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Product Reviews
Outback Oven Ultralight Oven
A true stovetop oven for fresh baked pizzas, breads, cookies, etc.
Average Customer Rating:
out of
5
1 out of 1(100%)customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Ultralight Oven
Review 1 for Ultralight Oven
Overall Rating:
out of
5
Effectiveness:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
By:Anonymous
Location: Brantford, ON
Age: 35-44
Gender: female
Gear Style: Performance Driven
Describe Yourself: Outdoor Pro
MEC MEMBER
amazing piece of gear
Date: September 1, 2009
Images for this Review
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First of all, I should tell you a bit about myself as it relates directly to the review. I am the author of a backcountry cookbook called A Fork in the Trail. This is important because I'm on my second cookbook and I use the Outback Oven moreso than the average backpacker or paddler.
I have to say, I adore this product and would rank it as probably my favorite piece of kitchen gear. I can bake pretty much anything I can bake at home - muffins, calzones, bread, casseroles, etc. It's pretty amazing because it can expand your cooking for the backcountry a great deal.
While it is a little pricey I still think it is a good value because it can expand your cooking for the backcountry a great deal.
This model is very light and works well with most 2 litre pots. You can't make a nice 10 inch pizza like you can with the 10" model so this is more suited to couples than larger families. I generally will make calzones as opposed to pizza with this model.
it is a less expensive alternative because you use a pan you already have. I also use it as a cozy to keep food warm and I've used it on my stove to reduce fuel consumption when simmering foods as it prevents heat loss.
Pros: Rugged, Lightweight, Simple, Good Value, Reliable, Compact
Cons: thermometor can get really hot
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Review 2 for Ultralight Oven
Overall Rating:
out of
5
By:Jode
Location: Kamloops, BC
MEC MEMBER
Great backcountry bakery, with caveats
Date: July 24, 2008
We've had an Outback Oven for several years now and take it along on kayaking and cycling trips when we're towing a Bob. In addition to baking, the non-stick pan can double as a frying pan, albiet without a handle - make sure to take along a detachable pot handle if you want to use it this way. I also know someone who used the oven cover with a regular pot while simmering stove-top food. The extra insulation sped up the cooking process.
The temperature guage on the the lid lost most of its paint after the first use. It just burned off with the heat. The manufacturer may have addressed this issue since we got our oven. I marked the "bake" zone on the guage with red nail polish which has stood up to the test of time.
It is not practical to use the Outback Oven on backpacking trips. The oven itself takes up a lot of space, the mixes (store bought or home made) are heavy, and the baking process uses a LOT of fuel. Even though you are only simmering, you'll have your stove running for at least 30 minutes all told to bake something. It can take quite a while for the oven to come up to the right baking temperature. You must bring it up slowly and carefully, lest your creation burn on the bottom.
As a previous reviewer noted, how well your stove simmers will make a big difference to how well your Outback Oven bakes. We have an MSR Dragonfly, and I can confirm this seems to work well.
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly to me, the oven cover, whatever it's made of, gives off a really odd smell. It was strong when we first got it, and has since dissapated somewhat, but not completely. The smell permeates what you're baking which seems to affect the taste. Having said that, the end product is still good - just with an odd, off taste/smell that I really can't describe. When we first got the oven I contacted the manufacturer to inquire about this and the rep I spoke to claimed to have never heard this comment before. I'm not especially sensitive to smells, so I really wonder.
Pros: Durable, Versatile, Easy to Use
Cons: Not for backpacking, Strange smell from cover
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Review 3 for Ultralight Oven
Overall Rating:
out of
5
By:Karl
Location: Toronto
MEC MEMBER
I've been truly impressed!
Date: May 31, 2007
I have to admit I thought this was going to be more gimmick then anything. I have no problem carrying heavier packs but it has to be for good reason.
So when my wife started pestering me about trying the “Outback Oven Wicked Good Brownies” I was totally against it. After all it’s frivolous, of limited use, and I’m no baker.
So 30 seconds later we picked it up along with a package of the brownies, a cinnamon coffee cake and even an apple pie.
Now to be clear this item says it works with most stoves, but really I have to say this was designed for the “MSR Dragonfly” stove. The Dragonfly’s ability to so finely control the flame / temperature was absolutely ideal for this.
Now I realize this is a review for the Oven but it’s a combo deal…the 3 deserts we got had simple instructions and were really rather easy to make. In the beginning it takes a fair bit of fiddling with the heat and constant supervision to get comfortable with the process. But 30+ minutes later I finished my first cinnamon coffee cake.
And holy cow was it good…so good we actually drew over another couple at the site beside us who had been wondering what in the world I was doing with that "thing"…and how it smelled so good.
I ended up cooking all three deserts back to back and we had several other people join us. Since then I’ve become much more proficient with the Outback Oven and can actually leave it alone and putter around the site while it cooks.
The ultimate test though came when I took it on a 10-day canoe trip down the French River. I was ridiculed and teased about my ‘excess packing’ but 7 days later sitting under a tarp in the rain, cold and tired, there is nothing that can improve the situation more then serving fresh, hot, flaky apple pie. By the end of that trip there was no doubt about the value of bringing this along.
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