Outdoor activities can be thrilling after long days at work, especially if you have a 9 to 5 job. An opportunity to get wild is not one to miss. Whether you’re camping or having a relaxing moment on the beach, an outdoor stove can come in handy. To pick the best one for your needs, you’ll want to consider fuel efficiency, the type of fuel the stove uses, easiness in transporting it and how durable it is.
Features
Gas One specializes in outdoor recreation products for camping and other outdoor activities. It's currently the leading manufacturer of portable outdoor cookers, burners and other kitchenware products in the world, and we can certainly see why! Gas One’s high-quality, CSA certified products are not only safe but affordably priced too.
Gas One’s Portable Gas Stove has multiple options and great reviews across the Internet. This portable, easy-to-use stove is great for camping or as a home emergency alternative. The Piezo-type electric starter has a safety shut off system to prevent any nasty accidents, and it doesn’t require matches or lighters. It also comes with a black carrying case, making it even easier to take it with you on trips away! With its heat output of 9,000 BTU an hour, you will LOVE cooking on this outdoor camping stove!
Features
Since the 1900s, Coleman has been creating innovative products that are perfectly suited for recreational outdoor use. The brand has been consistently working on improving its utility and design to make sure customers receive the best possible products on the market today. Coleman has everything you will ever need for camping trips and hikes in the great outdoors with its range of superior products, including tents, sleeping bags, boats, backpacks and furniture!
Coleman’s Guide Series Powerhouse Stove has a durable build, and great reviews online too! The stove's dual fuel design burns Coleman Liquid fuel or any other unleaded gasoline. This product also has Wind Block panel shields that keep the wind away from your burner and allow you to cook in peace. It can even adjust for various pan sizes too! The burners on this product are Band-a-Blu burners, renowned for their durability and reliability. The All Season Strong technology means that whatever the weather, you can still cook up a storm!
After months at work, you’re all psyched up about that camping vacation. You’ve got that pair of
hiking boots and you’ve folded your
camping tent in your trunk, ready to go. There’s one thing missing, though—an outdoor camping stove! If you want to eat delicious, hot food while camping, you’ve got to get one of these, right?! Right! But what should you consider when getting one?
It all depends on your plan! If you’re planning to stay in the forest for an extended period, you might consider a stove that uses natural fuel, like wood or pinecones. Since you’ll be travelling, consider purchasing one built with strong, durable materials. If it ends up getting knocked around in your car or when you’re setting up camp, you won’t have to worry about it being broken.
Even though you’re in the wild and trying to connect with nature, you’ll want to make sure you’re still connected to the outside world in case of an emergency. There are camping stoves that ensure just that! The energy created by the heat will allow you to charge your phone or device, which is important in case you need help (or you get lonely). So, even though you’re in the wild, relaxing in your
camping chair, you can still charge your phone while cooking a meal and enjoying the heat from your stove.
Now, let’s look into more details on what to check for before you buy.
Price
Price is a really important factor to consider when buying anything. All of us want to get the best bargain because all of us live on a budget. With an outdoor cooking stove, the most expensive isn’t necessarily the best, just as the least expensive isn’t necessarily the worst. The best thing to do is to find an inexpensive camping stove that still serves you well and does everything you need it to do (like charging your phone or just cooking a hot dog). Price ranges from as low as $10 to as high as $270.
Stoves with more features and functionalities fetch a higher price. But what are these functionalities? A very high-end stove should enable you to cook, heat up your tent at night, charge your phone, and have multiple fuel compatibilities. By the way, we will note that there is a difference between a cheap camping stove in terms of price, and those in terms of quality. If you don’t need a lot of bells and whistles, a lower end stove may be fine – but make sure you check it for safety, and keep in mind that it may not last more than a season or two if you use it a lot.
The material with which the stove is made will also determine its price. Those made of stainless steel are in most cases more expensive since they are more durable. You should also think about the size of the stove, how easy it is to transport, its heat output and whether or not it comes with a shield for wind, as all of these features will affect the price.
Deciding what you want in a stove will help you get one that’s within your budget and one that’ll suit your needs. In general, the more functionalities a stove has, the more it will cost.
Let’s take a look at the details you might want to learn about before you shop.
Features
When buying any product, it’s necessary to consider the quality and the features it has. It’s usually frustrating when you buy a product only to realize that it doesn’t suit your needs. If you have a stove and your electricity is out for days, you can use it to cook. If you have one that’s self-lighting, you don’t even need a matchbox or lighter. When we recommend considering all your needs, this is what we mean!
Here are some of the important aspects you might want to consider before you buy a camping stove:
- Fuel Source- There are those stoves that use a variety of fuel, including “biomass,” which is wood, pinecones and other natural debris. A stove like this would be ideal in a forest as compared to those that use gas.
- Starter- Some stoves have electric lighting while others require matches to light.
- Heat output- This the maximum temperature the cooktop can reach
- Wind Block Feature- When you’re in the wild, this comes in handy to avoid the wind blowing out your flames
- Phone Charging System- Some come with a system that allows you to charge your phone.
- Control Valves- These will allow you to regulate the amount of heat the stove produces.
- Portability- How easy is the stove to carry from one place to another?
Construction and Design
Most stoves are constructed with materials that enable them to sustain rough use. Their frames are mostly composed of aluminum alloy and stainless steel to prevent them from rusting. These frames also provide support when cooking. Their burner grills are plated with strong and durable materials to sustain the heat and hold the cooking pan in place.
The wind block is an important component. It’s normally next to the burner to protect your flame. There are also control valves that help regulate the amount of heat produced. You don’t want to burn your food with too much heat or waste gas when cooking.
Stoves that allow you to charge your phone have strategically placed USB ports to allow you to charge and cook at the same time. Those that use renewable sources of fuel are designed with compartments to burn wood and natural debris.
Performance and Ease of Use
Going camping? Or do you just want a stove for emergency purposes at home? Depending on your answer, you’ll want to consider how easy it is to operate the stove and if it’s okay for the stove to sit without being used for long periods of time. There are always potential hazards to using a camping stove whether you’re at home or in the wild, so we recommend getting one that’s easy to use. We also recommend trying the stove out before an emergency happens and before you go camping.
Because the main function of the stove is to cook, you’ll want to look at the control valves to see how much control you have over them (to prevent burning delicate foods, like marshmallows!). If you plan to buy a gas stove, remember that you can use matches to light it, but you may sometimes need an electric starter (especially when you are far from shops and don’t have a match box).
For your safety, some brands have a safety shut off built into their outdoor gas cooktops. The safety switch prevents gas from leaking out, which can be dangerous.
Last but not least, stoves that can use multiple fuel sources are a plus. This means that you don’t have to worry when you’re deep in the woods. All you need to do is catch some game (or pull out your trusty can of beans), collect some wood pellets and enjoy your meal!
Having read through our review, we hope that we’ve assisted you in getting the best outdoor camping stove. If you have yet to find one from our selected products, check out our recommended brands for a huge selection of quality items. We know you’ll have no problem finding a great one!