Finding the best camping stove can be a daunting prospect because there are so many options to choose from for all sorts of different outdoor scenarios. However, it's easy to narrow down the options and find the perfect portable cooker for your outdoor adventures.
Ideally, you'll want something light and portable enough to carry around with you (unless you're car camping, in which case the sky's the limit) and which is robust enough for you to use wherever you set up camp. And considering the potential challenges of cooking outdoors in the dark at the end of a long hike, you'll want something easy to use.
Need one stove to do it all? We'd suggest looking for a simple portable gas stove, such as our current top pick, the Primus Firestick. These are quick to fire up, easy to maintain and hard to break, and they're also generally light and easy to carry, making them useful whether you're hiking solo or on a big car camping trip. But a bigger and more robust option will be a better choice for something with a bit more oomph to take in the car.
Read on to see our selection of the best camping stoves, and while you're organising your outdoor dining setup, take a look at our guides to the best camping cookware sets and the best camping chairs, and perhaps the best camping lanterns too (cooking in the dark is no fun for anyone).
Best camping stove to buy right now
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Primus knows a few things about stoves, and the Primus Firestick is a good example of great engineering combined with the very best in stove technology. There are a variety of clever things going on in this relatively small and light gas stove, which all come together to make something greater than the sum of the parts. For starters, the stainless steel pot supports fold around the central gas burner like flower petals, protecting the delicate bits with a steel shroud that's both practical and dare we say it – beautiful. Hidden deep in those delicate bits is a regulated valve, which means you get a consistent burn as the gas canister empties, making flame control much easier and less annoying in general.
This is all good news, but the real cherry on top is that the inevitable piezo igniter is in a separate pencil-style unit, allowing you to leave it at home when it breaks. Oh, and one last thing – the woolen storage pouch is designed to be used as a pot gripper. The end result is everything that good outdoor equipment should be – easy to use but pleasant to handle, multi-purpose without being impractical, and entirely reliable. A genuine keeper of a stove that you'll use time and time again.
The Primus Lite+ has been around for a long time, picked up awards, and remains very popular amongst outdoors enthusiasts. An issue with more minimalist camping stoves that they're typically not all that stable, but Primus has tackled that head on with the Primus Lite+. It features a burner that has been specially designed to safely sit closer to the gas cartridge, and the cooking pot also slots directly on top surrounded by wind shields to stop the flame from blowing out. We've tested this one out in the wild, and can confirm that the result is a very stable, efficient setup indeed.
All of this remains from the original, bestselling stove, but changes have been made elsewhere to streamline the design for 2021. The 0.5l hard anodized aluminium cooking pot now includes an integrated pouring spout, while the lid, which doubles as a backpacking mug, is now made with 95% bioplastic. Finally, the outer sleeve (with a pocket where you can stash a long spoon) sports a new, eco-friendly cork lining that delivers excellent insulation, keeping the heat in your dinner and not burning your hands. While stove designs are typically pretty dull, this sleeve is available in a choice of six vibrant colours, to liven up your camp.
This set is really designed for a solo camper, or perhaps two at a push. It can be used with alternative pots – with the addition of extra pan supports that need to be screwed into the burner – but abandoning the provided pot in favour of an alternative means sacrificing the specific advantages of this design, such as the wind resistance and added stability.
Simple to use and very portable, the Campingaz Twister Plus PZ isn't the smallest or lightest camping stove here, but you can just about stuff it in a big pocket (don't forget to put a gas cartridge in your backpack) and it'll do the job for one or two people. It has a built-in lighter so that's one less thing to worry about, and it'll happily boil a litre of water in 3-4 minutes. The lack of wind protection means you might need to pack a portable windshield as well, but overall this is a fantastic little stove at an easily-affordable price point. Head to our Campingaz Twister Plus PZ review for more info.
The Primus PrimeTech 2.3L is a gas stove with a difference... or three. As an integrated system, this takes all the trial and error out of a setup: just add gas and you're ready to cook up an outdoor storm. As a 'system' cooker, it builds in a variety of efficiencies that save fuel and help fight some of the issues all gas cookers suffer from. Firstly, one of the two non-stick 2.3L pans has a heat exchanger in the base, there’s a built-in wind guard to keep heat where you want it, and the built-in burner has a regulator to help smooth out gas delivery. This is particularly useful as the gas canister empties, but also at altitude or in cold conditions. That 'remote' gas canister can be insulated from cold ground too, unlike traditional 'stand-up' gas stoves.
Because the PrimeTech has a broad base it's also very tough to accidentally knock over, making this a great option for family weekends away as well as more serious 2-5 person mini-expeditions. With included tongs and a built-in igniter, this is an entire kitchen in a stuff sack – add a spork apiece and you’re set for adventure. The only disadvantage here is the kilo-plus weight, but you'll tote less gas than with other setups thanks to the efficiency, and split between 2-5 people and it's not such a burden.
The BioLite CampStove 2+ is a bit a special proposition: it's a stove that runs on twigs and sticks, and it includes an integrated battery that charges from the heat and can in turn be used to juice up your outdoor gadgets. If you don't have a ready supply of wood, pellets can be subbed in, but the joy of this really is in the gathering and the 'back to nature' vibe. In our BioLite CampStove 2+ review, we were impressed with how well designed and robust this little stove feels, and how efficiently it turned our scavenged wood into a hot dinner.
The onboard battery generates 3W of continuous power, some of which is used to run a powerful fan system that ensures a clean burn, with four fan speeds, controllable via the funky LED dashboard on the side. An articulated USB light, included with the stove, can be connected to illuminate your cooking efforts if you end up making dinner after dark. There are a few other accessories you can bundle in, the most useful of which is definitely the KettlePot, into which the stove itself slots for easy storage. It's not small and it's not light, but for car campers, there's plenty to love about this clever camping stove design.
The Vango Atom encapsulates all the reasons gas stoves are so popular, as well as their shortcomings. Very packable (6x4cm folded), lightweight (66g), and with no igniter to fail, this is as simple as stoves get, while still knocking out a potent 3000W that’ll boil a litre of water in 3.5minutes. When weight is a concern (backpacking, trekking, mountaineering) this is an ideal candidate. The drawbacks are the potential for instability when fully-laden with a big pan of dinner, and the fact that gas isn’t ideal in low temperatures or at altitude. However, for everything else this is well worth a look, especially at such a reasonable price.
The Coleman Fyrestorm PCS (Personal Cooking System) is our top pick of the best camping stoves because it’s a compact, all-weather all-rounder that delivers a lot of features for its wallet-friendly price. The main body of the stove is a gas burner and generous 1.3L cooking pot, with a hose out to the gas cartridge, which has plenty of benefits.
The external gas cartridge increases stability of the main pot, as it has a lower centre of gravity, and in cold conditions the gas cartridge can be kept warm off the ground, preventing gas pressure drop from cold. The burner has wind protection built-in, and also traps as much heat as possible, adding to efficiency. Coleman claims a 2200W output and a fast boil time of just over four minutes in no wind, increasing to six minutes 35 seconds when the winds get up. A built-in igniter also cuts down on extra faffery, and another neat touch is being able to peg the stove feet down if required for extra stability. There are lighter stoves out there, but the convenience of the Coleman will really make a difference after a long day.
The Campingaz Party Grill 400 CV has fun written all over it, with a built-in wok as well as a gas BBQ-style griddle, this is a certain winner at a festival or family campsite. It’s not light (as BBQ’s with built-in woks tend not to be), but it will feed an army in fun informality. Built in piezo ignition fires up your barbie in seconds, while a grease trap in the base makes light work of cleaning up afterwards. As some campsites dislike BBQs on the ground, this is purpose-built to placate them, and while the 2000W burner will run for 3 hours on a Campingaz CV Plus cartridge, these gas bottles are industry standard in campsites across Europe (unlike some), so getting refills won’t be an issue. Head to our Campingaz Party Grill 400 review to find out more of what we thought.
We took the Outwell Jimbu Stove on a recent camping trip and had a brilliant time cooking eggs and porridge and toasting bread each morning. It also served us well during dinner times, thanks to its split cooking surface area that enables you to handle different cooking types or pots at once. The built-in windshields came in handy when the wind picked up, protecting the flame from stronger gusts that would have put an end to lesser camping stoves. It's pretty darn easy to clean too, thanks to a removable drip-tray and grate, so you won't be faced with a messy clean-up job once you get home and unpacking your camping gear. This stove is so simple to use, even beginners will be up and running within seconds. Feed it with gas cartridges.
The revamped Jetboil Flash camping stove delivers more of the same water-warming efficiency for even less weight, much to the annoyance of its many rivals. Efficiency and speed are the name of the game here, with a claimed boiling speed of 100 sec per 16 oz (1/2 Litre) of water leaving the others lukewarm and late. The Flash adds in a colour-changing sleeve that shows you when the contents are hot (handy for avoiding casual burns) and retains the flux ring and inbuilt piezo igniter of older models. Although limited in terms of the cooking you can do (frying is pretty much out), the Jetboil will deliver boil-in-the-bag and rehydrated meals in a flash.
Jetboil has busied itself producing a widening range of accessories, including the handy but niche Coffee Press, and even more niche Hanging Kit (for big-wall climbing escapades), a Pot Support, Skillet, and additional larger FluxRing Cooking Pot. Overall it’s a great water-heating system that has only improved over the years.
How to choose the best camping stove for you
The best camping stove for you is a broad question indeed, with a huge variation in performance and fuel types on the market. An important question to consider is just how vital your stove is. Although the same gas burner might work as well, melting snow on an overnight bivvy in the Alps as it does making tea after a long walk in Kent, the consequences of failure are somewhat different. It’s worth bearing in mind that if you invest in one of the best camping stoves, it should last for decades, so spending a few pounds more will pay off in the longer run.
Factors such as the size of your group, what you’ll be cooking, the time of year you’ll be camping and at what altitude all come into play, as well as the cost and/or availability of fuel. Broadly, the first big decision is fuel type (gas, liquid or solid), which influences the type of heat you’ll be dealing with and, thus, what you can cook on it.
FAQ
What are the main types of camping stove?
There are three main types of fuel when it comes to camping stoves: solid fuel camping stoves, liquid fuel stoves and canister gas stoves. Solid fuel stoves are intended for very light duties such as boiling water and are relatively simple to use, except in high winds when they become almost useless.
Liquid stoves can burn a myriad of liquid fuels, from paraffin to solvents and petrol. These have low running costs and are excellent for longer expeditions and in remote places where fuel may be scarce. Liquid stoves are also the only choice for higher altitudes (2000m+), as the lower pressure doesn’t affect them, and are also brilliant in full winter conditions where gas canisters can freeze up and lose pressure.
On the downside, they require maintenance and are more fiddly to operate, although modern stoves don’t require the same lengthy priming operations as many older models.
Most commonly, canister gas stoves are the popular choice, being simple to light and offering good flame control. Options range from heavy catering appliances through to incredibly lightweight burners, so there is quite literally a gas stove for every situation.
Alongside the style of the stove, you also need to consider its stability. Anyone who’s had the misfortune of knocking a full dinner onto the floor when out in the wild knows it can be devastating. If you've got little ones running around your camp, you may want to avoid lighter travel camping stoves and opt for a stronger tabletop alternative instead.
