Introduction

The Vargo Titanium Bot 700 is a 0.7-liter (24 fl. oz) cooking pot with a watertight, screw-top lid. The Bot 700 is made of titanium and the lid contains a silicone gasket. I measured the weight of the pot (including the lid) to be 4.83 oz (137 g).

vargo bot 700 review: pot on a rock

This is a first look at new gear that recently entered our review pipeline, and hasn't yet been subjected to rigorous field use. Learn more about the types of product reviews we publish.

The Vargo Bot 700 has a reputation for being useful for cold-soaking dehydrated (or freeze-dried) food but is a very expensive option compared to an empty peanut butter jar, which is an excellent cold-soaking pot. The Bot 700, however, can be used for stove-top cooking as well – a plastic jar cannot.

There are some other metal cold-soak options from DIYers that have been made commercially-available by cottage manufacturers like Stormin’s, which are both lighter and cheaper. I picked one up off the used gear market last year and found that pot to be too fragile – it deformed easily when stored in my pack and accordingly lost its leak-proof seal in short order. Also, I never felt good about using an enameled aluminum jar designed for dry food storage for cooking.

Highlights

  • weight of pot: 3.27 oz (93 g)
  • weight of lid: 1.56 oz (44 g)
  • capacity:  700 ml (24 fl. oz.)
  • size: 4.1 in (105 mm) dia x 4.8 in (122 mm) height
  • foldaway titanium wire grab handles
  • screw-top lid with silicone gasket for a watertight seal
  • the lid is deep enough to be used for cooking or drinking/eating small volumes of food or beverages
  • MSRP $99.95

First Impressions

  • The lid has a capacity for 8.5 fl. oz. (250 ml), and can be used for other purposes in addition to being a lid for the pot. First, you could use it to warm soup or tea when it’s in its inverted position during cooking. Second, you could use it as a mug/bowl for drinking. Third, with a small pot grabber, it could even be used as a miniature fry pan. Its practical capacity is closer to 6 fl. oz. (175 ml), which is obviously pretty small.
  • The gasketed, screw-top lid works to contain any liquid I tried in it, including oily liquids, liquids with alcohol (it might make a great margarita shaker), and hot or cold foods. I had an older version of the Bot that wasn’t gasketed and it leaked like a sieve. This one (so far) seems much better, but only time will tell, I suppose.
  • I’ve been using it for pre-soaking dehydrated and freeze-dried meals. My normal routine has been to cold soak my food for an hour or two, add a little more water, then heat it up when I get to camp and am ready for dinner. Unlike the screw-top plastic containers revered by most cold-soakers, the Bot 700 gives me the flexibility to cook and use with a stove as well.
  • The Vargo Bot 700 holds my MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe, MSR Folding Spoon, Suluk46 Miksa carbon pot grabber (sometimes I bring it, other times I don’t), and a small (110 g net) fuel canister.
  • It’s nice to have a cookpot with a secure lid that doesn’t require its own stow bag.
  • I like having an extra 700 ml of water storage capacity if needed on the trail during a dry stretch.

I recently posted this IGTV Video showing how I have been using the Vargo Bot 700 in my mealtime routines this summer:

 

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Limitations

  • Titanium gets hot, especially the lid. Use a bandana or pot grabber to lift the inverted lid off the pot when cooking. And watch your mouth when sipping hot tea, it takes a few minutes for the rim of the lid (or pot) to cool down enough to drink.
  • Don’t cook with the lid screwed on – only use the lid in its inverted position while cooking so as not to pressurize the pot contents and create an explosion hazard.
  • It’s a $100 jar, and the price tag makes it a specialty item. If you’re cold soaking and not cooking and need cheap, stick with your peanut butter jar. It does everything you need without being able to use it with a stove.

Photos

vargo bot 700 review: pot on a rock 2

vargo pot 700 review: pot on a rock 3

vargo pot 700 review: pot on a rock with a spoon

vargo pot 700 review: stove packed into pot

vargo pot 700 review: pot in use

vargo pot 700 review: stove kit displayed on a rock

vargo pot 700 review: pot with spoon sticking out

vargo pot 700 review: Ryan eating from the pot

Where to Buy

DISCLOSURE (Updated November 7, 2019)

  • Product(s) discussed in this article may have been purchased by the author(s) from a retailer or direct from a manufacturer, or by Backpacking Light for the author. The purchase price may have been discounted as a result of our industry professional status with the seller. However, these discounts came with no obligation to provide media coverage or a product review. Backpacking Light does not accept compensation or donated/discounted products in exchange for guaranteed media placement or product review coverage.
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