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The Disco Series from iKamper is an innovative cooking system with a disc shaped enamel cooking surface that can be tripod mounted and used with an isobutane burner, or suspended from a chain to cook over burning wood. This is my review:

It’s not often I get excited about new cooking systems, but the Disco series put a huge spin on my normal camp menu. It combines a sturdy tripod with a rugged, enamel coated cast iron disc cooking surface with a slight concave. It is compatible with isobutane and a burner, or a campfire if liquid fuel isn’t available or desired. The Disco Series includes the tripod, the cooking disc, a top mounted burner, a chain pulley system for campfire cooking, and attachable cutting board and table. It can all be ordered separately or as a package for $490.

What I liked

As mentioned above, the Disco opened the door for unique and exciting cooking options for me. The disc being the main point of distinction provides options that just aren’t available on many other outdoor focused cooking sets. The slight concave allows for oils and liquids to be used to simmer or even fry foods, so crispy fish tacos, stir fries, and veggie mixes are all on the metaphorical and literal table. It’s also possible to cook more traditional items like chicken breast, steak, burgers, hotdogs, eggs, tacos, Philly steak, tacos, or whatever the imagination comes up with. Even dishes like pancakes are an option, with some careful planning. The system is clearly more focused on dishes that require or have some moisture involved, but still functions like a griddle at the same time. The possibilities here are just about endless.

The actual act of cooking on the Disco is fairly consistent, once you learn the ins and outs of the layout. The center is a hotspot, as the relatively wide burner sits directly underneath and this is the thickest part of the disc. However, the solid cast iron construction allows the heat to dissipate throughout the rest of the cooking surface quite well. So, searing and flash cooking can happen in the center while warming and slow cooking can be done on the edges. This provides excellent utility, but can create some challenges as well given the concave nature of the surface. The burner itself can be adjusted to extremely low temperatures, at least in low wind scenarios, which allows the center to cook low and slow. It can also be cranked up for high temperature searing and boiling as well, but requires a few minutes of preheat time. Once the basics of how it handles heat and heat transfer are learned, it is a lot of fun to cook on.

The ceramic non-stick coating works well. If you’ve ever cooked on cast iron, you know how easily certain foods can stick to it, even if it has years of seasoning. That’s not much of an issue here. The ceramic coating is smooth, doesn’t require seasoning, and greatly helps to keep things from sticking. A little oil and water goes a long way here too, but it is possible to directly apply fattier meats and such to the surface without much fuss (think steak, chicken and shrimp). Trickier items like starch treated meats stick a bit, but with proper oiling this is easy enough to mitigate. I’ve even managed to cook pancakes on the disc without sticking, which is always the ultimate test. The coating also allows the pot to be hand washed without worry that the metal will rust, which is a huge benefit. Just use a non-abrasive / non-scrubbing one. I do only recommend using the Disco if there is flowing water nearby, however, as it is hard to clean without it.

I love the flexibility and cooking variations that the system provides. It is possible to cook with fuel on the tripod, with the burner placed directly on the ground using the burner as a stand, or by hanging the disc over a fire pit or stash of hot coals. It’s rather ingenious the way it works. When cooking on the burner there is a convenient temperature control knob that goes surprisingly low for gentle simmers. Alternatively, heat can be adjusted when cooking over a fire pit by raising and lowering the chain that the disc hangs from. In this configuration, the disc is connected by a pulley and locks in positing and can be, carefully, raised and lowered while cooking. The tripod legs can also be raised and lowered individually, allowing for cooking while standing or seating, and are convenient for leveling out the cooking surface when used on a slope.

I like all the optional features that are available with the Disco. Being able to attach the accessory table, cutting board, and the extremely convenient fuel canister lock are all incredibly handy. Keeping items as things like oils, water, spices and ingredients literally within arms reach greatly improves the cooking experience. The tables are small, but still very useful. They also offer cooking pots, bags, light stands and other accessories that can attach to the system.

The entire system is extremely well built. Essentially everything is heavy steel, high quality aluminum or thick, well finished wood. The enamel coating on the disc has held up great, and I’m not seeing any signs of wear and tear. Nothing to complain about here.

As far as the footprint goes, this is an unusually space conscious cooking set. It can be set up on a small patio only taking up about two square feet of space. It can slip into a tight corner, or just be tucked right up against a picnic table, using minimal space.

What I didn’t like

Cooking with the Disco does bring with it some challenges and can require re-thinking of some menu items. As it has a slight concave, certain things like pancakes, eggs, or anything that isn’t solid will of course migrate to the center. One single pancake, crepe or omelet can be made at a time, then moved to the side once it solidifies. However, cooking this way still results in food items that a thicker center, due to the concave shape. It isn’t as straightforward as say a flat griddle or skillet. The hot spot in the center also means many things will cook really fast directly in the center, but less quickly around the edges. A large steak, pancake or anything similar may require some careful shuffling around to make it work. A little preparation and planning makes this entirely workable, especially a decent pre-heat time. Given the above, cooking is very much a more focused and hands on activity here, as many foods require shuffling and rolling to keep things cooking evenly. However, this can be rather fun and engaging.

The kit is a bit heavy at about 27 pounds, mostly due to the solid construction and thick, burly disc in the center of it. It is easy enough to carry but I wouldn’t want to travel too long of a distance with it in my arms. They do offer some very nice carry packs for a cost, but I just used a handy duffel bag for mine temporarily. It does pack up relatively small, however.

Setup can take a few minutes with this set, depending on your configuration. The tripods slide out and lock into place with snapping pins, with another two twist connections for the lower legs. The stove has to be placed on top, with stands for the fuel canister, disc itself, and the table/cutting board attachments that need to be configured as well. Setting over a campfire involves setting up the chain, connecting it to the disc in three places, and setting the height to get the right temperature. The pulley chain is a little finicky and will slip and fall if not configured in the correct orientation. Thankfully it includes a safety pin and connection point. It’s not a huge ordeal, but certainly takes a little more effort than simply flipping open a camp stove.

Not a great option for a large crowd, unless the meal is something that can simmer in a lot of liquid.

Overall

The more I use the iKamper Disco series, the more I like it. It provides a beautifully unique cooking solution that not only opens up new menu options, it actively influences creatively and experimentation. The cooking surface can act as a skillet, a wok, a griddle, or even a frier, based simply on what is placed inside. It’s easy to operate, easy to clean, and the setup is fairly easy, especially when used with a fuel canister. It is a bit on the heavy side, but it packs up relatively small and the installed footprint is minimal at just a couple square feet. It cooks well, is fun to cook with, and acts as a point of conversation for anyone interested in outdoor gear or cooking. I constantly notice people checking out my kit when using it. If the goal is to expand your cooking options and you don’t mind the occasional challenge due to the curved surface, this is an exciting, compact option with a lot of utility.

Highly Recommended

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I want to extend a huge thanks to iKamper for providing this product for review. We couldn’t do it without their help.

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