Stoves and Camp Cooking
Which kind of stove, and the fire rules that now decide it.
One of these categories quietly won, so the choice is simpler than these reviews suggest.
Canister stoves are the right answer for most people
A screw-on upright burner is light, cheap, lights instantly, needs no priming and simmers well enough to cook rather than only boil. If you camp in temperate conditions within reach of a shop that sells gas, stop here.
The other three, and when they earn their weight
- Integrated canister systems like a Jetboil lock a heat-exchanger pot to the burner and boil water very fast in wind, using very little gas. They are for hot drinks and dehydrated meals, and they burn anything with substance in it.
- Liquid fuel earns its weight in real cold, where canister pressure drops, and on long trips away from supply, because you refill a bottle rather than hunt a canister. The MSR WhisperLite has been made since 1984 and is still sold.
- Alcohol and wood are the ultralight and no-fuel options. Both are slow and wind-sensitive.
The two rules that are newer than most of these reviews
- Check the fire restrictions. Far more of the western US and southern Europe is under a ban for far more of the year than a decade ago. In a total ban a canister stove with a shut-off valve is often still allowed where wood and alcohol are not.
- You cannot fly with fuel, full or empty canisters included. Plan to buy gas at the destination and confirm it exists there before you commit to a stove that needs it.
Small things that matter more than the stove
A foil windshield weighs nothing and halves your fuel use, though never enclose a canister. A canister tripod stops the most common accident, which is a full pot of boiling water tipping on uneven ground. And in cold weather keep the gas in your sleeping bag overnight and inside your jacket between uses.
One pot, one spork and a mug covers nearly all camp cooking. The rest is packaging.
Kept current
- How to Choose the Best Backpacking Stove
- Jetboil Flash Cooking System
- Primus Classic Trail Stove
- MSR WhisperLite Backpacking Stove
The reviews (18)
- Brunton Flex Canister Stove
- Coleman Fold N Go 2-Burner Stove
- MSR XGK EX Stove
- Coleman Propane Grill and Stove
- Lowepro Primus AW Camera Pack
- MSR Pocket Rocket Backpacking Stove
- Jetboil Personal Cooking System
- REI Double Shot Press Mug
- Optimus Crux Stove
- Brunton Vapor AF Stove
- Jet Boil Group Cooking System
- Snow Peak GigaPower Stove
- MSR WindPro
- Light My Fire Outdoor MealKit
- MSR Reactor
- Want to Write About Travel Gear?
- DIY Backpacking Stove From Beer Can
- Jetboil Personal Cooking System