By Tony Barthel
If you like to cook, sometimes life in an RV can be a challenge. Having all the right pots and pans available means having to tote those pans around, and the space allotted in some RVs might not be sufficient for a whole kitchen-worth of stainless steel. However, I found a great solution that I have been thrilled with – a set of Magma nesting pans.Â
Someone on some RV forum on Facebook originally referred me to these and I was truly skeptical. I own a set of professional-grade stainless steel pans at home which cost well over $4,000, so to think that something under $200 would be even usable made me think they were kidding – or just not used to good cookware.Â
Still, when I bought my travel trailer I needed some solution, so I jumped on Amazon and ordered a set of the pans. I also added a strainer and the sauté/omelet pan (which is currently unavailable, but if you’re in the market for one of these, keep an eye on it for when it comes back in stock) to the order.Â
The advantage of these pans is that they all nest into one tight package with the included bungee cord holding everything together. The set included two removable handles that rest inside the pans as well.Â
My first surprise was the build quality of these. Sure, I’ve seen lots of claims by people, but these really are made so well. The handles have a high-quality feel to them and come on and off very easily with a nice mechanical click. Like my expensive pans at home, these have a triple-clad bottom where multiple metals are clad together to create a more even heat distribution.Â
The sizes of the pans make them ideal for the typical RV stove. You can put three pans on the stove at once since there are no handles. I’ve boiled pasta using the strainer, made pasta sauce and meatballs all at the same time. Then, when you’re done, all the pans just go back together and take up one drawer. Nice.Â
I like stainless steel without nonstick for most things. The trick to cooking in this is to get the pans nice and hot before you put anything in them. Then put in your meat, or whatever, and let it cook. When it’s done there is residue on the bottom of the pan but a little wine or beer in the pan makes a great starter for a sauce which also deglazes the pan and makes it a breeze to clean up.Â
Another nice thing about these pans is that they can go in the oven as well as on the stovetop. I’ve even used them on the outside grill. They’re very flexible.Â
In fact, if I didn’t have the expensive pans I have in my house I’d even consider using these in my kitchen at home. The quality is there and I like the fact that it would take up far less space in the kitchen than what I have now. However, the pans I have now are the same brand as what my mom bought in the 1960s when we first came to this country and which my dad cooked on to the end, so I’m not likely to need to replace my pans at home any time soon.Â
And the set of Magma pans have taken over 14,000 miles of being on the road and preparing meals of all sorts without showing any signs of wear or even use. They’ve cleaned up beautifully and retained their mirror finish on the outside.Â
I can recommend the Magma cookware, which was designed for boats and RVs, wholeheartedly.
If you missed the link above, you can get yourself a set of these pans here. You won’t regret it. (You can also order them directly from the Magma website here.)
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Years ago, I bought a set of expensive Cuisinart round nesting cookware. I find I just don’t use it. I was able to buy the three pot square nesting cookware an Austrailian company offered but seems to be unavailable now. I would LOVE to get the square fry pan that had been available but, it has just dissappeared.
We recently purchased a Magma cookware set and are very pleased with it. If you live in a small apartment or your kitchen cabinets aren’t as large as you’d like, this stainless steel cookware set is the best option.
We bought a set of them about 15 years ago and have used them extensively while RV’ing. They work great.
It looks like the omlette/fry pan, while out of stock on Amazon, is still available for purchase if you go directly to the Magma website.
We love our Magma cookset as well! I went looking for induction-compatible pots when we switched from propane to everything-electric in our travel trailer. The Magma induction version is very similar to the one in the article (and still works on non-induction stoves). Nesting cookware is a genius idea for living in a small space, not to mention the removable handle.
I have the set with nonstick interior. I use it on my induction plate when I have hookups, and on the gas stove otherwise. Been using for over three years,and couldn’t be happier with them. I have melted part of two handles when using gas. My bad for not centering the pots better on the ring.
I have the small set. Got lucky and got a new set with a damaged box for a third of the price. Very happy with them. Usually only me when I travel so this works perfectly for me
First thing I bought when we started fulltiming and still going strong. They do make an induction stovetop set which is what I have.
They are not for use on an induction cooktop, and I use 1 for most of my cooking in the camper, because it cooks in a much shorter time.
There are various models – some of which with non-stick surfaces and there are also models for induction cook tops.
I LOVE our Magma pans. We have had ours about 10 years and they are going strong. I did have to learn to move the handle well away from the heat though after I melted it through. But, the handle still works! The set saves so much room.