VANLIFE Cooking Review of Cadac Safari Chef 2 and 2 Cook 2 Pro

Cooking is one of my favourite parts of vanlife but as a busy, active family of four, spending more time than necessary cooking and preparing meals is not an option. Like everything, vanlife is a balance between the things we want to do and the things we need to do. Cooking falls into the latter but that does not mean that I don’t enjoy it!

Having the equipment that makes cooking more enjoyable and allows me to stay part of the family while the jobs that need to be done are, is of a huge benefit to me. We are very lucky that our campervan is fully converted and has a double ring gas burner inside. This is perfect for extra cold months when my family spends more time inside the campervan during evenings – I am happy to cook wherever they are. However, in the spring, summer and autumn, we are very often outside, enjoying the great outdoors which is why I bought my first Cadac. I chose the Cadac Safari Chef 2 and loved it from the minute the package arrived. It is everything you need for complete campsite cooking. Even the lid can be used as a pan and everything can be efficiently stored in a bag!

Pros of Cadac Safari Chef 2:

·        A great option for easy (under the front seat) storage in the campervan.

·        Modular system with foldable legs, enabling it to fit neatly into a small area.

·        Lightweight.

·        It comes with a BBQ grid, a flat griddle, a pot stand and a lid. The lid can also be used as a pan so you literally have everything you need for cooking.

·        Easy to set up on-the-go.

·        The pot stand protects the gas flame from the wind.  

·        Can be used with small gas canisters or larger cylinders.

Cons:

·        Pot stand works well to collect fat from food as it cooks, but it is difficult to keep clean on-the-go.

·        Smaller BBQ grid, so not a huge cooking area for a family.

After using the Cadac Safari Chef 2 for over a year, we were kindly gifted the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro which I was so excited to try. This stove gave us an additional burner which allowed me to have more than one pot on-the-go at any one time.

Pros for the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro:

·        Two burners.

·        One ceramic flat plate and one ribbed plate allows for versatile family cooking opportunities.

·        Slim line, lightweight for storage (we slide ours down one side of the Rock and Roll bed).

·        Easy to set up.

·        Easy to clean.

Cons:

·        Difficult to keep the burners alight when it is windy (nothing to shield the flame).

But which, if I was buying again would I choose?  This would be a hard decision! Truly, both stoves take priority in the campervan when it comes to packing! However, despite the lack of wind break - the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro is the stove that I use more frequently. The ceramic flat plates with double ring burner provide valuable versatility for my family.   

*Whilst the Cadac 2 Cook 2 Pro was gifted, this review and thoughts are my own. This is no way endorsed by Cadac.