Humans have been cooking over open campfires for , but that doesn鈥檛 mean the process couldn鈥檛 use some refinement. Outdoor manufacturers have unleashed a new wave of cooking technology that does more than just boil water. From stoves that can charge your smartphone to devices designed to maintain a steady flame, these seven gadgets will help you pack light鈥攁nd feast well. Our ancestors would be impressed.聽
BioLite KettlePot ($50)聽
One of the smartest cooking accessories on the market, the . Using twigs and brush, you can create an 鈥渆ternal鈥 charger for your phone or camera. The heat from the pot generates power with a thermoelectric generator, which in turn causes a fan to blow, generating even more heat. You connect your phone with a USB port. The new KettlePot holds about six cups of water and weighs just one pound.聽
PowerPot V ($150)聽
This weighs about 12 ounces, making it light enough for long treks. As you cook, the metal pot transfers heat using a thermoelectric generator to charge your phone in less than 90 minutes. The pot holds about 6 cups of liquid and has a standard USB port for charging. Serious hikers, take note.
BBQ Dragon ($50)
This handy addition to a cooking arsenal will save pyrophiles a lot of time and effort. The clamps to the side of a firepit and blows a steady stream of air, which is helpful when it comes to starting and maintaining a cooking fire. The device runs for about three hours on medium speed using four AA batteries. (There鈥檚 also an optional rechargeable battery pack.)
MSR Reactor 1.0L Stove System ($170)聽
Also available in 1.7-liter and 2.5-liter sizes, the uses standard camping fuel canisters and holds about four cups of water鈥攅nough for two people. You connect the base to the fuel canister, and then set the pot on top. This metal-to-metal approach creates a better heat transfer when you鈥檙e cooking in a place with high winds, and the whole kit fits nicely inside the pot.
GSI Outdoors Halulite Boiler ($35)聽
The uses a proprietary hard-anodized alloy material that鈥檚 scratch-resistant and at just 11 ounces, this device is unusually light for a full eight-cup cooking pot with a fold-up handle. The spiral-turned bottom is designed to stay put on the fire grill, and the lid doubles as a strainer.
Barocook BC-007 1200ml ($45)聽
The is a unique cooking system made for windy conditions and high altitude. The plastic cooking pot, which comes in several sizes, uses a heat pack that reacts to water to create an exothermic reaction with the stainless steel base. It looks a bit like high-tech Tupperwear that can heat water to more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Close the lid, and cook your meal in less than 20 minutes. While there鈥檚 still no word when this Korean import will be available in the U.S., it鈥檚 something to keep an eye on. 聽
USB Rechargeable Lighter ($20)聽
No, this isn鈥檛 exactly cooking technology, but it still deserves a place on this list鈥攁nd in your backpack. The charges electronically through a port on your computer or BioLite stove. Once charged, you can use the lighter to light about 100 campfires, without ever having to rely on gas or butane again.
