The best camp stoves, from tiny biofuel stoves to heavy-duty gas beasts, reviewed and rated.
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The best camp stoves come in different shapes and sizes. They use different types of fuel, have different attachments, and cook/boil food and liquids at different speeds… the list goes on. With so many options available, choosing between them can be a daunting task. However, we can help you narrow down your choices and find the perfect portable stove for your outdoor adventures.
Ideally, you want something that’s lightweight and portable (unless you’re car camping, in which case the sky’s the limit) and durable enough to be used wherever you camp. Given the potential problems associated with cooking outdoors in the dark at the end of a long hike, you’ll want something easy to use.
Read on for our picks for the best camp stoves, and while you’re sorting out your outdoor dining area, check out our guide to the best camp cookware sets, the best camp chairs, and perhaps the best camp lanterns for outdoor cooking. Darkness is of no interest to anyone).
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There really is no other camp stove on the market that can compete with the Jetboil Flash in terms of ease of use, portability and speed of use – whether you’re happy with a one-pot cooking system that relies solely on boiling water or quickly heat other liquids like soups and sauces, juice. For us, this pretty much covers everything we need for backpacking and other overnight adventures (with the exception of car camping, when we use a two-burner setup).
Jetboil’s Flash is a very efficient and fast water heater, so we can have a cup of tea and freeze-dried food in seconds, which is very important when you are camping, especially when you are cold and chilly. When you’re tired – in some cases, this can really be a game changer, turning the experience from gloomy to blissful.
Lightweight and small enough to fit in a camp mug, the Soto WindMaster is a fast and efficient water boiler for even the most challenging weather conditions, but can also be used when you’re heading out on a trip. Get ready for a big feast. Weight-conscious hikers, bike enthusiasts, speedpackers and climbers will love this versatile stove that’s incredibly easy to use and offers tons of functionality and stability. The price is also very reasonable considering the elegant design, durable construction and wide range of applications.
The Campingaz Camping Chef DLX Stainless Steel Infrared Gas Stove is the perfect blend of old-school design and modern functionality. It’s portable but big enough to hold two decent frying pans at once, and with two 1500W outputs and a 1500W infrared grill, you can cook whatever you want in no time.
Once cooking is complete, the unit cools down quickly, making the Camping Chef DLX easy to clean. What’s more, you can easily fold and transport it with the built-in suitcase-style carrying case. It may not be small enough to fit into a backpack, but it’s a great solution for car camping (and cooking on the balcony).
Easy to use and very portable, the Campingaz Twister Plus PZ isn’t the smallest or lightest camping stove, but it can fit in a large pocket (don’t forget to throw an air tank in your backpack) and it will get the job done. Do this job for one or two people. It has a built-in lighter, so there is no need to worry: it will boil a liter of water in 3-4 minutes. The lack of wind protection means you may have to carry a portable windshield with you, but overall this is a great little stove at a great price.
Primus knows a thing or two about stoves, and the Primus Firestick is a great example of great engineering combined with the best stove technology. There are a lot of clever things going on in this relatively small and light gas range, all of which combine to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
The stainless steel pan is supported like petals around the central gas burner, and the steel grate protects fragile components, making it both practical and beautiful. Hidden deep inside those delicate parts is a control valve which means you get an even burn when the gas tank is empty, making flame control easier and overall less annoying.
This is all good news, but the best part is that the inevitable piezo igniter is in a separate pencil-shaped device that you can leave at home when it breaks. Oh, and one last thing: the fleece storage bag is designed to be used as an oven mitt. The end result is everything a good outdoor device should be: simple and easy to use, versatile without being practical, and completely reliable. A true stove maker that you will use again and again.
Primus PrimeTech 2.3L is a gas stove with… or three differences. Being an integrated system, it eliminates all the trial and error of setup: just add gas and you’re ready to storm the great outdoors. Being a “system” stove, it offers a number of features that save fuel and help solve some of the problems that all gas stoves face.
For starters, one of the two 2.3L non-stick pans has a heat exchanger underneath, a built-in windbreak to keep the heat where you want it, and the built-in burner has a regulator to help smooth out the gas. delivery. This is especially useful when emptying the tank and at high altitudes or in cold conditions. Unlike traditional “standing” gas stoves, “remote” gas tanks are also insulated from the cold ground.
Because the PrimeTech has a wide base, it’s also difficult to accidentally tip over, making it a great choice for both family weekend getaways and more serious mini-adventures for 2-5 people. Complete with tongs and built-in igniter, it’s a whole kitchen in one bag – add a fork and spoon per person and you’re ready for adventure. The only downside here is the extra pounds of weight, but since it’s efficient and can be shared between 2-5 people, you’re carrying less gas with you than with other setups and it’s not a burden.
The BioLite CampStove 2+ is something of a unique offering: it’s a stove that runs on branches and sticks, and includes a built-in heat-charged battery, which in turn can be used to charge your outdoor gadgets. If you don’t have a ready supply of wood, you can use pellets instead, but what really makes it fun is the party atmosphere and “getting back to nature.” In our review, we were impressed by how well designed and durable this little stove is, and how efficiently it turned scraped wood into a hot dinner.
The on-board battery produces 3W of continuous power, part of which is used to drive a powerful fan system to ensure clean combustion, with four fan speeds adjustable via the eye-catching LED instrument panel on the side. If you’re cooking dinner after dark, you can connect the articulated USB light that comes with the stove to illuminate the cooking process. There are a few other accessories you can bundle, the most useful of which is definitely the kettle, which the stove itself connects to for easy storage. It’s not small or light, but there’s a lot to love about this clever design of an RV camp stove.
Vango Atom reflects all the reasons for the popularity of gas stoves, as well as their disadvantages. Extremely portable (6x4cm when folded), lightweight (66g) and with no igniter failure, it’s as simple as a stove, yet delivers 3000W of power to boil a liter of water in 3.5 minutes. It is an ideal choice when weight is an issue (climbing, hiking, mountaineering). The downside is that it can be unstable when filling a large plate with dinner, and gas is not ideal in low temperatures or high altitudes. However, other than that, it’s worth a look, especially considering the price is so reasonable.
The Coleman Fyrestorm PCS (Personal Cooking System) is our top pick for the best camp stove because it is a compact, all-weather, all-purpose stove that offers a lot of features at an affordable price. The main body of the stove is a gas burner and a large 1.3L pot with a hose connected to the gas tank, which has many advantages.
The external air reservoir has a lower center of gravity, which increases the stability of the main pot. In cold conditions, the air reservoir can be kept above the ground to prevent air pressure from dropping due to cold. This burner has built-in draft protection and also traps as much heat as possible, increasing efficiency. Coleman claims a power output of 2,200 watts and a quick boil time of just over 4 minutes when there is no wind, increasing to 6 minutes and 35 seconds when there is wind.
The built-in igniter also saves a lot of hassle, and another nice feature is that the stove legs can be bolted on if extra stability is required. There are lighter stoves on the market, but the comfort of a Coleman stove really makes a difference after a long day.
The best camp stove for you is a really broad question, as performance and fuel types vary widely on the market. An important question to consider is how important your furnace is.
While the same gas burner can work just as well for melting snow during an overnight stay in the Alps as it does for making tea after a long walk in Kent, the consequences of failure are somewhat different. It’s worth remembering that if you invest in one of the best camping stoves, it will last for decades, so spending a few extra pounds will pay off in the long run.
Factors that come into play include the size of your group, the food you’ll be preparing, the time of year and altitude at which you’re camping, and the cost and/or availability of fuel. Generally speaking, the first big decision is the type of fuel (gas, liquid or solid), which affects the type of heat you’ll be dealing with and therefore what you can cook with it.
There are three main types of fuel for camp stoves: solid fuel camp stoves, liquid fuel stoves, and canister gas stoves.
Solid fuel stoves are suitable for very light tasks, such as boiling water, and are relatively easy to use, except in high winds when they are virtually useless.
Liquid fuel stoves can burn a variety of liquid fuels, from paraffin to solvents and gasoline. They have lower operating costs and are ideal for expeditions over long distances and in remote areas where fuel may be scarce. Liquid furnaces are also the only choice at higher altitudes (over 2000 meters) as they are not affected by lower pressure, and are also great for winter conditions where the gas tank may freeze and lose pressure.
On the downside, they require maintenance and are more cumbersome to operate, although modern furnaces do not require as much startup time as many older models.
Canister gas stoves are a popular choice because they are easy to light and offer good flame control. Options range from powerful kitchen appliances to extremely lightweight burners, so there really is a gas stove to suit any situation.
In addition to the style of your stove, you also need to consider its sustainability. Anyone who has had the misfortune of knocking over a hearty meal on the floor in the wild knows how devastating it can be. If you have small children running around at camp, you may want to skip the lighter camp stove and opt for a more durable tabletop alternative.
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Matt Kollath is a journalist and content creator who serves as an editor for T3.com and other magazines. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in publications such as Techradar and Fit&Well. Matt has also collaborated with other content creators such as Garage Gym Reviews and has been a judge for a number of awards such as the European Federation of Professional Sports Nutrition’s ESSNawards. When he’s not working out, running or cycling, you can find him roaming the countryside and trying out new gear for podcasting and content creation.
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Post time: Aug-30-2024