A steamy cup of hot coffee in a quiet morning can prove out to be the best start of the day in the midst of nature or the wilderness. And what about a warm and filling meal after a long and tiring day. A good backpacking stove can come to your rescue at such timings. It can help you enhance your adventure and wilderness along with your other backpacking gears.
Over the past few years, the making of backpacking stove has evolved. It has become more convenient and lighter in weight making it easier to carry along with you. This will help you spend less time on cooking and your packing will stay light too.
A correct stove can make your life better on the trail. Along with this evolution, the bad news is you have got too many options to select from. This is why we have come up with ten backpacking stoves and help you cut through the clutter.
Top 10 Best Backpacking Stoves
1. Etekcity Ultralight Portable Outdoor Backpacking Camping Stove with Piezo Ignition
The Etekcity Ultralight Backpacking Stove is everything that you need in an ideal camp stove at an extremely affordable price. It is made up of a perfect combination of stainless steel and aluminium alloy which helps in making the stove durable and light in weight. It is ultra-compact and comes in a screw-on model design. The stove is designed with a piezo ignition which means you don’t need a lighter or a matchstick to light it up.
Who Is It For: It is an ideal bag for a backpacker who likes to travel light and on a budget.
How Much Does It Weigh: 3.3 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: Canister
Pros
- It is extremely lightweight.
- It comes at an affordable price.
- You don’t have to carry a lighter along with it.
- It has a sensitive adjustable control which allows you to control and monitor the heat efficiently.
- It comes with its own carrying case.
- It is one of the best options, especially for first-timers.
Cons
- The stove doesn’t burn as efficiently as other stoves such as the LiteMax stove or Pocket Rocket.
- The stove doesn’t do that well in the wind.
- It takes a bit longer to boil at the full power when compared to other camping stoves.
2. Ohuhu Camping Stove Stainless Steel Backpacking Stove
The Ohuhu Camping Stove is designed and crafted with high-quality stainless-steel material which helps in withstanding high temperature and heavyweight. It turns out to be a perfect backpacking stove with its amazing space-saving design. The stove includes a pot supporter, bottom vents, stove chamber, base plate, solidified alcohol plate, and thus, makes it a perfect and complete package.
Each component nests inside one another perfectly, making it a small and convenient design. Its 3-arms pot support system helps in creating a stable cooking platform and also, distributes the heat evenly.
Who Is It For: It is an ideal camping stove for a casual camper or extreme backpackers.
How Much Does It Weigh: 14.2 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: The Ohuhu camping stove is fueled by nature as it uses dried leaves, sticks, dried twigs, and other dry material to burn.
Pros
- It is compact, lightweight, and extremely affordable.
- It comes with free and easy-to-get fuel, i.e. very natural things.
- It comes with a nice pouch which makes it easier to carry along with other backpacking gears.
- It is eco-friendly as it doesn’t use any fuel canister and there is no chemical emission involved.
- Without any external fuel support, it lights up in less than 40 seconds.
- You can also use it during windy days.
- You don’t have to take the hassle of changing batteries, unlike other stoves.
- If you allow it to burn for longer, it can even burn to ashes.
- It doesn’t create any mess.
- It works with all types of pots.
- It has a sturdy design and thus, you do not have to deal with any issue with stability.
Cons
- Though it is beautifully designed, some parts of the stove are very thin, and you need to be careful with them.
- You need to carry a fire starter (match stick, lighter, etc.) along with it.
- You will have to empty the fuel tray quite often.
3. CANWAY Camping Stove, Wood Stove/Backpacking Stove
The CANWAY Camping stove is another eco-friendly stove that uses dried leaves, twigs, and other dry things to burn. Its High Thermal Efficiency combustion helps in letting the stove burn for more than 20 minutes. It provides good ventilation so that it becomes to easy to fire and distribute the heat evenly. This camping stove is made up of high-quality stainless steel and thus, offers a safe and stable cooking platform. The stove is compact enough to be easily packed in a small bag and carry along with your other luggage.
Who Is It For: It is an ideal camping stove for beginners.
How Much Does It Weigh: 19.2 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: The CANWAY camping stove is fueled by nature.
Pros
- It is an eco-friendly stove.
- It doesn’t leave any emissions.
- It is very compact and easy to carry.
- It comes with a nice storage bag.
- The design is sturdy with a strong base.
- It offers high thermal efficiency.
Cons
- If you keep it burning for more than 10 minutes, the outside of the stove gets hot.
- Even though it is compact, it is not foldable.
4. MSR Pocket Rocket 2 Stove
The MSR Pocket Rocket 2 Stove is an extremely lightweight and compact stove that is compatible with all screw-type isobutane canisters. It is one of the best stoves when it comes to price, weight, and simplicity. You can use any pot or pan with this stove. It has a great simmer control and helps boil water faster.
Who Is It For: if you are looking for an upgrade to your existing stove, it is the best choice.
How Much Does It Weigh: 2.6 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: Canister
Pros
- It is an amazing upgrade of MSR’s Pocket Rocket Stove.
- When not in use, you can always fold the arms of the pot stand and store it in a case.
- It has a powerful burner for its size and good temperature control.
Cons
- You need a match stick or a lighter to ignite it.
- It cannot withstand rains or windy weather as well as other camping stoves.
5. Flash Personal Cooking System
The Jetboil Flash Personal Cooking System is a one-in-all cook system that includes an insulated pot, a stove, a measuring bowl, and a lid to cover the pot. It is designed incredibly well which helps in boiling the water rapidly. To boil a litre of water, it takes around 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
Who Is It For: It is one of the best camping stoves for the beginners.
How Much Does It Weigh: 13.10 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: Canister
Pros
- It is considered as one of the best backpack stoves which excel at the fastest boil time.
- It is quite affordable for its quality
- It has a stabilizer tripod included.
- The stove can be customized using other Jetboil accessories.
Cons
- It is a bit heavy.
6. Coleman Sportster II Dual Fuel 1-Burner Stove
The Coleman Sportster II Dual Fuel camping stove is well-known for its design. It has been designed to last longer and is a perfect model for all rugged travellers. Made up of finest materials, it is one of the best backpacking stoves at a very affordable price.
Who Is It For: It is the best camping stove for rugged travellers.
How Much Does It Weigh: 336 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: Dual-fuel capability – Gasoline and white gas
Pros
- It is reliable and extremely durable.
- It is made up of the finest materials.
- The brand offers you a warranty period of five years.
- It is relatively cheaper than other stoves that offer the same features.
- It has special wind baffles which make the stove easy to use even when it is windy out there.
Cons
- The stove is quite heavy.
7. BioLite CampStove 2 Wood Burning and USB Charging Camping Stove
The BioLite Campstove is a unique camping stove available in the market. It comes with a fire starter and the FlexLight. The FlexLight is a portal light that can be plugged into the USB port. This offers additional light while cooking. It is impressively smaller in size. The stove turns fire into electricity and hardly takes just 4.5 minutes to boil a litre of water.
Who Is It For: No matter if you are a beginner or a frequent traveler, it is an ideal choice for you.
How Much Does It Weigh: 32.96 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: The BioLite camping stove is fueled by nature.
Pros
- The stove is eco-friendly.
- It has special internal fan jets that circulate air for improved combustion.
- It is capable of generating 5 Y power using a USB output.
Cons
- It is quite heavy.
- The design does not support the flame when it is too windy.
- The battery life is not that great. You will have to carry extra batteries in case you need to change one.
8. Lixada Camping Stove – Lightweight Folding Wood
The Lixada Camping stove is an eco-friendly stove which uses wood to ignite heat. It hardly takes 6 minutes to catch fire properly. The stove works great on flat pans. The stove is light, durable, and helps you save a fortune on canister stoves. The stove comes with a mesh bag which makes it easier to carry around.
Who Is It For: It is perfect for solo camping trips.
How Much Does It Weigh: 6.07 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: The Lixada camping stove is fueled by nature.
Pros
- It is lightweight, and the design is very compact.
- It is made up of fine and good quality material.
- The stove is eco-friendly and uses dried wood and twigs to ignite the fire.
- It has a nice mesh bag in which you can carry it.
- The stove is quite cheaper when compared to other stoves.
Cons
- The mouth opening of the stove is pretty small.
- The potholders are quite distant from each other. Thus, it is not that great with smaller vessels.
9. EcoZoom Versa Rocket Survival
The EcoZoom Survival Stove is one of the favourite stoves of the experts. It is a perfect stove for any outdoor activity or during emergencies. It uses charcoal, wood, and biomass for heat ignition. It is so perfectly designed that with a little amount of fuel, it can generate up to 23,000 BTU.
Who Is It For: If you are a frequent traveller, this is an excellent option for you.
How Much Does It Weigh: 272 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: Natural wood or dried twigs
Pros
- It is easy to use and very durable.
- It is eco-friendly and very efficient.
- Its perfect design helps in reducing the risk of burns.
Cons
- It is quite heavy.
10. TOMSHOO Camping Stove Cookware Mess Kit Backpacking Gear
Even though it is a wood-burning stove, it comes with a removable ashtray. Thus, if you wish to, you can use it with alcohol as fuel too. The design is sturdy and compact. It has a double-layered wall which prevents the emission of smoke.
Who Is It For: It is a perfect stove for the beginners.
How Much Does It Weigh: 272 oz
What Is The Fuel Type: Natural wood or dried twigs.
Pros
- • The stove is compact and foldable.
- It comes with an alcohol tray and a BBQ grill net.
- It is affordable when compared to other stoves.
Cons
- It requires frequent refilling.
- It is a bit heavy.
With so many options available, it is very important to analyze every option and pick the best one. There are three types of stoves depending on the fuel type. The canister stoves run on pressurized gases whereas liquid ones run on white gas. The third type includes natural stuff such as dried wood and twigs.
The stove must be portable, lightweight, and in your budget. Pick your favorite one from the options mentioned above and make your next trip an amazing one.
