Whether you are camping, backpacking, fishing or just like to get out in the fresh air, there is nothing like being able to cook some food or make a fresh cup of coffee where ever you are. That's why people buy a propane camping stove to take with them so that they can do just that.
These days you can buy them very cheaply and they are very lightweight, so can easily be stored in a backpack or bag to take with you on your adventures. They are typically easy to use, which makes them almost an essential to have for any outdoor enthusiast.
There are several things to consider when choosing the best propane camping stove for your needs, so here are some important things to bare in mind when choosing.
Weight - If you are backpacking or carrying camping equipment a fair distance, then you don't want to have to carry around a heavy stove. Many of them are quite lightweight these days but you should always look at how much a stove weighs to determine if that suits your needs.
Size - Next thing to look at is how many people will you be cooking for. If it's not going to be many, then you might want to consider a bottletop camping stove which are small and designed to cook one pan at a time. But if you will be cooking for the whole family, then a 2 burner stove would make the job a lot easier.
Cooking Power - There's nothing worse than having to wait a long time for something to cook or boil, so choosing a stove that doesn't deliver a lot of power might be quite annoying. But you can check and compare the BTU totals of each stove to make sure you are getting a powerful one that will cook things fast.
Cooking Surface - If you need a stove that allows for 2 different burners, then you should check what size pans each one can hold. Some offer enough for a 12 inch pan and a 10 inch pan, which is often sufficient. But others might not let you have pans so large, so check the cooking surface size to make sure it will be large enough.
Removable Grate - Some of the best propane camping stoves have a removable grate, so that when you finish cooking it can be removed and cleaned really easily. Ones with fixed grates can be more awkward to clean, especially when you need to store it away again.
Independent Stoves - If you are cooking on a dual burner stove, then it's important that each one can be separately controlled. This means you can cook two different things at different temperatures. Stoves that only have one setting for both burners can be tricky to cook on.
Windblock Sides - Finally, not essential but a really useful feature to look out for is if the stove has windblock side panels. These stop the wind from blowing the flames which can be annoying and also put them out when cooking. Some of the top manufacturers like Coleman have these and they are a really handy design feature.
Propane Camping Stove Reviews
We have looked at dozens of stoves currently available on Amazon, researched the prices, features and benefits of each one and chosen the 3 best to buy right now. So let's check them out.
#3 - Coleman Bottle Top Propane Stove
The Coleman Bottle Top Propane Stove is one of the most affordable stoves you can buy and is perfect if you only need to cook one pan at a time.
It has 10,000 BTU's of power, which will easily heat up an 8 inch pan in no time at all. It comes with their PerfectHeat technology which delivers a consistent cooking performance each time. For easy storage, the base and the burner can be removed from the propane bottle. The burner is adjustable so you can control the exact temperature you need. It also has wind baffles which help to protect the flame when in use.
Overall, this is a perfect propane stove for camping for 1 or 2 man cooking, where you just need to heat up one pan at a time and then store it away for easy transportation.
#2 - Stansport 2 Burner Propane Stove
If you need something a bit more substantial to cook with, then take a close look at the Stansport 2 Burner Propane Stove. It is a great stove for any outdoor activity including camping, fishing or outdoor sports.
It provides 2 separate burners that are both adjustable and can be lit with the built in Piezo igniter, so no need for matches. Each burner provides a powerful 25,000 BTU's of power and the valves are heat regulated.
The frame itself is made from high quality steel, has a stainless top and even screens to protect from the wind. There's also a stainless steel drip tray. The cooking grate itself is very heavy duty, so you can put on heavy pots without any issues. This stove works with a 16.4 ounce propane gas cylinder.
Overall, this stove will suit a small family or group of friends that need to cook with 2 burners at a time.
#1 - Coleman Classic Propane Stove
Our top choice is the popular and very affordable Coleman propane camping stove.
It has 2 independent burners which deliver 20,000 BTU's of power and uses the Coleman PerfectFlow technology which cooks more efficiently and doesn't use as much fuel. You can easily fit a 12 inch and a 10 inch pan on the cooking surface and each one can be controlled separately from the other.
It has WindBlock panels to protect the burners from the wind, they are adjustable too depending on the size of your pans. Once you have finished with your cooking, the chrome plated grate can be removed allowing for easy cleaning. There's also a 3 year warranty for peace of mind.
In Summary
We hope this information and our propane camping stove reviews help you to choose the best one for your needs. All of them are available to buy right now from Amazon.com where you can read more and see what buyers of them say about them.
