Best Camping Stoves of 2025

The right camp stove can mean the difference between a relaxing and rewarding evening and a frustrating one. Our team members are well versed in outdoor cooking From high-desert camps to stealth sites hidden at high mountain passes, we researched over 50 models and tested the 9 best camping stoves to put this list together.

This guide is aimed to inform you of the most efficient, fastest-cooking, best cooking, easiest to get around, and easiest to operate camp stoves there are on today’s market. We tested models from Coleman, Jetboil, Solo, Snow Peak and more to figure out which ones will bring you the Michelin star trail experience you deserve.

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Quick Picks for Camping Stoves

Burn through our quick list of camping stoves below, or turn up the heat and keep scrolling for our thoughtful and in-depth reviews.

Best Camping Stove Overall: Snow Peak Home & Camp Butane Stove ($130)

Best Dual Fuel Compatible Camp Stove: Gas ONE GS-3400P ($40)

Best Versatility: Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove ($210)

Most Dependable Camping Stove: Coleman Cascade Classic 2-Burner Camp Stove ($75)

Best Self-Contained System: Jetboil Genesis Basecamp ($400)

Best Budget Buy: Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove ($35)

Best for Big Groups: Camp Chef EX60LW Explorer 2 Burner Outdoor Modular Cooking Stove ($150)

Best Griddle Top Stove: Blackstone Original 17″ Tabletop Griddle with Hood ($159)

Best Wood Burning Camp Stove: Solo Stove Campfire ($100)

How We Test & Methodology

Here, we break down the key ingredients that we look for in top camping stoves, including boil time, fuel efficiency, simmer control, ease of use, and portability. Our team cooked over 100 meals on every stove year-round and in the most extreme conditions, from freezing and snowy to wet and windy, to test how well these cooktops held up.

BOIL TIME

We conducted boiling tests for each of our stoves to test the power of each. To do so, we tested each stove in the same controlled environment. We made sure the temperature was consistent. We also made sure there was no wind or other elements that could interfere with our test.

We used the same pot for each test and filled it with exactly one liter of room-temperature water. We set each stove to medium heat. As soon as we set the pot of water on the burner, we began a timer. At the end of testing all of the stoves, we were able to see which stoves had the best power. 

The boiling test was performed at around 4,500 feet above sea level. Boil times change as you gain or lose elevation. You should expect stoves that are at sea level to take more time to boil than what our tests show. Likewise, boiling water on these stoves above 5000 will take less time. Generally, with each 500-foot gain in elevation, water decreases its boiling point by 1 degree Fahrenheit. Note that although water boils faster and at lower temperatures while at altitude, cook times actually increase.

FUEL EFFICIENCY

We thought it was important to note not only the difference in time for each stove to boil water, but also how much fuel it took to do so. By measuring the fuel level, we’re trying to gauge which stoves are more efficient and help you save money on propane or butane. 

To test this, we weighed the bottle of either propane or butane before we started our boil test and immediately after. We noted the difference between the weights. We also researched each stove to see what sort of technologies they may utilize to maximize their heat output –– like integrated heat exchangers and radiant burner designs.

COOKING ABILITY

A stove’s cooking ability depends on a few factors: 

• Ability to keep consistent flame at different levels
• Evenness of cooking
• Versatility of the stove

We tested these aspects in two different ways and considered features of the stove to round out our evaluation of a stove’s cooking ability. 

First, we tested the simmering ability by cooking rice on each stove. A pot of rice requires low heat for 20-30 minutes. We made sure to note which stoves could not maintain a low temperature (some were extinguished when set to low after a few minutes), how well the water was absorbed, and how fluffy and thoroughly cooked the rice was at the end of its cook. 

Secondly, we wanted to see if each stove could cook evenly throughout a pan or its griddle/grill tops. To test this, we chose food options like bacon, pancakes, hamburgers, and buns. Each stove was tested with at least one of these options and we would ensure that each pan or flattop would have food at the top, middle, and bottom of its cooking surface. 

Finally, we considered features like wind guards and temperature controls that may enhance a stove’s ability to cook well.

PORTABILITY

Portability is important because if a stove doesn’t pack well or is too awkward, it’s probably not something you want to take to camp. To assess this metric, we evaluated the stove’s weight, packed dimensions, features like handles for carrying, how each stove packed into our car, and if we could easily unload each stove with our hands full. This combines both quantitative and qualitative factors, giving equal importance to each.

EASE OF USE

We measured ease of use with the mindset of what would feel intuitive for a beginner camp stove user. We thought about the following attributes while testing: simplicity of assembly, ease of connecting to fuel sources, method of ignition, if the stove has supports to stabilize the surface, and finally, we assessed how difficult each stove was to clean. 

When we took each stove out to cook at camp, we wanted to be able to use it for the first time in the field while frantic with hunger. These conditions mirror an experience we frequently have –– coming back into camp after a long day of adventure, ready for a hot meal. We took into account the features of each stove but placed a lot of emphasis on actual performance under pressure.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Fuel type is a major consideration. We tested butane, propane, and wood-burning stoves. Each has benefits and drawbacks. Generally, we found that propane stoves are the most reliable though butane stoves are more powerful when operated when outside temperatures are above 40 degrees, and wood-burning stoves run on renewable resources (like sticks around camp).

Why Trust CleverHiker

We take camp meals seriously. With over 50 nights of camping in 2024, our gear analyst Helena Guglielmino has tried countless meals on countless camp stoves. She once spent six months living out of her Subaru, cooking the majority of her meals on a single-burner camp stove but now spends the majority of her time camping in the Sierra Nevada, pulling up to stealth spots by her favorite lakes, rivers, and passes along with the valleys that line the eastern side of the range. She almost always spends her days before camping hiking long, tough miles and arriving back to camp in need of a big meal. 

Her experience has given her a great understanding of what a stove needs to perform well. She knows that power, even cooking, easy setup, and packability are major benefits to getting a delicious meal cooked quickly.

Analysis & Results

In this section, we turn up the heat and see which camping stoves burn brightest when it comes to boil time, fuel efficiency, simmer control, ease of use, and portability.

Power

Boil time gives us a direct comparison of stove to stove. While we can look at BTUs (British Thermal Units) as a measure of the power a stove delivers, it is only one aspect of the boiling time of each stove. For example, the Camp Chef EX60LW Explorer 2 Burner Outdoor Camping Modular Cooking Stove has a 30,000 BTU rating but boils a liter of water almost two minutes slower than the Snow Peak Home & Camp butane stove which only clocks in at 8,333 BTUs. 

Similarly, the Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane stove matches the Gas ONE GS-3400P in its BTU rating but, in our test, boiled a pot of water in almost double the time. 

Snow Peak was the stove with the fastest boiling time (five minutes and eleven seconds) and the Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove was the stove with the slowest boiling time (16 minutes and 8 seconds). 

The second fastest boil came from the Camp Chef stove (six minutes and fifty-nine seconds). Its powerful flame did help speed up the boil time –– the flames surrounded the pot, even on medium heat. The Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System was third fastest (seven minutes and twenty-one seconds). 

We don’t see boil time as a reason that everyone will choose to not buy or not buy a stove. The Snow Peak is a great option for those who want a stove that cooks quickly so that they can get back to other camp activities. For people who take meal time a bit slower, something like the Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove –– which is rated in the middle for boil time (nine minutes and twenty-four seconds) –– that offers more bells and whistles for more complex meals could be a better option.

EFFICIENCY

In addition to what our testing results suggest, we should note that there are significant differences between propane and butane. One of the most glaring differences is that butane does not work well in below-freezing temperatures. 

For this reason, stoves that run exclusively on butane –– Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove and Snow Peak Home & Camp butane stove  –– aren’t as fuel efficient (or straight up won’t admit any gas to the stove) during low temperatures. We encountered this with the Snow Peak stove when we tried to cook bacon one morning in 24-degree weather. At first, the bacon first sizzled, but then went eerily quiet. We could hear the stove still running and see heat waves but there was little power behind it. It took over 30 minutes for our bacon to crisp up, meaning that this stove lost its spot at the top for fuel efficiency. 

While our favorite wood-burning stove, Solo Stove Campfire, is deemed fuel efficient (because it runs on renewable resources), it might not be allowed in all campgrounds or dispersed areas…especially out West.

COOKING ABILITY

Stoves were awarded points for simmering ability, evenness of cook, windshields or other features to protect the flame, as well as for temperature range and easy adjustments. 

The Snow Peak Home & Camp butane stove would have had a perfect score if it included some sort of wind guard –– again the price we pay for its light, portable design. We found that the stove was powerful enough and cooked quickly enough that a windshield wasn’t missed too much.

Of the stoves we tested, here are the ones that simmered the best and cooked a perfect pot of rice (in no particular order): 

• Snow Peak Home & Camp butane stove
• Coleman Cascade Classic 2-Burner
• Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove
• Camp Chef EX60LW Explorer 2 Burner Outdoor Camping Modular Cooking Stove

Of those we tested that cooked evenly (in no particular order):

• Snow Peak Home & Camp butane stove
• Blackstone Original 17″ Tabletop Griddle with Hood
• Camp Chef EX60LW Explorer 2 Burner Outdoor Camping Modular Cooking Stove

Those that had windshields/flame protections (in no particular order): 

• Blackstone Original 17″ Tabletop Griddle with Hood
• Coleman Cascade Classic 2-Burner
• Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove
• Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove (kind of)
• Camp Chef EX60LW Explorer 2 Burner Outdoor Camping Modular Cooking Stove

 Those with the best temperature range/adjustments (in no particular order): 

• Snow Peak Home & Camp butane stove
• Blackstone Original 17″ Tabletop Griddle with Hood
• Coleman Cascade Classic 2-Burner
• Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove
• Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System
• Camp Chef EX60LW Explorer 2 Burner Outdoor Camping Modular Cooking Stove 

The caveats in this final category are that the Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove and Gas ONE GS-3400P do have temperature controls but didn’t feel accurate or helpful. Also, the Camp Chef does allow control over a great range of flame, but the flame even on low is crazy high.

Portability

Cooking ability might be one of the most important qualities a stove can deliver. That might sound obvious, but there are caveats. Take the Camp Chef EX60LW Explorer 2 Burner Outdoor Camping Modular Cooking Stove for example. This stove has incredible cooking ability –– it cooks fast, has good temperature controls, simmers a pot of rice well, and cooks evenly. All amazing qualities that, if you were just looking at that, you might say: “Well, yes, I’m buying this right now.” 

However, this stove is incredibly difficult to pack. It doesn’t fold down, requires a propane tank to fuel it, and didn’t fit in our gear analyst’s car as it was packed for a camping trip. 

The Snow Peak Home & Camp butane stove, however, could practically fit in a cup holder, making it a delightfully easy partner for simple, hot food. This stove gives up the ability to cook with more than one pot –– so it may not answer all your needs. 

We believe that the average camper who cooks meals for 3-5 people would be more interested in either the Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System or the Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove because these stoves pack well but also have the space to cook more food.

EASE OF USE

When we rate ease of use, we think about stoves that need little to no explanation. A stove that a beginner camp stove user could pick up and get going without delaying dinner. 

The stoves that rated the highest were the Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove and Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System. These were awarded 5 out of 5 in this category because they embody all the qualities of ease: they are easy to assemble (including hooking up fuel), self-ignite, have a stable base for cooking and are simple to clean up.  

The Solo Stove Campfire received the lowest score because it is not easy to ignite, not easy to clean, and doesn’t feel as stable as other stoves. For someone who is used to wood-burning stoves, however, this stove may be the easiest to use of all. 

All other stoves rate fairly high in terms of ease of use, except the Snow Peak Home & Camp butane stove. We had to knock this stove down a bit because the stove isn’t intuitive to set up. With the help of the instruction manual that comes with the stove, you should be able to figure out how to set this one up relatively quickly. If you happen to take the stove to camp without its manual and prior testing, it would be very easy to miss the correct steps.

How to Choose a Camping Stove

There are many considerations to make when looking at investing in a new camp stove.

CAPACITY

One of the biggest considerations is the capacity you need out of a stove. We’ve tested single-burner and double-burner stoves; each has its merits.

The single-burner stoves are lighter, pack easier, and are great for solo or small camp groups who prioritize simple meals, like one-pot chili.

Double-burner stoves are better for groups of four or more or for those who like to make more complex meals –– like a breakfast with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and coffee. 

FUEL TYPE

Another important consideration is the fuel type that best suits your camping habits. Generally, we recommend propane stoves for the best overall fuel type that works in a variety of temperatures and environments. However, if you plan on only camping during the summer, a butane stove might be a good option. If you plan on camping year-round or at higher altitudes, consider a propane stove instead. 

Butane becomes a gas at 32 degrees and effectively stops working at cold temperatures (see our review of the Snow Peak Home & Camp butane stove for more information on this). Butane also loses performance at altitudes of 6,000 feet or higher, whereas propane still works well at high altitudes. However, butane outperforms propane in weight and efficiency, meaning it will last longer ounce for ounce than propane. 

Wood-burning stoves don’t require extra trips to the store, and don’t burn gas into the atmosphere, but can be a pain to rely on. You have hope that you can find the fuel you need and in useful enough quantities. If the environment is wet, you might be out of luck with a wood-burning stove unless you pack wood chips.

You also have to monitor wood-burning stoves more to ensure a consistent flame. Lastly, be mindful of your camping area’s restrictions on wood-burning stoves. Some places do not allow stoves like these because their flame produces sparks and cannot simply be “turned off” like a propane or butane flame could. 

However, wood-burning stoves are great for those who are looking for a fire pit as well as a cooking solution. These stoves also work through any weather conditions and altitudes, and they provide a more sustainable option as they use a renewable resource. Wood-burning stoves are also useful when traveling in very remote or foreign areas, where other fuel sources may not be available. 

VERSATILITY

The last major consideration when looking at buying a stove is the versatility of the stove. Stoves like Camp Chef EX60LW Explorer 2 Burner Outdoor Camping Modular Cooking Stove or Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Camp Stove provide options for grills, flat-top griddles, and traditional burners.

These accessories make these stoves attractive for situations outside of strictly camping. If you see yourself using a camp stove for tailgating or at home, a more robust stove with versatility like this might be a better choice for you.

POWER

The more BTUs (British Thermal Units) a stove has, the hotter it burns. The average tabletop camping stove has around 10,000 BTUs per burner.

For up to three or four people, that’s sufficient for most camper’s needs and provides a good balance of power to fuel efficiency. However, you may want to bump up the BTUs if you’re cooking for a large group or will be camping in cold, windy conditions.

PRICE

Quality camping stoves are expensive, but if you spend a lot of time cooking in your outdoor kitchen, it’s worth investing in a stove that you really enjoy using and will last for years – if not decades. The higher the price tag is the more heat the stove puts out, the more control you have over the size of the flame, and the bigger the cooking area will be. That said, you’ll find outstanding stoves at every price level.

COOKING AREA DIMENSIONS

Consider what you like to eat while camping and the cookware you’ll use. If you’re serving more than four people or cooking up multi-stage gourmet meals, you’ll probably be using multiple pots or fry pans at once. In that case, it’s best to choose a stove with a spacious cooking area, multiple burners, and more than one cooktop option to avoid overcrowding – and to do your recipes justice. In contrast, if you only want to boil water, reheat prepared food, or do light cooking, a smaller, light-duty camping stove will be more convenient and less cumbersome.

Conclusion

We’ve evaluated these nine stoves for power, efficiency, cooking ability, portability, and ease of use through our rigorous testing process. We’ve taken into consideration other factors, like fuel type, to provide realistic recommendations.

Above all, we looked at each of these stoves through the lens of a beginner stove user to provide recommendations that work for those just beginning their outdoor cooking journey, as well as seasoned camp chefs.