Cooking and eating can be one of the best parts of camping – but not if you have to do it while battling mosquitoes, getting drenched in the rain or standing under the hot sun. That’s where kitchen tents come in.
A lot of kitchen tents are actually pretty useless when it comes to things like keeping rain out. So, it’s important to understand your options and whether they will actually work for your style of camping. I’ll go over my picks for best camping kitchen tents, as well as advice for how to pick the right kitchen tent.
Quick Picks:
- Best Overall: Eureka! Northern Breeze. It can be used as a just a canopy or a screen room and does a great job of keeping you dry. Too bad it is so expensive!
- Runner Up: Coleman Back Home. An affordable, sturdy screen tent with a waterproof roof and vertical mesh walls for keeping (most) rain out. It’s VERY heavy though.
- Third pick: Campros Octagon Screen House. It’s affordable, spacious and lightweight, but the slanted mesh walls means everything gets wet inside when it rains.
Comparison Table
| Tent | Size (Feet) | Height | Type | Weight | Waterproof roof? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka! Northern Breeze | 12x12 + 4 awnings | 97" | Screen house | 27lbs 13oz | Yes |
| Eureka! Northern Breeze | 10x10 + 4 awnings | 91" | Screen house | 24lbs 12oz | Yes |
| Hasika All-Weather | 8x8 + 4 awnings | 71" | Double wall | 12.8lbs | Yes |
| Coleman Back Home Hexagon | 12x10 | 100" | Screen house | 45lbs | Yes |
| REI Screen House | 10x10 + 1 awning | 84" | Screen house | 13lbs | Yes |
| Coleman Instant Canopy | 10x10 | 112" | Canopy | 45lbs | Yes |
| Coleman Instant Canopy | 12x12 | 128" | Canopy | 50lbs | Yes |
| Haskika awning | 15x10 | 78" | Walled awning | 17lbs | |
| Campros Octagon Screen Room | 13x13 | 86" | Screen house | 22.5lbs | Yes |
| Core Instant | 10x10 | 84" | Screen house | 17.5lbs | Yes |
| Core Instant | 12x10 | 84" | Screen house | 27lbs | Yes |
| Campros Screen Room | 12x10 | 90" | Screen house | 22.5lbs | Yes |
| Ever Advanced | 12x10 | 85" | Screen house | 20lbs | No |
| TailGaterz | 11x9 | 90" | Screen house | 19lbs | No |
Also read:
Best Kitchen Tents, Reviewed
1. Eureka! Northern Breeze Double-Wall Screen Tent with Awnings
Specs:
- Sizes: 12×12 and 10×10 feet + 4 awnings
- Height: 97 inches/ 91 inches
- Weight: 27lbs 13oz/24lbs 12oz
- Packs down to: 14×36 inches/12×32 inches
- Doors: 2
- Cost: $$$$$
- Buy At: Amazon
Review:
The Eureka! Northern Breeze has the best design of any screen tent. For starters, it has a sturdy construction that can handle bad weather. It’s easy to setup (all clips; no annoying pole sleeves) and the tent is completely free-standing, though you should still stake out the guylines in case of windy weather. There are two doors with a 6 foot walk-through.
What makes it such a great kitchen tent though is that it a double-layer design: the walls roll up to expose the mesh and get ventilation. If it rains, just roll down the walls and you are completely protected from all sides.
You also have the option of extending the walls to make four awnings – meaning you can get an extra 6 feet of sun protection in any direction. It only comes with three awning poles though, so you’ll need to get your own if you want to extend all the awnings at once.
It’s just too bad that this screen tent is so expensive! Eureka also makes a cheaper version of the screen house but it is much smaller and doesn’t have the closable walls for weather protection.
Get it here at Amazon
2. Coleman Back Home Hexagon Instant Screen House
Best for: Spacious, affordable screen house which sets up easily and decent enough rain protection
Specs:
- Size: 12×10 feet
- Height: 100 inches
- Weight: 45lbs
- Packs down to: 1x1x4 feet
- Doors: 2
- Cost: $$
- Buy At: Amazon
Review:
The size and setup of the Coleman Back Home screen house are great. It is sturdy enough to handle wind and the poles are good quality. Because the walls are completely vertical, they do a good job of keeping most rain out (rain will still blow in through the screen in storms). I also like that the tent has a skirt to help keep muddy puddles out.
The major flaw of this kitchen tent is that it is heavy and massive when packed up. It takes up 4 feet of space and weighs 45lbs. It does come with a wheeled carry case, but the wheels aren’t going to work on bumpy ground or sand – so you might have to lug it a bit.
3. REI Screen House with Rain Fly
Specs:
- Size: 10×10 feet + awning
- Height: 84 inches
- Weight: 13lbs + 3lbs 10oz
- Packs down to: 9×29 inches
- Doors: 2
- Cost: $$$$
- Buy At: REI
Review:
The REI Screen House consists of two parts (sold separately). The first is the actual screen house, which is 10×10 feet and has two doors. It’s lightweight and packs down much smaller than most other screen houses.
Because the roof of the Screen House isn’t waterproof, the second part is the Rain Fly. It not only covers the roof, but also has an awning. When the awning is down, it will protect one side from rain.
I’m not sure why REI didn’t make at least two awnings. The way it is now, you have to put the awning over one of the entranceways. This means you can’t close the awning (to protect gear from rain on one side) without blocking the entrance. If you are already paying this much for a kitchen tent, you might as well spring for the Eureka! Northern Breeze which has awnings on all sides. Or get a cheaper screen tent with vertical sides and clip some plastic sheeting to the sides in the rain.
5. Coleman Instant Canopy
Best for: Sun and some rain protection
Specs:
- Size: 10×10 and 12×12 feet
- Height: 100 inches/112 inches
- Weight: 45lbs/50lbs
- Packs down to: About 1×4.5 feet
- Doors: N/A
- Cost: $$
- Buy At: Amazon
Review:
If your main concern is sun protection, this canopy by Coleman is a good option. It comes in three sizes: 7×5, 10×10 and 12×12. I didn’t even bother to include the 7×5 size. It’s so small that you won’t get adequate shade and your gear will get wet even if you push it all to the middle of the tent.
The 10×10 and 12×12 sizes are large enough that you will get some rain protection in bad weather. Because the frame is sturdy, you can even use binder clips to attach some plastic sheeting to the sides for protection.
Setting up and taking down the canopy is easy. You can do it yourself with some practice, but it’s better with 2 or 3 people to help. It is very heavy but does come in a convenient carry case on wheels. There are handles too so you can carry it over rough terrain.
6. Hasika Shade Awning
Best for: Weather protection but no mosquito protection
Specs:
- Size: 15×10 feet
- Height: 78 inches
- Weight: 17lbs
- Packs down to: 25x9x9 inches
- Doors: 8
- Cost: $$
- Buy At: Amazon
Review:
This kitchen tent by Hasika is a bit different than other canopies. It is a tunnel-tent design (see the 10 types of tents here), which means it does have to be staked out in a zillion places to stay upright. If you don’t do it well (it might take some practice), the tent won’t hold up well in wind. Once properly staked out though, you end up with a very long tent with lots of interior space.
There are 8 doors on the tent (3 on each long side and 1 on each end). You can close the doors to make a waterproof space inside. Note that only one door has a zipper. The other doors close with Velcro, so some water will leak through in heavy rains. It’s pretty good in light rains though.
The tent is pretty cheap, so it’s no surprise that the material is flimsy. A lot of people had the one zipper break on them too. But, overall, it’s a good solution for hanging out and eating inside – so long as you practice setting it up!
7. Campros Octagon Screen House
Best for: Not as good as the Coleman Back Home, but lighter and packs smaller
Specs:
- Size: 13×13 feet
- Height: 86 inches
- Weight: 22.5lbs
- Packs down to: 25x9x9 inches
- Doors: 2
- Cost: $$
- Buy At: Amazon
Review:
Campros makes a lot of affordable (I hesitate to call it “cheap”) tents which are “good enough.” This screen house definitely falls into the “good enough” category.
On the plus side, it is spacious and sets up easily. I like the two doors which open almost all the way up. The octagon shape is also nice for fitting a picnic table in or having groups sit around a smaller table. Along with the 8 side poles, there are 6 roof poles, so the screen tent is actually pretty sturdy. It packs down smaller and is lighter than a lot of comparable screen tents.
As for the bad, the walls are not completely vertical. While the top of the tent is waterproof and will keep the interior dry in light rains. But, in heavy rains, the water will flow down the roof and onto the screen sides. Water WILL get into the tent. The rain skirt around the bottom is kind of useless since the rain will fall inside of it. The entranceways are also fairly short, so it’s not great for really tall people.
8. Core Instant Screen House
10×10 shown above, 12×10 below
Best for: A rectangular instant screen tent, which doesn’t weigh a ton
Specs:
- Sizes: 12×10 and 10×10 feet
- Height: 84 inches
- Weight: 27lbs/17.5lbs
- Packs down to: 47x10x10 inches/ 50x7x7 inches
- Doors: 2
- Cost: $$
- Buy At: Amazon
Review:
At first glance, this screen house seems like a really good option. The instant setup with pre-attached poles is definitely a plus. However, the Core instant screen house has slanted walls, so rain will rip off the roof and in through the mesh sides.
The frame also isn’t the sturdiest. That’s to be expected from a massive tent which only weighs 27lbs. Despite being lightweight (or light-ish), the tent is massive when packed. I’d rather get the Coleman Back Home tent (#3 pick). But, if you really want a rectangular kitchen tent and instant setup, then this is a good option.
9. Campros Screen House
Best for: Cheap, lightweight rectangular screen room for good weather only
Specs:
- Size: 12×10 feet
- Height: 90 inches
- Weight: 22.5lbs
- Packs down to: 25x10x10 inches
- Doors: 1
- Cost: $
- Buy at: Amazon
Review:
Here’s another screen room by Campros. Unlike the other Camprostent (#7), this one has a rectangular shape. It also has fewer poles so is easier to set up. However, it is not nearly as sturdy as the one above. This is because it only has 4 vertical poles instead of 8. It has an extra pole at the top to keep the roof from sagging. This pole fits into a little pocket on the roof. The pocket will inevitably rip and it’s wobbly if you don’t stake the tent out perfectly.
Because the tent walls aren’t vertical, it will get wet inside in even light rain. If you want a good screen house, I’d say to stick with the Coleman Back Home screen room. But, if it’s too heavy or you really want a rectangular screen house, then this is an okay kitchen tent for good weather camping.
10. Ever Advanced Screen House
Best for: Cheap screen house, but for good weather only!
Specs:
- Size: 12×10 feet
- Height: 85 inches
- Weight: 20lbs
- Packs down to: 29x8x8 inches
- Doors: 2
- Cost: $
- Buy At: Amazon
Review:
The Ever Advanced screen house is one of the cheapest you will find. Surprisingly though, the frame is actually pretty sturdy. It has 6 vertical poles (many screen tents only have 4), so stands up well without sagging.
There are two front doors right next to each other, but no doors on the sides or back. The doors do open completely. The clearance is about 70 inches, so it’s suitable for tall people.
Note the top of the screen tent is NOT waterproof. It offers zero rain protection. If you only need a kitchen tent with mosquito protection and are on a budget, then choose this one.
11. TailGaterz Magnetic Screen House
Best for: Great screen house, just not for rain
Specs:
- Size: 11×9 feet
- Height: 90”
- Weight: 19lbs
- Packs down to: 26x9x9 inches
- Doors: 2
- Cost: $$
- Buy At: Amazon
Review:
The roof of this screen tent isn’t waterproof, so it’s not suitable even for light rain. However, if you only camp in good weather (or don’t mind setting a tarp up over it), there’s a lot of love about this screen tent.
For starters, the magnetic doors are really useful. They are much easier to use than zipper doors – especially if you are entering/leaving with your hands full. You also won’t have to keep reminding your children to zip the doors so insects don’t get in. The size is also practical for cooking and eating inside.
While not an instant tent, it’s pretty easy to set up the screen tent. However, it is definitely not the sturdiest. There are only four side poles – which isn’t much for a tent this size. To keep the roof from sagging, there is an extra top pole that fits into a little pocket. Lots of tents have this design and the pocket inevitably rips. It also wobbles around if you don’t stake it out properly.
Advice for Choosing a Kitchen Tent
What Size Kitchen Tent?
A typical picnic table is up to 96 inches long and 30 inches wide. Assuming that you want your kitchen tent to fit over a picnic table, it will need to be bigger than this. Add an extra 24 inches on ALL sides for walking room and that means you need a kitchen tent which is at least 144 inches x 78 inches (12×6.5 feet).
If you are using a small table inside the kitchen tent, then you can get away with a small size. But I’ve found that smaller kitchen tents are kind of useless. If you can’t hang out in the tent, you won’t actually use it.
As for height, you’ll need a tent which is at least 6-7 feet tall if you want to cook in it. If you only want to eat in it, then a slightly shorter tent is okay – but it will still be annoying if you can’t stand up inside.
Types of Kitchen Tents
Before you choose a kitchen tent, make sure you understand the types – especially the protection offered. Depending on the type, a kitchen tent can protect against sun, rain and mosquitoes. Important: rain never really falls straight down. It will blow into the kitchen tent from the sides, getting everything along the edges wet. If you need protection against bad weather, the kitchen tent will need to have walls.
Pro Top: You can hang plastic sheeting on the sides of your screen tent to block rain from the sides. Binder clips work for this.
Tarp Kitchen
A tarp is by far the cheapest option for a kitchen tent. They come in different sizes and can be configured in many ways.
- Cheap
- Protects against sun and rain
- Can configure to block rain from sides too
- No mosquito protection
- Tricky to set up
- Need trees to set up
Also read: 27 ways to set up a tarp shelter
Shelter or Canopy
Canopies are a very simple kitchen tent. They have a pole system that supports a roof and nothing more.
- Affordable
- Have poles so can set up anywhere
- Easy setup
- Protect against sun and rain from above
- No mosquito protection
- Rain from sides will blow in
Screen House Tent
Also called a screen room or screen tent, these are basically canopies with mesh walls. They are easy to set up and protect from sun, rain, and mosquitoes. Like with a canopy, rain will still come in from the sides.
- Have poles so can set up anywhere
- Easy setup
- Roof isn’t always waterproof
- Mosquito protection
- Rain from sides will blow in
Double-Wall Screen Rooms
Some screen rooms have an extra layer. In nice weather, you can roll up the layer to create a screen room. If it starts raining, you roll down the layers to block rain from getting inside. This is by far the best design for a kitchen tent. And remember that you shouldn’t ever cook inside a tent which is completely zipped up.
- Have poles so can set up anywhere
- Easy setup
- Protect against sun
- Protects against rain from above and sides
- Mosquito protection
- Versatile design
- Often heavy and bulky
- Can be expensive
Vertical Walls vs. Slanted Walls
When choosing a kitchen tent, pay attention to the wall configuration. If the mesh walls aren’t completely vertical, it means that rain from the roof will drip onto them and fall into the tent.
Even with vertical mesh walls, some rain is going to get into the tent. But a LOT more rain will end up inside the tent if the walls are slanted as opposed to vertical.
Kitchen Tent Features
These are some nice features to have on a kitchen tent.
- Rain skirt: This is a layer of waterproof material around the bottom of the tarp. It helps keep rain and mud from getting into the tent in bad weather.
- Big doors: It will be much easier to get inside or bring things like chairs inside.
- Pole clips: These are much easier and faster to set up than tents which use pole sleeves.
- Awning: I love this feature on kitchen tents because it creates another shaded area. When the awning is closed, it keeps rain from getting into the tent (from one side at least).
Image credits:
“Refuge in camp” (CC BY 2.0) by BLM Alaska,
“Camping at First Landing State Park” (CC BY 2.0) by vastateparksstaff,
“DSC_0005” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by tracie7779,
“Camp Kitchen” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Laurel Fan
“misty morning campsite” (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by behang
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