The GCI Outdoor Slim-Fold Cook Station is an excellent option if you are looking to acquire a camping table with lots of storage and a countertop height that is ideal for cooking. This is a station to consider if you are visiting well manicured and more developed camping areas with the probability of finding pretty even ground to deploy this model. If you're looking for a table with more bells and whistles, that still folds up somewhat flat, check out the Coleman Pack-Away Deluxe Kitchen.
GCI Outdoor Slim-Fold Cook Station Review
This table has counter space and shelves galore, ideal for storing lots of items when you're cooking.
Price: $85 List | $84.99 at Amazon
Pros: Sturdy, lots of storage, table top is a great height.
Cons: Unstable on uneven ground, narrow design.
Manufacturer: GCI Outdoor
Cons: Unstable on uneven ground, narrow design.
Manufacturer: GCI Outdoor
By Gentrye Houghton ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ Nov 16, 2015
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The Skinny
Our Analysis and Test Results
The GCI Outdoor Cook Station is a sturdy camping table with four fold-out side tables to optimize storage. This station is just under 20 pounds, with an aluminum countertop standing approximately 32 inches tall, which is an ideal cooking height. This is a self-contained unit that folds up to about 35 inches in length by 21 inches wide and a slim 4 inches high, which can easily slip into your glamper van or even a Chevy Cavalier for your next camping adventure.
Performance Comparison
This table has an ample amount of counter space, which is great for spreading out during cooking.
Stability
This cook station is very sturdy, with a steel frame construction and extra X-configured cross beams. However, these cross beams run through the middle of the station and limit access to the lower storage rack. Our reviewers only gave the GCI Slim-Fold a modest rating for stability mostly due to the stiff construction and rail legs, which cause this table to be wobbly on uneven ground.
Portability
Although our reviewers loved the table height of this cook station, it is heavy in comparison to other models we reviewed and one of the more bulky models to stow away. That said, it is easy to move around, setup, and can fit into a variety of vehicles. It is more portable than the Coleman Pack-Away Deluxe Kitchen, which also folds flat for storage, but not as portable as the roll-up systems, like our the REI Co-op Camp Roll Table.
The Cook Station folds flat and is about as long as a camp chair, but much wider. However, because it folds flat, you can easily slip this into a trunk and still pile gear on top of it.
Durability
Our reviewers found this model to be well-constructed. Although we did not have any major wear and tear issues arise table during the duration of our testing, we did knock its score down slightly because of all the moving parts, which we felt could potentially fail over time. The four folding side tables are made from plastic, which is more likely to break or scratch over time than metal. After months of bouncing around in a converted 1990 school bus, though, and being set up and torn down more times than we could count with our fingers and toes, it did not show any signs of extensive wear and tear.
Ease of Setup
This cook station was one of the easiest to setup and breakdown. It unfolds like an accordion, and then you flatten out the wire storage rack, flip up the aluminum countertop as well as flipping up the all of the side tables, if you choose to, to a locked position. All this takes only 40 seconds! Plus, tearing it down is even easier.
Setting up the GCI table is quick and easy, and it folds flat once you're ready to store it.
Best Applications
It's all in the name, and this "table" excels at being… a cook station! There's ample room for storage, and its tabletop is a great height for both chopping vegetables or setting your stove on during cooking. The lower side tables are a great height to elevate a food bowl for our reviewer's Great Dane, but could still be reached by smaller dogs.
Page also enjoyed testing this camping table, and found it was the perfect height for consuming her meals as well.
One of the drawbacks to this cook station is how narrow the countertop is. It's only 21 inches wide. Depending on where your camping stove positions the propane canister, it might not be wide enough to support the fuel container. One of our testers had to let the propane tank hang off the back unsupported.
The bottom bars on the legs make the GCI table less stable on uneven ground. Also, the narrow design does not support the propane tank on our camp stove.
Value
Our reviewers felt this cook station is well constructed and definitely won't break the bank. At just $85, you can get a pretty good table with tons of storage that won't hurt your back during any of your food preparation needs.
Conclusion
The GCI Slim-Fold is a great option for anyone looking to meet some cooking specific needs, and can easily go from the campground to a backyard picnic or your next tailgating event.
— Gentrye Houghton
