Trail Gear Picks
Buying guide

The Best Camping Stoves

Six camp stoves for car camping, from a $30 single burner to a two-burner with a cast-iron grill, and the downside of each.

By Alex HartDay trails mostly, a few nights out a year, mountains when the time allows.
Updated Oct 2026·19 compared

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The best camping stove for most people is the Camp Chef Everest 2X. It has two 20,000 BTU burners, nearly twice what a green Coleman puts out, and a three-sided windscreen that keeps the flame going in a breeze. A liter of water boils in under four minutes, and you can still turn it down low enough to simmer rice without scorching the pot. It costs about $225 and weighs about 14 pounds, so it's a stove for the trunk, not the trail.

If that's more stove than you need, the Triton+ is the familiar Coleman two-burner with push-button lighting for about $100. The ODSD folds two burners into a case the size of a lunch box for about $75. The Cascade 3-in-1 adds a cast-iron grill and griddle. And if you cook for one or two, a single burner like the Home & Camp or the $30 Gas One does most of the job.

Our picks

Camp Chef Everest 2X
Our pick
Camp Chef Everest 2X

Two 20,000 BTU burners behind a windscreen that actually blocks the wind, so a liter boils in under four minutes and the rice still simmers.

Check price on Amazon$229.99
Coleman Triton+ 2-Burner Stove
Best classic stove
Coleman Triton+ 2-Burner Stove

The green Coleman two-burner, now with push-button lighting, for about $100. It fits a 12-inch and a 10-inch pan and simmers well.

Check price on Amazon$142.99
ODSD 2 Burner Camping Stove
Most compact
ODSD 2 Burner Camping Stove

Two burners that fold into a 10-inch case and weigh about 4.5 pounds, with a pan, a coffee stand and a bag in the box.

Check price on Amazon$86.99
Coleman Cascade 3-in-1
Best with a grill
Coleman Cascade 3-in-1

A two-burner stove that comes with a cast-iron grill and a cast-iron griddle, so burgers and pancakes happen on the same stove as the coffee.

Check price on Amazon$274.99
Snow Peak Home & Camp Burner
Best single burner
Snow Peak Home & Camp Burner

One strong burner that folds to the size of a water bottle, boils a liter in about five minutes and simmers like a kitchen range.

Check price on Amazon$99.95
Gas One GS-3400P
Best under $50
Gas One GS-3400P

About $30 for a single burner that runs on butane or on the green propane bottles, with simmer control reviewers rank among the best of any stove.

Check price on Amazon$29.99

At a glance

Product names go to Amazon. Rank numbers jump to the full write-up.

StoveBest forBurnersPowerWeightAbout
1Camp Chef Everest 2XMost campers240,000 BTUAbout 14 lb$225
2Coleman Triton+ 2-Burner StoveFamilies on a budget222,000 BTUNot published$100
3ODSD 2 Burner Camping StoveSmall cars and picnics220,000 BTUAbout 4.5 lb$75
4Coleman Cascade 3-in-1Burgers and pancakes224,000 BTUAbout 13 lb, before the cast iron$275
5Snow Peak Home & Camp BurnerTwo people, small cars18,333 BTU3.5 lb$100
6Gas One GS-3400PCoffee and one-pot meals18,000 BTU3.3 lb$30

The best camping stoves, ranked

1Most campers
Camp Chef Everest 2X

Camp Chef Everest 2X

Two 20,000 BTU burners behind a windscreen that actually blocks the wind, so a liter boils in under four minutes and the rice still simmers.

$229.99
Check price on Amazon
Two 20,000 BTU burnersThree-sided windscreenPush-button ignition215 sq in of cooking space
+Read the full write-up

Why I picked it

This is the stove that doesn't make you wait. Each burner puts out 20,000 BTU, the lid folds up into a windscreen that wraps three sides, and the flame sits low and protected instead of dancing around in the open. Push the igniter, set the pot down, and the water for coffee is ready before you've found the mugs. Turned all the way down, reviewers found it holds a low flame steady enough to simmer rice, which is where cheap stoves usually fail.

The cooking area is 215 square inches, enough for a big skillet and a pot side by side. There's a drip tray underneath and a handle for carrying.

Who it is for

Car campers who cook real meals, for two people or a family of five. If your car is small or you only ever boil water, it's more weight and bulk than you need; the ODSD does the basics and folds into a 10-inch case.

What reviewers found

Two review teams put it at the top of their lineups. OutdoorGearLab averaged 3 minutes 21 seconds to boil a liter, wind or no wind, and called its simmer great. CleverHiker had it boiling a liter in under four minutes, the fastest time in their test, and still melted cheese and simmered rice on it. Both say the same thing about the downside: it's heavy and bulky. OutdoorGearLab weighed it at 13.97 pounds, and CleverHiker found it bulkier than the other two-burners they cooked on.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

  • About 14 lb, and bulky in a small trunk.
  • About $225, more than twice the Triton+.
  • Propane only, no butane option.
2
Coleman Triton+ 2-Burner Stove
Families on a budget

Coleman Triton+ 2-Burner Stove

The green Coleman two-burner, now with push-button lighting, for about $100. It fits a 12-inch and a 10-inch pan and simmers well.

$142.99
See it on Amazon
22,000 BTU totalInstaStart ignitionFits 12 in and 10 in pans1 hr on high per 1 lb bottle
+Read the full write-up

Why I picked it

This is the stove most campgrounds are full of: the green Coleman box with two burners and a lid that folds up into wind guards. The Triton+ is the current version, and it adds what the old one never had, a push-button igniter, so you're not burning your knuckles with a lighter at 6 a.m. It puts out 22,000 BTU across two burners that adjust separately, fits a 12-inch pan next to a 10-inch one, and runs about an hour on high on one of the 1-pound green propane bottles every gas station sells.

Who it is for

Families and weekend campers who want a real two-burner for about $100. If your campsites are windy, the Everest 2X handles a breeze much better.

What reviewers found

OutdoorGearLab praised its simmer control and its igniter, but the wind slowed it down a lot: 4 minutes 45 seconds to boil a liter in calm air, 9 minutes 15 seconds in wind. They also found it has a couple of inches less cooking space than some rivals. Another reviewer found two 12-inch pans hard to fit side by side unless you fold the wind guards out of the way.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

  • The wind guards don't do much in a real breeze.
  • Two 12-inch pans won't fit with the guards up.
  • No butane option.
3
ODSD 2 Burner Camping Stove
Small cars and picnics

ODSD 2 Burner Camping Stove

Two burners that fold into a 10-inch case and weigh about 4.5 pounds, with a pan, a coffee stand and a bag in the box.

$86.99
See it on Amazon
Folds to 10.6 x 9.1 x 5.1 inPan, coffee stand and bag includedPiezo ignitionMagnetic closure
+Read the full write-up

Why I picked it

Two burners in a case that fits next to the cooler instead of taking over the trunk. Folded, the ODSD is about 10.6 by 9.1 by 5.1 inches and closes with a magnet, and the stove alone weighs about 4.5 pounds. It runs on the same 1-pound propane bottles as the Coleman, lights with a push button, and comes with a frying pan, a stand for a coffee pot and a carry bag, so for about $75 you have most of a camp kitchen.

Who it is for

Couples, small cars, picnics and road trips where the stove has to come out of the trunk, cook lunch and go back in. If you cook big meals for a family, the Everest 2X has twice the power.

What reviewers found

OutdoorGearLab gave it their best-value award for two-burner stoves. Their lead tester, a wilderness guide, packed it in camping tubs for guided trips and liked how quickly it sets up and comes down, with steady, predictable heat. The weak spot is the windscreen: when the wind picks up, it needs bracing, and the tester weighed it down with rocks. It also has less punch than the premium stoves and less fine control at the low end.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

  • The windscreen needs propping in real wind.
  • Less power than the Everest 2X.
  • Simmer control is coarser at the low end.
4
Coleman Cascade 3-in-1
Burgers and pancakes

Coleman Cascade 3-in-1

A two-burner stove that comes with a cast-iron grill and a cast-iron griddle, so burgers and pancakes happen on the same stove as the coffee.

$274.99
See it on Amazon
Cast-iron grill and griddle included24,000 BTU totalFits 12 in and 10 in pansMatchless ignition
+Read the full write-up

Why I picked it

The Cascade 3-in-1 is a full two-burner stove that comes with a cast-iron grill plate and a cast-iron griddle. Drop the griddle on for pancakes and bacon in the morning, swap to the grill for burgers at night, and keep a regular burner free for the coffee or the beans. It puts out 24,000 BTU, fits a 12-inch and a 10-inch pan, lights without a match, and folds flat with a hidden handle and a spot to store the propane regulator.

Who it is for

Campers who'd rather cook than heat things up, and tailgaters. For boiling water and the odd fried egg, the Triton+ does it for about a third of the price.

What reviewers found

OutdoorGearLab named it their favorite stove-and-grill combo and found it quick to boil and easy to clean and store. CleverHiker liked how slim it packs and how simple it is to set up. Both found the same weak spots: the wind guards are thin, the cast-iron plates are heavy to carry, and it burns through fuel a little faster than the best stoves. The cast iron also needs the care all cast iron does, so dry and oil it after a trip.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

  • About $275, the most expensive stove here.
  • Heavy with both cast-iron plates in the car.
  • Thin wind guards.
5
Snow Peak Home & Camp Burner
Two people, small cars

Snow Peak Home & Camp Burner

One strong burner that folds to the size of a water bottle, boils a liter in about five minutes and simmers like a kitchen range.

$99.95
See it on Amazon
8,333 BTUFolds flat, 3.5 lbAuto ignitionLifetime guarantee
+Read the full write-up

Why I picked it

One burner, but a strong one, and it folds down to about the size of a water bottle. You unfold it, click in a butane canister and light it with the built-in igniter. It puts out 8,333 BTU, the most of any single burner here, and takes pots up to 12 inches. It weighs 3.5 pounds and Snow Peak backs it for life.

What makes it worth about $100 is control: reviewers simmered rice on it without scorching and cooked bacon evenly across the pan.

Who it is for

Solo campers and couples, van trips and small cars, and anyone who also wants a burner for the kitchen counter. If you cook below freezing or high up, take a propane stove: butane loses pressure in the cold.

What reviewers found

CleverHiker made it their best camping stove overall. It boiled a liter in 5 minutes 11 seconds, the second-quickest in their test, simmered rice well and cooked bacon evenly. Their complaints were butane only, which limits it in wind, cold and altitude, and a folding design that takes a few tries to figure out.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

  • Butane only, weak in the cold.
  • One burner for the whole meal.
  • Folding it the first time takes practice.
6
Gas One GS-3400P
Coffee and one-pot meals

Gas One GS-3400P

About $30 for a single burner that runs on butane or on the green propane bottles, with simmer control reviewers rank among the best of any stove.

$29.99
See it on Amazon
Butane or propanePropane regulator includedPiezo ignitionCarrying case
+Read the full write-up

Why I picked it

For about $30, the GS-3400P is the cheapest good stove you can buy, and it runs on two fuels. Slide a butane canister into the side, lock it and twist the knob; screw on the included regulator and it runs on a 1-pound propane bottle instead. It puts out 8,000 BTU and weighs 3.3 pounds, with a hard case to carry it. If the canister pressure goes wrong, it pushes the canister out and cuts the gas.

Who it is for

Coffee and one-pot meals at camp, and the emergency kit at home. Buy two and you have a two-burner for about $60. If you want to boil a big pot of pasta quickly, get the Everest 2X.

What reviewers found

OutdoorGearLab gave it their best-value award for single burners and says it's the one stove they use the most, from campsites to the ski-resort parking lot. They rate its simmer control as nearly unmatched. Wind is the problem: it has no windscreen, and in their wind test a liter took 14 minutes instead of 5 to 7 in calm air. CleverHiker missed a wind guard too, and found one burner limiting for a breakfast with bacon, eggs and pancakes all at once.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

  • No windscreen, slow in a breeze.
  • Fine for half a liter, slow for a big pot.
  • Butane struggles in cold weather.

Who this is for

This guide is for car camping: stoves that ride in the trunk and cook on a picnic table, from about $30 to about $275. A backpacking stove is a different tool, a burner that screws onto a small canister and weighs a few ounces. If your campsite has no picnic table, our guide to folding camping tables includes an aluminum table that takes a hot stove, the camping checklist covers the rest of the kitchen, from the lighter to the dish tub, and our camping cooler guide picks the cooler that keeps the food cold until it hits the stove.

How to choose

One burner or two?

Two if you cook for more than two people, or if you want the coffee and the eggs ready at the same time. One if you cook simple meals or have a small car. Two single burners like the Gas One cost less than one two-burner and pack separately.

Propane or butane?

Propane works in the cold and the 1-pound green bottles are sold almost everywhere, so it's the safe choice for most campers. Butane canisters are neater and pack flatter, but butane loses pressure near freezing. The Gas One runs on either.

How much power do you need?

About 10,000 BTU per burner boils water and cooks a normal camp meal. Around 20,000 per burner, like the Everest 2X, is where boiling gets fast and big pans heat evenly. Past that, the windscreen matters more than the number: a stove that loses half its heat to the wind is slower than a weaker one that's protected.

Will you grill?

If burgers and pancakes are the point of the trip, the Cascade's cast-iron grill and griddle save you a second appliance. If not, skip the extra weight.

The competition

These come up in camping stove roundups. Here's why they're not picks here.

Coleman Classic Propane 2-Burner

The stove many campers learned on, but it has no igniter and less power. The Triton+ is the same idea with push-button lighting.

Camp Chef Explorer 2-Burner

A freestanding stove with two 30,000 BTU burners for big groups, but it has no igniter and its open design lets the wind blow the flame out. The Everest 2X boils faster in a breeze.

Jetboil Genesis Basecamp

A compact folding two-burner system, but it costs about $450 and one review team noted common complaints of faulty regulators.

Gas One High Pressure Burner

One huge burner that boils a liter in about three and a half minutes, but it has no windscreen, no igniter and weighs 8 pounds.

Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane

Cheap and easy, but it took 16 minutes to boil a liter in one review test, and its low setting put the flame out. The Gas One costs less and simmers better.

How we picked

Sold on AmazonPush-button or piezo ignitionRuns on 1 lb propane bottles or butane canistersPower published by the makerOne job per stove

Nineteen stoves were in the running, from $30 single burners to $450 systems, each set against what its maker publishes: number of burners, BTU, pan size, ignition and fuel. The six here give you one stove for most campers, one classic two-burner, one compact two-burner, one with a grill and two single burners.

What reviewers found comes from the reviews published by OutdoorGearLab and CleverHiker, including their boil times in calm air and in wind.

Common questions

What is the best camping stove to buy?+

For most campers, the Everest 2X: two 20,000 BTU burners, a windscreen that works and a good simmer, for about $225. For about $100, the Triton+ is the classic Coleman two-burner with push-button lighting.

Is Camp Chef better than Coleman?+

At the top of the range, yes: the Camp Chef Everest 2X has nearly twice the power of Coleman's two-burners and blocks wind better. Coleman's stoves cost less, and the Cascade 3-in-1 is the better pick if you want a grill and griddle included.

What's better for camping, propane or butane?+

Propane for most trips. It keeps working near freezing, and the 1-pound bottles are sold almost everywhere. Butane canisters are cleaner and pack flatter, and they're fine in mild weather. The Gas One takes both.

How long does a 1 lb propane bottle last on a camp stove?+

Coleman rates its two-burner stoves at about one hour with both burners on high per 16-ounce bottle. Cooking on medium and low, a bottle usually covers several meals; bring a spare for a weekend.

Is it safe to use a camping stove indoors or in a tent?+

No. Gas camping stoves give off carbon monoxide and are made for use outdoors, with open air around them. Cook outside the tent, away from the walls, even in the rain.

The verdict

Buy the Camp Chef Everest 2X

It boils fast, holds its flame in the wind and still simmers low, and that's what makes camp cooking easy. If $225 is too much, the Triton+ does the job for about $100, just slower when it's windy, and the Gas One covers coffee and one-pot meals for about $30.

Check price on Amazon$229.99

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