The Best Camping Stoves for Delicious Fireside Meals
Camping stoves are a must-have item for any outdoor enthusiast. They allow campers to enjoy hot meals no matter where they are, and for those who take their pets along for the journey, a camp stove also allows them to have hot meals when all-natural diets are being adhered to. Compact and easy to take along, having one of the top camping stoves in 2022 is a smart investment for anyone who enjoys spending extended time in the great outdoors.
Finding the Best Camping Stoves: A Buyer's Guide
Camping stoves are perfect for camping enthusiasts. They let you cook up meals on the road and out in the wilderness, and today's stoves are far better than models of the past, with strong flames, versatile controls, lightweight designs, and efficient cooking performance. However, there are a lot of lower-quality stoves out there too, so you have to shop carefully and choose the right product for you. Our buying guide will help you.
What Is a Camping Stove?
A camping stove is a portable stove that can be used while camping or for outdoor travels and activities. They can come in various types, making use of different formats of fuel like wood or liquid fuel, and they allow the user to cook up meats, veggies, and more with minimal hassle.
Why Do You Need a Camping Stove?
There are many advantages to investing in a camp stove (sometimes also called a freestanding stove), and you might be surprised to see just how versatile and effective these little devices can be. Read on for some key benefits and common uses.
For camping and the outdoors
Obviously, the main reason to buy and use a camp stove in the first place is for outdoor cooking. If you’re a frequent camper, you’ll know how hard it can be to start a fire and cook food the traditional way. Camping stoves make this process a lot simpler, and they can be perfect for other outdoor enthusiasts, too, such as people who enjoy fishing and hiking in the wilderness.
For versatility
Another awesome benefit of using stoves is their versatility. As the name implies, a camping stove is designed to be used while camping. But really, you can use these little cooking appliances however you like. You can set them up in the backyard for a family cookout, for example, or bring them along on vacations and picnics to help you enjoy warm food wherever you go.
For convenience
One of the best benefits of these stoves is how convenient they are. No need to worry about preparing lots of food before you go camping or about whether or not you'll have a designated cooking space. What's more, you won’t need to worry about stopping off at the grocery store to buy complete meals, either. All you'll need are some ingredients that you can cook on-site!
For travel
Today’s camping stoves are surprisingly lightweight, and many of them have very compact designs, too. You can easily fit them into bags, luggage cases, or in the back of your car or truck (car camping, anyone?), and you won’t have to worry about them weighing you down too much as you travel.
What Should I Consider Before Buying a Camp Stove?
Size and weight
Two of the main factors to think about when looking for a camp stove are its size and weight. Most of the time, you’re going to be taking these stoves with you on camping trips and outdoor expeditions, so you probably won’t want to be weighed down by huge and heavy items. The best stoves for camping are lightweight and easy to transport.
Type
There are many different types of camp stoves. They can usually be categorized based on the type of fuel they use. Examples include liquid fuel stoves, propane stoves, gas stoves, wood-burning stoves, remote canister stoves, and integrated canister stoves. Each one has its pros, cons, and best uses, so you'll need to figure out which one suits your needs the best.
For example, the Coleman camp stove has been a classic in outdoor cooking for a long time. Here's a video from HowToWith GEO on Youtube showing how easy they are to use.
Controls
Don't forget to take a look at the control options, too. Some models are pretty basic and won't offer much in terms of temperature adjustments or extra features like timers, but others can be far more advanced and offer just as many features and controls as your oven back at home.
Power
Of course, when it comes to any kind of cooking appliance, you also need to think about the heating power and performance of these devices. Power is usually measured in BTUs. The more BTUs your stove has, the faster it will be able to cook your food.
Price
You’ll also need to think about the price tag of any camp stove you purchase. Some of the larger and fancier models with extra features and higher BTU ratings will have larger price tags, while there are also plenty of smaller and more affordable budget camping stoves to be found as well. Try to find one that best matches your needs and budget.
How Much Does A Camp Stove Typically Cost?
Continuing on that same note, it’s interesting to see that the price tags of camping stoves can be quite different from one another. You can find some models for under $50 and others that cost several hundred dollars. It all depends on how powerful the stove is, as well as the materials used to make it, the brand, the features, and the heating power.
How Did We Choose Our List of the Best Camp Stoves?
We’re always determined to provide our readers with the very best recommendations of products, such as stoves for camping. That’s why we put in the time and effort to research every item thoroughly before including it in our list. We look at all of the key factors, including brand reputation, user reviews, price tag, and more, offering a varied and balanced selection of highly-rated products.
Looking at the Leading Camping Stove of 2022
CONCORD Double Burner Camping Stove
– Best Overall
Our first pick is able to easily stand up to the elements and against continued use. Made from cast iron, it also includes weatherproof coating and is ideal for outdoor trips even in severe weather.
This item features two burners with heat control of up to 55,000 BTU each. It comes with all needed regulators and hoses for easy use and is easy to pack away due to detachable legs. The knobs of this stove are easily adjustable. Unfortunately, this can be an issue due to not knowing how high the stove has been turned on or if it has reached maximum heat.
Camp Chef Camping Stove
– Most Durable
This stove stands out for its sturdy design, a four-legged structure that spreads the weight and can penetrate the ground to provide an extremely reliable cooking surface. These legs are also detachable, meaning you can remove them for a more portable and lightweight option.
This stove offers a fantastic mix of the traits we love to see: durability, portability, and function. The tough metal structure cannot be bent or warped, and even impact has a limited effect. The user-friendly design also makes it easy to use, but we should mention that this stove is fairly bare-bones, meaning it lacks certain functions.
SUNAVO Camping Stove
– Most Portable
This stove offers a cast iron, stainless steel design while also being small and compact enough to make travel easy. The portability of it makes it ideal for taking on trips with pets, too.
This camp stove is not only convenient but safe, as the overheat protection function will turn the stove off when temperatures get too high. The design of this stove allows it to be used with multiple types of cookware, but due to its small size,it does require a bit of time to heat up before use.
Coleman Gas Camping Stove
– Most Powerful
Many of us have grown up using these stoves for family camping trips. It’s designed for propane gas as fuel and features two burners that are adjustable to provide more or less heat as needed.
When cooking with this propane camping stove, you can use the side panel wings to block winds that might blow out the flames. It has pressure control technology for keeping an even and steady flame, even during extreme temperatures. The 16.4-ounce propane tank runs up to one hour on high.
Ohuhu Camping Stove
– Best for Remote Trips
This small camping stove is heated with wood or solidified alcohol. You can cook in the wilderness, even if you have no other fuel, there’s always wood to find. It has a small size for backpacking.
This little camping stove is made of stainless steel, so it won’t rust or corrode. Its simple 3-arm base is stable with small to large pots. It’s compact and easy to carry on any camping trip. This eco-friendly stove will cook your meals, make coffee, or boil water for washing dishes.
TOMSHOO Camping Stove
– Most Versatile
This little cooking stove burns wood efficiently with an easy-to-feed opening for maintaining the wood fire. It can also be fueled with solidified alcohol. It comes with a carrying storage bag.
The cooktop has a stable cross stand to secure any size pot for cooking. You’ll never be out of fuel when you’re camping. There are always plenty of twigs, sticks, and branches to be found. The construction of the stovepipe features double walls that push the hot air up towards the flame for strong heat.
People Also Asked
A: You can cook pretty much anything on a camping stove that you would usually cook on your home stove. This includes meat, fish, vegetables, and so on. The only limits you have to worry about are the size of your stove and how many burners you have to make use of.
A: It depends on the type and the location. In general, these devices are designed for outdoor use, so you won't find many that are recommended for indoor use. It is possible to use some types in well-ventilated areas with open doors and windows, but generally, they’re best suited for the outdoors.
A: No, camping stoves should never be used inside tents. There are simply too many risks to take into account, as the risk of harmful gases building up inside the enclosed space and the risk of the tent catching fire.
