Camping Stoves: Reviews

Reviews say the top performing two-burner Century camp stove is made of rust-proof stainless steel and aluminum. It has fold-out windscreens, and it uses convenient, easy to use propane fuel, plus push-button ignition.… The burners are set further apart than on most camping stoves, so it's easier to use a skillet, griddle or large pots. The Century stove can use either disposable propane cylinders or refillable propane tanks. The stove itself weighs 12.5 pounds. You can find much fancier camp stoves, but the Century performs reliably and is easy to use.

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Although you can find lighter backpacking stoves, reviews say the Jetboil PCS (Personal Cooking System) is excellent -- sturdy, stable and reliable. The PCS comes with an integrated one-liter cooking pot/cup for a total… weight of 15 ounces. Jetboil offers attachments (sold separately), such as a French press coffee maker and a pot stabilizer for accommodating larger pots. As is, the Jetboil is best suited for singles and couples making small meals. Reviews also say the Jetboil is a fuel sipper -- making the most of each 100-gram isobutene/propane fuel canister. The caveat with this type of stove is that it is designed for boiling, not cooking (hikers who travel with dehydrated food love it).

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At 6.8 ounces, the MSR WindPro is the lightest canister stove available that uses a remote cable between the stove and the canister. This lets you set the burner on its own stand, so you can use a windscreen (included),… larger pots and even an oven. Recommended for two or more hikers sharing a stove, reviews praise its wide flame and delicate control. You can also use a propane/isobutane-canister upside down for better fuel-efficiency in very cold weather. Campers in high elevations or very cold climates should consider the 8.5-ounce MSR SimmerLite (est. $90), which runs on liquid gas or even low-octane unleaded gasoline in freezing temperatures.

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Most camping stoves use isobutene and/or propane fuel canisters, which give you a lot of burn time for the weight. However, you shouldn't store these types of fuel canisters in your car. For that reason, experts say an… alcohol stove is a safe bet in an emergency kit. Alcohol poses no explosion risk and spills evaporate quickly. The downside is that alcohol doesn't burn very hot, so it takes longer to boil water, and you need about twice as much fuel compared to isobutene/propane stoves. Complete with windscreen and an accessory for simmer control, the ThermoJet MicroLite weighs just 3 ounces. For short backpacking trips, you can carry just a few ounces of alcohol and objective comparison tests find this is by far the best alcohol stove.

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