The 7 Best Camping Stoves
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Whether it’s pancakes in the morning or a big pot of chili for dinner, cooking outside is a big part of what makescampingso much fun. A reliable camping stove, as well as plenty of fuel to burn, is essential even if you’re planning on utilizing the fire pit for most of your cooking — nobody wants to wait around that long for coffee after spending the night in a tent. To find the best options for both car-camping andbackpacking, I asked outdoor experts for their most trusted recommendations then tested them out for myself. Be aware that the state of California requires hikers to obtain afree permitbefore using a stove in the backcountry.
Our top picks
Whatwe’relookingforinacampingstove
Weight
Heaviersuitcase-style camp stoves with two burners are ideal for whipping up big family meals when car camping or RV-ing. They’re the best pick if you’re using multiple pots and pans — they can even handle cast iron. “A simple rule to follow is, the heavier the stove, the more stable it tends to be,” says Alex Andreichuk, CEO of Tanzanian remote tour operatorAltezza Travel. Single-burner backpacking stoves are tiny and almost weightless in comparison. They are better suited for backpacking and longer expeditions where they can handle more basic tasks like boiling water for hot drinks and dehydrated meals or cooking simple dishes like rice and pasta after a long day on the trail.
Fuel source
Most larger camp stoves burn propane and are compatible with those ubiquitous 16-ounce green canisters as well as larger 20-pound tanks, although some models require adapters for the latter. Most ultralight backpacking stoves meanwhile thread onto self-sealing, pressurized isobutane canisters. Isobutane is reliable and lights quickly with amatchbut works less efficiently in colder weather. So some slightly larger backpacking stoves burn liquid gas (often called white gas, though some stoves can also run on kerosene and unleaded gasoline), which works better at high elevations and in freezing temperatures. These stoves can be fussy, though, and are probably overkill for the average thru-hiker or bike-packer unless you truly don’t know what kind of fuel will be available at your destination. “Unless you’re traveling to very remote places, the extra weight and complexity of such stoves is usually not worth it,” says Andreichuk.
BTUs
Each stove has a different British thermal unit measurement, which indicates the heat produced by the stove. The higher the BTU, the hotter the burner can get, but all of our recommendations are powerful enough to sear food and boil water within a reasonable frame of time.
Ignition
Large camp stoves usually have automatic push-button ignition, whereas many backpacking stoves will require you to use a match or lighter. But there are some exceptions, which I’ve noted. It’s a good idea to carry backup matches with you even if your stove does self-ignite.
Best overall camp stove
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Camp Chef Everest 2X 2-Burner Cooking System
Weight:12 pounds| Fuel source:Propane| BTUs:40,000| Ignition:Automatic
For car-camping, RV-ing andvan life, or when setting up atentwithin a reasonable walk from your ride, the Camp Chef Everest is just about as close to cooking indoors as you can get while under the stars. The Everest 2X is the newer version of the originalEverest, which was previously recommended in Strategist contributor Ali Slagle’sstory on her camper-van cooking essentialsfor being able to “do anything a house stove can do — and faster.” The newer Everest is much the same as the older one, save for small tweaks like taller windscreens and flashier red knobs. The 215-square-inch top is large enough to accommodate two ten-inch pans side by side. “I like the sturdy construction, ample space for pots and pans, and good BTU output,” says Steve Corso, founder ofOutdoor Eatsand a chef who develops recipes for hikers and campers. “It can handle a simmer and the build can hold up a heavycast-iron skillet,” he says. And at 40,000 BTUs it develops double the heat of our more affordable pick below.
Best (less expensive) camp stove
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Weight:11.6 pounds| Fuel source:Propane| BTUs:20,000| Ignition:Automatic
Ideal for those who are newer to camping, the Coleman Classic keeps moving parts to a minimum. Simply thread on a green propane canister (or a 20-pound tank that requires a separate adapter) and light the burner with a match. In our beginner’s guide to camping, Chyla Anderson, founder ofOutdoorism, says she likes the Coleman Classic because “it’s compact, it’s safe, and it’s easy to set up.” It’s also a favorite ofthe DyrtCEO Kevin Long, who says it turns “any campsite picnic table into a kitchen.”
Best backpacking stove
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Weight:13.1 oz| Fuel source:Isobutane| BTUs:5,200| Ignition:Automatic
I’ll never forget the first time I went camping with a Jetboil owner. Thanks to its superfast boiling powers (achieved because the stove locks onto the brand’s proprietary insulated aluminum pot, funneling heat towards it while also blocking wind), we were enjoying piping hot Aeropress coffees two minutes after unzipping our tents. This stove changes lives, and while it weighs more than the ultralight Pocket Rocket 2 below, you can always share the load with your hiking buddies. Just note that it isn’t as versatile for general cooking and is only compatible with Jetboil’s own pot.
True Summit Adventuresfounder Oliver Brown brings a Jetboil on all his expeditions, and finds the design to be exceptionally durable. “And if you go easy with the gas then you get a lot of boils from each canister.” The built-in regulator helps the stove work in both hot andcold climates, and even at higher elevations. A foldout stabilizer clips onto the bottom of the gas canister to make the potentially top-heavy cooking system more sure-footed. And the pot is designed to go from cooking to eating, so it’s easy to hold, with low sides that make using aspoona breeze.
Jetboils aren’t cheap, but while there are some convincing dupes out there, backpacking stoves aren’t a product category that’s worth trying to save a few dollars on. “Bad stove quality can have some pretty catastrophic downsides,” says Richard Campbell, founder of hiking and cycling tour specialist10 Adventures. “A gas leak could lead to serious injury, and not having a properly working stove puts you in danger if you’re really remote.” In fact, Brown originally started using a Jetboil in the first place after a bad experience with gas escaping from an Amazon dupe he was using while rowing the Atlantic.
Best ultralight backpacking stove
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Weight:2.6 oz |Fuel source:Isobutane |BTUs:8,200 |Ignition:Automatic
Small enough to nest inside a coffee mug (though it doesn’t come with its own cooking pot, as the Jetboil does), MSR’s Pocket Rocket 2 threads onto a sealed canister of isobutane and boils a liter of water in about three and a half minutes with an easy-to-use valve control that adjusts from searing hot to simmer. “It’s tiny but has a lot of BTUs,” notes happy ownerEric Larsen, a polar explorer, guide, and climber who has summited Mount Everest. I’ve cooked with mine while backpacking in five different countries and have never experienced a single issue. And it just folds upso small.Beware of cheaper imitators, which, though they might technically be even smaller and lighter, simply aren’t as reliable.
Best (more stable) backpacking stove
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Weight:2.6 oz (manual) or 4.23 oz (automatic)| Fuel source:Isobutane| BTUs:10,000| Ignition:Manual and automatic versions
Author ofWalking & Wayfinding: Create Your Own Mindful Practice, One Step at a Timeand former REI green vest Lea Appleton has tried out pretty much every camping stove, but finds herself returning most frequently to a Snow Peak Gigapower that she’s had for more than 20 years. (It required repairs around the two-decade mark, but the brand has responsive customer service and undertook them for free.) She says the Gigapower is the most stable backpacking stove she’s found, and indeed it does a better job at balancing larger pots compared to the smaller Pocket Rocket 2 above, thanks to its wider and flatter folding arms. These do however make it slightly bulkier in form.
Best backpacking stove for remote expeditions
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MSR XGK EX Stove
Weight:13.5 oz| Fuel source:Liquid| BTUs:10,500| Ignition:Manual
This MSR stove connects a refillable fuel bottle (sold separately) to burn white gas, kerosene, or diesel, which makes it a rock-solid performer in the harshest conditions. “It’s like a jet engine and never fails,” saysLarsen. “You can throw it against the wall, run it over with a truck, and then boil water with it. This is the main stove I use on polar expeditions.” The burner comes with a fuel pump to pressurize the canister and an adjustable valve to control the flame. When unfurled, the three supports above the burner span about four inches to support a range ofpotsizes. It will boil a liter of water in as little as three minutes. The liquid fuel might take some getting used to for novices, but this is the backpacking stove to choose when reliability is paramount.
Best backup backpacking stove
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Weight:9 oz| Fuel source:Wood or alcohol| BTUs:Variable| Ignition:Manual
When traveling to remote backcountry areas, several experts mentioned that it might be worth bringing along a simple alcohol stove like this Solo one in addition to your main stove. It’ll provide peace of mind for survival situations, although should you actually need to use one, definitely don’t expect Jetboil-level efficiency. Multiple states ban the use of these old-school stoves in the backcountry during high-risk fire seasons, so check before you go.
Some other camp stoves we’ve written about
Our experts
• Chyla Anderson, founder ofOutdoorism
• Alex Andreichuk, CEO,Altezza Travel
•Lea Appleton, author
• Oliver Brown, founder,True Summit Adventures
• Richard Campbell, founder,10 Adventures
• Steve Corso, founder ofOutdoor Eats
•Eric Larsen, polar explorer, guide, and mountain climber
• Ali Slagle, Strategist contributor
Additional reporting bySal Vaglica.
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