Cooking Guide OSRS: 1–99 Fast, Profitable, And Easy

If you want a clean 99 that prints gp and frees your mind, Cooking is it. I’ve maxed Cooking on mains and Iron accounts, and I’ve burned enough fish to feed Lumbridge. This cooking guide OSRS walks you through fast routes, low-stress money makers, and smart setups. You’ll learn how to cook without burning your bank or your time. Let’s get you from level 1 to 99 with methods that fit your budget and playstyle.

Why Train Cooking In OSRS

Cooking is cheap, fast, and flexible. You can train while watching a show or go for top-tier XP rates when you want to sweat.

It’s one of the fastest 99s with wines and karambwans.
It makes money with high-level fish if you buy smart and sell smart.
It supports every combat style, bossing, and Slayer trips.
It’s beginner-friendly and perfect for Ironman progress.

I’ve used Cooking to bankroll early gear, and I still rely on it for steady profit when the market swings.

Core Mechanics You Must Know

Understanding how burning works and where to cook saves hours.

Burn chance and levels: Higher Cooking means fewer burns. Some foods stop burning at a certain level.
Ranges beat fires: Ranges reduce burns. The Hosidius kitchen range reduces them even more.
Cooking gauntlets: A reward from Family Crest. They lower burn chance for specific fish. A must for mid-high level fish.
Cooking cape: Gives strong burn protection and replaces gauntlets when worn. Great QoL at 99.
Wines: XP comes when wine ferments a few seconds later. After 68 Cooking, you stop making bad wine.

Cook at the Hosidius range whenever possible. The time saved and burns avoided are huge over thousands of items.

1–99 Cooking Route For All Players

This path balances cost, speed, and sanity. Swap steps based on your budget.

Levels 1–20: Cook shrimp, sardines, or trout on any range. Buy raw fish in bulk to save gp.
Levels 20–35: Salmon and tuna at a range. Cheap, low burn.
Levels 35–68: Jug of wine method. Use jugs of water + grapes. Simple, fast, and easy banking.
Levels 68–99 (fast): Continue wines. No bad wines from 68 onward, and XP is fast.
Levels 68–99 (profit/AFK): Cook lobsters, swordfish, monkfish, sharks, anglerfish at Hosidius with gauntlets or cape.

Personal tip: I prefer a hybrid route. Wines to 90 for speed, then switch to high-value fish for profit while doing clue hunts or watching a stream.

Fastest XP Methods

If your goal is raw speed, these shine.

Jug of wine: Buy grapes and jugs of water. Make full inventories, bank, repeat. Simple bank-standing.
Karambwans: Rapid clicks, fast bank cycles, and very good XP when you get the rhythm.
Tick-efficient cooking: Not needed for 99, but it can squeeze more XP if you like precision.

On my fastest pushes, I bank-stand wines for a calm, consistent grind. It’s less clicky than fish and scales well over long sessions.

Profitable And AFK Methods

You can make gp while you train. Prices vary, so always check margins.

Lobsters and swordfish: Low-mid XP, low burn at Hosidius with gauntlets. Good for early profit.
Monkfish: Great balance of XP and gp.
Sharks and anglerfish: Higher levels and less AFK, but can be profitable.
Cooked karambwan: Often profitable, fast XP, and great demand.

Tips to keep profit steady:

Buy raw food when prices dip. Sell cooked food during peak demand.
Use Hosidius range and cooking gauntlets to save losses from burns.
Avoid dumping large quantities at once. Split sells for better margins.

I track small batches, note prices, then scale up when the spread looks good.

Ironman And Group Ironman Tips

You don’t need Grand Exchange access to train Cooking well.

Early levels: Fish your own shrimp, trout, and salmon. Cook on ranges for fewer burns.
Mess Hall (Hosidius): Great for early Cooking XP and Kourend favor. It’s clicky, but worth it.
Grapes for wines: Farm from sources like the Hosidius Vinery or kill monsters that drop grapes.
Mid-game: Fish and cook monkfish or sharks as you unlock content.
Late game: Stockpile karambwans and sharks from Fishing grind for fast Cooking gains.

I’ve used Mess Hall on fresh accounts. It’s underrated, teaches good inventory flow, and sets you up with Hosidius favor for life.

Useful Gear, Boosts, And Locations

Small edges add up across thousands of items.

Cooking gauntlets: Reduced burns on key fish. Essential mid-game.
Cooking cape: Big burn protection and replaces gauntlets. Wear it everywhere after 99.
Hosidius kitchen range: Best burn reduction on a range. Bank is close.
Portable bank setups: House tabs, skills necklace, or Kourend teleports for fast loops.
Graceful outfit: Optional. Helps with stamina over long bank runs.

If you’re serious about Cooking, set your main hub at Hosidius and never look back.

Efficient Banking And Inventory Setups

Clean loops mean more XP and less stress.

Bank presets: Keep raw food, teleport, and stamina potions in fixed slots.
Wines: Withdraw 14 grapes and 14 jugs of water. Make all, deposit, repeat.
Fish: Withdraw 28 raw, cook, deposit cooked, repeat.
Teleports: Use Kourend or house teleports to stay near Hosidius.
Stamina potions: Optional, but nice for long sessions.

I time my breaks with inventory batches. It keeps me focused and reduces misclicks.

Common Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

A few bad habits can cost you millions.

Cooking on fires: Use ranges, especially Hosidius, for fewer burns.
Skipping gauntlets: Get Family Crest early. Gauntlets pay for themselves fast.
Ignoring prices: Check raw vs cooked before bulk buys. Margins can flip overnight.
Not adapting: If you burn too much, switch foods or move to Hosidius.
Overfilling bank: Sell cooked food in batches to avoid tanking prices.

I once cooked 5,000 raw sharks on a basic range. The burn losses stung. Don’t be me.

Advanced Tips And XP Per Hour Benchmarks

These ranges depend on gear, location, and focus. Always verify in-game.

Wines: About 400k–550k XP per hour with clean bank standing.
Karambwans: About 300k–450k XP per hour with sharp banking.
Monkfish: About 150k–220k XP per hour, decent profit.
Sharks/anglerfish: About 120k–200k XP per hour, profit varies with market.
Mixed method days: Combine wines for XP and high-tier fish for profit.

If you’re chasing 99 fast, keep wines as the backbone. Use profitable fish on days you want calmer play or extra gp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What Level Should I Switch To Wines?

You can start wines around level 35, but they shine at 68 when you stop making bad wine. From there, XP feels smooth and consistent.

Q. Where Is The Best Place To Cook In OSRS?

The Hosidius kitchen range is the top pick. It reduces burn chance and has a convenient bank. It outperforms most other ranges for long grinds.

Q. Do I Need Cooking Gauntlets For 99?

You can reach 99 without them, but gauntlets reduce burns on key fish and save money. They’re one of the best investments for skilling.

Q. Are Karambwans Better Than Wines?

For speed, wines are usually simpler and close in XP. Karambwans can be very fast and sometimes profitable, but they need tighter clicking and banking.

Q. Can I Make Money While Training Cooking?

Yes. Monkfish, sharks, anglerfish, and karambwans can be profitable depending on the market. Always compare raw vs cooked prices before committing.

Q. What If I Keep Burning Food?

Move to the Hosidius range, use cooking gauntlets, and consider foods with lower burn thresholds. As your level rises, burning drops sharply.

Conclusion

Cooking is the perfect blend of speed, profit, and peace of mind. Start simple, use the Hosidius range, put on your gauntlets, and pick a path that fits your day. Wines will rocket you to 99. High-tier fish will fund your adventures. If you stay flexible and watch prices, Cooking becomes a skill that pays you back.

Ready to level up? Try a one-hour session of wines, then switch to monkfish or sharks to compare XP and gp. Share your results, ask questions, or request a custom route in the comments.