An excellent camping stove can provide you with some of the luxuries of home when you are out on a camping trip in the wilderness. If you are caravan camping, or touring in your vehicle and staying in designated campsites where you can drive-in to set up camp, heavy-duty, two-burner camping stoves may be the way to go. Imagine after a long day of hiking, or a full day of fishing, you come back to your campsite and cook a large hearty meal that fills you up with all the nourishment and happiness you desire. Cook steaks, or chops, boil potatoes, fry up some eggs and bacon. The choices are endless.
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Quick Selection: Our Top 6 Camping Stoves
However, some of you might not be able to carry such a heavy portable camping stove if you are doing multi-day treks, or if you have a hike-in campsite that is several kilometres from your vehicle. For those situations, you may need to look at a smaller butane camping stove or a single camping burner that is lightweight and can easily be stored away in your backpack without taking up too much space. Though your cooking options will be more limited with these types of camp stoves, you still will be able to boil your water for coffee, tea, or instant noodles and soups. You may be able to use an ultra-small pan to fry up an egg or to toast some bread, make some oatmeal, even pan-fry a small chicken breast. Just because your options are a little more limited does not mean you can’t be creative and make some delicious meals.
Before you decide what type of portable cooker is the best suited for your needs, you need to consider a few factors. We talked about weight and size, now let us take a closer look at some of the other features that will determine which camp stove is right for you.
What is the Best Type of Fuel for Your Camp Stove?
If you are looking at portable gas stoves to purchase, or a new camping gas burner, all the different specifications to consider can be a bit overwhelming. The most important factor to consider for your new portable stovetop, other than size and weight, is its fuel type. Do you want to go with a pressurized gas canister, liquid white gas, or do you have a camping grill that uses solid fuel like wood or heat beads? Whatever you decide, all these options have their pros and cons, so here is a closer look at the benefits and negatives of each fuel type.
Gas Fuel
Gas fuel usually comes in a canister and is filled with an isobutane and propane blend, although you may also find LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) tanks. Pressurized gas is easily available for purchase and inexpensive.
- Pros: Available for purchase everywhere. Burns extraordinarily clean and leaves no residue on your stove or cookware. Inexpensive. Perfect for backpacking because it is lightweight, easy to store, and easy to use.
- Cons: Used canisters are not easily recyclable. Poor performance in colder weather, the canister loses pressure as the temperature drops.Non-refillable, so you need to bring as many canisters as you will need for your entire trip. Not easy to determine how much fuel remains after use.
Liquid Fuel
If your new camping gas cooker requires liquid fuel, first you need to determine which type of liquid fuel it requires. Do you need white gas, kerosene, diesel, or unleaded automotive gas? Like isobutane and propane, liquid fuel camping gas comes with its own set of pros and cons. Here is a breakdown.
- Pros: Only pack what you need. You can measure exactly how much fuel you will need for your trip preventing you from carrying more weight than necessary. Excellent performance in colder temperatures. Liquid fuel is much more inexpensive than canisters of isobutane and propane.
- Cons: Often need to be properly primed and can create a safety concern if not. Take up more space in your backpack due to fuel lines.
Solid Fuel
Solid fuel can be tricky. If you have a vehicle and the space to pack some firewood, that is great, however, if you are relying on finding your firewood each time you need to cook, it could be risky. What if it rains? What if you end up in a sparsely wooded area? You could be out of luck. Wood is not the only solid fuel available; you could also look into fuel tablets or heat beads. Here are the pros and cons of a wood stove set up for your next camping trip.
- Pros: Can be lightweight if you can secure all your firewood needs from foraging the forest. Then you will not need to carry any fuel at all and only carry the stove.
- Cons: Difficult and time consuming to get to cooking temperature. Burns dirty. Creates a lot of smoke which can draw attention. The weather has a big influence. Extra care needed to prevent forest fires.
Stove Burner
After you determine your new camp stove’s fuel type and size and weight, you need to consider the stove’s burners. Are you cooking for one? Do you have a large group where you need to cook large meals all at once? How much time will you have to devote to being in camp and cooking/relaxing? Answering these questions will help you determine the following factors.
How Many Burners Do I Need?
The number of burners needed will be determined by the size of your group and the complexity of your meals. Will you need to sauté some chicken and veggies while you cook some rice for a stir-fry? Maybe heat a red sauce as you boil water for some pasta? Then a two-burner set-up is the way to go. If you will be spending more time on the trail and little time in camp, then maybe a single-burner butane camping stove or a simple camping stove stand will suffice.Just what you need to boil water for cooking, and to fry up some small food items.
Burner BTU
What does the burner BTU rating mean? The burner BTU rating is simply the burner output. The higher the number, the more heat is expelled, and the quicker water will boil, or the food will cook. Also, the higher the BTU rating, the faster you will burn fuel. So be sure to consider that when determining how much fuel you will need for your trip.
What Kind of Camping Stove Do I Need?
Ok, so we have talked about size/weight, fuel type, and burner type, so now we can discuss the last few factors to consider before you make your purchase.
Wind Protection
Most two-burner heavier camp stoves will come with some form of wind protection.This is especially importantto make sure your stove is cooking efficiently and not being affected by strong winds. Also, winds make it harder to light your butane camp stove or portable gas oven. Mostsingle-burner portable butane gas stoves do not have wind protection therefore you will need to find a natural shelter to block the wind when lighting.
Freestanding vs Tabletop
Freestanding stoves can be much heavier than tabletop stoves due to the addition of the support legs. A tabletop stove is better for if you will be at a campsite with a picnic table or if you do not mind possibly cooking while sitting on the ground, or needing to search for a natural ledge to place your stove on. If you do not mind the additional weight, a freestanding stove is convenient and can be set up anywhere the ground is flat.
Simmer Control
The need for simmer control is dependent on what you will be cooking. Will you just be boiling water, cooking soups, and frying eggs? Then a simple one-setting, full-blast output is all you need. If you will be cooking steaks or other food items that you need to cook slowly to cook all the way through without burning the surface, then being able to adjust the heat source is necessary.
Camping vs Backpacking Stove
Whether you go with a camping stove or a backpacking stove is completely determined by how much weight and size can you handle. Backpacking stoves are usually a single burner, super lightweight, and compact, where your camping stove is a two-burner heavy-duty steel stove.
Additional Things to Consider About Camping Stoves
Be sure to consider how you will ignite your camp stove. Will you light it manually with matches or a lighter? With a push-button? Also, do you prefer a camping grill over a camp stove?
Piezo Ignitor
A Piezo electronic igniter comes as a button you push which then makes a small spring-loaded hammer strike a piece of quartz that then creates a spark and ignites the gas. Simple and easy to use.
Camping Grill
A camping grill is also an option for your next camping trip. The main difference between a gas burner stove and a cooking grill is how the heat is distributed. A camp stove uses burners to create direct heat to optimize the use of your cookware, where a camping grill distributes the heat over a larger area to cook meats and veggies evenly.
Best Camping Stove Reviews
360 Degrees Furno Stove and Pot Set
The 360 Degrees Furno Stove and Pot Set is a small gas stove that makes a great outdoors camping stove due to how extremely lightweight it is and how small the packed dimensions are. This portable stove is an all in one setup that comes both an 850ml pot and a small 350ml pot and lid. This small gas stove is ideal for boiling water for coffee or tea on cooler mornings or boiling water for instant noodles or soup packets. Minimalist backpackers or individuals going on long multi-day treks where backpack weight is an issue will find this portable gas stove perfect for their needs.
- RRP: $82.99
- Dimensions While in Use: Combined 21L x 13W x 14.5H cm | Pot 21L x 13W x 10H cm | Lid 20L x 12W x 5H cm
- Packed Dimensions: 13L x 13W x 14.5H cm
- Weight: 0.358 kg
- Material: Hard Anodised Aluminium | Stainless Steel
- Burner: 360 Degrees Furno Stove.One Burner with 11900 BTU per Burner
- Fuel: Isobutane | Propane
- Ignition: Manual
Pros: Includes pot set, and stove. Heat-resistant handles. Mesh storage bag, stabiliser and pot cleaning pad. 1-Year Warranty.
Cons: Smaller size limits what this small gas stove can cook.
Coleman HyperFlame FyreKnight Camping Stove
This Coleman gas stove is the best 2 burner gas stove on the market right now! The Coleman HyperFlame FyreKnight Camping Stove cooks at a high temperature which makes water boiling time low. This camping gas stove allows for the user to utilize the Coleman SwapTop system. The Coleman SwapTop system allows the user to cook on multiple different cooking surfaces at the same time. Feel free to cook almost anything on this camping stove from pasta and tomato sauce, to pan-fried fish from the day’s catch.
- RRP: $279.99
- Dimensions While in Use: 62L x 45D x 39H cm
- Packed Dimensions: 62L x 36W x 13.5H cm
- Weight: 7.1 Kg
- Material: Steel with corner bumpers
- Burner: Two burners with a 12000 BTU per burner rate.
- Fuel: LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)
- Ignition: Piezo
Pros: Heavy-duty locking latch and corner bumpers. Durable. Comes with Windblock pot support. 3-Year Warranty.
Cons: Heavyweight makes this outdoor stove too heavy for backpackers and instead is better suited for caravan campers, or drive-up campsites.
Companion 2 Burner High Output Stove
This companion gas stove is extremely popular because of its reliability and versatility. With two large format burners and excellent simmer control, this companion stove is perfect for those campers that like to bring gourmet flair to their campsite meals. Simmer a hearty beef stew on a cool evening, or create a delectable spinach and feta omelette in the morning. Whatever your taste buds desire, you will be able to make it happen on this amazingly versatile gas camping stove.
- RRP: $229.99
- Dimensions While in Use: 63L x 36D x 37H cm
- Packed Dimensions: 59L x 32D x 11.5H cm
- Weight: 5 Kg
- Material: Powder Coated Cabinet | Stainless Steel Drip Tray
- Burner: Two burners with a 25000 BTU per burner rate.
- Fuel: LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)
- Ignition: Piezo
Pros: 2 x large format burners with integrated wind protection. Large cooking area suitable for two pots. Stainless steel drip tray for easy cleaning. 3-Year Warranty.
Cons: Not designed for backpackers due to its heavier weight and larger size.
JetBoil Flash Hiking Stove
The JetBoil Flash Hiking Stove is an ultra-lightweight, compact, and reliable portable gas cooker perfect for backpacking and extra-long treks. Feel at ease knowing your basic cooking needs will be met while not taking up too much space or adding too much weight to your backpack. With an easy push-button ignition, and a colour changing heat indicator to let you know when your soup is hot, this is the best hiking stove for the minimalist trekker. This small portable stove is extremely efficient with a boil time of 2.30 minutes per every 0.5L.
- RRP: $219.99
- Dimensions While in Use: 18L x 10.4W x 10.4H cm
- Packed Dimensions: 18L x 10.4W x 10.4H cm
- Weight: 0.427 Kg
- Material: Hard Anodised Alluminium | Stainless Steel
- Burner: One burner with a 4500 BTU per burner rate.
- Fuel: Isobutane | Propane
- Ignition: Piezo
Pros: Ultra-lightweight design is perfect for backpackers and longer treks. Adjustable flame. Separate pot support required for wider pots. 1-Year Warranty.
Cons: Small compact design only allows for simple and basic cooking needs.
Coleman 2 Burner Dual Fuel Powerhouse Stove
The Coleman 2 Burner Dual Fuel Powerhouse Stove is a Coleman dual-fuel stove that has the title of powerhouse for a reason. No matter if its raining, strong winds, or even snowing, this steel heavy-duty outdoor gas stove operates on unleaded petrol and Shellite or Coleman camp fuel. One tank will run this Coleman cooker on high for 2.3 hours. Be able to cook large meals for large group camping outings with ease!
- RRP: $349.99
- Dimensions While in Use: 63L x 46W x 45.5H cm
- Packed Dimensions: 55.5L x 34.5W x 16H cm
- Weight: 6.12 Kg
- Material: Steel
- Burner: Two burners with BTU per burner rates of 1 x 8000 | 1 x 9000
- Fuel: Shellite | Unleaded
- Ignition: Manual | Requires Priming
Pros: Boils 1lt of water in 3.5 mins. Exceptionally durable steel case. WindBlocks and shield to protect from weather. Removeable heavy-duty nickel chrome grate that is easy to clean. 5-year warranty.
Cons: Not for backpackers or long-distance trekkers due to its heavy steel construction.
Companion Mega-Jet Outdoor Power Cooker
The Companion Mega-Jet Outdoor Power Cooker is every seafood chef’s dream. A strong and stable cooking surface made of heavy-duty steel is ideal for holding large stainless-steel pots used for steaming, boiling, or deep frying a variety of foods. From crawfish and salmon boils, to even deep-frying a turkey, this camping burner is not your average burner.
- RRP: $169.99
- Dimensions While in Use: 56L x 36W x 32.5H cm
- Packed Dimensions: 56L x 36W x 32.5H cm
- Weight: 5 Kg
- Material: Steel
- Burner: One burner with an 85300 BTU per burner rate.
- Fuel: LPG (liquefied petroleum gas
- Ignition: Manual
Pros: Heavy-duty steel frame. 85,300 BTU output. Caters for extra-large pots or pans. 1-Year Warranty.
Cons: Pretty heavy for a simple portable gas burner (5 Kg).
Ozpig Cooker Heater Series 2
The Ozpig Cooker Heater Series 2 s best Australian made camp oven! This camping oven not only can be used for everything from baking a wood-fire pizza to slow roasting a beef roast, but it can also act as a camp heater to keep you warm and dry. Got rained on during your day trek? Dry your socks and shoes by this heater at the same time you are making your hearty dinner. This camping wood stove is perfect for a cooler climate or winter camping.
- RRP: $370.00
- Dimensions While in Use: 40L x 30W x 134H cm
- Packed Dimensions: 41.5L x 36.5W x 41H cm
- Weight: 17 Kg
- Material: Powder Coated Steel
- Burner: N/A
- Fuel: Wood | Heat Beads
- Ignition: Manual
Pros: Comes with two BBQ plates. Mesh floor fire grate. 4 zinc coated legs. 3 chimney sections. Comes with multipurpose lid lifter/wood poker. 1-Year Warranty.
Cons: Extremely heavy and a bit expensive.
360 Degrees Furno Stove
The 360 Degrees Furno Stove is the perfect camping stove for trekkers with limited space in their backpacks and those trekkers concerned about weight. This camp stove is extremely lightweight weighing in at on 99 grams, however, it remains durable with its stainless-steel composition.
- RRP: $39.99
- Dimensions While in Use: 12L x 12W x 9H cm
- Packed Dimensions: 11.8L x 5.2W x 5.2H cm
- Weight: 0.099 Kg
- Material: Stainless Steel | Alloy
- Burner: One burner with a 11900 BTU per burner rate.
- Fuel: Isobutane | Propane
- Ignition: Manual
Pros: Super lightweight. Boils 1 litre of water in three minutes and twenty seconds. Adjustable flame control. Very inexpensive. 1-Year Warranty.
Cons: Small design allows for only basic and simple cooking.
Coleman Guide Series Compact Dual Fuel Stove
This Coleman Compact Dual Fuel Stove is lightweight, constructed of steel, and has a steady surface that
will support a 15 cm frying pan. With one 10,000 BTU burner, feel free to use Coleman gas, or regular
unleaded gas to keep this burner roaring on high for two hours. Easy to refuel and easy to carry.
- RRP: $129.95
- Dimensions While in Use: 14L x 13.5W x 13.5H cm
- Packed Dimensions: 15L x 13.5W x 14H cm
- Weight: 0.9 Kg
- Material: Steel
- Burner: One burner with a 10000 BTU per burner rate.
- Fuel: Unleaded | Coleman Fuel
- Ignition: Manual
Pros: Will burn for two hours on high. Runs on unleaded petrol or Coleman Liquid Fuel. Fully adjustable cooking power. Compact, lightweight with a steady surface. 5-Year Warranty.
Cons: More expensive than similar models.
Ready to Purchase Your Next Camp Stove?
Now that you have thought about everything you need to consider before purchasing your new camp stove, backpacking stove, or camp grill, you can rest assured you are making the right decision for you and your family. Happy shopping!
