Whether you’re a long-time camper or just getting started, you know that food is one of the best parts of camping. But there are some campsites where cooking your favourite meal can be difficult if the only source of heat is a fire pit. If you want to cook with ease and speed, then read on for our guide to choosing the best camping stove for your next trip.
A reliable camping stove is an absolute must on any multi-day adventures in the great outdoors. You need one so that you can have hot, hearty meals to fuel your intrepid exploits and keep morale high for longer periods of time while exploring amazing places.
A camping stove can be a really important item when you go on your next outdoor adventure. The right camping stove can make or break your outdoor adventure. With so many options available, how do you know which one is best for you? so, We’ve got all the information here for how to decide which type of cooking equipment is right for you.
Table of Contents
Here are some factors that should factor into choosing:
Types of Camping Stoves
Main types of camping stoves to consider :
Canister-top stoves are great for people who want to cook on the go or need a lightweight, packable stove. They consist of an easy-to-use burner head that screws onto your propane canisters. You could also buy pots separately depending on what food you plan on cooking.
Personal cooking system – with this stove, you can cook everything from the ground up. The best part about them is that they are easy to use. Stove systems with integrated cooking pots are all the rage. These portable, self-sufficient stoves can boil water quickly and use fuel efficiently.
Hose-fed stoves are an excellent choice for those who want to use their stove in outdoor environments. It has a burner head connected to a remote canister via a hose, which ensures that it will always remain low and stable on its tripod legs regardless of where you place it on your cooking surface (rather than being high up off ground). Some models also include pots integrated into them so there’s no need to buy another one separately.
Weight
The lightweight canister-top stove is a perfect choice for backpacking adventures. The portability of this type of camping equipment will make sure that you have more freedom.
Mostly the integrated personal cooking systems have around 450g weight but you will get a better cooking experience with these stoves. It depends on your personal choice and preference.
Burner Head Size
One of the most important things when cooking on a stove is choosing your burner size. The width can vary from about 2cm to 5 cm, depending on what you plan to use it for.
The small head-size burners give deep spot heat that may risk burning food if you not stirring in between the cooking. On the other side, the wide and large burner spread the flame equally does the heat distribution and has lesser chance of burning hotspots.
Pan Supports
A stove with short arms is the best option when it comes to ensuring your pot doesn’t topple over. For example, canister-top stoves have little support pillars that you place on top of in order for them to stay afloat and not slip off while heating up food or boiling water inside the container.
In Personal cooking systems, the pot slots and the clips and clicks are in more integrated way thus it doesn’t usually support the regular pan in the same way. On the other side, in the hose-fed stoves, you can accommodate large pots as they have low-to-ground and wide and stable pan support arms. It is ideal if you are cooking for more than one.
Packed Size
In terms of packability, canister-top stoves are unbeatable. They’re so small that they’ll fit into your smallest backpack pocket or crevice with ease! All-in-one pots tend to be larger and take up more room when packed away but many have their own pot assembly where everything including the gas cylinders fits nicely inside making for easy storage.
The Best Camping Stove NZ
1. BioLite KettlePot for Biolite Camping stove 
This is a great product for camping and backpacking. The BioLite Camping Stove is lightweight and easy to use. It boils water in minutes, so you can enjoy hot drinks or cook food quickly and easily. It’s also really useful for hiking and other outdoor activities – it’s light enough to carry around but still big enough to make a good size meal. It’s made of stainless steel and is lightweight and durable.
2. Gascraft Camping Backpacker Stove
The GasCraft Backpacker is a compact, lightweight and durable camping stove that suits all your outdoor adventures. The Backpacker can be easily packed away in its own carry case for storage and transport. This amazing little stove has been designed to provide you with high-performance cooking on the go, it features a stainless steel burner that provides a precise flame adjustment allowing you to cook anything from delicate sauces to full meals while you are out in the wilderness.
3. Primus Eta Express Stove Set
The Primus Eta Express Stove Set is the perfect outdoor companion for two people. It’s lightweight, compact and easy to use. The Eta pot has a heat exchanger that speeds up boiling time by transferring extra heat from the stove into the pot. This means you can boil water faster than ever before while using less fuel.
4. MSR Windburner Stove
The MSR WindBurner Stove System is a compact, lightweight backcountry stove that provides fast and efficient boil time. It’s the ideal option for soloists or couples who want to move quickly with minimal weight. The WindBurner has an integrated cookware set with a built-in heat exchanger that efficiently transfers heat from the burner to the pot, so you can boil water fast and save fuel.
5. Non-Preheating Oil Stove Burners
This is a non-preheating oil stove burner. It has good heat output, high efficiency and low pollution. This product can be used with different fuels such, as gasoline. The fire control system is simple and easy to use. The flame is stable at all times when it is in operation. It features an automatic needle valve that can adjust the fire sensitivity.