Unless you are planning to eat cereal, sandwiches, and food straight from the can you're going to need some way of cooking your meals, but which stove should you use? This depends on what kind of camping as well as what you want to cook. There are many different types and sizes for you to choose from.
Stove types
Liquid-fuel Stoves. This stove type is good if you are going to be using the stove a lot. Your best bet is to buy a stove that can use both unleaded gas and stove fuel (also known as dual fuel).
The advantage:
A few gallons of unleaded gas or Coleman fuel will last you a very long time. This is good for long camping trips where you're not close to any supply stores. Just keep the pressure pumped up to keep the flame burning properly and you are good to go.
The drawbacks:
You have to pack the fuel which can be messy and smelly if it spills. You'll need to fill your stove a few hours before you use it. A small funnel will make it easier. Make sure you fill your stove at least 20 yards away from any campfire, tent or food.
Propane-fuel Stoves. This type of stove is very easy to use. Nothing to fill and no pumping needed. Just attach the cylinder, turn on the fuel and light with a safety match. Voila, your stove is ready for cooking. These stoves are great for campers and families who only go out a few times a year. If you do a lot of camping, a refillable tank may be a wise investment. No cartridges to dispose of and you can run your stove and lantern off the same tank by using a distribution tree and an 8 foot high pressure extension hose. Attach the tree to the tank, run your hose to the stove and put your lantern on top of the tree.
Styles
Single burners and multi burners:
If you are backpacking a single burner stove is a good way to go. They are lightweight, can tuck away in your pack and great when cooking one course or one skillet meals. These stoves are a wonderful value for your camping dollar and
will last a long time if properly cared for. Peak 1 and Coleman have some awesome single burner stoves. So do Campinggaz
and Texsport.
When planning a family camping adventure, you may want to consider a two or three burner stove. The extra burner(s) will
come in handy when cooking larger meals. Also, most multi burner stoves can use (liquid) unleaded fuel, standard Coleman stove fuel, or propane.
Click here to browse our selection of Outdoor Cookware products.
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