pots to work on that stove. I haven't bought the stove maker's small pot adapters. My billy fits both with no problem.

ETA: the smallest cup/pot will benefit from a single tent stake to help support and stabilize it on the Emberlit, but not needed for the larger pair or the OEW skillet. The complete nested four piece set does fit well inside my billy can for storage and transport if I put my Coleman Max micro stove and cannister elsewhere or leave them at home.

Both micro stove and gas cannister still fit inside with only the largest anodized pot dropped in first. Helpful that the larger pair will carry the canister even without the billy can outer. Likewise the larger pair will carry the cannister and stove when nested, albeit at risk of damage of the interior finish of the pots from stove and cannister. All four anodized pots work well on the micro stove without additional support.