Unless it’s a cast-iron skillet, most of your kitchen items should stay tucked away in the cupboards when you go outside. Oxo, a company whose products appear in multiple national home goods stores, isn’t ignorant of this. That’s why it partnered with iconic outfitter REI and its Co-op for an exclusive line of campsite-specific cooking accessories to make your next evening under the stars even more delicious.
Released Tuesday, May 18, the Oxo Outdoor seven-item capsule includes much of what the outdoor epicurean might need. A stainless steel turner and tongs set is there for grilling, and there are squeeze bottles for secret sauces brought from home so that you can kick things up a notch. A silicone utensil set, a can and bottle opener, and a cutting board are also there. OXO even includes a pots and pans scraper and a cast-iron brush for those on cleanup duty. All items are less than $20, ensuring that for the first time there’s no good reason why you can’t enjoy elevated eating in the outdoors.
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Is this the lightest stuff out there? Certainly not. We certainly wouldn’t want to be the chef whose duties demand he hump a rucksack’s worth of cast iron, grills, propane, and OXO utensils into the field. But for those in the RV, camper, and even car camping life (all of whom aren’t traveling far between vehicle, fire, and plate), it makes sense to get some dedicated and durable equipment for eating out.
“Our research showed that outdoor focused consumers were not provided access to high quality, functional cooking tools designed for the outdoors, and as a result many used worn or retired tools from their homes,” Larry Witt, president of Helen of Troy Housewares, the parent company of Oxo, said in a release. “Oxo is creating better gear for better outdoor cooking and cleaning experiences, uniquely framed for campers and their needs.”
“As more people turn to the outdoors to reconnect and unwind with friends and family, we recognize the importance of offering products to help them elevate their experience,” echoed Melissa Paul, REI senior merchandising category manager. “It makes a lot of sense for us to partner with brands like Oxo, already known for designing great kitchen tools, to help us bring the best of the indoors, outside.”
Of course, anyone who’s run an outdoor mess will notice some gaping holes in what you still might need. But kick your shoes off and relax; this drop is only the first of several, and concurrent with its items’ release, the company announced the upcoming additions of a French press, griddle turner, and chef’s knife, date TBD. These, with some likely as-yet-unannounced releases, will tide you over until you return to civilization.