Ore-Ida frozen french fries getting crispy on the campfire
There are several classes of camp stoves that suite the needs of different kinds of camping. Compact, or backpacking, camp stoves are extremely small and light, with a single burner suitable for cooking food in a small pot designed specifically for these stoves. Base camp stoves are much larger, with two burners suitable for use with regular-size pots, frying pans and griddles.
Each class of stove, compact backpacking or base camp, is available in either canister or liquid multi-fuel versions. Multi-fuel means that a stove can operate on white gas, kerosene, or unleaded gasoline.
A multi-fuel stove can be very advantageous, depending on the type of camping that you do. There are drawbacks, though, including the smell, potential leaks, and constant cleaning of the fuel-jet if you use lower-grade fuels.
Brunton Raptor
Compact Camp Stoves
The Brunton® Raptor™ is typical of the canister-style compact stoves. It weighs less than a pound, including the 8oz. fuel canister, and folds to 1.7″x1.5″x2.5.” The fuel canister is 4”x3.5” and costs about $7. The burner puts out 11,000 BTU’s and will operate for about an hour and a half on one canister.
MSR Whisperlight International
The Whisperlight International™, by Mountain Safety Research®, is a liquid multi-fuel stove that weighs 14.5oz.without a fuel bottle (various sizes, 11oz to 33oz). The burner assembly is 4”x4” with a 6” hose. The burner outputs about 11,000 BTU’s (maybe a bit less on kerosene) and operates for about an hour and a half on a pint of fuel.
Base Camp Stoves
Coleman 2-Burner Dual Fuel
If you camped as a kid, you no doubt have memories of mom or dad furiously pumping away, trying to light a stove very similar to this one. The Coleman® 2 Burner Dual Fuel™ Stove operates on white gas and unleaded gasoline (not kerosene) and, like your parent’s old Coleman, one of the burners is 11,500 BTU’s and the other 9,500 BTU’s. The stove is 18”x11.5”x4.8” and weighs 9lbs. 13oz., empty. The 2.5 pint fuel tank will run the stove for about 2 hours. One knock on this old design is that the windscreen “wings” always seem to be in the way, interfering with pots, pans and handles.
Coleman 2-Burner Propane
The Coleman 2 Burner Propane PerfectFlow™ Stove operates on standard 16.4oz. propane canisters, which cost about $5. The big advantage of a propane stove is easy lighting and hot temperatures. Unlike the liquid fuel model, each of the burners on this stove is 11,000 BTU’s. The stove is 23.25”x14.75”x5.5” and weighs 10lbs. 13oz. without the propane canister. The stove will run for about an hour on one propane canister. Coleman has updated the windscreen design to allow the “wings” to fold flat and out of the way, when they are not needed.
We’ve had a Coleman 2-Burner Propane for several years now, what is your favorite camp stove?
See also…
- Make Camp Meals at Home to Save Time and Trash
- Camping - Take Plenty of Water
- New Camping Coffee Maker
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve been using a Coleman base camp stove like the first one pictured, except it has the side propane bottle like the second one pictured.
I recently went to a one-burner Coleman propane stove since my camping meals tend to be fairly simple.
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My wife and I (Hippy Chick) have used all types also, and have narrowed our stoves down to two. For “car camping” we use a small Coleman propane canister and screw on burner. For hiking/back country/kayaking we use a Trangia. The Trangia is similar to a cat stove but better built. Runs on just about any type of alcohol, but I use rubbing alcohol from the pharmacy and keep it in a mtn. dew bottle in the side pocket of my backpack.
Always wanted a whisperlight for the cool factor though. (I get small grins in the A.T. shelter when I get a through hiker with a whiperlight or thermojet looking at my Trangia) But hey, I’m old school that way. Just glad I have not had to whip out the Firestick.
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Roy, I use that Coleman 2 burner propane all the time. It’s compact, easy to put in a rucksack and easy to clean up. And for the cost of the fuel, very economical. Just make sure you tote out what you tote in if the canister is empty. Keep America clean.
I’ll bet the Trangia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trangia) works good in the wind - that’s a weak spot with the current crop of backpacking stoves.
Jim - bugs the heck out of me that there is not a standard recycling program for those canisters. Some locations will only take them if you remove the valve, while others will take them as-is. I tried to go with a small 11-pound tank and a hose, but there is too much pressure-drop as the tank empties, and the stove doesn’t work as well.
I wait until the local fire department has its’ annual hazardous materials program and they take them. I don’t know what they do with them but I’m sure it doesn’t end up in the local landfill. I’ve seen tanks, old stoves and just plain trash out in the wilds and it irks me to no ends to see that stuff.
I used to be against camp stoves. My thinking was camping means cooking on the fire. I used to cook everything on the fire; breakfast, lunch, and dinner… 2 summers ago I bought a cheap no name 2 burner stove from the big box store. I will never go back to camping without a stove. It’s nice to wake up and cook eggs and bacon with out fuss. I still like to cook dinner on the fire to “keep it real”. oh and that cheap no name stove is still going strong…
Another advantage of using a cookstove versus a fire: far less pollution and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
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We almost always cook something for dinner on the campfire, whether its baked potatoes, corn, or just warming up tortillas. Something about a campfire makes everything taste better!
Good point, John - and I’d add that using crumpled-up newspaper to start the fire creates a lot of ash that ends up floating all over the place.
I have a camp stove that runs on a can of Sterno (essentially an alcohol gel).
I pick up the Sterno at a catering supply store for cheap.
It helps when there is rain, and I can’t get a good fire going!