The Best Camping Stove in 2023

Even inexperienced campers may appreciate the value of a satisfying meal, whether chili around the fire with family and friends after a trek or a decent cup of pour-over coffee in the morning. You'll need an adjustable, dependable stove to make either so you can measure the heat in your kitchen. We consulted professionals, including seasoned hikers, JEFF staff members, a chef, and an outdoors person, to determine the best camping stoves to handle everything from ultralight trekking to automobile camping.

If you're in a rush, take a look at our fast selection of our favorites, or scroll down to read our whole list with in-depth reviews.

• Best overall camp stove: Camp Chef Everest 2X 2-Burner Cooking System

• Best overall backpacking stove: MSR XGK EX Stove

• Best budget backpacking stove: MSR PocketRocket 2 Mini Stove

• Best two-in-one camp stove: BioLite Campstove 2 Wood Burning

• Best camp stove for car camping: Primus Tupike 2-Burner Portable Camping Stove

• Fastest backpacking stove: Jetboil MiniMo

1. Camp Chef Explorer 2-Burner

Product’s Specifications

• Style: Freestanding

• Fuel Type: Propane

• Burners: 2 w/ 30,000 BTUs each

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Reasons to buy

• Large Cooktop.

• Unflappable Construction

• Strong Burners.

• Excellent Adjustability for Simmering

• Unattached Legs.

Reasons to avoid

• Very heavy and bulky.

Product Summary

The Camp Chef Explorer is among the best freestanding camping stoves on the market today.

It's an excellent option for large groups of campers because of its freestanding style, solid construction, and large stovetop. It's also well-liked among RV campers who enjoy bringing a portable outdoor stove.

But keep in mind that this Camp Chef stove is a monster. It weighs a little more than 30 pounds with the legs attached and barely 20 pounds without the legs. The Explorer 2-Burner is unnecessary, given its weight, unless you have a lot of extra space in your car.

Cooking is a breeze because of the powerful burners (each offering 30,000 BTUs). It swiftly brings water to a boil and is simply adjustable to a wonderfully nice simmer.

Best Use:

Cooking for such occasions, such as cookouts or tailgating, or huge groups of campers is where the Camp Chef Explorer 2-Burner excels. Even as a cook stove in the backyard, you may use it.

2. Stansport Outfitter Series 3-Burner

Product’s Specifications

• Style: Tabletop

• Fuel Type: Propane

• Burners: 2 w/ 25,000 BTUs each, 1 w/ 10,000 BTUs

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Reasons to buy

• Strong Burners.

• Outstanding Wind Performance

• Great Control Over Temperature.

• Third Burner for Versatility

Reasons to avoid

• A Little Less Tough Than Others.

Product Summary 

Some of the best characteristics of the Coleman Classic and the Camp Chef Everest are combined in the Stansport Outfitter Series 3-Burner.

The 2-burner tabletop stove includes several unique features that elevate cooking camp meals despite its straightforward yet effective design. The third burner's addition for even greater adaptability is most remarkable.

With 25,000 BTUs apiece, the two main burners provide the outstanding cooking capability. At 10,000 BTUs, the third burner is smaller and less potent. Combine this with great flame control to set the temperature for your cooking anywhere between a simmer and a boil.

All of this is offered in a somewhat small, portable package. The Stansport Outfitter is simple to use, transport, and clean. Additional features include built-in windscreens and piezoelectric ignition. This is among the best camp stoves for cooking in the wind.

Best Use:

For just about any type of automobile camping, the Stansport Outfitter Series 3-Burner is a dependable camp stove. It's a wonderful choice for bigger gatherings now that there's a third burner added.

3. Coleman Butane Instastart

Product’s Specifications

• Style: Tabletop

• Fuel Type: Butane

• Burners: 1 w/ 7,650 BTUs

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Reasons to buy

• Affordable.

• Simple Build.

• Simple to Use

• Butane works well.

• Lightweight and small.

Reasons to avoid

• Ineffective in cold weather.

Product Summary 

The Coleman Butane Instastart is an economical camping stove for those on a tight budget.

The Instastart is a straightforward one-burner stove that stands out for its uncomplicated design, lightweight, and small size. But because it's still much too large to carry while backpacking, it's better reserved for vehicle camping.

The single-burner isn't particularly strong at just 7,650 BTUs, but it gets the job done. Although it won't boil water quickly (a quart of water takes around 7 minutes to boil), it has a respectable temperature for simmering and other low-temperature cooking.

Even better, butane rather than propane, which is more often used, powers this Coleman stove. Butane is a bit more fuel efficient than propane, but the difference isn't evident.

Best Use:

The Coleman Butane Instastart is a reasonably priced camping burner that prepares straightforward one- or two-pot meals. It's a fantastic alternative for a backup stove at home as well.

Read more:

• The Best Outdoor Speakers in 2022

• The Best Coolers in 2022

• Best Backpack Coolers of 2022

• Best Coleman Tents in 2022 

4. Jetboil Genesis Basecamp

Product’s Specifications

• Style: Foldable Tabletop

• Fuel Type: Propane

• Burners: 2 Burners w/ 10,000 BTUs each

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Reasons to buy

• Affordable.

• Lightweight & Compact.

• Easy to Use.

Reasons to avoid

• Poor Wind Performance

Product Summary

The Jetboil Genesis Basecamp offers outstanding performance in a small package.

The Basecamp folds into a small two-burner stove that offers a sizable cooking area. However, unlike other folding models (we're looking at you Coleman Fold N Go), nothing in terms of performance or usability is sacrificed.

In actuality, this Jetboil stove simmers and boils water swiftly. It's just as simple to prepare delectable meals while camping as cleaning.

Best Use:

Because it doesn't fit in a backpack, the Jetboil Genesis Basecamp is excellent for vehicle campers who want to conserve space. It's a good choice for campers in smaller groups.

1. Are camping stoves worth the cost?

Sincerely, I advise owning a camp stove.

When vehicle camping or backpacking, you don't always need to bring food that needs to be cooked, but if you do, it's always helpful to have a backup in case a campfire isn't an option (such as because of a burn ban, no firewood, rain, or other circumstance)

2. Propane or butane: which is safer?

Compared to propane, butane is far safer. While propane is combustible and toxic, butane is not, making it more hazardous to the environment. Because butane evaporates less than propane, it can be kept in places where it cannot be used in a stove.

3. Does a camp stove need more than 7000 BTU?

BTUs are used to measure burner power (British Thermal Unit). Most camping stoves have burners that produce between 7,000 and 20,000 BTUs. An average house stove burner produces between 7,000 and 12,000 BTUs as a point of comparison.

We sought seasoned camping experts who are also known for their culinary skills. Despite their deep understanding of camping stoves, these staff members admit to owning too many stoves in their gear closets. Additionally, we carefully considered customer reviews from those who might not be picky eaters but are unquestionably particular about the kitchen appliances they use.