The Best Camping Toastie Makers and Jaffle Irons
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For camping, the best toastie maker is a cast iron jaffle iron for campfires and charcoal, or a lighter aluminium toastie iron if you cook mainly on a gas stove. Both need no electricity and make a properly sealed, crisp toastie in a few minutes. Electric toastie makers only make sense on a site with mains hook-up; 12V versions are not a practical option.
Quick answer:
- Cast iron double jaffle iron: best overall for campfires and families
- Cast iron single pie iron: best for solo campers and deep fillings
- Aluminium camping toastie iron: best lightweight option for gas stoves
- Hob-style aluminium sandwich toaster: best for campervans with a gas hob
- Compact electric toastie maker: best on an electric hook-up pitch
On this page
Types of camping toastie maker
All non-electric camping toastie makers share one design: two hinged plates with long handles that clamp around a sandwich, which you heat over a flame or embers and turn halfway. The differences are the material, the size and the heat source they suit. Our types of toastie makers guide covers how these fit alongside electric machines, and the name "jaffle" comes from the Australian tradition covered in our history of the toastie maker.
| Type | Weight | Best heat source | Crust | Care | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cast iron double jaffle iron | Heavy (often 2kg+) | Campfire embers, charcoal, gas | Deep, even | Season, dry, oil | £20–£40 |
| Cast iron single pie iron | Medium–heavy | Campfire embers, gas | Deep, even | Season, dry, oil | £15–£30 |
| Aluminium toastie iron | Light | Gas stove, gentle embers | Good, can hot-spot | Wash, avoid scouring non-stick | £10–£25 |
| Hob-style aluminium toaster | Light | Gas hob | Good | Wash, keep dry | £15–£35 |
| Compact electric | Light | Mains hook-up | Best | Wipe clean | £18–£35 |
Cast iron vs aluminium
Cast iron is the traditional choice and still the best for fire cooking. It holds a lot of heat, so it evens out the irregular heat of embers and keeps toasting steadily even when you lift it off the coals. The crust is deep, crisp and even. The drawbacks are weight (a double iron is a real load in a rucksack), slower warm-up and the need for seasoning: cast iron must be oiled and dried after use or it will rust in a damp tent. Many are sold pre-seasoned.
Aluminium is lighter, heats quickly and often has a non-stick coating, so it suits backpackers and gas stove users. Because it holds less heat, it reacts quickly to the flame: great on a controllable gas ring, but prone to hot spots and scorching over uneven embers. Never put a non-stick aluminium iron directly into a hot fire; the coating can be damaged at high temperatures.
Full technique, including seasoning, timing and fire management, is in our guide to how to use a camping toastie maker.
The best camping toastie makers
Camping toastie irons are sold under many brand names, often the same basic designs from different importers, and model names change frequently. Rather than recommend a listing that may vanish, we describe exactly what to look for in each type. The buttons below search Amazon for that type so you can compare current options.
Cast iron double jaffle iron
A double iron makes two sealed toasties at once, which halves the time you spend crouched by the fire when feeding a family. The best have a central dividing ridge that seals each half, a clasp or ring that locks the handles closed, and handles long enough (around 35–40cm or more) to keep your hands away from the heat. Look for a hinge that separates fully, so you can clean and season each half properly.
- Two toasties per go
- Superb even crust
- Lasts for decades with care
- Heavy
- Needs seasoning and drying
- Slow to heat on small stoves
Cast iron single pie iron
Single square or round pie irons (the name used in North America) are smaller and lighter than doubles, and they usually have a deeper cavity, which suits generous fillings like beans and cheese or leftover chilli. Rome Industries is a long-established maker of these, and similar designs are widely sold in the UK. Choose square plates if you use standard sliced bread.
- Deeper fill than most doubles
- Lighter to carry
- Even heat
- One toastie at a time
- Same care needs as any cast iron
Aluminium camping toastie iron
For gas stove cooking, an aluminium iron is easier to carry and quicker to heat. Non-stick versions release cheese easily and clean with a wipe, which is a big plus when water is limited. Look for a secure locking clip and heat-resistant handle grips, and keep the flame moderate: aluminium will scorch the bread before the filling is hot if the heat is too high.
- Light and quick to heat
- Often non-stick
- No rust worries
- Hot spots over embers
- Coating can be damaged by direct fire
Hob-style aluminium sandwich toaster
Italian-style stovetop sandwich toasters (Bisetti is a well-known maker) are a cross between a jaffle iron and a pan: two flat or shaped aluminium plates on shorter handles, designed to sit on a gas burner. They take larger, flatter sandwiches than a jaffle iron and are ideal on a campervan or caravan gas hob, where you have a stable, controllable flame. Most aluminium designs do not work on induction.
- Sits steadily on a gas hob
- Takes larger sandwiches
- Easy to use indoors too
- Not for campfires
- Usually unsuitable for induction
A compact electric toastie maker
On a pitch with mains electric hook-up, a normal electric toastie maker is the easiest option. UK campsite supplies are commonly limited to somewhere between 6 and 16 amps, so check your site's limit: a 750–900W toastie maker draws roughly 3–4 amps, which is fine on its own but can trip the supply if a kettle and heater are on at the same time. The Tower T27013 is a good small, inexpensive pick. Our best compact toastie maker guide has more options for caravans and boats.
- Best, most consistent results
- No fire or gas needed
- Needs hook-up
- Watch total power draw
What about 12V toastie makers?
Be wary. A vehicle's 12V socket typically supplies somewhere around 120–180W, a fraction of the 750W or more a sandwich toaster needs to brown bread properly. Products sold as 12V "lunch box" heaters can warm food slowly, but they do not toast. Running a normal toastie maker from an inverter is possible in principle, but you need an inverter rated well above the appliance's wattage and a leisure battery big enough to supply roughly 70–80 amps at 12V while it runs, which drains small batteries fast. For most campers, gas and a toastie iron is simpler and cheaper.
How we chose
We do not field-test equipment, so these recommendations are based on material properties, design features, specifications and long-standing owner experience. The criteria were heat retention and evenness for the intended heat source, sealing design, handle length and clasp security, weight for the type of camping, and ease of care outdoors.
Buying tips
- Measure your bread. Many irons are sized for smaller loaves. Square plates of around 12–13cm suit most UK sliced bread.
- Check the clasp. A loose clasp lets the iron spring open over the fire.
- Look for separable halves. Easier to clean, season and pack.
- Pack a heat-proof glove. Handles on cast iron irons can get hot near the head.
- Prep fillings at home. Our camping toastie recipes are designed for jaffle irons and prep-ahead fillings.
Watch out: Never use a campfire, barbecue or gas stove inside a tent or awning: carbon monoxide can build up quickly. Cook outside, in a well-ventilated space, and let irons cool on a heatproof surface away from tents and grass.
Which camping toastie maker suits your trip?
| Trip type | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Car camping with a campfire or fire pit | Cast iron double jaffle iron | Weight does not matter; best results over embers |
| Backpacking with a gas stove | Aluminium toastie iron | Light, quick on a controllable flame |
| Campervan or caravan with a gas hob | Hob-style aluminium sandwich toaster | Sits steadily on the burner, takes larger sandwiches |
| Hook-up pitch | Compact electric toastie maker | Most consistent results, no flame |
| Barbecue in the garden | Cast iron single or double | Holds heat over charcoal |
FAQs
Can I use a jaffle iron on a gas hob at home?
Yes, cast iron and aluminium irons work on a domestic gas hob over a medium flame. Turn them every minute or so. Most will not work on induction because their plates are not flat or magnetic enough.
How long does a toastie take in a jaffle iron?
Usually around two to four minutes per side over embers or a medium gas flame, depending on the heat and the iron. Open it to check after the first side. Detailed timings are in how to use a camping toastie maker.
How do I stop a cast iron jaffle iron rusting?
Clean it while still warm with hot water and a brush, dry it thoroughly over the heat, then wipe a thin layer of cooking oil on the inside before storing. Avoid soaking it or storing it damp.
Can I take a normal toastie maker camping?
Only if you have mains hook-up, or a large enough inverter and battery. On most hook-up pitches a compact 750–900W toastie maker is fine, as long as you are not running other high-power appliances at the same time.
Is a jaffle iron the same as a toastie maker?
It does the same job without electricity. A jaffle iron is a hinged pair of plates on long handles, heated over a flame or embers, which cuts and seals the sandwich like an electric toastie maker.