It is time to ditch those plastic dollar store utensils you picked up when you moved out of your parent’s house for the first time. Real metal cooking utensils are essential in a survival kitchen. They never melt, and you can rest easier knowing that your high-quality utensils aren’t going to fall off the handle the first time you really need them. Skip the cheap nonsense, and let’s get serious about survival cooking.
Your utensils might need to go into a campfire someday, and they should be able to take the heat. Like any excellent metal tools, utensils should last through an apocalypse and beyond. I’ll explain everything you need to know about metal utensils for cooking, so you don’t end up holding half a spatula as your breakfast burns when SHTF. No one needs that stress, and it’s a waste of your money if you buy tools that aren’t useful.
What Metals Are Safest for Utensils
You will occasionally see fancy and unique cooking utensils made from all sorts of things, like copper or even titanium. Typically, however, metal cooking utensils are made from aluminum or stainless steel. There’s an excellent reason for that. Both aluminum and stainless steel are relatively safe metals. However, they are sadly not created equal.
Aluminum utensils are known for their lighter weight, which can be a significant advantage if you’re packing for a survival trip. However, you’re trading durability for mass. Just because something fits nicely in an ultralight load doesn’t mean it’s the best quality. Aluminum is easier to scratch and dent.
In addition to it’s less durable makeup, aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and a host of other potentially nasty health problems. Although you won’t absorb much from a single-use, over time, using aluminum, significantly when it’s scratched up, can leach this toxic metal into your body. Unfortunately, that means this lightweight metal is suboptimal for cooking.
Instead of opting for an easy to bend and potentially toxic metal, I recommend stainless steel. What you gain in weight, you also gain in reliability and safety. A good set of stainless steel utensils will last a lifetime if you treat them right. Especially when packing gear for survival, it’s vital to have products that can stand up to time.
How to Choose High-Quality Metal Utensils
Knowing which metal to pick for your utensils isn’t enough. You also need to know how to find high-quality utensils. After all, the best metal in the world is still junk if it’s badly made and poorly put together.
There are four significant aspects of metal utensils that you need to consider when choosing your set for home, your bug out location, or even on the go. Safety is always first, so I’m not including it on this list. The other four things to look at are all simple and practical concerns.
- Quality- You need to read the reviews, or at least choose a brand with a proven track record. The actual manufacturing quality of your tools makes a huge difference in your survival odds.
- Shelf Life- Although it is tied directly to the quality, you need a more than the average durable set of metal utensils. Since you may be using these in extreme circumstances, or for a very long time, make sure your utensils will last even after they take a beating.
- Length- Are you stocking a whole cabin bug out location in the mountains, or do you plan to put these utensils in your car? The length of your utensils is about more than just how you use them for cooking. They need to fit in the space you have without waste.
- Weight- While it’s almost always true that a heavier, wider, thicker metal will outlast a thin option, you still need to look at the weight of your utensils. When you plan to pack them anywhere other than a bug in or fully stocked bug out location, then the mass matters. Alternatively, if you are using these in a permanent place, choosing a more extended or more weighty option probably means your grill and kitchen tools can double as weapons in a pinch.
Although I didn’t fit on the list, I always recommend stainless steel because of the chromium content. Unlike most metals, which rust, when exposed to air, chromium forms a protective barrier. This barrier helps prevent rust, even if you manage to scratch the surface because stainless steel is just steel mixed with chromium and a small amount of nickel.
Top Five Best Metal Utensil Sets for Cooking
When you’re cooking, the last things you want to worry about are broken utensils and accidentally poisoning yourself with materials that leech. Stainless steel is incredibly safe to use, withstands heat well, and is rust-resistant. Not only can you toss most stainless steel utensils in a dishwasher, but they can handle an excellent rough scrubbing as well. The five sets below have all the equipment you need. Whether you’re going for basic survival or gourmet dining, these tools can take the heat.
1. Maphyton Stainless Steel Utensils
The Maphyton Stainless Steel Utensils cooking set is an outstanding example of what your survival kitchen needs. With eleven pieces, you can do everything from flip pancakes to whisk eggs. Thus, you can readily cook whatever you need or have when SHTF.
Crafted with eco-friendly materials, these high-quality stainless steel & silicone utensils are durable and meant to last years or even decades. You can hand wash, but all these utensils are also dishwasher safe. Plus, they are all incredibly easy to use and maintain.
The arc handle design is easy on your hands, so you don’t need to worry about fatiguing as quickly if your food preparation is intense. The only downside, if you can call it that, is that Maphyton Stainless Steel Utensils are so well made that imposters have made knockoff versions of them. Get real Maphton utensils from the original by clicking here.
2. Lu Cucina Premium Cooking & Serving Set
For a classic look and feel, the Lu Cucina Premium Cooking & Serving Set is easy to store and pack. The flat handles design has a small slot at the top of each utensil so you can easily hang your utensils. This feature is especially useful if you need to zip-tie them together for easy storage in a survival cache.
You’ll be surprised at how much these look and feel like old-school cooking utensils. The mirror finish means you can display them in a nice kitchen as well. Plus, the weight and heft are both traditional and useful. You won’t have to worry about bending aluminum parts with Lu Cucina.
Wilmington Steelwares, the makers of Lu Cucina, is dedicated to offering only high-quality kitchen wares, and it shows. Plus, it’s hard to find a good stainless steel potato masher, but this set comes with one as a standard part. Have Lu Cucina delivered to your door by ordering here.
3. Chef Essential Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensil Set
The Chef Essential Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensil Set lives up to its name and more. When you want an all-inclusive collection with everything, including measuring cups and spoons, this is the go-to for any kitchen. Plus, this makes a great gift set for the holidays.
With twenty-three pieces, you can do virtually any kitchen task from grating and peeling to flipping, mashing, measuring, and serving without needing other tools. There is even a can opener, soup ladle, and ice cream scoop in this collection. Best of all, these come with a lifetime warranty.
Chef Essential is a well known and trusted name because they understand what you need in the kitchen. You will even find this brand in professional restaurant kitchens. Choose the Chef Essential set by clicking here.
4. Asani Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensil Set
If you want an even more extensive complete kit, the Asani Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensil Set is a fantastic choice. You’ll get everything you’d expect, plus a wine bottle opener and a pizza cutter. Plus, the easy to grip handles on this set makes it simple to do any kitchen task.
The high-quality 430 stainless steel offers superior rust-resistance and durability you can count on. Moreover, Asani is so sure you can cook with their products forever that they back it up with the warranty. That’s right; these tools are guaranteed for life.
With hanging holes for easy storage, it’s hard to imagine what else you could want from utensils. However, Asani also made these nonstick and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. Read the Amazon ratings for yourself right here.
5. Home Hero Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensils
Like the Asani set, a Home Hero Stainless Steel Kitchen Utensils Set comes with twenty five incredibly durable utensils to make any meal you can imagine. There’s nothing wrong with having a gourmet kitchen even when the world is falling apart. Plus, they look great in any setting.
Whether you need to cook over a stove or an open campfire, you can count on these excellent, dishwasher safe utensils. The 430 stainless steel is top of the line, and these will outlast any emergency and keep on cooking. Best of all, the additional non-scratch silicone spatula is rated down to negative twenty-two degrees and up to three hundred and ninety-two.
Home Hero has fantastic customer service. They always respond to queries within twenty-four hours if you have questions or concerns. You’ll appreciate how far this company will go to make sure you have what you need. Learn more about Home Hero on Amazon when you click here.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right stainless steel metal utensils for cooking is always essential. However, when you are looking at cooking for survival, every advantage can make or break your chances. A serious set of utensils should be as reliable as your best knife and a great dog. When the world falls apart around you, you can’t afford to have your equipment follow suit.
Skip right past anything aluminum or copper. Although both metals transfer heat well, you don’t want to scratch up your tools or deal with rust and other problems. It would be best if you had heavy-duty cookware in all your gear caches.
Stainless steel is safe to cook with, and it rarely, if ever, rusts. So long as you treat your stainless steel utensils with respect, they will last you decades.