What size pot needed for instant pot or pasta sides??

[saltysack]

Tired of paying high prices for freeze dried meals but my snow peak 600 lil to small for ramen etc ...,700 large enough????

[bert304]

I personally have found that this pot works for me Olicamp Hard Anodized XTS Pot (1-Litre). This is the link on Amazon :http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007OJKI2U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Tron-Life]

A 5 cup pot is plenty big which is about 1.4 liters i think, so for ramen that might still be small unless you crumble it. Pasta Sides don't take that much water as Ramen is in a block and needs to be submerged. I would probably get something bigger so you can have more options. Pot size is immaterial as it can be fill with food to save space, so I wouldn't try to skimp on that, but I'm not sure how much you plan on cooking.

[Dogwood]

I find that a 24 fl oz(about 710 ml, similair to the Snow Peak TREK 700) pot to be about the smallest volume for just a Knorrs Lipton 4.5 oz Noodle Side or a 4 oz Idahoan Instant mash potatoes. I found that a Knorrs Lipton Rice Side takes up a bit more volume. If adding a 2.6 oz tuna packet or such plus some garlic, onions, greens etc to any of these size sides I need the 28 fl oz(828 ml) Snow Peak Mini Solo size pot.

I hear you about the prohibitive cost of prepackaged freeze dried Backpacking meals consumed every night on long hikes. After often buying on sale or in a bulk discount I further lower the cost/meal by extending these freeze dried meals by dividing up and reportioning out with added ingredients most often doing so in such a way that I'm also increasing the cal-oz ratios. Here's another way I beat the high cost of pre packaged freeze dried meals that you're paying a premium price for due to convenience. I check out the recipes/ingredients list and make my own - but better.

[HooKooDooKu]

I personally have found that this pot works for me Olicamp Hard Anodized XTS Pot (1-Litre). This is the link on Amazon :http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007OJKI2U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If I needed another cook system, this is what I would want to get paired with a SnowPeak MaxLite.

What I use is the MaxLite with the MSR Titan kettle @ ~0.85L (I like this pot because of lite weight and MSR 4oz canister fits inside with MaxLine under the canister).

[bangorme]

I use this http://www.rei.com/product/798273/gsi-outdoors-halulite-minimalist-cookset . I do mostly freezer bag cooking.

[Rocket Jones]

The ol' KMart Grease Pot works well. Plenty of room for add-ins like tuna and veggies. Obviously, it's not non-stick, so you have to be careful not to scorch your food to the bottom.

[Odd Man Out]

I personally have found that this pot works for me Olicamp Hard Anodized XTS Pot (1-Litre). This is the link on Amazon :http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007OJKI2U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have used this one too and like it a lot. My meals were all a bag of dehydrated stuff (rice and beans, pasta meal, etc...) plus 2 cups of water. Boil, set in cozy til done. There was plenty of room for this, even when at a full rolling boil. Could have cooked a bit more volume if necessary.

Other advantages: It has a heat exchanger so you can get some of the efficiency you expect from a system like a Jet Boil. But as it is not dedicated to the stove, like a Jet Boil, you have more versatility. I've been using mine with a center burning alcohol stove with great results (2 cups water boil with 13 mL fuel in 4 minutes). But if I were to hike where there is a fire ban, I can pair it with a canister stove too. BTW, it does NOT work with a side burning alcohol stove, such as a Supercat Stove.

I also like that it is anodized aluminum. Light, non-reactive, not stick. I cooked in my pot and it cleaned up well (use a plastic mesh onion bag).

I also like the dimensions (approx 1:1 height to diameter ratio). I don't like digging my food out or a tall skinny pot (like a jet boil). I find the wide short pots (such as the Evernew 900 mL Ti pot) cool fast due to their relatively large surface to volume ratio. Taller pots work better for storing a wind screen if you are using an alcohol stove. Also the low surface:volume ratio keeps the weight to a minimum (although this is not an UL pot).

You could shave a few grams off the weight by swapping the rubber lid for a lighter DIY option. But I like the lid. It seals tight (snaps in place) to keep everything in place for packing. Also, I shaved a few grams by making my own handles out of clothes hanger wire. It comes with curved stainless steel handles with rubber grips. But they can be easily popped on and off. Because the handles are mounted near the top and because the heat exchanger is pretty efficient, I have not found the handles to get very hot, so the rubber grips are not really necessary. I like straight handles better than the curved ones, so I pop my DIY handles off and store them inside the pot. With handles removed, the pot stores better in my Reflectix Pot Cozy (made using the Antigravity Gear cozy kit).

[Sly]

Many times I'll put a ramen with a Lipton/Knorr side dish and perhaps an envelope of tuna/etc and find the 1.4 liter pot ideal without boil over. Anything smaller is just too small in my opinion.

[Gambit McCrae]

This has never let me down but their customer service sucks BAD

EVERNEW PASTA POT (http://www.backcountrygear.com/evernew-ti-ultralight-pasta-pot.html?gclid=CK2MxefD8r8CFahj7AodeTkA4Q)

[LIhikers]

+2 for the k-mart grease pot.
Plenty of room to cook your food, light weight, heats fast on an alcohol burner, and enough volume to hold my kitchen kit.

[July]

Mil canteen cup 680-700ml. Usually hiker with meal plus coffee needs 850-900 minimum. Depends on how much you consume, number of boils , etc.