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Scott Gilbertson

The Best Camping Stoves

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Best Overall Coleman Classic Propane Stove Read more

Upgrade Pick Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 Stove Read more

Best for Couples Primus Tupike Stove Read more

Sturdy Stalwart Primus Profile Camping Stove Read more

Camping might mean roughing it, at least a little, but you don't have to subsist on biscuits and beans. Unless that's your thing, but even then you might want an easy way to heat up your biscuits and beans, which is where the camp stove comes in.

You can buy camping stoves that might be nicer than the stove in the average American apartment, though the wealth of options available can be overwhelming. No sweat! We've tested more than a dozen of the best portable propane gas stoves, then narrowed the field based on cooking ability, clean up, transportability, and power.

There's something in our list for every use and budget, whether you want a compact way to whip up bacon and eggs for two, or you need something massively powerful to boil a cauldron of stew for a troop of hungry scouts.

Also, be sure to check out our guides to the best camping gear , best tents , portable grills , portable espresso makers , and trail running shoes .

Updated May 2022: We've removed a stove that was no longer available and added Coleman's new Cascade 3-in-1 stoves.

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Best Overall

Coleman's ubiquitous green camp stove has been a mainstay of campgrounds since your grandparents were kids. It's well built, sturdy on a table, and just works. It's not the most powerful stove, and it lacks frills like push-button ignition, but it's capable of holding a low flame, simmering soups, and cooking scrambled eggs without browning them. It's also incredibly durable. I cooked on this stove daily for over two years without issue when I was living in an RV .

To prolong the life of your Coleman Classic, be sure to wipe up spills and keep it as clean as possible. Older versions had a different burner design that didn't clog as easily, which I like better, but so long as you're fanatical about keeping the burners clean, this version will last a very long time.

Upgrade Pick

Coleman's Cascade 3-in-1 stove ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) is the best-constructed stove in this guide. The cast iron grill grates feel like you're cooking on a proper stove and won't warp or wobble down the road. The 3-in-1 name refers to the included cast iron griddle and grill plates, which open up more cooking possibilities—the flattop is great for heating tortillas and cooking pancakes. The flame control is good—dialing in a simmer isn't hard—and the electronic ignition means you'll never be searching for a lighter.

At 25 inches wide, 12 inches deep, and 16 inches tall when open, this grill is slightly larger than the Classic above. It'll fit a 12-inch and 10-inch pan at the same time, though 10-inch pans definitely heat more evenly. If you're planning to use 12-inch or larger pans, see the Camp Chef stove below. Still, cooking for five people on this stove is no problem, and it's our top pick for most families.

There's also a black and gold version for $230 , if that's your bag.

Best for Couples

Primus' Tupike stove is compact, lightweight, and well made. The cleverly designed handle makes it simple to pack and carry. It's also one of my favorite stoves to cook on, thanks to its stainless-steel construction and ease of cleaning. With only 7,000 BTUs, it's not the fastest at boiling water, but for low-heat cooking—the cooking most of us actually do—it's unbeatable. It also performed well in the wind, and the latest version features a wire latch to hold the wind screens securely in place. My only complaint is that the cooking area is rather small, making this one best for soloists or couples.

Unfortunately, this kind of quality does not come cheap. You could blow through four Coleman Classics for the price of the Tupike. Primus also makes the slightly cheaper Kinja ($190) , which is nearly identical but lacks the windscreen of the Tupike. If you have the money, though, this stove is well worth the investment.

(This stove goes in and out of stock.)

Sturdy Stalwart

The web is awash in stoves that look just like this Primus Profile, but in my experience most of them are junk. The Primus sets itself apart for two reasons, the robust propane hose connector and the ability to fine-tune the cooking temperature to attain an actual simmer. The build quality isn't as good as the Coleman Cascade, but it's better than our previous pick in this category (the Camp Chef Everest).

The other difference between this and other stoves this size is that the burners are only 12,000 BTUs, compared to the 20,000 BTUs found in the competition. At first glance that sounds like a minus, you want more power right? Well actually, no, you probably don't. Sure, you might be able to boil water slightly faster with the higher-output burners, but you'll also struggle to get those stoves to cook slowly. Most of us are probably happy to wait an extra minute for our coffee in exchange for the Profile's more precise temperature control, which means you're less likely to scorch the eggs. Sometimes less is more, and the Profile exemplifies that by being one of the few stoves this size that's actually capable of maintaining a simmer, even in a breeze. (Though the windier it gets, the harder it is to keep any stove running at a low flame.)

Brenda Stolyar

Julian Chokkattu

Gabrielle Caplan

Best for Large Groups

Camp Chef's Pro 60X is free-standing, ruggedly built, and weighs enough to justify renting a llama. It's overkill in most circumstances, but for large groups, like a scout troop or guided trip, it's the best choice, hands down.

It's a wonderful stove to cook on, and I know more than a few river guides who swear by it. Your giant pot of water for spaghetti noodles will boil in no time, though it's not great for simmering. It's easy to clean and packs up in a snap. I highly recommend the carrying bag with rolling wheels, and I really enjoyed extras like the BBQ grill box .

Best Griddle

If you've ever dreamed of putting a Waffle House in your house, or camp, Blackstone's griddle is as close as you're likely to get. It's not as big as the flattop at your favorite diner, but it's functionally the same. Hungry for camp breakfasts where your potatoes slowly simmer in the lake of grease coming off your sizzling bacon? This is the camp stove you need.

It's not evenly distributed heat (there's an H-shaped burner under the flattop), but that's a feature, allowing you to speed and slow cooking by moving things around. Pair this with a good portable grill and you'll be the most popular chef in the campground.

Tips for Better Camp Cooking

You got the perfect stove, now what?

I cooked outdoors over stoves like these for more than two years (while living in an RV), and here's what I learned:

• Keep it simple: Camping is not the time to try new recipes. Stick with things you know, dishes you're comfortable making and that aren't too complex.
• No really, keep it simple: Bring the absolute minimum of cooking gear. A stove, some propane, a turner, a large spoon, a great knife , and tongs are about all you need. This depends somewhat on what you're cooking, but generally the less you bring, the less hassle you'll have cooking.
• Plan ahead: Planning a week-long trip? Great. Plan your meals too. This makes everything easier. Shopping, packing, even finding your food in camp is easier when you know what you're looking for. You can even prep some things ahead of time, like chopping some veggies or meats and storing them in bags so they are ready to use.
• Have a backup plan: For example, even if your stove has electronic ignition, bring a lighter and some matches, because you just never know. Similarly, I always throw an extra pack of hot dogs in the cooler. It takes up almost no space and comes in handy when a meal goes sideways.
• Get a table: If you have more than two people in your group, I highly recommend a table to cook on. Save the picnic table for eating and give yourself more room to cook. Good camp tables are hard to come by. I don't love it, but this basic $40 folding table from Walmart gets the job done.
• Cleaning up: Once you're done cooking and you've dished up the food, pour some water in the pan and let it sit while you eat. This will loosen up any stuck food and make doing the dishes a bit easier.

Remember to relax and have fun—you're on vacation after all! I know, it can be stressful at times, especially if you have kids or a large group looking to you for food, but remember: Everything is probably going to be OK.

Eric Ravenscraft

Medea Giordano

Adrienne So

Nena Farrell

Lisa Wood Shapiro

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Best Camping Stoves of 2024

From budget-friendly models for whipping up simple meals to premium setups for camp chefs, we break down the year’s top camping stoves.

Switchback Travel ( Jason Hummel )

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You can leave your dehydrated, salty, and unsatisfying meals at home—today’s camping stoves bring a whole new level of gourmet to your car camping and basecamping adventures. With a modern, quality design you can expect consistent fuel output, strong flames, and superior simmer controls. Camping stove sizes vary from small tabletop models to freestanding behemoths for large groups. For first-timers or those desiring some background information, it’s worth checking out our comparison table and buying advice while narrowing your search. Below, you’ll find our favorite camping stoves for 2024. If you're looking for lighter and smaller options for backpacking, see our article on the best backpacking stoves .  

Our Team's Camping Stove Picks

• Best Overall Camping Stove: Eureka Ignite Plus
• A Close Second (With More Power): Camp Chef Everest 2X
• Best Budget Camping Stove:  Coleman Cascade Classic
• Best Compact Camp Stove System:  Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System
• Best Single-Burner Camping Stove : Eureka SPRK+ Butane Camp Stove
• Best Freestanding Stove for Large Groups: Camp Chef Explorer

Best Overall Camping Stove

1. eureka ignite plus ($160).

Eureka’s Ignite Plus is one of the most well-rounded designs on the market with a solid build, good simmer control, and wide, 23-inch cooking area that can accommodate bigger pots and pans. Unlike much of its budget-friendly competition, the Ignite Plus includes push-button ignition, which keeps your hands safe from large bursts of flame and makes the prep process a bit quicker. It’s not a dealbreaker for many, but it’s a nice feature that we appreciate when setting up camp. Added up, the Eureka has all the ingredients of a high-end tabletop camping stove while coming in at a pretty reasonable price point.

All that said, the Eureka Ignite Plus does fall a little short in value. For around $80 less, you can pick up the Coleman Triton below, which features more output per burner at 11,000 BTUs. However, the Triton forgoes push-button ignition, and the Ignite Plus has a more hardwearing build—including high-quality metal latches—that will stand up better to regular use and abuse. Eureka also makes a cheaper version of the Ignite ($125) , which sports a smaller cooking space and less simmer control but remains a solid all-around choice. But in the end, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better combination of features, quality, and output for the price, earning the Ignite Plus our top spot for 2024. See the Eureka Ignite Plus

A Close Second (With More Power)

2. camp chef everest 2x ($190).

Camp Chef’s Everest is one of the most popular and proven designs in the world of camping stoves, offering a hard-to-beat combination of cooking power, convenience, and superior reliability. In terms of output, you get two large burners that pump out plenty of heat (20,000 BTUs each) but also have excellent simmer control for cooking more diverse and intricate meals. And with their latest update (to the “2X” model), Camp Chef gave the design a nice upgrade with locking metal latches at each side, a more protective windscreen, a slightly larger cooking space, and a beefed-up build that’s also more modern. Combined with a reasonable 12-pound weight and integrated handle, the Everest 2X is hard to beat.

The biggest knock against the Camp Chef Everest 2X is its $190 price tag. Those who get out a lot and like to cook intricate, diverse meals may find the investment worth it, but the 20,000-BTUs-per-burner output is decidedly overkill for most. In our experience, quality 10,000-BTU burners provide plenty of power for most meals, which is why we have the Eureka Ignite Plus ranked higher. In addition, the 2X model is a little larger and bulkier than the prior generation, although it’s still reasonably compact and easy to haul around (note: The standard Everest is still available at a discount). But there’s no denying the high-quality build and impressive cooking performance, making the Everest 2X a competitive option for discerning camp chefs. See the Camp Chef Everest 2X

Best Budget Camping Stove

3. coleman cascade classic ($100).

For years, campers have turned to Coleman stoves for simple, reliable performance. Toward the lower end of their camping stove lineup is the Cascade Classic, which lacks the refinement and all-out durability of pricier designs but is nevertheless a solid value for what you get. For a considerable $60 less than the top-ranked Eureka Ignite Plus, the Cascade offers similar power with two 10,000-BTU burners, includes push-button ignition to keep your hands safe during start-up (fairly uncommon among budget designs), and boasts sizable windscreens to keep the flame protected in gusty weather. Added up, it’s a very well-rounded option for occasional campers and those who don’t need the top-end performance and power of more premium designs.

The Cascade Classic is our favorite entry-level camping stove, but budget seekers might also consider Coleman’s own Triton (listed below) and Classic Propane . The former is a little more powerful with two 11,000-BTU burners, has a larger cooking space, and costs around $20 less on Amazon at the time of publishing. However, the lack of auto ignition is a notable downside and the main reason we give the edge to the Cascade Classic. Alternatively, the longstanding Classic Propane retails for $75 and matches the Cascade in power, but it too lacks matchless ignition and is largely unavailable at the time of publishing. The Cascade certainly isn’t perfect—it’s been plagued by reports of a faulty ignition out of the box, and simmer control is a sizable step down from high-end designs like the Camp Chef Everest 2X above. But for low-maintenance campers in need of a simple and affordable stove, it checks all the right boxes. See the Coleman Cascade Classic

Best Compact Camp Stove System

4. jetboil genesis basecamp system ($400).

Let’s start with the obvious: This Eureka stove isn’t for serious camp chefs or large-group cookouts. But the SPRK+ Butane is an affordable single burner that performs well for limited use or as a backup. The stovetop easily accommodates a small kettle or pan (up to 11 in.) and performs admirably considering its diminutive size. We also love the adjustable feet to keep the unit level and slightly inset design that adds crucial protection against wind. All in all, it’s a great choice for bringing along if your primary cooking will be done over a fire pit but you need a stove for quick items like heating water.

As its name suggests, the SPRK+ runs on butane, which isn’t as readily available as the ubiquitous green propane canisters. In addition, butane struggles in cold temperatures (around and below freezing), so it’s less versatile than the propane designs on our list and also falls short of more winter-ready liquid-fuel models. That said, the SPRK+ is very well rounded for a butane model and handily beats out Coleman’s Classic 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove in heat output, weight, and wind protection. If you don’t mind the trade-offs in opting for this fuel type, the Eureka is an affordable and thoughtfully designed single-burner stove. Other leading one-burner options to consider include Snow Peak's compact Home & Camp Burner and Coleman’s propane-powered Cascade 18 (although both designs are pricier than the Eureka). See the Eureka SPRK+ Butane Camp Stove

Best Freestanding Stove for Large Groups

6. camp chef explorer ($150).

In terms of burner performance, you'll be hard-pressed to find more quality output for your dollar than the Camp Chef Explorer. The 60,000 total BTUs from the two burners are a great pairing for large-group camp cookouts or even emergency use at home. The stove also sets up quickly, and its sturdy legs are individually adjustable to adapt to uneven ground. In keeping the price down, however, the Explorer is pretty low on features: There is no push-button ignition, and the burners are less protected from wind than premium offerings.

The upside of the simplistic design is that the Explorer is ripe for the various accessories from Camp Chef, including a barbecue box, griddle, or pizza oven. Large dials are easy to use and function in the same way as your cooktop at home, but unfortunately, it’s not a whole lot lighter than that home stove: The powder-coated assembly tips the scales at 30 pounds 8 ounces. Leaving behind the legs will trim some of that weight, but the Explorer remains overkill for less serious campers. Bigger groups should also check out the three-burner version of the Explorer, which adds an additional 30,000 BTUs of output for $260. And for a more fully featured two-burner alternative from Camp Chef, check out their popular (but much pricier) Pro 60X . See the Camp Chef Explorer

Best of the Rest

7. camp chef rainier 2x ($200).

Most tabletop stoves on this list feature two standard burners, but Camp Chef’s Rainier 2X bucks that trend with a single burner on one side and built-in aluminum grill and griddle plate on the other. This can make cooking meals with multiple components much quicker and more efficient: For instance, you can boil water for coffee or tea on one side of the stove while simultaneously whipping up sausage and bacon—no need to wait for a burner to free up. And importantly, the rest of the design is well sorted, including protective wind shields, a stainless steel drip tray, auto ignition, and good flame adjustability.

However, as with most hybrid designs, there are some trade-offs to choosing the Rainier 2X as your primary camp stove. Most notably, the grill portion takes up about 2/3 of the cook space, which can be limiting should your meal require more than one pot, pan, or kettle (even a single larger pot or pan can cause issues). To maximize versatility, we recommend buying a standard two-burner stove (like Camp Chef’s own Explorer above) and swapping out accessory tops. Alternatively, Coleman’s Cascade 3-in-1 below makes it easy to alternate between interchangeable cooktops, including standard burners, grill grates, and griddles, although it’s a bit less premium than the Rainier. Final hybrid options to consider include the Primus Profile Dual Stove & Grill and Coleman Classic 2-in-1 Camping Grill/Stove, although we consider the Rainier the most reliable and well rounded of the bunch. See the Camp Chef Rainier 2X

  8. Coleman Triton Camping Stove ($80)

Camping specialist GSI released the Selkirk 540 a few years ago as a competitor to two-burner designs like the Eureka Ignite Plus and Camp Chef Everest above, and the latest 540+ is more competitive than ever. The biggest change was the substantial boost in power: While the original model was pretty average with two 10,000-BTU burners, the latest 540+ ups the ante with 14,000 BTUs of output per burner, beating out alternatives like the Ignite Plus (10,000 BTUs), Coleman Triton (11,000 BTUs), and many others here. Despite the upgrade, the Selkirk 540+ is relatively affordable at $150 (just $10 more than the past-generation model) and includes handy features like push-button ignition, micro control valves to tweak the flame, and plenty of space to accommodate two larger pots or pans side by side. Plus, GSI nailed the details with a built-in and easy-to-grab carry handle, a powder-coated exterior, and generous windscreens to block light gusts.

Where does the Selkirk 540+ fall short of its competitors? The first knock is cooking space, which is a couple inches smaller than what you get with both the Everest 2X and Ignite Plus (21.4 in. vs. 25.2 and 23 in., respectively). Plus, the Ignite can be connected to other Eureka or Jetboil stoves to increase efficiency and speed when cooking more intricate meals. Finally, some users have reported issues with the igniter and general build quality, but no stove is perfect, and the Selkirk is reasonably dependable and well built for the price. Of note: GSI also sells the stove in a 460+ model for $120 , which also features two 14,000-BTU burners but in a smaller, more compact design that sacrifices some cooking space. See the GSI Outdoors Selkirk 540+

10. Stansport 3-Burner Propane Stove ($100)

Two burners are sufficient for most campers, but aspiring camp chefs or those who typically head out with larger groups might want to step up to a three-burner stove. Stansport’s 3-Burner Propane Stove stands out as one of only a few tabletop designs on the market, which makes it far easier to transport and less cumbersome to set up than a freestanding design like the Explorer above. Stansport doesn’t list the exact weight, but it’s reasonably sized and perfectly manageable for one person to carry from car to campsite (for reference, it’s around the same size as Eureka’s two-burner Ignite Plus above). Importantly, it also comes equipped with helpful touches like matchless ignition, intuitive temperature controls, and an integrated windscreen—all at a very palatable $160 full MSRP (and just around $100 on Amazon at the time of publishing).  

However, the Stansport 3-Burner isn’t without limitations. First, while output is quite impressive at 60,000 total BTUs, it’s important to note that the center burner is noticeably less powerful than the side burners (10,000 BTUs vs. 25,000 BTUs). If you anticipate utilizing all three burners, it may require some advance planning to time things properly. The burners are also situated very close to each other, which limits the amount of space for larger pots and pans. Finally, the Stansport is a step down in overall quality and ruggedness compared to an option like the Camp Chef Everest above, although the fact that you get a third burner for $90 less is certainly enticing. For a bump in cooking space, Coleman’s Cascade 328 3-Burner is an inch wider and 4.6 inches longer but much pricier at $200 and lacking in output compared to the Stansport with 28,000 total BTUs. A final option to consider is Camp Chef’s three-burner Tahoe , although its freestanding build is much heavier, bulkier, and more expensive than tabletop designs. See the Stansport 3-Burner Propane Stove

11. GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Pro ($250)

For those limited on space in their vehicle or gear storage, GSI Outdoors offers a unique solution in their sleek and modern Pinnacle Pro Stove. At just 1.4 inches tall when closed, the Pinnacle Pro is significantly thinner than most two-burner alternatives, including the Camp Chef Everest 2X (5.6 in.), Eureka Ignite Plus (4 in.), and others above. That said, you still get respectable output with two 11,000-BTU burners, as well as premium features like a three-sided windscreen, dual push-button igniters, and a coated, non-stick drip pan that makes cleanup quick and easy. Additionally, we found the deployable legs helpful for raising the stove to a convenient height when cooking on a camping table.

Why do we have the GSI Pinnacle Pro ranked here? Trimming weight and bulk almost always translates to a drop in durability, and the Pinnacle Pro is noticeably less confidence-inspiring and robust than alternatives like the Everest 2X, Ignite Plus, and Selkirk 540+ above. Further, the windscreens at the sides are short and not all that protective, the stove lacks a carry handle for transport, and there’s no spot to secure or stow the fuel adapter when not in use. GSI does sell a padded storage case that will house both the stove and adapter, but it’ll run you an additional $30, bringing the grand total up to nearly $300. Whether or not the minimalist design is worth that steep of an investment is up to you, but we prefer the easier-to-trust constructions of the two-burner models above (most of which are also cheaper). See the GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Pro

12. Coleman Cascade 3-in-1 ($210)

Camp Chef’s Rainier 2X is our favorite stove and grill combo, but the grill portion takes up most of the cook space and therefore limits the types of meals you can make. Enter Coleman’s Cascade 3-in-1 Stove, which addresses our main complaint about the Rainier (lack of versatility) with swappable grill and griddle accessory tops. The concept is simple but effective: If you need to use a burner or two, simply leave off the add-ons; if you’re whipping up breakfast or burgers, place one (or both) of the cast-iron plates over a burner and fire it up. The Cascade is on the pricier end at $210 and relatively heavy at nearly 15 pounds all in, but the 3-in-1 functionality does help justify the cost and heft.

In addition to being more versatile than the Rainier 2X above, the Coleman Cascade is also lighter by around a pound and more powerful with two 12,000-BTU burners (the Rainier has one 8,000-BTU burner and one 10,000-BTU burner). But the devil is in the details: Some users report food easily sticking to the Coleman's accessory tops due to the lower-quality cast iron (be sure to treat them ahead of time for the best results), and the windscreens at the sides are very short and will do very little to combat strong gusts. Finally, you’ll need to find a flat surface for the stove when using the accessory tops to prevent grease and other juices from dripping onto the ground (and potentially also your clothes and shoes). But if you can deal with these drawbacks and plan to use both the burners and add-ons regularly, the Cascade is a well-executed and versatile option. See the Coleman Cascade 3-in-1

13. Solo Stove Campfire Stove ($110)

Solo Stove is known for their thoughtfully built and portable fire pits, and their Campfire Stove is arguably the most well rounded of the bunch. Unlike other designs here, the Campfire runs off wood rather than gas, eliminating the need to purchase and pack fuel canisters on trips. How it works: Intake holes along the bottom of the chamber channel air up and through smaller openings at the top, minimizing smoke and allowing the fire to burn hot and evenly. And when it comes time to cook, an inset ring at the top of the stove concentrates heat at the center of your pot or pan while also providing protection against the wind.

The Campfire is a unique but functional option for cooking easy meals in certain areas, but there are some inherent downsides to the wood-burning design. First and foremost, we recommend researching ahead of time to check on terrain, conditions, and regulations—you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of dry wood and that there are no fire bans in place. And from a performance standpoint, you get far less precision and finesse compared to standard two-burner models, and output can vary depending on the type and quality of wood you use, the construction of your fire, outside factors like wind, and more. That said, we love the two-for-one nature of the Campfire—it’s both a stove and fire pit in one—and see a lot of appeal for use at home too, whether you’re hosting a backyard gathering or just want to roast some marshmallows with the kids. See the Solo Stove Campfire Stove

Camping Stove Comparison Table

Camping stove buying advice, stove categories: freestanding or tabletop, how many burners, burner power: btus, fuel type and capacity, alternative fuel options: wood and solar, simmer control and performance, windy weather performance, camping stove width, automatic (matchless) ignition, cooking grate, grills, and griddles, weight and packed size.

• Camping vs. Backpacking Stoves  

Camping stoves come in two basic designs: tall freestanding models with legs and more compact tabletop models. Freestanding stoves are typically associated with larger, high-output models, which would take up a lot of real estate if placed on a picnic bench or table. They're far heavier and more difficult to transport, but are an amazing tool for the discerning camp chef. With a lot of cooking space, you can get creative with your backcountry meals. If you think you might benefit from a freestanding stove but dread having to lug it around on every trip, fear not: Most stove legs are removable.

It’s no coincidence most of the big-time sellers come with two burners—they’re all the vast majority of us will ever need. As with cooking at home, two burners going at the same time will get most meals cooked in a timely manner. Additionally, it’s often the better choice over the more limited single-burner stove, although some designs do have appeal for crossing over into backpacking. And for large gatherings, there are three-burner stoves like the Stansport 3-Burner Propane Stove . In many cases with a large group, however, it’s not a bad idea to put the onus on someone else to bring along a second stove, as packing a three-burner can be burdensome from a weight and bulk perspective.

An alternate option for larger groups is to choose a stove that can be daisy-chained to another system. For example, the Jetboil Genesis Basecamp System and Eureka Ignite Plus can be linked to other Jetboil or Eureka models and connected to a single propane bottle. This allows you to increase cooking space without having to lug around a heavy freestanding stove. And on outings where you don’t need the added burner(s), simply leave one of the stoves behind.

The boost in power comes with various benefits. For one, a stronger flame will allow you to cook more food faster—you can trim minutes off your time when boiling a large pot of water. As such, for large groups a more powerful flame (20,000 BTUs and up) is recommended. With that extra output comes greater fuel consumption, which can become an issue if a powerful stove is fueled by a small 16-ounce propane bottle. You’ll definitely want to bring along a few back-up canisters if you’ll be out for more than an overnight trip, and we’ve found that two quality 10,000-BTU burners are ample for most uses.

The vast majority of camping stoves run on propane: The fuel performs well in a range of temperatures, and not by any coincidence, the little green bottles are readily available at just about any outdoors or big box retail store. For the sake of space, and if you won’t be setting up camp for an extended period of time, the 16-ounce bottles should do. However, we highly recommend bringing a few of them no matter the length of your stay. At high heat with some of the more powerful stoves, you can burn through most of a bottle in a single day. For max cooking convenience, the classic 4.6-gallon tank (also referred to as a 20-lb. tank) is a tried-and-true choice. They’re easy to fit into the back of a pickup bed, refillable in just about every town, and will last you many, many meals. Note: Most tabletop stoves come only with an attachment for the 16-ounce bottle, but an adapter and hose are often available to fit the larger-capacity tanks.

Propane does start to see its performance diminish once the temperatures dip below freezing. Butane, used in the Eureka SPRK+ , does even worse and isn’t as readily available as propane, but the canisters are lighter and more compact (this is more of a consideration for backpackers). That said, if you’ll be doing a lot of four-season camping, liquid fuel is the most reliable choice and can come in the form of white gas, unleaded gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, or diesel. White gas is one of the best choices for backpacking and basecamping in extreme conditions, but there aren’t a whole lot of options in a full-size camping stove style. If you’re a hardcore adventurer, consider a stove like the Coleman Guide Series Dual Fuel (not listed here), which can run on either white gas or unleaded gasoline. Liquid-fuel stoves cost more than propane models and don’t offer any performance benefits in mild conditions, so for most folks, propane remains the best option.

Propane and other gases aside, there are a couple alternative fuel types that may work depending on your needs and expected conditions. Wood-burning stoves like the Solo Stove Campfire have gained popularity in recent years, and the allure is clear: There’s no need to buy or bring along fuel canisters—you simply collect twigs and sticks at camp and burn them to cook your food. However, these systems have more limited flame and heat control compared to other models, are restricted during fire bans, and rely on a resource that might not be readily available depending on the terrain and weather. Finally, there are solar-powered designs like GoSun’s Sport Solar Cooker (not included here), which again can’t compete with the convenience or dependability of traditional models but allow for fuel-free cooking in the right conditions.

While a blazing 20,000 BTU burner is great for a spaghetti feed, for items that require a little more finesse you’ll want to make sure the stove has effective simmer control. This requires fuel regulation that doesn’t fluctuate and a flame that remains strong even at low heat. Good simmer performance isn’t something typically found on a spec sheet, but a high-end model will typically perform better in these conditions. Moreover, having a good windscreen will help keep the flame lit if you’re running the heat on low. The Camp Chef Everest and Eureka Ignite Plus have excellent simmer control, while budget stoves like the Coleman Cascade Classic struggle. Spending up will increase your chances of mastering that complex backcountry meal.

The width of camping stoves varies significantly and can have an impact on what types of cookware you can use. For example, we like the Eureka Ignite Plus because it features a wide 23-inch cooking surface that can accommodate medium to large pots side by side. Smaller units, like the Coleman Triton, can only fit two 10-inch pans. If you regularly use larger pots or pans, it’s worth digging into this spec closely before making a purchase (most manufacturers and retails will publish the dimensions). Alternatively, if your stove will be your first purchase, make sure the cookware you buy will fit on your unit’s cook surface.

Piezoelectricity is a pressure-based (read: matchless) form of ignition that is popular in camping stove applications. Rather than the sometimes-harried process of turning on the fuel and quickly lighting a match or clicking a lighter, this form of push-button auto ignition keeps your hands safe from any large bursts of flame. We prefer this type of ignition for the added convenience and ease of use, but it does come at an extra cost. Upgrading to the piezo-equipped Coleman Triton+ , for example, will cost you $36 more than the base model (through Amazon at the time of publishing). It’s also true that these igniters are not perfect and often fail over time (sometimes surprisingly quickly after purchase), so always bring along a set of extra matches or a lighter just in case.

Depending on your needs, packed size may or may not play a big role in your buying decision. If it does, a model like the GSI Pinnacle Pro is a great option at only 1.4 inches tall when packed (for reference, the aforementioned Ignite Plus is 4 in., and a freestanding unit like the Camp Chef Explorer is 14 in.). This makes it easy to slide into the crevice of a vehicle or back corner of a gear closet. Taking it a step further, we also like Jetboil’s Genesis Basecamp System , which includes a stove and cookware, manages to weigh less than 10 pounds, and folds down to nest into the included pot. Again, these considerations don’t matter to some campers, but they can be a difference-maker for those limited on space.

Camping vs. Backpacking Stoves

For those weighing the decision between camping and backpacking stoves , there are some important trade-offs to consider. In addition to a lighter weight and smaller packed size, backpacking models only feature a single burner that can hold a pot or pan, which limits cooking space and the types of meals that you can cook (most backpackers stick to simple foods like dehydrated or one-pot meals). In addition, backpacking stoves are much flimsier, less stable, and don’t simmer as well as camping models. If you won’t be traveling far from your vehicle, a camping stove will offer a substantial increase in performance and the added heft and bulk likely won’t matter much. However, if you trek deep into the backcountry regularly, the weight savings are well worth the sacrifice in cooking ability. Back to Our Top Camping Stove Picks   Back to Our Camping Stove Comparison Table

Learn More About Camping Gear

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• What to Buy
• Grills & Grilling

The 6 Best Portable Gas Grills of 2024

Here are our favorites for on-the-go grilling after testing

The Spruce Eats / Russell Kilgore

Gas grills are undeniably convenient and easy to use, which makes them a prime choice if you're searching for a portable grill. As long as you have a small liquid propane tank in tow, you'll be able to cook up delicious food while tailgating, camping, or hanging out at the beach—no need to lug along charcoal or worry about finding an electrical outlet!

Portable gas grills come in many shapes and sizes, including freestanding and tabletop models, and as you shop, you'll want to consider factors like weight, capacity, and most importantly, how much power you need. We tested popular models side-by-side, assessing each one on everything from how easy it was to set up to cooking performance to the final cleanup.

How We Tested

Other options we tested.

• What to Look for

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Best overall, weber q 2200 gas grill.

• Ease of Use 5 /5
• Performance 5 /5
• Ease of Setup 5 /5
• Design 4 /5
• Ease of Cleaning 5 /5

Extremely easy to set up and operate

Spacious cooking area

Impressive cooking performance

Large folding side tables

Somewhat heavy for a portable grill

Catch pan didn’t fit properly

If you’re searching for a gas grill you can bring on all your adventures that also performs well enough to be used at home, look no further than the Weber Q 2200. This portable grill has everything you need to cook up delicious meals, including 280 square inches of cooking space and two folding work tables to make food prep quick and easy. We tried it out at home and on the road to grill hot dogs, steaks, and veggies and were impressed with the final results each time.

The sturdy Weber Q 2200 has a number of high-end features usually reserved for full-size grills, such as a built-in lid thermometer, electronic ignition, and infinite control burner valve. When it comes to the gas grill’s performance, it gets hot quickly, cooks food evenly, and is easy to clean when you’re done. The unit has a cast aluminum body and ergonomic side handles to make it easy to move from one place to another. It's a bit heavy for a portable option, weighing in at over 43 pounds, but most of the weight is actually its cast-iron grates, which can be carried separately for easy transport.

One downside during assembly was the drip pan didn't fit properly, which necessitated a small trim to get it to slide in. Out of the box, this can be powered by 1-pound gas canisters, but Weber does sell an attachment if you want to use 20-pound tanks. We also tested and recommend the Q 1200 , which has 189 square inches of cooking space and a 8,500-BTU burner.

The Spruce Eats / Camryn Rabideau

Dimensions: 15.5 x 51.4 x 19.5 inches | Cooking Area: 280 square inches | Power: 12,000 BTUs/hour | Weight: 43.5 pounds

Most Versatile

Weber traveler portable gas grill.

• Ease of Use 4.6 /5
• Performance 4.9 /5
• Design 4.8 /5
• Ease of Cleaning 4.3 /5
• Value 4.8 /5

Unique fold-flat design

Large cooking surface

Effective nonstick grates

Uneven heating, especially with lid open

Difficult to clean

This may be one of the most expensive portable grills available, but you’re paying for quality, both in terms of performance and design. The Weber Traveler managed to heat up to 660 degrees in our testing, hot enough to sear steaks or even make pizza , while the non-stick coating on its cast-iron grate still kept delicate fish filets intact after cooking. We even found the built-in thermometer to be pretty accurate, something that’s rare in grills of all kinds.

It’s a fairly heavy grill, but the Traveler’s design means you won’t really ever have to lift it. The wheeled cart the grill is mounted in folds down flat, slowly and easily lowering into place after you step on the folding lever in the base. Adding to its versatility is the fact that it can use either a 1-pound propane cylinder meant for camping or the 20-pound full-size version. (You’ll need an adapter hose to use the larger tank, but it’s included.)

Two main complaints we have about this grill are that it heats somewhat unevenly when the lid is open and that it’s tough to clean. The first issue can be solved pretty easily by just leaving the lid closed while you’re cooking, especially at high temperatures, but the second one is kind of annoying. You’re not supposed to remove the grate to clean it, and its small holes catch a lot of food bits, so there’s a lot of scrubbing involved.

Dimensions: 42.7 x 43.6 x 37.2 inches | Cooking Area: 320 square inches | Power: 13,000 BTU/hour | Weight: 49 pounds

Best Budget

Weber go-anywhere gas grill.

• Ease of Use 3.9 /5
• Performance 4.6 /5
• Design 4.4 /5
• Ease of Cleaning 4 /5

Very lightweight

Plated steel legs flip to lock lid

Built-in carrying handle

Only compatible with 1-pound canisters

For a great portable grill that won’t break your budget or your back, the Weber Go-Anywhere Gas Grill should be at the top of your list. This affordable grill comes from one of the most well-known brands in grilling, and it has all the features you need to cook up delicious meals on the go. It features 160 square inches of cooking space over a single burner. Even though it only produces 6,500 BTUs of power , it was able to heat up to 600 degrees fairly efficiently. We got good results with both delicate fish and medium-rare steak, though the stainless-steel grate doesn’t hold heat quite as well as the cast iron most similar models use. We got some pretty wild swings in temperature when opening the lid and adding food.

The Weber Go-Anywhere is appropriately named, as it’s very compact and surprisingly lightweight. One of the grill’s coolest features is its plated steel legs, which can be pivoted up to lock the lid in place during transportation. However, we didn’t love the way this unit is laid out: The propane tank attaches at an angle that hangs down below the bottom of the grill, so you have to set it up on the edge of a table or other flat surface to make room. The control knob is also positioned right next to the gas tank attachment, which makes adjusting it a little awkward. With that said, the compact form and low price make this an excellent choice for rustic camping, or for riverside or lakeside cooking of the fish you just caught.

Dimensions: 14.5 x 21 x 12.2 inches | Cooking Area: 160 square inches | Power: 6,500 BTUs/hour | Weight: 13.5 pounds

Best for Camping

Cuisinart venture gas grill.

• Design 4.9 /5
• Value 4.5 /5

Very compact and lightweight

No flare-ups during cooking

9,000-BTU burner

Lack of a lid makes for uneven cooking

Whether it’s hiking, kayaking, or cross-country skiing, the Cuisinart Venture is perfect for any adventure. With its large carrying and rectangular shape, the compact unit looks like a picnic basket, until you disassemble it to reveal the propane tank hidden in the bottom section and the nonstick-coated cast-iron grate with 9,000-BTU burner in the middle. It’s not the biggest or most powerful grill in the world, but it’s small enough to carry in your pack, and it managed to reach searing temperatures in our Lab testing. During high-temperature cooking, neither delicate fish nor strip steak stuck to the grate, and we also didn’t get any flare-ups despite the grate sitting quite close to the burner.

The main issue with the Venture is its lack of a lid. There’s a wooden cutting board/serving tray that sits on top of the grate when the grill’s not in use, but it’s completely open to the elements while cooking. Most grills have a domed lid that helps distribute the heat from the burner, and without that, we got uneven temperatures—enough that one end of the steak started to burn before the other was sufficiently seared. It might interfere with perfect-looking grill marks, but we’d recommend rotating and moving larger items around during cooking to achieve even doneness.

Dimensions: 13 x 16.3 x 10.8 inches | Cooking Area: 154 square inches | Power: 9,000 BTU/hour | Weight: 20.6 pounds

Best Tabletop

Coleman portable propane grill.

• Performance 4.5 /5
• Design 4.2 /5

Large cooking area

11,000 BTUs between the two burners

Excellent searing

Low-quality construction

The RoadTrip 225, unsurprisingly, offers 225 square inches of cooking space and is great for a road trip. The grill is compact and lightweight but has two separate burners that put out 11,000 BTUs of heat. It got to seriously high temperatures in our testing—650 degrees created a beautiful sear and crust on a steak—but the temperature dropped precipitously and became uneven from one side to the other after adding food and leaving the lid open for a few minutes.

That said, the nonstick grate didn’t stick, even to delicate fish filets, and was able to brown and crisp the skin nicely. The grill was simple to assemble and fire up, making it easy to attach a 1-pound propane tank; this was notably difficult with some of the other models we tested. Plus, we figured out the drip tray can be used as a water basin for steaming and could add a herbaceous quality by simply adding herbs or foraged greenery.

But we also didn’t love the construction of the RoadTrip 225; it feels a little cheaply built, and the lid doesn’t have a lock to hold it in place when you’re moving the grill around. Make sure you have a stable tabletop to put this on and don’t try to move it until it’s fully cooled.

• The Spruce Eats/Russell Kilgore

Dimensions: 21.8 x 18.3 x 10.6 inches | Cooking Area: 225 square inches | Power: 11,000 BTU/hour | Weight: 25.6 pounds

Best for Groups

Napoleon travelq portable gas grill.

• Ease of Use 4.8 /5

Powerful 14,000-BTU burners

Easy-to-fold cart

Temperature drops quickly with lid open

Throwing a beach party for all your friends? The Napoleon Travelq is the full-featured grill-on-a-cart you need to wheel out onto the sand. Its dual-sided cast-iron grates can hold up to 18 burgers at a time, with its nearly 14,000 BTUs of power split between separately controlled left and right burners. That means you can, say grill chicken at lower heat on one side while you char asparagus on high on the other, or leave one side off completely for successful indirect grilling .

In testing, we were most impressed with the cast-iron grate, which didn't stick at all to fish or steak, and features a unique wave shape to keep items from falling through the gaps. With the lid shut, it was able to reach well over 600 degrees (albeit with 10 minutes of preheating), and the control dials are actually effective and reasonably accurate at adjusting the flames. However, we found that the temperature dropped quickly when we opened the lid to put food on or move it around; the steak wound up underdone in the same amount of time other grills got it to a perfect medium-rare.

The Travelq really does pack a lot of useful space into a small package. There are 285 square inches of cooking space, plus a pair of prep tables on the sides that fold into a dolly configuration when you collapse the cart. (The instructions on how to do this are helpfully printed on one of the prep tables so you'll always have them at hand.) The wheels and locking lid setup make it very easy to move the grill around, but it's fairly heavy and not the best choice for lugging a long distance down a rugged trail.

Dimensions: 20.3 x 44.3 x 39.8 inches | Cooking Area: 285 square inches | Power: 13,990 BTU/hour | Weight: 50.5 pounds

The Weber Q 2200 is compact enough to take tailgating or to the beach, but this top-rated grill still offers a spacious cooking surface and powerful heating elements. If you plan on camping, the smaller Cuisinart CGG-750 Venture Grill has a convenient carrying handle and a cutting board top.

We sent various portable gas grills to the homes of our expert reviewers in addition to testing in our Lab. Our Lab testers grilled and seared steak, salmon, onions, hamburgers, and hamburger buns on each model to thoroughly analyze the features and performance. Additionally, the grills were carried around our Birmingham, Alabama, campus to test portability. Our home reviewers spent weeks assessing how these grills stood up to everyday cooking and cleaning. They were also able to offer additional insights into using these during typical weather conditions. The grills are all rated on heat control and retention, size, features, performance, ease of cleaning, and overall value.

• nomadiQ Portable Propane Gas Grill : We've recommended the NomadiQ in the past since it's incredibly lightweight and very simple to set up outdoors. We revisited that since we experienced large flare-ups and extremely uneven heat distribution when we tested it for a second time. And for such a small grill, it was difficult to clean. It's worth considering if you're in an urban environment, but for most, there are better portable grills to meet your needs.

What to Look for in a Portable Gas Grill

Portable grills will inevitably be smaller than typical backyard grills, but they still come with enough space for a cookout (though you might need to do a couple of rounds of cooking). When it comes to the cooking area, you'll need 72 square inches for each serving, so if you will regularly be cooking for four or more people at a time, a larger-sized portable grill will cut down on cooking time. You'll also need to factor in carrying weight and storage. If you'll need to carry the grill a few hundred yards or more, a lighter grill (or one that can be easily wheeled) might work better.

Portable gas grills will always be fueled by a portable propane gas hookup. Propane will need to be procured separately at your favorite home improvement or outdoor store. Many of these grills will work off the very small 1-pound propane cylinders, with a different attachment needed for larger propane tanks. The difference between the two kinds is weight—larger tanks are heavier and need to be carried separately from the grill—and amount. The smaller tanks are easier to carry in a backpack but will run out of fuel within a couple of hours.

Tabletop or Stand

Some portable grills are meant for tabletop use—they can also be used on the ground if you’re comfortable with that, but it may not be as convenient. They'll often have fold-out legs and built-in carrying handles for easy storage and set-up. Grills with tall legs let you work at a comfortable standing height, but the legs add weight and bulk, so they’re not as convenient to carry. The legs also might not be as stable and wobble a bit while you're cooking.

How do you start a portable gas grill?

Portable gas grills are typically quite easy to start. After you connect the propane and have checked for leaks, turn on the burner(s). Some grills, such as the Weber Q 2200, have electronic ignition, in which case you simply push the button to ignite the gas. For grills that lack this feature, you'll need to use extra-long matches or a match holder to ignite the propane and get the burner started.

How do you clean a portable gas grill?

You should clean your portable grill the same way you would clean a full-size gas grill . Once you're finished cooking, allow the grill to cool down slightly, then brush grease and food pieces off the grates with a damp grill brush . You may also need to wipe down the interior of the grill and empty or dispose of the grease tray at the bottom.

Can you use a portable gas grill indoors?

You should never use a propane-powered grill indoors. These grills require open air for proper ventilation, as they can give off carbon monoxide. If you want to cook inside, you'll want to look for an indoor grill , which are typically electric.

Do you need a regulator for a portable gas grill?

Portable gas grills are generally designed to be used with small 1-pound propane tanks, and with these, a regulator is not needed. However, if you want to use a larger propane tank—such as a 20-pound tank—with a portable grill, you'll need an adapter and regulator. Most brands sell the appropriate attachment for their portable grill models.

This roundup was put together by The Spruce Eats commerce writer Jason Horn , who’s been writing about food and drinks for almost 20 years, and grilling for a lot longer than that. He chooses gas over charcoal for control and ease of use, plus he’s come up with a pretty solid method of smoking on a gas grill.

This roundup was originally written by Camryn Rabideau , product tester and grill expert for The Spruce Eats. She's done firsthand testing of the Weber Q2200 , which took the overall spot on this list, as well as the Masterbuilt Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker and more.

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer. She's an expert on all things home, including kitchen appliances, grills, and other cooking gadgets.

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• Camping + Hiking

The 6 Best Camping Stoves of 2024

Whether you’re backpacking or car camping, these camp stoves make cooking outdoors a breeze.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks
• Tips for Buying

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Marcus Millan

There’s nothing quite like a solid camp meal after a day of exploring the great outdoors; something about it just tastes better. I love getting creative when cooking outdoors, with favorite dishes like gourmet burgers to camp paella. Having a great camp stove can make or break the experience though, you don’t want something difficult to set up, that doesn’t have any wind resistance, or a finicky flame control.

Finding the right balance of portability, functionality, and efficiency is key, as is assessing your needs based on whether you’ll be backpacking or car camping. Whether you need something compact and lightweight for your camp cooking needs, or a stove that provides a larger cooking surface with the option to grill, we’ve scoured the internet for the best camping stoves for all needs.

Best Overall

Eureka two-burner camping stove.

It’s big enough to cook for groups, but it's not overly bulky.

The lid can flip open if not attached to the windscreens.

We love how versatile the Eureka Ignite Plus 2-Burner Camp Stove is for car camping. The easy-to-use stove makes set up and cooking a breeze, with ample room for fitting two 12-inch pots or pans, making it possible to cook larger meals. One of the trickiest things about making a meal in a camp kitchen is dealing with the wind messing with the burner flame, but this stove comes with built-in, fold-out windscreen protection to help out with that issue.

I also don’t like spending just as much time figuring out how to get the camp stove going as I do cooking. That’s not the case with this one; it has a simple design, with push-button lighting and simmer control dials to hone in the flame power to your liking. The adjustable, non-slip feet are a bonus as well, because almost every time, the camp kitchen surface isn’t going to be completely even terrain. Whether you’re cooking breakfast or dinner for friends and family at your favorite campsite, this stove will get the job done without taking up too much room or being too heavy to transport. 

The Details: 12 pounds | Propane | 2 burners

Best Portable

Msr windburner stove system.

It’s an all-in-one system that nests inside the pot for easy packing.

The fuel is not included.

Backpackers will rejoice at the MSR WindBurner Stove System, a lightweight and incredibly compact kit for cooking at your site after a long day of hiking. A secure-locking pot, personal eat-and-drink mug with a koozie, folding canister stand, and small PackTowl for cleaning, as well as a bowl all pack up nicely together, making this cook stove set incredibly portable. When going camping with a kit in tow that has multiple pieces, I always look for something that stacks into each other for easy transport, this one definitely ticks that box.

The lid comes with drinking and straining ports so you can enjoy your coffee, tea, soup, pasta, etc. straight from the source. Most importantly, this feature means you don’t have to worry about your noodles falling into the dirt as you drain the water. It lights quickly in all weather conditions, and boils water fast, so you won’t have to wait too long for your food or drink. For thru-hikers, backpacking trips, or even a summit sunrise coffee, this personal camp stove system is our go-to for most portable.

The Details: 15.5 ounces | Isobutane-propane | 1 burner

Best Single-burner

Coleman cascade 18 1-burner camp stove.

It’s easy to clean.

It doesn’t come with a storage bag or case.

The perfect in-between camp stove that isn’t too big or too small, the Coleman Cascade 18 is our top pick for a single-burner cooker. It’s compact enough to be portable yet still able to hold a 12-inch pan for making your outdoor meals. Since cooking, in general, can be messy, I really appreciate a camp stove that’s easy to clean, and with its aluminized steel cooktop and simple-to-use design, messes can be wiped up quickly. I also really love how the dial allows for a more fine-tuned flame and temperature control. The grate detaches and flips for easy storage too. The burn time is impressive as well, which can go up to two and a half hours on high. So, go ahead and slow-cook that oatmeal.

The Details: 5.5 pounds | Propane | 1 burner

Best Compact

Solo stove campfire camping stove.

It boils water fast (within 2-4 minutes).

Cooking accessories are sold separately.

We love how user-friendly the Solo Stove Campfire Camp Stove is, as well as its durability and quick start-up capacity. A camp stove that comes with its own carrying case earns extra points in my book, and this one does, making it even more portable than it already is. I also really enjoy the versatility of the design, since it can be used as a little campfire for warming up, as well as a camp stove for cooking. So, you can easily go straight from dinner to roasting marshmallows for dessert. It’s also unique because it produces little to no smoke, due to the double-walled design and specialized airflow. There’s no need to bring fuel canisters either, this stove runs on twigs and small pieces of wood. Weighing in around 2 pounds, this small but mighty stove is very portable particularly since the cooking ring and firestarts are nested inside the burn chamber. 

The Details: 2.2 pounds | 1 burner

Snow Peak Takibi Fire and Grill

Back Country

It’s easy to assemble and take down.

It’s heavier than other models.

The Snow Peak Takibi Fire and Grill is portable without sacrificing quality, and crafted from durable stainless steel construction. I love that the set includes a carrying case as well as a Grill Net and bridge, Takibi Fireplace, and the baseplate so you don’t have to purchase everything separately. Ideal for backyard grilling or car camping, this grill allows you to leave no trace since the hot coals are kept off the ground. The grilling surface can be adjusted to three different levels so you can control the heat while cooking and it’s easy to clean after your meal. This grill can also be used as a fire pit, adding to its versatility. 

The Details: 32 pounds

Most Durable

Camp chef mountaineer aluminum stove.

Backcountry

It's durable with impressive wind-resistance.

This is more of a splurge option best suited for frequent campers.

When cooking outdoors, having a durable camp stove is paramount. Ideal for car camping, this stove isn’t the most lightweight model, but is still portable and easy to carry thanks to the suitcase-style lid and closure. It’s built to withstand the elements and has windshields that lock into place. With a high BTU output (40,000), it boils water quickly, too. The larger size and dual burner design make cooking for a group of friends or family a breeze. I often find that a lot of camp stoves can make it difficult to attain a precise temperature, but that’s not the case with this one; you can achieve the perfect simmer. The solid construction out of high-end materials, easy-to-clean design, and rugged durability mean this stove will go the distance on camping trips for years to come.

The Details: 16 pounds | Propane | 2 burners

Tips for Buying a Camping Stove

Think about weight.

When purchasing a camp stove, it’s crucial to buy one that will fit in with your specific needs and the type of camping that you typically do. If you need a stove that will fit in a backpacking backpack , you’ll want to prioritize a lightweight and compact model. If you can spare the weight and space, a one- or two-burner stove might work best for car or backyard camping, allowing you to cook larger meals. 

Don’t forget about fuel and ignition methods

Some stoves, like the Solo Stove and Snow Peak models, use wood, so you don’t have to tote around fuel, but you will have to source kindling, and need to pay attention to certain areas and times of year when burn bans may be in effect. Lighting them in this manner is more budget-friendly than purchasing fuel canisters though.

Most other models use fuel like butane, propane, or Isobutane-propane, which usually come in portable one-pound canisters and can last for cooking 3-4 meals. Keep in mind that the higher the BTU (British Thermal Unit, which measures the energy needed to bring the temperature of one pound of water up by one degree Fahrenheit), the more fuel required to run it. Extra fuel canisters will mean carrying more to your campsite as well. Another point to consider is the ignition method: some models will require a lighter or matches (which are generally not waterproof) while some camp stoves can be ignited with a push button built in, known as a striker.

Consider the number of burners you need

Since camp stoves come in all shapes and sizes, the number of burners you need will depend largely on how many people you plan to feed and the stove's overall portability. I like having two burners so that I can use both a pan and a pot to cook two things at once and make the meal move along more smoothly. If you’re camping solo or with one adventure partner, a single-burner stove or grill would be adequate for simple meals. Backpackers will want to go as compact and lightweight as possible, using a personal camp stove kit.

Cleaning a camp stove depends on the type and construction, but I always prefer to prioritize using a model that offers easy cleanup, since that’s the last thing you want to spend a lot of time doing when you still have to pack up camp. Typically, warm water and soap will get the job done, and you can use a toothbrush or sponge to scrub any residue off. Make sure to air dry the stove before storing it when you get home, to prevent rust from forming. With a lot of models, it’s possible to remove the burners to clean them and the cooktop.

No, camping stoves are designed to be used outdoors only. In addition to being a fire hazard, they can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Using them outdoors provides the ventilation needed to cook safely. 

The best camp stoves for winter camping will offer great wind resistance as well as fuel that won’t freeze, like white gas or isobutane (a mix of propane and isobutane). The MSR WhisperLite is a fantastic option for winter camping, providing reliable fuel and a super compact design.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

T+L contributor Lauren Breedlove used her personal experience as a camping, outdoors enthusiast, and travel writer as well as online research to find the best camping stoves. She scoured the internet for a wide array of models for all types of campers to find the best combination of portability, functionality, and durability.

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• What to Buy

The 4 Best Portable Gas Grills, Tested and Reviewed

For tailgating, camping, and more, these portable gas grills are the best of the best.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks

Our Favorite Portable Gas Grill

Our portable gas grill tests, factors to consider, other portable gas grills we tested, our expertise.

Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore

Frequent tailgaters, beachgoers, and campers can all benefit from having a gas grill they can take on the go. You don’t need access to a kitchen, outlet, or bags of charcoal to get a delicious, warm meal going. And it’s a convenient, compact alternative for anyone who doesn’t have that much yard space to call their own. 

From those with foldable legs to tabletop varieties you can set on different surfaces, we tested the best portable gas grill options (as well as portable charcoal grills for good measure), analyzing factors like performance, ease of use, design, and ease of cleaning. After two rounds of thorough testing, we’ve found our favorites for folks who would prefer a portable gas grill. Read on to see which models scored the highest and which fell short.

Best Overall, Standing

Weber traveler portable gas grill.

You get portability with the kind of performance and spaciousness resembling a full-sized grill.

You might need to remove the grates to clean them thoroughly.

Just because you want a portable grill doesn’t mean you have to settle for mediocre functionality. In terms of performance, this grill scored extremely well in our tests. For a travel grill, the results are good enough that any experienced griller would be happy with the results. But just how easy is it to travel with? The gas grill folds down neatly, and you can roll it behind you like a suitcase. And when it’s standing, the wheels provide a sturdy foundation.

As small as it seems during transport, we were impressed with how spacious it was for grilling (you can fit up to 15 burgers, plus there’s a side table to work on). Cooking on this gas grill is also a breeze since there’s only one knob to get the heat going, and our tests showed the temperature is accurate and easy to regulate. We found that the design of the grates helped create a good sear and nice caramelization. The only real caveat is that the grates are a bit more difficult to clean, as brushing them can cause the entire unit to shake. That said, we suggest cleaning the grates after taking them out, or you’ll have to manually stabilize the grill.

Over six months of long-term testing, we continued to be impressed by the Traveler's consistent performance, easy portability, and sturdy construction. Surviving numerous treks across all kinds of terrain, its lightweight yet sturdy design allowed for effortless transport from location to location without the need to compromise on the grilling experience. And we love that its side handles also collapse for an even more compact footprint that makes fitting it into your trunk easier than ever, and even leaves room to spare. Plus, with its fast heat-up time and even heat distribution, you'll get perfect cooking results on everything from standard burgers and dogs to grilled chicken and more.

Dimensions: 37.2 x 43.6 x 23 inches | Total Cooking Area: 320 square inches | Weight: 50 pounds

• Food & Wine/Russell Kilgore

Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore

Best Overall, Tabletop

Weber q1200 gas grill.

The price is a steal for how well this responsive grill performs. 

The gas inlet placement isn’t ideal. 

If you want a tabletop model, this grill is our favorite. It’s easy to light — it takes less than two seconds once you have the gas on and press the igniter button — and thanks to the oval-shaped burner going all around the grill, there’s great heat distribution with no noticeable hot or cold spots. We also gave it a thumbs-up for temperature regulation, and the knob setting is very accurate for heat output on the burner. Since the surface you put your tabletop grill on can differ, you want something that’ll bring as much stability as possible. We found that this whole grill is pretty well constructed, and there's not much movement while you're cooking or cleaning up.

The biggest drawback we found was that the position of the gas inlet makes it challenging to adjust. But it’s still manageable, and once you get accustomed to it, you’ll probably be too pleased with the grilling results to be too bothered. Burgers, fish, and steak all came out great during our tests, and the price is just the icing on the cake. We feel this grill is a steal for the price — it performed beautifully and won't break the bank.

Its stellar performance held up over our six months of long-term testing as well. From its sleek looks to the perfect amount of smoke and char it gives on each cook, it will really level up your grilling game and have you feeling like a true pitmaster. Of course, its portability has been one of its winning features, thanks to its compact size and lightweight build. We haven't really found much to complain about, and it only impressed us more with each subsequent use.

Dimensions: 15.5 x 40.9 x 16.5 inches | Total Cooking Area: 189 square inches | Weight: 31 pounds

Cuisinart Venture Gas Grill

Great for camping, this beginner-friendly grill is extra compact, lightweight, and attractive.

The handle could be more substantial, and the perimeter of the grill gets hotter than the middle. 

This affordable gas grill resembles a lunch box or picnic basket, but more than just pleasing aesthetics, there’s a cleverness to the design, too: Pop off the wooden lid, and you can use it as a chopping or serving board. While we wish the handle was a little thicker for a more comfortable carry, this gas grill still earned lots of praise. We feel it's truly functional and a delight to hold.

Our tests revealed that the air vents running along the edge of the grilling area make that border run hot, so whatever food you have on the perimeter winds up far more cooked than the food in the middle. Generally speaking, though, we found that the onions, burgers, and buns were nicely charred, cooked, and browned with visible aesthetic grill markings. It's a great value and cooks well too, especially considering its size and portability.

This grill's utility proved itself time and time again as we continued to test it long-term over a six-month period. And we found ourselves looking for any excuse to bring it out, from impromptu tailgates to overnight camping trips. While the handle still wasn't our favorite, we loved how easy this grill was to use and how quickly it heated up. Plus, it's the perfect size to carry, and you can leave the propane tank out of it until you're ready to cook to make for even lighter and easier transport.

Dimensions: 13 x 16.25 x 10.75 inches | Total Cooking Area: 154 square inches | Weight: 20 pounds

Best Splurge

Napoleon travelq portable gas grill.

This collapsible, space-saving grill is extra convenient to transport and has a drip tray.

The burner position could be improved for better searing, and it can be a tad bit heavy to lift.

If you’re a grilling enthusiast who travels often, consider this model that collapses down like a stroller and then rolls along its two wheels that are large enough to handle irregular surfaces. They can make it over rougher terrain and are just as easy to wheel through the sand. We also appreciated that the lid has a clip to keep it closed while in transit, so you don’t have to worry about losing parts. Another plus? Not only is there a drip tray (which is not necessarily that common with portable gas grills), but it’s also easy to clean.

You can cook plenty of food on the large grilling area, and with two burners, you can do indirect heat cooking if you like. However, we did wish the burners were a little further away from the grates so that the flames would touch the grates rather than rise past them, delivering a better sear. Even so, we noted that the grill produced good results with fish and steak — no sticking or flare-ups.

We weren't disappointed by its long-term performance either as we continued to test it out for six months. We loved that its compact size allowed it to heat up quickly, which came in handy for whipping up last-minute dinners. And while it is compact enough to be portable, we found that it still felt substantially sized enough that you don't have to cook a ton of batches. Its wheels held up without getting stuck or rusty as well, so it was incredibly easy to move around. However, when it's time to lift it into the trunk at the end of the night, you might need a hand.

Dimensions: 20.25 x 44.25 x 39.75 inches | Total Cooking Area: 285 square inches | Weight: 50.5 pounds

For those who want a portable gas grill that stands, we love the Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill for how well various foods grill on it and its large cooking area. For those in the market for a tabletop variety, we’re big fans of the Weber Q1200 Gas Grill because of the double whammy of high performance with a low price. 

We tested portable gas grills over two rounds to determine the best. Starting with ten portable gas grills in the first round, we assessed how easy it was to assemble each appliance and then how easy they were to lift and move. Next, we looked at each grill’s temperature range, noting how long it took to heat to different levels. In the cooking tests, we grilled onion rounds, beef burger patties, and burger buns, evaluating factors like the evenness of heat distribution, cooking uniformity, temperature responsiveness, and the definition of grill marks. Lastly, we tested how easy it was to clean the grill according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

After determining the seven best performers of round one, we took those gas grills and once again observed their effectiveness and ease of portability. Then, we grilled center-cut fish filets to assess their nonstick ability while cooking a delicate protein. Next, we grilled strip steaks on each gas grill to observe how well they functioned with indirect heat grilling and searing at high heat. Across all tests, we paid attention to ease of use, performance, and design.

Standing vs. Tabletop

There are two main types of portable gas grills: standing models and tabletop grills. The former has foldable legs so the grill can stand upright on its own, allowing you to work from a comfortable height wherever you are. However, the legs add weight to the grill, which can be a con in terms of portability. Tabletop models, on the other hand, are more compact and designed to rest on a flat surface. These grills can be quite convenient to tote around, but you’ll either need to have an appropriate, elevated surface nearby to use it on or be okay with grilling from the ground.

Size and Portability

When choosing between portable gas grills, it’s important to look at the grill’s overall cooking area (generally measured in square inches), as that will determine how much food you can cook on it. The more people you regularly grill for, the larger the cooking area you’ll want. Just remember that the bigger you go, the heavier it’ll probably be, so there comes a point where you start trading in portability.

Portable gas grills can weigh less than 10 pounds and go up to 50 pounds or more. If you want something you can easily move around on your own, you might opt for something on the lower end of that range, but if you’re OK with exerting more effort or will have assistance, a 50-pound grill can still offer portability.

Grate Material

One specific part of a portable gas grill where you’ll want to check the material is the grates. After all, that’s where all the action happens. Cast iron, porcelain-coated cast iron, and stainless steel are all popular materials used for grill grates, and each has its advantages and drawbacks. Cast iron delivers superior heat retention, porcelain-coated cast iron has a nonstick quality, and stainless steel grates are easy to maintain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing between a gas grill and a charcoal grill is a matter of personal preference, as you can find positives for both. If you’re all about convenience, a gas grill is probably the way to go since it’s much easier to light, heat, and control versus fussing with the lighting and arranging of coals. Choosing a gas grill that’s portable just adds to the convenience if you like to grill away from home — for tailgating, camping, picnicking, and more. Gas grills are also the more environmentally-friendly choice if you’re concerned about the size of your carbon footprint.

Portable gas grills offer greater flexibility with where you can grill, but they aren’t suitable for indoor use. Gas grills release carbon monoxide, and when used outside in safe conditions, there’s enough ventilation that this doesn’t pose a risk. However, when used inside, there can be enough build-up of carbon monoxide for it to become dangerous, if not deadly. In addition, the amount of heat gas grills emit can become a fire hazard, and there’s also the potential of a gas leak. Stay safe and stick to the outdoors!

A regulator attaches to a propane tank and controls how much gas flows to the grill. Without one, the gas pressure can become too high (running the possibility of a gas leak) or too low (making it more difficult to light or achieve your desired heat level). Almost all gas grills have a regulator as a safety measure, but different grills require different types of regulators. If your gas grill requires a regulator and there’s something wrong with it, it’s crucial to get it fixed or replaced to continue using your grill safely.

Strong Contenders

Coleman RoadTrip 225 Portable Tabletop Propane Grill ($210 at Amazon )

This gas grill is easy to assemble and delivers above-average performance but falls short in terms of overall value based on its cost and design. Other grills we tested delivered the same, if not higher, level of performance and quality of materials at a less expensive price.

Weber Go-Anywhere Gas Grill ($89 at Amazon )

We love how affordable and incredibly easy to transport this grill is, but we had to deduct some points for how fussy it was to put together and because the appliance’s materials made it feel unstable and less likely to hold up over time. In addition, we noticed that the lid handle gets extremely hot and requires a potholder or towel to open when in use.

Coleman RoadTrip X-Cursion 2 Burner Propane Gas Portable Grill ($212 at Amazon )

There’s a good level of performance to value with this gas grill that can tackle searing, indirect heat cooking, and direct heat cooking well. That being said, we wish the base was more stable and that the raised lips around the edges and down the middle of the grill grates were flat to maximize the cooking surface area. 

What Didn't Make the List

Of the portable gas grills that didn’t make our favorites list, one of the biggest issues was uneven heat distribution. Inconsistency between different areas of the grilling surface made it difficult to regulate heat and use certain grills successfully. Other general problem areas included unstable construction, a frustrating ignition process, a significant amount of food falling through the grates, excessive smoking and massive flare-ups during use, and difficulty cleaning unless completely taking apart the grill. 

Overall, we were most disappointed by the Char-Broil Deluxe Portable Propane Gas Tabletop Grill . We had to give it a low performance score due to its poor heat distribution and lack of grill marks on the food, and we couldn’t overlook the flimsy build. 

Cindy Brzostowski is a freelance writer and avid home cook who has previous experience in cookbook publishing. Her writing has been featured in Allrecipes, Blue Apron, The Kitchn, and EatingWell among other publications. For this article, she used our in-house testing insights and conducted market research to determine which portable gas grills are the best right now.

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• Weber Traveler®

Weber Traveler® Portable Gas Grill

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• Built-in lid thermometer
• Large side table
• Heavy-duty cart frame
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Compact storage.

The compact fold and overall design makes traveling and storing as seamless as possible. The Weber Traveler grill takes up minimal space in your garage and is designed to fit easily in the trunk of a car.

Large Grilling Area

The large grilling area fits up to 15 burgers or 20 sausages so that the entire meal is grilled, and everyone gets to eat, at the same time.

Temperature Range

Low-to-high temperature range provides the perfect heat to sear steaks, grill juicy chicken, and even make fluffy pancakes for breakfast.

One-Handed Setup & Fold

The Weber Traveler grill is specially designed for an easy, one-handed setup and fold down. The grill is also attached to the cart so that you’re up and grilling in no time.

Automatic Lid Lock

The unique lid lock automatically latches once the Weber Traveler grill is folded down. No extra steps needed after folding down and hitting the road.

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RoadTrip® 285 Portable Stand-Up Propane Grill

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• Up to 20,000 BTUs of grilling power and 285 sq. in. of cooking area
• Now with 3 independently adjustable burners for enhanced temperature control
• Water pan catches cooking grease and is removable for easy cleaning
• 2 durable side tables for resting utensils and sauces\
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• Sku # : 2000033052
• Color : Black
• Weight (lbs) : 47.800
• SwapTop Interchangeable Cooktops : Yes
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• Built In Thermometer : Yes
• BTUs : 20,000
• Instant Start : true
• Grill Dimensions : 32.1 x 18.5 x 15.45
• Cook Top Size : 285 sq. inches
• Grill Burners : 3
• Stove Wind Block : No
• Fuel Type : Propane
• Warranty : 3-Year

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Home » Gear » best backpacking stove

8 Best Backpacking Stoves – EPIC REVIEW (2024)

There are many different ways to cut your costs when traveling, but one of the most effective is to cook your own food on a camping stove. When I first hit the road, I took a battered tent and a nearly indestructible old backpacking stove given to me by my father. I camped out, and cooked my own meals, probably four or five days a week for nearly two years… It was an amazing experience, and it saved me a ton of money.

I’m a big believer in supporting yourself when you travel or hike. It makes you a stronger, more capable individual too.

Over the last ten years, I’ve owned half a dozen different backpacking stoves and in this in-depth review, I’ll compare some of the best backpacking stoves on the market. That way, you can set up the best backpacking cooking system for you based on the weight, fuel, and budget criteria you have.

From the best cheap backpacking stove to top end jetboil alternatives, we’ve got heaps of options for you here.

Quick Answer: The Best Backpacking Stove

Top picks for 8 best backpacking stoves in 2024, what to consider when picking a lightweight camping stove, different fuel types, how we tested to find the best backpacking stove, faq about the best backpacking stove, conclusion: do i really need a backpacking stove.

• Best Overall Backpacking Stove –  MSR Windburner
• Best Canister Backpacking Stove – MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe
• Best Value Canister Backpacking Stove – MSR PocketRocket 2
• Best Jetboil Backpacking Stove –  Jetboil Zip
• Best Liquid Burning Stove –   MSR Whisperlite
• Best Wood Burning Backpacking Stove –   Biolite CampStove 2 +
• B est Multifuel Backpacking Stove –   Lixada
• Best Budget Backpacking Stove –   Etekcity
• Next Generation Stove – Soto Windmaster
• Jump to –> Backpacking Stove Reviews

Comparison of the Best Backpacking Stoves

MSR Windburner

• Feature Highlights > $$$$
• Weight > 15.5 oz
• Dimensions > 8.3 x 4.5 x 4.5 inches

MSR PocketRocket Deluxe

• Feature Highlights > $
• Weight > 2.9 oz
• Dimensions > 3.3 x 2.2 x 1.8 inches

MSR PocketRocket 2

• Feature Highlights > $$
• Weight > 2.6 oz
• Dimensions > 7.25 x 5 x 4 inches

Jetboil Zip

• Weight > 11.75 oz
• Dimensions > 4.1 x 6.5 inches

MSR WhisperLite

• Feature Highlights > $$$
• Weight > 10.9 oz
• Dimensions > 3.07” x 4.76”

BioLite CampStove 2+ Complete Cook Kit

• Weight > 5 lbs. 3.6 oz
• Dimensions > 5 x 8.75 inches

• Weight > 0.917 ounces
• Dimensions > 2.8 x 2.8 x 1.69 inches

Etekcity Ultralight Portable

• Weight > 4.8 oz
• Dimensions > 3.5 x 1.8 x 2.3 inches

Soto Windmaster

• Weight > 3.1 oz
• Dimensions > 5.7 x 3.8 x 1.3 inches

The best backpacking stoves are reliable, durable, and heat up your hot cocoa quickly. Let’s be honest, a warm meal after hiking through the wilderness, and waking up to a hot cup of coffee before hitting the trail again, can be pretty damn hard to beat!

I’ve saved an absolute fortune over the years by cooking my own meals and traveling with a lightweight backpacking stove was a crucial part of my strategy to stay on the road long-term.

Hiking with a tent and a high-quality backpacking stove gives you a ton of freedom as it means you don’t have to worry about where you’re going to sleep, or how you’re going to eat, in the evenings. (Did I also mention that it’s a great way to save money?) I’ve been camping out and cooking on lightweight backpacking stoves for nearly ten years now. I’m passionate about being outdoors and providing for myself in beautiful and truly wild places.

There are a ton of high-quality hiking stoves out there so really you are spoiled for choice. Read on and I’ll introduce you to the different types of backpacker-friendly lightweight camping stoves on the market as well as the best backpacking stoves for newbie hikers…

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The best backpacking stoves don’t add kilos to your backpack. Thankfully, over the years, outdoor companies have continued to innovate and have introduced lightweight stoves and more compact ultralight stoves.

I’ve used several backpacking stoves over the years and whilst my favourite is MSR Windburner – no competition – there are still lots of other great options on the market.

When determining what is the best backpacking camp stove for you, consider a number of factors before boiling down (nice) to the best option. I’ve compared a variety of the best backpacking stoves on the market (chosen from all of the differing stove systems available) with detailed backpacking stove reviews, to help you sift through the clutter…

#1 MSR Windburner – Best Overall Backpacking Stove

Thee MSR Windburner is the premier choice for hikers and campers seeking a top-tier stove. As the flagship model, it offers an all-in-one integrated system, including a secure 1L pot, a coffee press, and a personal mug, ensuring you have everything you need without extra purchases. Its design is not only about convenience but also about performance; the stove operates on canister fuel and boasts a robust build, guaranteeing stability and efficiency even in windy conditions.

The unique combination of primary combustion and an internal pressure regulator allows the Windburner to deliver rapid boiling times and consistent heat, unaffected by the surrounding weather. This makes it a reliable companion for any outdoor adventure, capable of cooking meals for two or more with additional accessories.

• All-in-one stove/cookware
• Protects against wind
• Highest quality
• No automatic lighting button
• Canister sold separately

Is the MSR Windburner for you?

While the MSR Windburner excels in performance and stability, it’s worth noting a couple of minor drawbacks. For one, it ain’t cheap. Then It doesn’t come with an automatic lighting feature, requiring a manual ignition, and the necessary fuel canisters are sold separately, which may add to the overall investment. Despite these points, the stove’s quality and functionality are unmatched. Our team especially appreciates the Windburner for its fast heating ability, even under challenging weather conditions, and its straightforward control system.

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#2 MSR PocketRocket Deluxe -Best Canister Backpacking Stove

The MSR PocketRocket Deluxe is a game-changer in the world of ultralight backpacking stoves, setting a new standard with its innovative features. Its cutting-edge push-button ignition system offers unmatched convenience, eliminating the need for a lighter. The added pressure regulator is a significant upgrade, ensuring fast boil times even in challenging conditions, a noteworthy improvement given the historical struggles of MSR’s PocketRockets in cold weather. Now, the PocketRocket Deluxe performs exceptionally well even below freezing, combining ultralight design with pressure-regulated functionality and a host of impressive features.

Weighing just 2.9 oz, the PocketRocket Deluxe is a marvel of lightweight design, significantly lighter than competitors like the Jet Boil. While the PocketRocket 2 offers a lighter and more affordable option, it lacks the advanced features of the Deluxe model. To fully embrace an ultralight backpacking experience, pair the PocketRocket Deluxe with lightweight cookware, such as the MSR Alpine Stowaway Pot. For those who enjoy a hot beverage outdoors, the MSR Pika Teapot is an excellent addition to your gear.

Click here for a full review of the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe .

• Ultra lightweight and packs down small
• Push-button ignition
• Pressure-regulator
• Pricier than the previous PocketRocket 2
• Additional accessories sold separately

Is the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe for you?

Our team ranks the PocketRocket Deluxe highly, just behind its esteemed sibling, the MSR Windburner. Its rapid cooking time and fuel efficiency left a lasting impression, and its compact, lightweight design is a significant advantage for backpackers. The PocketRocket Deluxe isn’t just a stove; it’s a carefully engineered piece of gear that enhances the outdoor cooking experience.. This is ideal for ultralight backpacking trips.

#3 MSR PocketRocket 2 -Best Value Canister Backpacking Stove

Traveling with the MSR PocketRocket 2 means carrying one of the most efficient and compact stoves available for backpacking enthusiasts. Renowned for its incredible value, this ultralight stove is a marvel in both design and performance. Weighing a mere 2.6 oz and folding down to just 2 x 2 x 3 inches, it’s no wonder this fuel canister stove is celebrated as the top choice for value-conscious backpackers.

The PocketRocket 2’s versatility and worldwide fuel canister availability make it a steadfast companion for adventurers. Whether you’re camping off the coast of Iran or trekking through remote trails, finding fuel canisters is seldom a concern. The stove’s precise flame control allows for a range of cooking possibilities, from boiling water rapidly to simmering a rich spaghetti sauce. Its built-in wind clip is an essential feature, providing a steady flame even in breezy conditions, ensuring your meal preparation is uninterrupted.

• Packs up very small
• Extrememly lightweight
• You get to be like me! ?
• Lacks some features
• Need to buy additional accessories

Is the MSR PocketRocket for you?

Similar to its sibling, the PocketRocket Deluxe, the MSR PocketRocket 2 doesn’t include integrated cookware, so you’ll need to consider additional purchases for a complete cooking setup. Nonetheless, our team holds the MSR brand in high esteem, particularly for its stoves.

#4 Jetboil Zip – Best Jetboil Backpacking Stove

The Jetboil Zip is the best camping stove for backpacking if you’re a solo traveller who prefers the benefits of canister fuel. It’s great with both simmering and boiling, due to its adjustable burner. Included is an 800ml cup/bowl with a pour spout, strainer and the bottom doubles as a measuring cup.

If a Jetboil is your preferred companion for backpacking, the Jetboil Zip stands out as the ultimate choice. Dubbed the ‘Rolls Royce’ of Jetboil stoves, it delivers outstanding value, closely rivaling the esteemed MSR Windburner. Renowned for being the best value fully-integrated canister fuel stove, it’s a solid pick for those seeking both performance and affordability.

For an equally awesome stove by Jetboil, check out our in-depth Jetboil Flash review .

• Can boil water in under 3 minutes
• Lightweight
• Easy to use
• Sensitive gas flow
• Doesn’t have its own starter

Is the Jetboil Zip for you?

Great value, and possibly the best Jetboil for backpacking. Beware of the lack of a camp fire starter /lighter, but that aside, if you prefer the benefits of canister fuel, then you’ll love the Jetboil Zip. Click below for the latest price.

#5 MSR WhisperLite – Best Liquid Fuel Backpacking Stove

Traveling with a liquid fuel stove offers distinct advantages, especially for those venturing into remote areas. Liquid fuels like petrol, diesel, or alcohol are widely available globally, making a liquid fuel stove a practical choice for extensive or off-the-beaten-path journeys. Economically, these stoves are an efficient option; a single bottle of liquid fuel can go as far as seven canisters of gas, providing significant savings and reducing the bulk in your backpack. While canisters are not overly heavy, their size and the challenge of disposing of them in remote locations make liquid fuel the more convenient and environmentally friendly choice for long hikes.

For avid backpackers who frequently cook during their trips, a liquid fuel stove, like the MSR WhisperLite, is highly recommended. Although there’s a learning curve and it necessitates familiarization before embarking on your adventure, the benefits are worthwhile. These stoves may not be as compact or light as their canister counterparts, but they compensate with cost-effectiveness, fuel availability, and the capability to produce a hotter flame suitable for more complex cooking tasks.

• Liquid fuel burning
• Great for cooking
• Quiet for a gas stove
• Has a learning curve to light correctly
• Canisters are bulky
• Mixed reviews on durability

Is the MSR WhisperLite for you?

Our team holds the liquid fuel stove in high regard, particularly noting its durability and reliability. Some team members have relied on stoves like the MSR WhisperLite for over two decades, a testament to their longevity and robust construction. If you’re in search of a stove that can withstand the rigors of frequent and intense use, this is the choice to make. The ease of use and control further enhance the appeal of liquid fuel stoves, making them a top pick for serious backpackers and outdoor cooking enthusiasts.

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#6 BioLite CampStove 2+ Complete Cook Kit – Best Wood-Burning Backpacking Stove

The BioLite CampStove 2+ takes backpacking stoves to a new level, merging eco-friendliness with tech-savvy features. Running on natural fuels like twigs and pine cones, this stove not only cooks your meal but also converts heat into electricity, allowing you to charge devices while you cook. Although it’s heavier due to the integrated stove, battery, and fan, the versatility and green energy solution make it ideal for car camping or sharing the load on treks.

Despite its weight, the BioLite’s multifunctionality and compact design make it a standout in the market, hailed as the best wood-burning backpacking stove. Our team was particularly impressed by its ability to charge gadgets on the go and its use of natural fuel sources, making it a top choice for those looking for innovative, sustainable outdoor cooking solutions.

• Next-level fuel efficiency
• Uses natural fuel
• Produces electricity
• Amazing product
• Heavier than other options

Is the BioLite CampStove 2+ Complete Cook Kit for you?

Our team was particularly impressed with the stove’s unique features, considering the added weight and cost a worthy trade-off for its benefits. The ability to charge electronic devices while cooking was a standout feature, offering a significant advantage, especially during extended stays in the wilderness. The convenience of using natural materials as fuel further enhances its appeal, making the BioLite CampStove 2 a top choice for those who prioritize sustainabilit

#7 Lixada -Best Multi Fuel Backpacking Stove

The Lixada stove shines as the ultimate multi-fuel backpacking stove, boasting incredible versatility by burning a wide array of fuels from twigs and wood to alcohol and petrol. Crafted from titanium, this stove strikes the perfect balance between durability and portability, offering exceptional value. Its compact size ensures you can carry it effortlessly on any adventure, with the assurance of finding compatible fuel almost anywhere in the world. While it may not be the first choice for prolonged expeditions, for short solo trips or weekend getaways, the Lixada is unparalleled, especially if flexibility in fuel choice is a priority.

Though its lightweight design might affect stability, the Lixada compensates with its eco-friendly nature, utilizing natural materials like twigs and pine cones for fuel, with alcohol or solid fuel as convenient alternatives

• Burns almost anything
• Lightweight and durable
• Lacks features
• Not great for long term trips

Is the Lixada for you?

We did like this portable hiking stove. Our team was particularly impressed by its efficiency and minimalistic design, endorsing the Lixada as the top pick for those seeking a compact, powerful, and versatile multi-fuel camping stove. Its ability to adapt to various fuel types also means carrying less weight and enjoying more freedom on your journeys.

#8 Etekcity Ultralight Portable -Best Budget Backpacking Stove

The Etekcity backpacking stove emerges as a top choice for hikers or as a reliable emergency backup, thanks to its lightweight and compact design. Despite its small size, it’s surprisingly sturdy, with foldable arms capable of supporting a 20cm pot and up to 5 kilos, making it a practical option for 1-2 people. As an economical and efficient solution, the Etekcity stove stands out as the best budget-friendly alternative, offering reliability and strength without a hefty price tag. Although it’s not built for a lifetime, it promises to perform well for camping trips.

Adding to its appeal, the Etekcity camping stove comes with a 2-year warranty, assuring product quality and customer satisfaction. Its low-profile design and stability, courtesy of the canister mount, make it a preferred choice for budget-conscious campers and ultralight hikers

• Super lightweight
• Lacks feautres

Is the Etekcity for you?

The cheapest, lightest, and most compact option on the list, the Etekcity rocks. It’s certainly not of the highest quality (and therefore lacks total reliability) but if you are looking to save a buck, the Etekcity comes highly recommended. Our team appreciates its lightweight, cost-effective nature, acknowledging that while it may be a bit unsteady at times.

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

#9 Soto Windmaster – Next Generation Stove

The Soto WindMaster stove is a standout, especially for those venturing into colder and windier climates. Its award-winning micro regulation system is engineered to deliver exceptional performance in challenging weather conditions, making it an ideal companion for autumn and winter camping, or excursions in the Northern Hemisphere. The inclusion of a 4Flex pot support further bolsters its stability and efficiency, ensuring your cooking experience is as seamless as it is outdoors.

Boasting the capability to boil 2 cups of water in under 2.5 minutes, the WindMaster competes with the convenience of a home kettle, all while being compact and lightweight. This impressive speed, combined with its portability, has won our team over. They were particularly impressed by its value, noting that the stove’s ability to produce a wide, strong flame far surpassed expectations for its price point. The Soto WindMaster doesn’t just meet the needs of outdoor enthusiasts; it redefines the standards for portable cooking performance

• Nice and light
• Isobutane-propane fuelled
• Size and Weight
• Trip length and location
• Ease of use
• Boiling or simmering

There are various fuel types you can use on backpacking stoves, which can cause some confusion. You should consider what type of backpacking stove is suitable for you…

I’ve categorized camping stoves into four main fuel types:

• Canister Stoves
• Alternative Fuel Stoves
• Wood Burning Stoves

Liquid Burning Stoves

Canister stoves (like the msr windburner ).

Canister stoves are usually the most popular option for travelers as they are ultralight, compact, stable, durable, and easy to use. In my opinion, they’re the best type choice of stoves for backpacking as they perform well even in the harshest climates. Canister stoves are ideal for hiking and trekking as canister burners are so compact that they don’t take up much space in your backpack.

The best part about canister backpacking stoves is just how easy they are to use. All you have to do is simply screw the canister into your stove and light it up for a quick, easy meal. Most canister stoves run on pressurized gases that are self-sealed and detached from the stove itself. Primarily isobutane gas is used, however, some models also run on propane.

You can modify your flame control enabling you to cook more elaborate meals while you are travelling which makes it a great lightweight camp stove that packs some real oomph which can feed you nicely.

Emerging technology has lead to the release of integrated all in one backpacking stoves, which, typically, include a cooking pot and/or mug. They’re ideal for hiking as the boiling times are fast and they are windproof, compact, light, and even fuel-efficient!

The  Jetboil Zip is a really cool lightweight canister stove which offers full integration. If it wasn’t for the price, the Jetboil would probably be my top choice for the best value canister backpacking stove category but the MSR PocketRocket  takes the gold as it offers incredible value… Still, you would need to buy a cooking pot and it won’t offer the same kind of integrated ease of use as the Jetboil.

• Lightweight and compact
• Stable and durable
• Fuel efficient
• No pumping or priming required
• Fuel is expensive
• Hard to find fuel in remote locations when trekking or travelling
• Doesn’t work well in the cold (sub-zero temperatures)
• Difficult to measure remaining fuel

Alcohol Backpacking Stoves (Like the Lixada )

The best backpacking stoves are ultralight, which is why alcohol stoves are popular among trekkers and travellers. Denatured Alcohol is rather cheap and is widely available internationally. Alcohol backpacking stoves are best used for boiling water, to cook dehydrated meals, or for brewing coffee.

Although they burn silently, they’re not very fuel-efficient and are very sensitive to wind so they are not a solid choice for cooking up a hearty meal when camping. Lixada is the best alcohol burning stove on the market and it can run on pretty much anything – wood, solid fuels, or alcohol.

• Relatively cheap
• Fuel is widely available internationally
• Light and burn silently
• Not good for cooking
• Slow to boil (7-10 minutes: 2 cups of water)
• Poor fuel efficiency
• Very sensitive to wind

Wood Burning Backpacking Stoves (Like the Biolite)

Choosing the best wood burning backpacking stove can be tough as there are a lot of options on the market. Luckily, there are a couple of companies that are doing epic things and create products that are clearly superior to the rest of the market.

Cooking on a wood burning camp stove is quite similar to cooking on a campfire: just find some twigs and get that baby burning! Note that cooking on a wood burning stove is much faster and more efficient than cooking on a campfire. You don’t have to worry about carrying around fuel because you can gather fuel pretty easily whilst camping.

Wood burning stoves are definitely a cheaper option because you can find your own fuel and burn twigs, pinecones, leaves, and other renewable energy sources. The only downfall is that this puts you at the mercy of the weather and if all of your potential fuel is soaking wet, it can be tough to get a hot flame going.

It can require a lot more time and effort to light your camp stove which can get annoying after spending the whole day trekking. The other thing I dislike about wood stoves is that the soot rubs off onto your pots and hands when cooking.

Biolite is currently leading the way with their epic  BioLite CampStove 2+ Complete Cook Kit that can not only cook, but also charge your devices through the USB port.

• More environmentally friendly
• That authentic campfire smell
• Minimal fuel cost and weight
• Cheap as you don’t need to buy fuel
• Hard to find fuel when it’s raining
• Slow cooking time and little heat control
• Heavy and tedious to start
• Leaves black marks on cooking equipment
• Can’t use where fire bans are in place

The best backpacking stoves for extreme conditions are liquid fuelled stoves. I have used an MSR Whisperlite , the best liquid stove on the market, in the past but right now I’m rocking a Pocket Rocket canister stove instead, which is lighter. Liquid stoves are bulkier and if you spill your fuel in your backpack, it can be an absolute nightmare.

There are some pretty massive advantages to traveling with a liquid fuel backpacking stove though – the best part about liquid fuelled backpacker stoves is the flexibility. Some stoves burn multiple types of liquids like white gas, kerosene, unleaded fuel and, even diesel – the ability to burn these easily accessible fuels make liquid fuel stoves a solid choice if you are trekking to remote locations.

If you’re off on a truly epic adventure, then it probably is the right choice to pick up a liquid fuel stove but if you’re simply a humble backpacker or traveler, I would go with a canister stove as they take up less space.

Saying that, it is significantly cheaper to run a liquid fuel stove and because you can find the fuel everywhere, liquid fuel stoves are a good choice if you plan on using your stove a LOT.

The majority of liquid stoves have a really stable design that enables you to handle large cookware and feed many people. Beware of the roar of the stove as it can get quite loud at times. The MSR Whisperlite is one of the best liquid fuelled stoves in the market.

• Works well in extreme conditions
• Flexible and cheap to find fuel
• Stable design to handle large cookware
• Great for traveling internationally
• Bulky and heavy design
• Majority of the models require priming
• Needs maintenance

How important is group size when choosing a backpacking stove?

Typically one backpacking stove (depending on the model) is adequate to feed two people. However, some ultra-light backpacking stoves are designed just for the solo traveller. The best hiking stoves are the ones that minimise weight whilst maximising how many meals they can cook.

If you’re travelling in a larger group I’d recommend picking up a liquid backpacking stove as they’re fairly stable and suit larger cooking equipment. Some larger liquid backpacking stoves cater to a maximum of three people; so if you’re planning to cook for your travel crew, it might be a good idea to bring along an extra stove…

Which stove is best for short trips?

The length and location of your trip determines the amount of fuel you’ll need for your entire journey and what fuel best suits your whereabouts.

Typically  canister backpacking stoves  are best used for shorter trips, as they’re compact and lightweight. The empty canisters weigh next to nothing but can take up a moderate amount of space in your pack. Be sure to pack enough fuel for your trip, as they’re extremely difficult to find in remote locations and internationally. I love using canister stoves for camping as they’ve got great temperature control and can do a lot more than just boiling water.

Liquid Fuel Stoves  are my go to for long term backpacking adventures, expeditions and real raw adventures. Liquid fuel tends to last a lot longer than a canister and liquids like white gas, kerosene, unleaded fuel are readily available even in small remote towns. In case of an emergency, you can easily take a spare bottle of fuel there is no need to lug around the empty containers afterwards. Liquid stoves are by far the best backpacking stove for long treks and hikes.

Other alternative fuel backpacking stoves like alcohol, are good for ultra lightweight travellers who don’t mind being patient while their water boils. If you’d prefer to stick to the good old fashioned wood backpacking stove, be prepared to do the hard yards – preparing, lighting and cooking your food.

I personally wouldn’t recommend a wood burner for long term trips, unless you’re just boiling water for your dry meal or are prepared to gather fuel every night.

Size and Weight considerations

If you plan to set off on a hike or a trek, then you want your backpacking stove to be as light as possible.

Canister stoves are great to use as they’re compact, lightweight, easy to use and you have more control over the temperature. Ideally, one canister should last you your whole trip, therefore you don’t have to lug around multiple canisters taking up precious room in your backpack but it’s hard to know and one mistake – e.g. leaving it on by accident – will waste all your fuel.

Alcohol backpacking stoves are also great for short-term trips because they’re ultralight weight, but they’re mainly used just to boil water. So if you’re just heating up water for your dry meal, then it’s ideal for you. However, you might get sick & tired of bland army meals by the end of your trip.

For longer trips, I’d recommend taking a liquid fuelled backpacking stove. Although your liquid fuel will add more weight to your pack, it’s far more compact. The fuel will go a lot further than canisters, as one bottle of liquid fuel is equivalent to seven canisters.

Ease of Use

The ease of use is an important factor in determining the best backpacking stoves for you.

Canister backpacking stoves  are by far the simplest and easiest to use. Most canister stoves won’t require any maintenance; all you have to do is screw the gas bottle to the backpacking stove and light like any other gas burner.

Liquid Fuel Stoves  require regular maintenance and need to be primed prior to using them. Each model has a different method for priming, which can take a while to ace.

Alternative fuel backpacking stoves such as  wood burners  are quite hard to use unless you’re a seasoned camper. Not only does it take a long time to find wood and set up, but they can also be quite difficult to light, especially if it’s windy. Even if you pick out the best wood camping stove on the market you might struggle a bit to get it going!

Alcohol backpacking stoves  are neither too simple nor too difficult to use. The main issue with alcohol backpacking stoves is the wind’s effect on the flame. It can be difficult to keep it lit even with a windscreen, so alcohol backpacking stoves definitely require a little extra patience. However, it helps to have the best multi-fuel stove with you so you can hustle and get it going with any kind of fuel!

Stability of your stove

The stability of your backpacking stove is important, especially when you’re planning to cook a large delectable meal. More often than not, you’ll be cooking on uneven terrain, therefore you need a backpacking stove that’s stable on the ground and won’t easily fall over.

The best backpacking stove with regards to stability is a model that’s low-profile. A low profile backpacking stove sits on its fuel bottle or canister, connected to it is a tube which feeds the fuel to the burner. Because the fuel container is heavy & bulky, it provides you with a stable cooking environment.

High profile backpacking stoves tend to be lighter, more compact and therefore easier to move or fall. They’re not ideal for holding large cooking equipment & are prone to being unstable, as the burner sits over the canister rather than on the ground. The MSR Windburner is a great example of a perfectly stable backpacking stove and it is the best MSR stove in the market even though it may not be the most lightweight backpacking stove out there!

Boiling or Simmering

What kind of camping master chef are you? Do you want to cook delicious food or simply boil water to cook your freeze dry meals? Your answer will lead you to the type of backpacking stove that’ll suit you the best.

There is a range of different models available that can do both, however one function tends to outdo the other. If you plan to do both, then you’d want a backpacking stove with a quality flame control, enabling you to adjust the height of the flame. Be sure to invest in a good quality burner if you aim to go all master chef in the wilderness, as cheap burners don’t run too smoothly on low heat.

There is no perfect or exact science when it comes to testing out travel and outdoor gear. But we’ve spent enough time out in the field to confidently say we can put this list together and tell you definitively what the best backpacking stove for 2020 and beyond is.

Whenever we test a piece of gear, one of our team takes it out for a spin to put it through its paces in a variety of different ways. In all cases, we pay close attention to how well-made a piece of gear is, how heavy or light it is, how packable it is and of course, how well it fulfils its primary purpose. So in this case we’ll be looking at it’s cooking abilities on the road.

Finally, we also take into the price of each item – So expensive gear that underperforms is judged pretty harshly, whereas the cheaper items that perform well for their price, will be treated more sympathetically.

Still have some questions? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

What kind of stove do I need for backpacking?

Depending on how much you want to cook, a backpacking stove should be light, easy to use and storable without spilling. If you’re in very secluded areas, opting for a wood burning stove is the best option.

Which MSR stove is the best?

We think that the MSR Windburner is the best, as it is the highest quality backpacking camping stove on the market right now. It has everything you need in its all-in-one integrated stove/cookware system.

What do fuel do backpacking stoves need?

Isobutane gas and propane are common fuel for backpacking stoves. Some brands also use alcohol or simple fire wood. Then there are liquid fuels like white gas, kerosene, unleaded fuel and, even diesel.

What is the best wood-burning backpacking stove?

We think that the BioLite CampStove 2+ Complete Cook Kit is the best wood-burning stove on the market right now. It also uses heat to produce electricity, which can charge your phone for example.

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If you are heading off for a jaunt around South East Asia and have got plenty of money, a backpacking stove may not be necessary.

If however you are an adventurous soul and plan on hitchhiking, camping and basically travelling on a budget then a backpacking stove is well worth having and can save you a fortune. Whether you opt for the best budget backpacking stove or something higher-end, just make sure you know how to use it before you hit the road.

The best backpacking stoves are reliable, durable and long lasting – your stove should last for years. When determining the best backpacking stove for you, take into consideration the various fuel types, trip length and location, size and weight preferences, people in the group, ease of use, boiling or simmering and stability.

Buy the best stove out there  before your awesome wilderness adventure. Happy cooking amigos!

Aiden Freeborn

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Two other canister stoves that are worth mentioning: The Primus Classic Trail Stove & the Essential Trail Stove. Both can be had for between $20 -30 dollars. Both highly reviewed on Amazon. The large burner head reduces the chance of scorching vs. a stove with a smaller burner head & more concentrated flame. Lastly, Primus is one of the original manufacturers of backpacking stoves & their stoves are very high quality.

Two questions I have. We are travelling to Vietnam in June & July: 1. Is it worth taking a stove? 2. Are the fuel canisters allowed on the plane and if not, how readily available are they in Vietnam? Thanks-Menno

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Table of contents

10 Best Backpacking Stoves of 2024

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A backpacking stove can enhance your wilderness adventures in a way that few other tools can. Whether you’re a boil-water-and-let-it-sit kind of hiker or more of a backcountry gourmet, we’ve got the right stove recommendation for you.

We’ve researched and tested over 40 of the best backpacking stoves in the sky-high mountains of Nepal, the freezing ridges of Mt. Hood, and just about everywhere in between. We used our experience and expertise to narrow down this list of our absolute favorites.

Of course, you need something to cook with, so no trail mealtime is complete without top-notch cookware . If you’re a set-it-and-forget-it kind of chef, then our review of the best dehydrated backpacking meals is where you’ll want to turn next. And for those who prefer a more DIY approach, we’ve also put together some killer recipes for your next backcountry meal .

Quick Picks for Backpacking Stoves

Check out this quick list of the best backpacking stoves if you’re in a hurry, or continue scrolling to see our full list of favorites with in-depth reviews.

Best backpacking stove overall: MSR PocketRocket 2 ($50)

Best value integrated stove system: Jetboil Flash ($130)

Efficient stove with excellent wind performance: SOTO Windmaster ($70)

Best budget ultralight stove: BRS 3000T ($20)

Best budget stove & cookset bundle: SOTO Amicus Cookset Combo ($50)

Integrated stove system with wide cookpot & simmer control: Jetboil MiniMo ($170)

Ultralight canister stove with a tiny packed size: Snow Peak LiteMax ($60)

High-efficiency wood burning stove: Solo Stove Lite ($70)

We’ve put several hundred more miles of use on our favorite backpacking stoves and updated our reviews with long-term testing notes:

• The SOTO Windmaster impresses us and scores high on our list, and we’ve added a full review .
• The MSR Whisperlite takes the title of best liquid fuel stove for winter treks.
• The MSR PocketRocket 2 remains our number one stove, and we’ve added some new details to our review.

• MSR PocketRocket 2

Best backpacking stove overall

Weight: 2.6 oz.

Fuel Type: Isobutane/Propane canister

Other Options: Pocket Rocket Delux , Pocket Rocket 2 Mini Stove Kit , Pocket Rocket 2 Stove Kit , Pocket Rocket Deluxe Stove Kit

• Simmer control
• Somewhat bulky carrying case
• Not as good in wind as some

The MSR PocketRocket 2 is a lightweight, compact, and durable stove that won’t break your budget. During testing, the PocketRocket consistently outperformed more expensive stoves with its great simmer control and fast boil times.

One unique feature is the hard plastic storage case that comes with the PocketRocket. This keeps the stove protected from debris and ensures it won’t get bent or damaged in your backpack. We sometimes opt to leave the case behind when we want to go as light as possible, but it only weighs 1.6 oz. – not a big penalty for the added peace of mind.

MSR also offers the PocketRocket 2 Kit , which comes with the stove, a pot, a bowl, a straining lid, and a pot grip. The kit is an awesome value if you’re looking for a complete cooking setup.

Another upgrade you can opt for is the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe (which is also available as a Stove Kit ). The Deluxe comes with a push button igniter, a pressure regulator to help performance in cold temps and at high altitude, and a recessed burner head for improved wind performance.

The standard PocketRocket 2 is a great choice for seasoned thru-hikers and backpacking novices alike. Though the Deluxe has a more robust regulator for high altitude and cold weather, we’ve never had an issue with the PocketRocket 2. Check out our full review of the PocketRocket 2 here .

• Jetboil Flash

Best value integrated stove system

Price: $130

Weight: 13.1 oz.

Fuel Type: Isobutane/propane canister

• Fast boil time
• Pot included
• Push-button igniter
• Performs well in wind
• Expensive (but comes with pot)
• No simmer control
• Heavy & bulky for backpacking

While integrated stoves aren’t the lightest backpacking option, they’re by far the fastest and most convenient stoves. Among this stove type, the Jetboil Flash is one of the most affordable and dependable options. The Flash is best used just for boiling water quickly since it doesn’t have simmer control, but that’s all a backpacker needs for dehydrated meals and morning coffee.

Integrated stove systems are perfect for beginners because of their simplicity. There’s no need to figure out and purchase separate cookware, and the burner ignites with the push of a button.

Hikers who prefer a stove with simmer control can still enjoy the convenience of an integrated stove system with the Jetboil MiniMo listed below. It costs more than the Flash, but it gives you the ability to get more creative with your meals since you can control the flame.

Full review: Jetboil Flash

• SOTO Windmaster

Efficient stove with excellent wind performance

Weight: 3.1 oz.

• Lightweight
• Stable pot support
• Slightly bulkier than some

The SOTO Windmaster is a highly efficient stove that, as the name would imply, performs beautifully in windy conditions. This powerful little stove boils very quickly, and was noticeably quieter than many other stoves we’ve used.

The Windmaster outperforms other stoves in windy conditions because the recessed burner has a lip around it, and there’s very little open space between the burner head and the pot. This means there’s not a lot of room for wind to interfere with your flame, and the result is a faster and more efficient boil in unideal conditions.

We also love that the Windmaster can be adapted to suit different pots. You have the option to attach the included 4-prong support for larger cooksets, or you can purchase an ultralight 3-prong attachment for small pots. While the Windmaster is slightly bulkier than some of our other favorite canister stoves, it’s still quite manageable and packs a lot of power for such a neat little package.

Check out our full review of the SOTO Windmaster here .

Best budget ultralight stove

Price: Around $20

Weight: 1 oz.

• Not as durable as some
• Knob to turn gas on/off is a little finicky

If you’re looking for a super cheap and ultralight stove that’ll work for 1-2 people, the BRS 3000T is about as cheap as they come. While the BRS stove isn’t nearly as dependable as many of the other stoves on this list, it’s worked well for us.

The BRS doesn’t feel very sturdy so you have to treat it with care, but for its price and weight, it’s a solid option for thru-hikers and ultralight backpackers. Don’t expect any frills with this stove (no simmer control, push-button igniter, fuel regulator, etc), but it’s great if you just need something cheap and light to get the job done.

We pair the BRS stove with the Snow Peak Mini Solo Cookset for a truly ultralight cooking system.

• SOTO Amicus Cookset Combo

Best budget stove & cookset bundle

Weight: 11.2 oz. (stove + pot) / 2.7 oz. (stove only)

• Two pots included
• Pots don’t have measurement marks

The SOTO Amicus Stove Cookset Combo is a super affordable bundle that includes both an ultralight stove and a pot. The Amicus stove has excellent simmer control, four locking legs that provide solid pot support, and a recessed burner for increased performance in the wind.

The cookware that comes with this set is somewhat basic, but it’s lightweight and gets the job done efficiently. We like that the pot has a generous capacity so we can heat enough water for everything at once, and the deep lid can be used as a separate cup.

We recommend the Amicus Combo to anyone on a budget who needs a complete, lightweight cook system for backpacking.

• Jetboil MiniMo

Integrated stove system with wide cookpot & simmer control

Price: $170

Weight: 14 oz. (stove + pot)

The Jetboil MiniMo is a complete cooking system that’s just about as convenient and efficient as backcountry stoves get. The MiniMo is loaded with useful features including a sturdy handle, push-button igniter, excellent simmer control, and a stout shape that makes eating out of it easier. The MiniMo is slightly heavier and more expensive than some ultralight stove/pot combinations, but its speed, convenience, and stability make it exceptional for the backcountry. The Jetboil MicroMo is the same stove with a slimmer and slightly smaller pot to reduce weight. The Jetboil Flash is less expensive and also excellent, but it doesn’t have simmer control. Check out our full review of the MiniMo here .

• Snow Peak LiteMax

Ultralight canister stove with a tiny packed size

Weight: 1.9 oz.

The Snow Peak LiteMax is an ultralight, durable, and compact canister stove that packs down very small. The LiteMax is built with titanium to keep weight to an absolute minimum. It’s main strength is its highly collapsible folding design, which makes it easy to pack away in any cookpot. It also has good simmer control, fast boiling times, and does a decent job in the wind too (though integrated canister stoves will always do better in windy conditions). Check out our full review here .

• Solo Stove Lite

High-efficiency wood burning stove

Weight: 9 oz.

Fuel Type: Wood

• Don’t need to carry fuel
• Low smoke design
• Slightly bulky
• Can’t control flame

The Solo Stove Lite is a double-wall natural convection inverted downgas gasifier stove. And what do all those fancy words mean? Who knows!?! What we can tell you is the Solo Stove is incredibly efficient and effective. Air intake holes in the bottom of the stove feed the fire from below and above. The end result is a hot and less smoky burn that doesn’t require a windscreen and won’t scorch the ground under your stove. At 9 oz., this stove isn’t winning any weight prizes, but not having to carry fuel does help. Combine the Solo Stove with the Pot 900 for a completely nested cooking system and more space in your pack. The Solo Lite is a good size for 1-2 people. For 2-4 people, bump up to the Solo Titan .

Check out our full review and comparison of Solo Stove products here .

• MSR WhisperLite

Best liquid fuel stove for winter treks

Price: $135

Weight: 11.5 oz.

Fuel Type: White gas

• Performs well in extreme cold & high altitude
• Quieter than other liquid fuel stoves
• Slight learning curve
• Heavy/bulky

The MSR WhisperLite is one of the most popular liquid fuel stoves because it’s among the lightest, smallest, and least expensive on the market. It’s also much quieter than many other roaring liquid fuel stoves. It’s simple to use and it will last for a long time with regular maintenance. Pick up the WhisperLite service kit to keep your stove functioning efficiently. If you want the ability to use fuel types other than white gas, check out the WhisperLite International (white gas, kerosene, unleaded gas) or WhisperLite Universal (white gas, kerosene, unleaded gas, or isobutane-propane).

• MSR WindBurner

Highly wind-resistant integrated stove system

Price: $190

Weight: 15.5 oz. (stove + pot)

Listed Boil Time: 4 min, 30 sec.

Fuel Type: Isobutane-propane canisters

• Simmer control isn’t great

The MSR WindBurner is another extremely convenient integrated stove system. The main advantage it has over the MiniMo is its excellent wind resistance. Stiff winds can greatly reduce stove efficiency, but that’s not an issue with the WindBurner.

We prefer the stout body shape and the superior simmer control of the MiniMo, but if you often backpack in exposed and windy locations, this stove might be a better fit for your adventures.Pick up the WindBurner Coffee Press Kit to elevate your backcountry brewing game. For more information on the WindBurner, check out our full review here .

• Snow Peak GigaPower 2.0

Durable canister stove with a lot of convenient features

Weight: 3.2 oz.

The Snow Peak GigaPower 2.0  is a compact canister stove that’s big on convenience. It has a push-button igniter, great simmer control, and fast boil times.

The GigaPower also has four flat pot supports, which makes it slightly more stable than most three-prong stoves. Snow Peak makes a GigaPower Manual  version as well, which is slightly lighter and less expensive, but doesn’t have a push-button igniter.

• Primus Essential Trail Stove

Affordable stove with a wide burner & great simmer control

Weight: 3.8 oz.

• Simple design
• Heavier/bulkier than some
• Doesn’t come with a stuff sack/carry case

For beginners and those on a tight budget, the Primus Essential Trail Stove is one of the simplest and most affordable stoves on our list. The simmer control has a nice range for precision cooking, and the wide burner provides stability and even heat dispersion. We typically prefer stoves that fold down smaller – this one can be difficult to store inside small cookpots with a fuel canister. That’s a minor gripe though, and the no-frills design of the Essential Stove makes it a great choice for stove users on a budget.

What’s Most Important to You in a Stove?

Typically the more you spend, the more features you get with backpacking stoves. More expensive stoves are likely to have better simmer control, superior wind performance, and many even come with an integrated cookpot. Hikers just looking to boil water for rehydrating meals may find that saving money with a less-feature rich option is better for their needs.

We recommend stoves at a variety of price points below, but it usually makes sense to spend a little more for a stove you can use for many years if you’re going to backpack a lot.

Best mid-range backpacking stoves

• MSR PocketRocket Deluxe

Best budget backpacking stoves

Best high-end stoves

Canister stoves are the most common and convenient, and they’re the easiest to use. Liquid fuel stoves are the most efficient for trips at high altitude or below freezing temperatures. Wood stoves are nice because you don’t have to lug fuel around, but they don’t work for trips above treeline or in most desert environments. Solid fuel stoves and alcohol stoves are generally pretty budget-friendly and ultralight, but you can’t control the flame, they yield slow boil times, and they’re not great in wind.

Best canister stoves

Best liquid fuel backpacking stove

Best wood-burning stove

Best solid fuel backpacking stove

Esbit Folding Pocket Stove

Best alcohol stove

Solo Stove Alcohol Burner

Big liquid fuel power-burners used for snow melting can weigh close to a pound and ultralight gram-saver stoves can weigh under as little as one ounce. We tend to prefer ultralight canister stoves for most of our 3-season backpacking trips, but we do bring heavier integrated stove systems for shorter trips and liquid fuel stoves for winter trips.

Best ultralight backpacking stoves

Best lightweight stove system

Best heavy-duty backpacking stoves

MSR PocketRocket Deluxe – Photo credit: Heather Eldridge (CleverHiker.com)

SOTO Windmaster – Photo credit: Casey Handley (CleverHiker.com)

Soto Amicus (left) & Snow Peak LiteMax (right) – Photo Credit: Casey Handley (CleverHiker.com)

Jetboil Flash – Photo credit: Dave Collins (CleverHiker.com)

What Type Of Backpacking Stove Is Right For You?

Canister stoves.

Canister stoves are the clear frontrunner for 3-season backpacking because they’re light, compact, easy to use, and fast. With canister stoves there’s no priming, pumping, or maintenance of any kind. Simply screw in your stove and light it up for a quick meal.

In addition, isobutane canisters are more efficient than Esbit and alcohol, and they’re very easy to find in outdoor stores and online.

On the other hand, if you’re backpacking internationally or in remote locations, you might have a harder time finding them. Fuel for canister stoves is also slightly more expensive, and it doesn’t work well in extreme cold (usually below 20°F).

For the vast majority of backpackers, canister stoves will be the best choice for 3-season adventures. We highly recommend picking up a handy little tool called the FlipFuel , which allows you to combine all of your half-empty canisters. Nothing’s worse than shaking all your near-empties before a backpacking trip to find the one that will hopefully last you your whole trip. It’s also a good idea to pick up a crunch tool for the ability to properly recycle spent fuel canisters.

• Light & compact
• Rapid boil times
• Easy to use
• Clean burn – no smell or pot residue
• Slightly more expensive fuel
• Can be harder to find fuel internationally
• Not as good as liquid fuel stoves in extreme cold

LIQUID FUEL STOVES

Liquid fuel stoves are much heavier and bulkier than other backpacking stoves and they also require some maintenance over time. That said, liquid fuel is the best choice for winter trips, international trekking, and big group outings.

Liquid fuel stoves work well in below-freezing conditions and their fuel ( white gas ) is cheaper than canister stove fuel. Some liquid fuel stoves can be used with different fuel types (like kerosene and unleaded auto fuel), which makes them a good fit for international trips where isobutane canisters and white gas will be harder to find. if you’re planning to make big group meals in large pots (like scouts or guide services), a liquid fuel stove could be a better fit because they have stable bases and more cost effective fuel.

Still, we almost never bring liquid fuel stoves on our 3-season backpacking trips anymore. They’re heavier, more expensive, and more complicated to use than other lightweight stoves. Also, some of them are noisy and will require much more maintenance over time.

• Fuel is less expensive
• Fuel bottles are refillable & easier to gauge usage
• Good for melting snow on winter treks in extreme cold
• Can be better for international travel
• Heavy & bulky
• More expensive – need to buy fuel bottle too
• More complicated to use – priming required
• Can be dangerous – fuel can spill when priming
• More maintenance necessary
• Some are noisy

ALCOHOL STOVES

Alcohol stoves are very light and simple. In the past they were the dominant choice for thru-hikers because of their low weight, affordability, and readily available fuel in small towns. That’s not so much the case anymore. Over the past few years canister stoves have become much more common among thru-hikers because of their convenience, speed, weight, and safety. Also, it’s getting much easier to find isobutane canister fuel in small trail towns.

Alcohol stoves are cheap to buy or make, they weigh close to nothing, and their fuel is easy to find.  Heet (in the yellow bottle) is a gas-line antifreeze made for cars that is commonly used as fuel for alcohol stoves. You can find Heet at most gas stations and almost anywhere with a small auto department.

The main downsides with alcohol stoves are the slow cook times, poor performance in wind and cold, and less efficient fuel. Cooking times for alcohol stoves can be decreased with a system like the Solo Stove Alcohol Burner , which will help block wind and hold heat against your pot to increase efficiency. But even with a good windscreen, cooking with an alcohol stove will require more patience.

Also, be careful when using alcohol stoves because their fuel burns practically clear and can be very hard to see. Always make sure your stove has fully burned out before handling it or attempting to re-fuel. Never use an alcohol stove in a fire ban area. A small amount of spilled fuel can easily ignite dry brush.

• Inexpensive
• Easy to make
• Easy to find fuel
• Slow cooking times
• Less efficient fuel
• Poor performance in wind
• No temperature control
• Can be dangerous – hard to see flame, easy to spill fuel
• Can’t use during most fire bans
• Not good for winter trips

SOLID FUEL STOVES (ESBIT)

Solid fuel stoves are just about as light and simple as stoves get. They use Esbit fuel tabs , which burn a low-medium flame for about twelve minutes. All you need to do is open up a fuel tab, light it on fire, and place your pot on a stand over the flame until your water boils. Solid fuel stoves are compact, easy to make, and they’re very quiet too.

It’s not all rosy for solid fuel stoves though. Like alcohol stoves, solid fuel stoves have much slower cooking times, so patience is required. They’re also very susceptible to wind, making a good windscreen critical. The fuel tabs are pricy when compared to other fuel sources, so they don’t make as much economic sense over the long haul. The tabs also give off an unpleasant odor and will leave a sticky residue on the bottom of your cook pot. In addition, fuel tabs can be hard to find in small trail towns, which makes them a tougher fit for thru-hikers.

• Inexpensive stove
• Easy to make and use
• No fuel spilling
• Expensive fuel
• Residue left on pot
• Unpleasant odor
• Can be tough to resupply fuel

WOOD STOVES

Wood stoves are a popular option among lightweight backpackers that like doing things the old-fashioned way. Using a wood stove is very similar to cooking over a campfire, but quicker and more efficient. With a wood stove you won’t have to carry any fuel, you’ll be able to cook longer, you’ll be burning a renewable resource, and you’ll get to enjoy the comforts of a fire nearly every night.

Wood stoves do have some significant downsides as well though. They require much more time, effort, and practice than most backpacking stoves, which can be frustrating when you’re tired and hungry after a long day of hiking. It can also be tough to find good fuel on rainy trips and when camping above treeline (most wood stove users carry backup Esbit fuel just in case). Wood stoves will blacken the bottom of your pot with soot, so you’ll want a carrying case for your pot as well. And lastly, wood stoves are susceptible to wind and can’t be used during most fire bans.

While they’re far from the most convenient or speedy stove option, cooking over a fire can be a nice treat if you’re willing to put in the extra effort.

• Minimal fuel weight
• Minimal fuel cost
• Renewable fuel resource
• Nostalgic & pleasant
• More time, effort & practice required
• Slower cook times
• Usually heavier
• Hard to find fuel when wet or above treeline
• Blackens the bottom of your pot – messy

It’s important to note that bringing a stove backpacking is completely optional. Some thru-hikers cut out the added weight, cost, and complexity of cooking and hardly miss it at all. Going stoveless is easy to do: just bring more food that doesn’t require cooking. The downside is that some of the weight savings of going stoveless will be canceled out by heavier (non-dehydrated) food choices. Also, you won’t be sipping any morning java or enjoying warm dinners, which can be great morale boosters. But for some, the upside to going stoveless is worth sacrificing a few camp comforts. Personally, we enjoy morning coffee and warm dinners a little too much to leave our stove at home. We just try to keep our cooking setup as light as possible.

• No effort or hassle
• No weight or expense
• No warm meals or drinks
• Fewer meal options
• Heavier food choices

What’s In Our Camp Kitchen?

When we head out on backcountry trips, these are the items usually found in our packs:

• Best 1-2 person cookpot: Snow Peak Mini Solo Cookset
• Best group cookpot: MSR Big Titan Kettle
• Best spoon: Sea to Summit Alpha Light Long Spoon
• Best cup: Sea to Summit X Tumbler
• Best food storage: Ursack & BearVault BV500
• Learn more: Best Backpacking Cookware

Critical Stove Considerations

COOKING VS BOILING

Most backpackers these days make very simple meals that only require boiling water for rehydrating food. For that reason, the main purpose for most backpacking stoves is to boil water quickly, not necessarily to cook. Check out our lightweight backpacking food guide for some recommendations on trail nutrition and our favorite backpacking meals.

SIMMER CONTROL

If you want the ability to cook more complex trail meals, you’ll definitely want a stove with good simmer control. Some canister stoves and liquified gas stoves have this feature, but not all of them. Simmer control can be a handy feature even if you only plan on making simple backcountry meals. It’s a lot easier to keep a pot from boiling over when you have a choice between off and turbo.

GROUP COOKING

If you’re going to be traveling in a group, it’s usually a good idea to have at least one small stove for every two people. Stoves are so light these days that it’s not even uncommon for every hiker to carry their own cooking setup. More stoves means less waiting for dinner, which is generally good for group morale, especially at the end of a long day. If you plan on making large one-pot meals (like boy scouts or guiding services), you’ll probably want a sturdy stove with a wide base that will handle big pots better.

Winter camping presents a different challenge for backpacking stoves: melting snow for drinking water. This means you’ll be using your stove a lot, so you’ll need more fuel and a stove that will perform well in below-freezing conditions. Of the groups of stoves listed above, only the liquid fuel stoves are really built for this task. The other stove groups may perform well in limited winter use, but extreme cold is not really what they’re designed for.

Knocking a fully cooked dinner onto the ground is the pits. Unless you enjoy eating dirt, you’re going to want to avoid that move at all costs. If you plan to cook large meals in big pots, get a stove with a wide base that will rest securely on the ground. Smaller pots used with upright canister stoves will work just fine, but they do tend to be a little less stable, so cook with care.

Some backpacking stoves require “priming” to work properly. Priming is essentially preheating. You light a small amount of fuel in the stove and give it time to warm up. When the stove gets hot enough it will work as designed. Priming is generally easy to do, but it can be a source of confusion (and danger) for beginners. Most liquid fuel stoves require priming with every use. Some alcohol stoves require priming as well. Canister stoves do not require priming.

WIND PERFORMANCE

Backpacking stoves don’t like wind. Strong winds will whip away heat before it ever gets to your pot, which will make your stove far less efficient. Some stoves perform better in windy conditions (integrated canister stoves) and others perform very poorly (alcohol stoves, wood stoves, and solid fuel stoves). For that reason, a windscreen is recommended with most backpacking stoves. The one exception to this would be canister stoves because it can be dangerous to heat up a fuel canister.

Forest fire danger is an important consideration for any stove user any time of year, but especially when conditions are hot and dry. Fire ban rules differ from place to place, so check the specific regulations in your area. In some strict fire ban areas, all stove usage is prohibited, but that’s not common. In general, canister stoves are usually viewed as the safest option. Solid fuel stoves may be permitted as well. Wood stoves and alcohol stoves are usually not permitted. Liquid fuel stoves may be allowed, but exercise extreme caution when priming. Spilling highly flammable fuel while priming is easy to do and could quickly start a fire.

Honorable Mentions

The following stoves didn’t make our final list, but they’re very popular and they’ve still got a lot of good things going for them. You never know, one of these stoves might be perfect for you:

MSR Dragonfly

stable multi-fuel stove with a great balance between convenience and efficiency

a high-powered multi-fuel burner that can melt snow fast in extreme conditions

ultralight, affordable, and efficient alcohol stove designed with a screw-on lid, so you can save unburned fuel

simple, affordable, and durable solid fuel stove

Why trust us?

We understand how tough it is to find trustworthy gear advice, and that’s one of the main reasons we built CleverHiker. We live for outdoor adventure, and we take these guides very seriously.

• Our recommendations are completely independent and based on hands-on experience.
• We test outdoor gear for a living – we’ve logged over 20,000 trail miles and 1,000 nights in the wilderness.
• Our team has thru-hiked some of the most iconic long trails, including the Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail, Colorado Trail, Long Trail, Oregon Coast Trail, Arizona Trail, Pinhoti Trail, Superior Hiking Trail, as well as extensive peak bagging, and international treks.
• We field test every product we recommend, which is sadly not the norm.
• We travel to industry trade shows to stay up-to-date on product innovations.
• We continuously update our guides throughout the year and when new products launch.
• We treat recommendations to our readers as if they were for our family and friends.
• We’re lifelong learners and we’re always open to feedback. If you think we’ve missed a worthy product or got something wrong, we’d love to know about it.

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The 6 Very Best Gas Grills

In this article

Best overall gas grill, best less-expensive gas grill, best high-power gas grill, best centerpiece gas grill, best portable gas grill.

• Best value professional-level gas grill

Grilling is the simplest cooking technique: heat, food, and some distance between the two. But it’s in the details — flames or infrared or both; charcoal, wood, propane or natural gas; built-in or freestanding — where grills can range from an impulsive big box store purchase on the first beautiful weekend of spring to a German-engineered “outdoor cooking experience” that costs more than a car.

Some frequent grillers believe it’s charcoal, wood, or don’t bother when it comes to home grilling. But even those who are diehard charcoal grill fans can admit preparing a wood or charcoal grill for cooking is an event — whereas preparing a gas grill takes just a few minutes. Vy To, owner of Ogawa Sushi and Kappo told me she relies on her gas grill for quick dinners all summer: “I grill three times per week when it’s hot out: pork chops, ribs, wings, char siu, fish, veggies,” she says.

To find the best gas grills on the market, I talked to food-industry pros and passionate grillers, and then went to friends’ houses, dealer showrooms, and manufacturers’ parking lots to test some grills. Others I had shipped to my home for backyard experiments. I tested them with steaks, sausages, and burgers from Vermont Wagyu along with vegetables of all sorts. I made pizza. The grills were a delight. Assembling them wasn’t always , but I get into all of that here. And if you’re looking for more outdoor cooking tools, check out our guides to grilling tools , grilling equipment if you don’t have a backyard, and charcoal grills .

What we’re looking for

Grilling, as opposed to the slow smoke roast of barbecue, is great for quick cooking at high temperatures. High heat is essential for the Maillard browning and sugar caramelization that we associate with a grilled ribeye, seared scallops, charred cabbage, grilled pineapple, or leopard-spotted pizza crust, so you’ll want to make sure you choose a grill with good heat output. A basic grill may have two or three burners, each around 12,000 BTUs. Some have more than double that output, resulting in the intense heat needed for a steakhouse-style sear.

Grills have become increasingly sophisticated with accessories and add-ons. Some come with a rotisserie attachment, pizza stone, lighting, or smart technology. Others include bottle openers, mini beer fridges, auxiliary burners, or elaborate cabinetry. I’ve indicated when a grill has special features.

An entry-level high-quality grill can range from the high three figures to $2,000. A higher-end grill with more advanced features such as an infrared burner, rotisserie attachment, and cabinetry may be as little as $1,500 and as much as $10,000 or more.

Heat: 4 burners, 48,000BTUs across 994 square inches / Features: LED lights, side burner, smart capabilities / Design: modern and minimalist in black porcelain-enamel or stainless steel

When I asked chefs and other food professionals about the gas grill they cook on at home, the most popular answer was “an old Weber.” That’s my answer, too — a Weber Genesis that I bought in 2013, to be exact, and that’s held up remarkably well over the years. It’s hot, reliable, and easy to clean, and simply too good to discard (despite its caved-in lid from a fallen branch). With more features and cooking surface area than Weber’s Spirit entry level series, the Genesis is the mid-range option with a price that, over a decade or more of its use, is worth every penny.

Chef Pete Geoghegan, culinary director for Cargill’s North American protein business , told me that his home grill is a Weber Genesis because it “lasts for a long time” and “heats evenly and gets plenty hot when needed.” Dr. Sheila Patinkin, owner of Vermont Wagyu , likes the Genesis for how it nurtures great flavor and easy operation, especially for folks who “don’t find grilling easy.” She uses cast iron griddles on top of the grill to keep the wagyu fat from causing flare-ups, a hack I’m planning on adding to my repertoire.

While my Genesis workhorse was an early-2000s model, the features have been substantially updated to include an extra-large sear zone, expandable top cooking grate, motion-sensor LED lights (important for off-season grilling when it gets dark before dinnertime), and a side burner that is good for a side or warm sauce (I like to drag my grilled seafood through warm garlic and herb butter right after it comes off the grill). This model also boasts smart technology through the Weber Connect app, which can alert cooks when the food is coming to temperature or the grill is running low on fuel. Both propane and natural gas versions are available — plumbing the grill directly into my natural gas line was great for taking the chore and cost of swapping propane tanks out of my grilling routine.

Heat: 60,000BTUs across 4 burners and 864 square inches / Features: no-tool assembly, Piezo ignition systems, side burner, ice bin / Design: large outdoor cooking center with cabinetry

I have to admit that I was skeptical of the TYTUS when researching this piece. It seemed to offer the Platonic ideal of a high-end outdoor kitchen at a fraction of the price of its competitors. Everything I dislike about a freestanding grill — the hours of assembly, the little additional counter space, and the lack of features of affordable grills seemed to have been addressed in their marketing. But, it turns out, my skepticism wasn’t warranted — this grill is a breeze to use and the price is relatively reasonable compared to my best overall pick.

Even for me, the least handy person you could imagine, I had the grill assembled in their promised five-minutes without tools. I was pleased how well TYTUS delivered on their promises, especially where it counts most: reliable, even, intense heat. It handled burgers well with a quick preheat to come to temperature and an even sear and grill-marked veggies impressively.    Designed for partying, this is a grill for impressing the neighbors or achieving a high-end look at a vacation home without needing to call the designer or contractor.

Heat: 4 burners, 56,000BTUs across 715 square inches / Features: lifetime warranty, LED lighting, flame-thrower ignition, additional infrared burner / Design: stainless steel, often used as a built-in for outdoor kitchens.

When Cornwall Socia l owner and experienced griller Lizabeth Dunn installed a Blaze grill as the keystone of her outdoor kitchen, she never thought her chief complaint would be that “it can get too hot.” And indeed, this one gets very hot — making it ideal for achieving a steakhouse-quality sear at home. After giving Dunn’s grill a whirl, I was impressed by its quick ignition and ease of use. But I was most blown away by the heat — the burners whoosh to life and both the quality and quantity of heat are intense. It deeply glazed ribs and charred corn with minimal preheating but was also gentle enough to keep barbecue sides like cornbread and macaroni and cheese from scorching when set to low and used as an outdoor buffet.

Heat: Two 25,000BTU burners, 25,000BTU sear station, and 14,000BTU infrared burner; radiant heat from ceramic briquettes / Features: Halogen lighting, rotisserie, electric ignition / Design: stainless steel heavy duty appliance at 249 pounds with familiar Wolf aesthetic.

Wolf is a brand known for outfitting high-end home kitchens as well as restaurants. They apply the same quality and durability to home outdoor kitchens. With additional options like warming drawers, burners, and elaborate cabinetry, the Wolf can be the centerpiece of a complete outdoor kitchen. Despite smoking meats all week, Daniel Grobman, owner of Mike’s BBQ , has the 42” Wolf grill at home and loves it, especially for higher-end meats like steaks where he doesn’t want to impart a smoky flavor. “It’s a good grill. It holds temperature. The thermometer doesn’t break. Most of these cheap grills, the thermometer breaks and you have no idea what you’re cooking on. It’s a guessing game. Pay for the quality — you’re gonna get a better result than cheap ones that add up to more.” Wolf is available in natural gas or propane. Grobman especially values the rotisserie attachment: “We’ll get four chickens and do them four different ways,” he says.

Heat: 3 burners of 27,581BTUs / Features: Minimal. Cast iron grill, optional steel teppanyaki accessory / Design: Minimalist, lightweight. Available in distinctive colors.

Though not marketed as a portable grill, the small size and lightweight, die-cast aluminum body make the Furnace, and its smaller two-burner sister, the Force, great options for a grill that needs to be moved around. The Furnace is ideal for moving to and from a shed when not in use or loading into a pickup truck for an event. It’s also a great option for someone new to grilling who still wants a stylish and efficient unit without being overwhelmed by a variety of features that they may never need. While the BTUs are more modest than others we considered, the close proximity of food to burner and minimal preheating required make up for the output.

Best professional-level gas grill

Heat: 5 burners producing 65,000BTUs over 1,053 square inches. 16,000BTU top-down infrared broiler / Features: smoker box, griddle accessory, rotisserie, side burner, LED lights / Design: Stainless steel or black porcelain with a familiar Weber look.

While more expensive than the Genesis (our best overall pick), Weber’s Summit opens up a whole world of standout features, including the infrared broiler, heavy-duty stainless steel grates and included rotisserie. The Summit brings the durability and user-friendliness folks love about the Genesis but has additional functionalities. The Summit infrared broiler cooks from above the food item, sandwiching the food between grill and broiler for an all-around sear. Chef Rich Cusack, owner of June BYOB and Café le Jardin told me that he has a Weber grill, and that he “loves the thing.” He notes that the quality control on the grill is great and that it heats up pretty quickly. “I notice the back of my grill tends to hold more heat than the front but that’s good for circulating my products while cooking them,” he says. “It’s very easy to use and it also is rust proof even after using it for a ridiculous amount of time. I also use the side burner for boiling corn or making baked beans for the family. I’ve never had a problem with it except for leaving pork belly on there and walking away from it and almost blowing up my grill [due to the dripping fat].”

Our experts

• Lizabeth Dunn, Owner, Cornwall Social • Rich Cusack, Chef-Owner, June BYOB and Café le Jardin • Pete Geoghegan, Culinary Director, Cargill North America • Daniel Grobman, Owner, Mike’s BBQ • Dr. Sheila Patinkin, Owner, Vermont Wagyu • Vy To, Owner, Ogawa Sushi and Kappo

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The Best Portable Induction Cooktop

By Rachel Wharton

Rachel Wharton is a writer covering kitchen appliances. She used 72 bags of popcorn to find the best microwave (and set the office on fire only once).

Portable induction cooktops allow you to cook almost anywhere you can find an outlet—from your back porch to a dorm room to an RV. They don’t emit heat but instead make your pan hot using electromagnetic induction, so they work quickly yet are cooler and safer than other portable burners. Our pick, the Duxtop 9600LS , is reliable and precise, and it offers a wide range of temperatures to tackle everyday cooking. You might find yourself choosing to use it even when you don’t need to.

Everything we recommend

Duxtop 9600LS

The best portable induction cooktop.

In our tests, this induction burner was the easiest to use for everyday cooking, with great features and a modest footprint.

Buying Options

Budget pick.

Duxtop 9100MC

A no-frills cooktop with simple controls.

Although this former top pick is not as easy to cook with as our top pick, it’s a great machine for a good price, and its lack of bells and whistles may be ideal for infrequent or tech-averse users.

How we tested

We made pasta, rice, eggs, sautés, and stews, and we seared proteins and reheated leftovers on each machine countless times.

We browned flour over each burner to determine where the hot and cold spots were.

Every burner can get a pan blazing hot, but better models can maintain a temperature low enough to melt chocolate.

We conducted a reader poll and also took reader comments into consideration to come up with our criteria.

For this update, we also reviewed several specialty burners (all priced over $120) designed for precision cooking, cooking along with recipe apps, or working with larger pots and pans. We also tested one double burner and two entry-level commercial burners just for kicks. For our recommendations from those tests, see Other good induction cooktops .

The Duxtop 9600LS has the best combination of settings, consistency, features, and usability in its category. It costs a bit more than our former main pick, the Duxtop 9100MC , but the extra money buys you a slicker control panel, as well as the ability to cook everything with more precision and less frustration. The 9600LS has 20 power settings and 20 temperature settings, the largest range of any burner we tested, and it maintains lower temperatures better than our previous pick. Of all the induction cooktops we tested, this one was also the smoothest at maintaining a target heat or temperature level, so there’s less scorching or spattering and less need to hover over a simmering pot. It has an all-glass interface and a bright LCD screen that’s easier to clean and to read than that of our previous pick, and it takes just a little less room on a counter. It also has several useful features, including a rare 10-hour timer, as well as lock, boil, and warm buttons, which we found were extremely useful for everyday cooking.

Our previous top pick, the Duxtop 9100MC has 15 power settings and 15 temperature settings. However, during testing this burner didn’t maintain a set heat or temperature as smoothly as our top pick. Its old-school control panel is not glass, and it uses traditional buttons instead of sensor-touch controls. This model omits lock, warm, and boil buttons, and it’s a little bigger and beeps a bit louder than our other pick. But none of these flaws are total dealbreakers given the 9100MC’s lower price. In fact, this burner might be especially good for occasional or tech-averse users.

The research

Why you should trust us, who should get this, how we picked, less important considerations, the best induction burner: duxtop 9600ls, flaws but not dealbreakers, budget pick: duxtop 9100mc, other good induction cooktops for special cases, if you prioritize design over functionality: ikea tillreda, sustainability and portable induction cooktops, how portable induction burners work, the advantages of induction cooking, the disadvantages of induction cooking, induction-compatible cookware, care and maintenance, what to look forward to, the competition.

Rachel Wharton is a food writer and reporter who has decades of experience in breaking down complicated culinary subjects for readers, as well as many years of hands-on experience testing recipes for cookbooks. The latter is ideal training for testing induction burners, as you learn to pay attention to small details during the cooking process. Rachel is also an avid home cook, which was important in helping her evaluate these cooktops from that perspective. It also helps to have experience using them: To test these burners, she used our picks several times a day for more than six months.

The research in this guide builds on the work of Wirecutter senior staff writer Michael Sullivan, who wrote the original version of this guide, and the 2019 update by Sharon Franke, who was a kitchen equipment tester at the Good Housekeeping Institute for more than 30 years.

Almost anyone can benefit from having a portable or extra burner, whether to cook on every day, to keep food warm for a party, or to create at-the-table meals like hot pot . They can also be helpful for reducing your household’s reliance on gas, or for emergency situations, such as when you’re running a generator after a storm.

Portable induction cooktops, in particular, offer all these benefits with the added draw of increased safety and efficiency. Unlike gas or electric burners, the burners on induction cooktops don’t emit any heat and literally don’t operate without a pan on top—plus, they automatically shut down when the pan gets too hot, such as when all the liquid inside boils away. This means they remain cool to the touch (except for residual heat from the hot cookware) and safer when in use, making them an ideal choice for close quarters, families with young children, or anyone who is the slightest bit forgetful. They’re also less messy to use than gas or electric burners—splashes and drips don’t heat up and glue themselves to the surface since the burners get hot only directly under the pan, and their glass cooktops are easy to wipe off. Last but not least, if you have a hard time keeping your kitchen cool in the summer, an induction cooktop is a great tool to have. Induction cooktops emit markedly less heat, especially compared with gas burners, which heat the bottom and the sides of a pot as well as the air around it. (If you’re especially curious, we go into more detail about how portable induction burners work below.)

However, before you buy one of our picks, you should be aware of these cooktops’ limitations, which mostly have to do with the kind of pots and pans you can use. For example, with most models, you may be frustrated cooking with skillets or pans that are greater than 10 inches in diameter. We discuss more of the drawbacks of induction cooktops below. We’ve also updated this guide with a few specialized recommendations , namely a double-sided burner, a small machine for travel purposes, a machine that works with an integrated smartphone app, a high-end cooktop that represents the very best of the technology, and a design-forward model with simple albeit limited functionality.

We’ve revamped how we evaluate induction burners based on reader comments and a reader poll, as well as long-term testing notes, a review of new models, and actually cooking most of our meals with these appliances to better understand how they work. We also read reviews from other publications and sites like Epicurious and The Rational Kitchen , as well as forum threads, and we looked at the best sellers on Amazon and other big retail sites, paying close attention to customer reviews. Based on our new insights, we tested a few newer induction cooktops, but we also retested some previously dismissed models.

When researching and testing portable induction cooktops, we wanted to rate them first and foremost on how easy they were to cook with. We considered the following criteria in our evaluations, largely in this order:

More nuanced temperature and heat settings: Most induction burners let you choose a power level or a temperature to adjust the heat under your pot or pan. With the power level, the burner continually cooks at the level of heat you choose, such as at level 2 for low heat or level 6 for higher heat. With the temperature setting, the burner works to keep the pot or pan at a set temperature, like 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Induction cooktops for home kitchens offer somewhere between 10 and 20 each of heat and temperature settings, though a few models have only six or eight of each type of setting. The larger the number of settings, generally, the easier the burner is to cook with—simply because you have more options for adjusting the heat.

We decided to focus on induction burners that offered (or claimed to offer) at least 15 settings. We found that with 10 or fewer settings, it’s harder to dial in the right heat level, especially in the low-heat and simmer zones; at that point, cooking becomes frustrating, and you face a higher risk of burning food, undercooking it, or wasting lots of time adjusting the heat. What’s more, the models with 20 each of power and temperature settings give you a few more options at the lower end, which is exactly where you need finer adjustment in heat. Induction burner makers and many reviewers out there tend to fixate on how fast these appliances can get a small pot of water to a boil, but that’s actually a much easier task—and a much less useful feature—than keeping the contents of a pot at a controlled, lazy bubble.

Two models we tested claimed to allow temperature adjustments in 5- or 10-degree increments in between the presets, theoretically offering far more temperature settings than the listed 10 or 20. In both cases, however, we didn’t notice a temperature change until we had arrived at the next preset. Some burners do offer a larger range or the ability to set an exact temperature through a connected probe or other external temperature-management device; we describe those models later in this section.

Can hold very low temperatures: While the majority of burners tend to bottom out at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, some go as low as 80 or 100 degrees Fahrenheit, which is barely warm. It’s a nice feature to have, especially for melting chocolate or butter. Some reviewers have reported that the lower a burner goes in temperature, the better it manages pulsing for all lower temperatures. That seemed to hold up in our testing: The top-performing models went to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. On the higher end of the temperature range, most burners went to around 450 or 460 degrees Fahrenheit, and some could hit 500 degrees Fahrenheit. We found that all those we tested could get our pan smoking hot as long as we used the right-size pan for the burner.

Smoothly maintains target heat level: Induction burners control the heat level or maintain a set temperature by adjusting the wattage. For example, for a lower heat or temperature, the burner might apply 600 watts; for a higher heat or temperature, it might apply 1,400 watts. Induction burners usually switch back and forth—or pulse—between higher and lower wattages to maintain a target temperature or even a lower heat level. In conducting our tests, and in using the appliances to cook everyday meals, we could easily see that some models were better at this task and alternated more gently more often, instead of blasting between higher and lower temperatures more sporadically or even turning the wattage off and on.

A coil that works with cookware 4 to 10 inches in diameter: Induction burners create heat within a ferromagnetic pan —one made of a strongly magnetic material such as cast iron or magnetic stainless steel—by sending a current through the electromagnetic wire coil that sits just below it, under the surface of the glass-ceramic top. The electromagnetic element works only on the part of the pan that is directly on top of it, so no matter how wide the top of the machine is, the element size is what actually determines the range of pan sizes that will work on the burner. A model’s owner manual usually specifies minimum and maximum diameters that work best: Use too small of a pot, and the burner won’t “see” it; use too large of a pan, and you won’t get much heat at the outer edge. Whereas a full induction range or cooktop could have a couple of different element sizes or even an entire surface that serves as a cooking area, portable cooktops with only one burner generally provide a medium-size element that works with a broad range of pots and pans.

Few portable induction cooktops tell you the exact size of the element they have, and some models specify only a minimum pan size. We were able to determine element size through a flour heat-map test , and we found that the vast majority of models in our test group—including all of our picks—seemed to have about the same element size, one that works best for pan sizes between about 4 inches and 10 inches wide.

Lower-priced burners seemed to have smaller elements (and tended to specify a slightly smaller minimum pan size) and often struggled with anything larger than a small skillet or medium pot (that is, anything wider than 8 inches). A few higher-priced models in our test group claimed to have larger elements, such as the Max Burton XL, which made cooking with a 12-inch or 14-inch skillet possible (though not perfect), but the appliances themselves didn’t impress us enough to make the cut.

When you’re evaluating the shape and size of a burner, it’s also good to remember how the elements work. A large, flat, rectangular cooktop won’t heat more effectively than a smaller, rounded cooktop if the element sizes are the same, because the glass won’t transfer any heat. You can also make some educated guesses before you buy a model we didn’t review: Any burner that claims to work with a 3-inch pan—which is much smaller than even a 1-quart saucepan—probably has a smaller element. Burners that are very small or very cheap probably also have a smaller element. Smaller elements still work, but they perform best with smaller vessels.

A well-designed control panel: In our testing, we found that an angled display—rather than a fully flat top with the control panel on the same plane—was easier to see and use, since we could see the display without being right over it. As you cook, a fully flat panel is more likely to be spattered with whatever you’re cooking, which can also make it harder to use. We also found that touch controls were much faster and easier to use than raised buttons. If you have any issues with joint pain, you might find touch controls easier to use, as well. Someone with low vision, however, may find it easier to navigate raised buttons. We have picks with both types of control panels.

You may prefer the way a burner with a flat control panel looks on your countertop, which is a valid concern, but remember that the extra surface area on the top doesn’t give you extra heating capability—the size of the electromagnetic element determines what size pan will work. The one burner we tested with a flat rectangular control panel seemed to take up extra counter space for no good reason. We prefer models that use space efficiently, even if they’re not the smallest available.

Compact size and lighter weight: Rounded corners and a slimmer profile make it easier to fit a portable cooktop on a small countertop or to fit other tools or items around it, as well as to move it aside when necessary.

Note that none of these burners are really designed to be stashed away easily, primarily because you have to be careful about the glass top. If you don’t plan to leave your induction cooktop out most of the time, you may want to keep it in the box it came in. That way you can safely stow your burner in a closet or under a bed, flip it to whatever side works best, and even stack other things on top of it.

That said, if ease of storage is critical for you, consider one of the smaller machines we recommend, such as our travel pick .

A timer that runs for at least three hours: A longer timer gives you more flexibility. If the burner allows you to set a timer for eight or more hours, you can do overnight, low-and-slow cooking projects. Ideally, choose a machine that can run for at least three hours so you don’t have to remember to get up and add time or to turn the appliance back on if you’re making stock or stew. Most models have at least a 170- or 180-minute timer, and some go to 24 hours and even beyond.

A warranty of at least one year: Nearly all models we considered come with a one-year warranty. Anything less than that should raise an eyebrow; anything more gets bonus points.

Stability: Working with hot pans can be dangerous, so having a stable burner with substantial weight and rubber feet to help it stay in place is important. All of the induction burners we tested had feet that prevented them from sliding. But some models can stick a bit and leave marks, while others might have rubber feet that come off when you move the unit, both of which can be annoying. No matter what, be sure your counter is clean before operating your burner—wet or slick countertops can make even the most stable unit slide around.

Noise: There’s no way around it—cooking on a portable induction cooktop is noisy. All induction burners have a fairly loud fan that runs the entire time they’re on to cool the components inside, which is critical to keeping them from overheating at higher heat levels. Most of the machines we tested operated at about the same volume and were equally annoying. They were no louder than the average overhead fan on a range hood, and they were quieter than a window-unit air conditioner.

One less expensive burner we tested was slightly quieter than the rest, and that model’s fan shut down the second we stopped cooking, instead of doing so after the machine was cool, like those of all the others we looked at. We actually consider such qualities a potential drawback, since the fan plays such an important role in keeping the appliance from overheating or breaking down. Lucy Greco, who makes product-review videos from the perspective of a blind person, points out in her video about one portable induction model that, because the fan continues to run after you’ve pushed the power button to turn off the burner, someone who can’t see the display can’t know whether the machine is actually off. Greco’s video is about the Duxtop 9100MC, but this would likely be an issue with most models. Most fans should shut off within a minute or two after you’ve switched off the power, so one workaround would be to wait until you hear the fan stop running.

Most of these machines also beep a lot when you press the buttons or when you lift a pan, and a few do so more loudly than others, but they beep to let you know when they’re done cooking or something is wrong, and you’re rarely pressing buttons for longer than a few seconds. Our top pick happens to be one of the quietest in this regard, but that factor didn’t play heavily in our decision-making.

Induction burners also tend to make funny little pops or squeaking sounds when you’re cooking, depending on the mix of metals in the pan you’re using, the burner’s heat level, and whether the lid is on the pan. In some cases, certain types of cookware can produce a slight but steady high-pitched buzz. During our weeks of testing, we found that the various noises were equally random across machines and not that irritating, as they tended to happen every once in a while and often were drowned out by the fan. These incidental noises were not a factor in our decision-making, but if you’re sensitive to such sounds, you may want to try different pans to see if that helps.

Speed: When most people talk about induction cooking, they tend to say it’s faster than cooking on other types of stovetops, and many reviews highlight how much faster one burner brings water to a boil over another. But although an induction burner might heat just a few cups of water to boiling a minute or two faster than a gas or electric stove, or quickly heat a skillet for searing steaks, the actual act of cooking isn’t any faster unless you are cooking the item at a higher temperature than you typically did before. For example, if you’re making stock for two hours at a simmer, an induction cooktop won’t save you much time even if it brings your pot to your target temperature more quickly.

Note that in some cases, we found that induction cooktops could sometimes even cook a little more slowly than a regular stovetop if, for example, we were using a pot or pan that was too big for the burner or we struggled to find the proper temperature because the burner lacked enough settings. For this guide, we paid less attention to how quickly a burner brought water to a boil—all the models we tested did so with 6 cups of water in a heavy teapot in under seven minutes—and more attention to how long it took for us to get the burner to cook something at just the right temperature.

Temperature accuracy: When you choose a particular temperature setting, the burner tries to maintain that temperature—automatically lowering the power when you add a lid or as the pot loses liquid, for example, or increasing the power if you add cold ingredients to the pot. This is a fantastic feature of induction cooktops, though it does have one serious drawback: The number is almost never accurate. All burner makers warn you that the number in the temperature setting is meant to be an estimate or a guide, because it comes from the surface of the pan, not the pan’s contents. When we began our testing, we tried to evaluate how accurate these readings were. What we found was that they could be anywhere from 5 to 100 degrees off, depending on the size and build of the pan we used, what was in it, or the type of cooking we were doing. But although you can’t count on the temperature of your food to match the readout, you can count on the burner to maintain the temperature, whatever it is.

Some models solve this problem with an integrated probe thermometer (see below), and we wish this were a standard feature on most portable cooktops. Until then, our advice is to use an external thermometer or good old-fashioned visual and audio cues—a few gentle bubbles for a simmer, say, or the shimmer of hot oil—to tell when you’ve reached the desired heat level, just as you would with a gas or electric cooktop or stove.

Probes, precision cooking, and app-connected burners: A handful of induction burners come with some kind of integrated probe thermometer, which measures the temperature of what you’re cooking and transmits that data to the cooktop. Probes allow you to do sous vide or real precision cooking. If you set a target temperature, the cooktop works to keep the contents as close to that temperature as it can by pulsing between higher and lower temperatures very quickly. Some burners with probes can also automatically shut off when something reaches the target temperature. For instance, if you were cooking chicken thighs, you could set your burner to shut off when the internal temperature of one of the thighs hits 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Some of these types of burners even work with integrated recipe apps on your smartphone or tablet, or allow for programming and saving your own recipes.

These features usually come with a higher price tag. We looked at a handful of models with this technology to evaluate their claims but found that for the most part they weren’t as easy to use in manual mode as you might need for everyday cooking.

Wattage: The vast majority of portable induction burners top out at 1,800 watts, though a handful reach just 1,300, 1,500, or 1,600 watts. We tested a few of the latter category and found that while those models did just fine on most cooking tests, they took a little longer to reach high heats and had a harder time holding them. For example, those models usually took between six and seven minutes to bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a teapot, as opposed to five minutes for the competitors that reached 1,800 watts. Wattage wasn’t a deciding factor for us in dismissing those machines, but those same models also had a more limited range of heat and temperature settings.

Safety features: Although previous versions of this guide noted all the auto-shutoffs and alerts for certain models—such as if there was no pan on the burner or things overheated—we didn’t pay much attention to those features for our 2022 update. That’s because all induction cooktops do those things, and all are inherently safer than gas or electric stoves because they don’t employ flames or direct heat. They also can’t get hot without a pot on them, because the pot is technically what heats up.

Still, some burners do come with a settings lock—a feature that many reader-poll respondents said was important—which theoretically prevents anyone from accidentally changing the settings of the machine. But since you could still change the settings by turning the unit off and back on, accidentally or not, such a lock is only a marginally effective tool, and not one we considered to be a major feature.

If you have a pacemaker, induction is safe to use. Fred Kusumoto, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, assured us that the risk is basically zero, unless you got your pacemaker more than 30 years ago.

For this update we revised the way we test induction burners. One of the biggest shifts was that we used each of our picks (as well as most of the burners we ended up dismissing) for daily cooking tasks for several days straight. We made pasta, rice, eggs, sauce, sautés, and stews, we toasted bread and tortillas, we seared proteins, and we reheated leftovers on each of these burners, countless times.

We also used a range of cookware, just as you would in your own house. We tried old scratched pots, new pots, square ones, round ones, thin metal pots and thick triple-ply pots (such as our picks for skillets and cookware sets ), cast iron and enameled cast iron , tall spaghetti pots, wide Dutch ovens, and nonstick skillets, all in a range of widths, from 4 inches to 12 inches wide. To check temperatures, we used the ThermoWorks Dot (our pick for the best probe thermometer ) in our testing, and it worked with every induction burner we tested.

After some experimenting, we also found that the tests below were the most helpful in determining which burner performed the best.

• We shredded one small zucchini and cooked it in a fully clad tri-ply skillet with a 7-inch-wide bottom in 2 tablespoons of fat. Our first goal was to find the right settings to maintain a low sauté—just a little movement in the pan as the zucchini released its water. We looked at how hard it was to dial in the right temperature, and once the zucchini was cooking, how aggressive and how frequent the pulsing was at various settings. With some models, maintaining a medium temperature for a simmer often meant the pot would bubble furiously for a few seconds and then stop bubbling altogether as it went from high temperature to low. A better burner allows you to achieve a more constant bubbling at the intensity you want.
• We cooked tomato sauce for an hour in a straight-sided 3-quart fully clad tri-ply saucepan with a 7-inch-wide bottom. We tried to find the temperature setting that got us as close to a proper simmer as possible—a few bubbles every second or two, or somewhere between 180 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit on an external probe thermometer (not the machine’s temperature setting, which is unreliable). We focused on how hard it was to dial in the right temperature; how aggressive and frequent the pulsing was, especially at the higher temperature, when spatters and scorches were possible; and how well the burner maintained that temperature as the liquid in the pot reduced.
• We scrambled three eggs in a nonstick skillet with a 7-inch-wide bottom in 1 tablespoon of fat. We tried to find the right power settings to set the eggs over medium heat at first, then a lower one to let them finish very gently, all without our having to manually adjust the heat up or down.
• We made rice (2 cups water, 1 cup long-grain white rice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon butter) in a 2-quart, straight-sided saucepan with a 5-inch bottom. We tried to find the right power settings to bring the rice to a low boil and then cook it over a simmer without it boiling over or cooking too slowly. As with the scrambled egg test, we looked for the ability to easily dial in the right temperature instead of having to manually adjust the heat.
• For previous versions of this guide, we browned flour and seared several pieces of beef in a fry pan to see how hot the burner got and also how evenly the burner cooked. For this version of the guide, we decided to still do a flour test, but this time to help us better understand the element size and the ideal pan diameter in general. Having done more research and testing, we now know that every induction burner gets hot enough to sear well, and that “even heating” with these burners is more a function of choosing the proper pan and the proper pan size. If you were to do a flour test like we did with every model, you would easily see where the heat began to taper off of the outer edge of a skillet and in the very center of the pan. In simmering sauce or sautéing vegetables, both of which we also did with each of these machines, you would see where most of the bubbles were in the pot. If a pan is a lot wider than a burner’s element, the outer edges of the pan don’t heat as well, and neither does any food there, no matter how good the pan is at thermal conduction—that is, transferring heat from its bottom part right over the element to its edges and sides.

We also tested a handful of burners with special features like integrated temperature probes and recipe apps or extra-large elements. For those burners, we ran additional tests as appropriate to make sure their particular claims held up: We compared the temperature on the probe with that of an external probe, we tested the recipes, or we used extra-large pans to see how well the extra-large elements worked.

The Duxtop 9600LS had the best performance and combination of settings, consistency, features, and design out of all the models we tested. Although it costs more than our former main pick, the Duxtop 9100MC (which is now our budget pick), we believe it’s worth the extra money because it’s so much easier to cook with.

One of the most important features of this burner is that it has 20 power settings and 20 temperature settings, the greatest number of any of our picks. (Some burners we tested claimed to have more options, but in our testing we found that they really didn’t.) This gives you the greatest range of options for adjusting heat levels, which makes it much easier to cook anything well. You toggle between them with the menu button.

All induction burners pulse between higher and lower wattages (or off and on, in some cases) to maintain a specified temperature or heat setting. Of all the models we tested, the 9600LS was the smoothest at maintaining our target heat or temperature level, alternating between high and low more gently and more often. This approach lowers the chance of scorching and spatters, and it reduces the need for you to hover over a simmering pot.

The 9600LS also has a greater temperature range (100 to 460 degrees Fahrenheit) than our budget pick, the Duxtop 9100MC (140 to 450 degrees). The lower minimum temperature means you can very slowly melt butter or chocolate—without a double boiler—or gently finish cooking scrambled eggs, or keep tortillas just warm while you finish prepping something else. The 9600LS, which goes down to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, handled pulsing and lower temperatures more smoothly.

Thanks to the 9600LS’s long, 10-hour timer, you could even use this burner to incubate yogurt or slowly simmer bone broth. Our other pick maxes out at about three hours, so you would have to keep checking on it to increase the time if you wanted it to run longer. Some of the competitors we evaluated did offer even longer timers, but 10 hours should be plenty of time for longer projects, and you can always add more time.

The Duxtop 9600LS also comes with a warm button and a boil button, which essentially represent the third-to-lowest temperature setting (140 degrees Fahrenheit) and the highest power setting, respectively. Whereas in previous versions of this guide we dismissed such features as not being worth the extra money, during our latest round of hands-on testing, we found these buttons to be extremely useful. For starters, you might often want to bring something to a boil, or you might want to just slightly warm up oil or soften onions in a pan while you prep the rest of dinner. These buttons also make it much easier to quickly adjust the heat setting on the fly while you’re actively cooking, especially when you want to bring the heat down as low as possible as quickly as possible (maybe to prevent something from boiling over or scorching). The warm and boil buttons are also handy when you turn the machine on: Because the burner defaults to the medium setting upon turning on, you effectively have buttons for low, medium, and high, and you can quickly adjust up or down from there as necessary instead of scrolling up or down through 20 settings.

This burner also supports up to 25 pounds, good enough for your average pasta pot, a heavy Dutch oven, or a 2- to 3-gallon batch of beer or stock. (For best results, however, use a pot that is 10 inches wide or smaller, preferably with straight sides.)

The 9600LS’s all-glass angled control panel and bright LCD screen are easier to clean and to read than those of our budget pick, the Duxtop 9100MC, and the interface is intuitive. Although there is a crevice separating the cooking surface and the control panel that could collect food, we found the 9600LS’s all-glass surface simple to wipe clean with a damp kitchen towel. And because the entire surface doesn’t get hot like on a gas or electric cooktop or stove, food doesn’t get baked into the crevice.

Though it would be nice if the buttons themselves lit up—only the heat, power, and timer settings do—the labels are white on a black background, which makes them easier to see in very low light or if you have vision loss. All the buttons on the machine beep when you touch them, which helps in this regard, as well.

The 9600LS also comes with a black or silver base. And although it isn’t the smallest or lightest model we tested—both this burner and the Duxtop 9100MC measure 14 inches long and 11.5 inches wide and weigh about 5 pounds—it fits easily on a small countertop with room to spare. Unlike the Duxtop 9100MC, the 9600LS has rounded edges, which makes it just a little more space efficient.

If you prefer to clean as you go, this machine may annoy you, at least at first. If you try to wipe the control panel, you’ll likely change the settings or turn the burner off. As you use it, you can figure out how to clean it so that doesn’t happen, or you might avoid cleaning it at all. This is an issue with any induction burner that doesn’t have old-fashioned push buttons like our budget pick, the Duxtop 9100MC , so it isn’t a dealbreaker.

There is a lock button, which can theoretically keep other people and kids from changing the settings accidentally or on purpose. But you still can turn the whole machine off—which is what happened whenever we tried to wipe down the control panel during testing. If the on/off button were on the side of the machine or in some other place, the lock function would be more effective.

The control panel requires you to push the menu button after you turn it on, instead of immediately heating to the default medium setting. That’s a little annoying, since it’s a step beyond what you would normally do with a gas or electric burner, but it’s common in many induction cooktops and ranges. (It also reduces the chance of accidentally overheating an empty pan, which can happen faster than you realize.)

The control panel is a completely flat, physically featureless surface with no way of distinguishing, if you have low vision, where the buttons and display are located or which buttons do what.

As with all induction cooktops, the 9600LS’s fan can be loud, but it’s really no louder than your average hood exhaust fan. As is usually the case with portable induction burners, the 9600LS’s fan continues to run after you’ve turned off the power and until the machine cools down, so someone with low vision may not be able to tell easily whether the appliance is actually off.

If you don’t set the timer, the machine will shut itself off after three hours, so you have to remember to set the timer if you’re cooking something that requires a lot of active time on the cooktop. When you make stew, for example, you might sear meats, sauté vegetables, and then let everything stew in that same pot for another two or three hours—but if you don’t set your timer for the length of the stew time, the burner will shut down once it has been on for three hours.

Lastly, we should note that the beep on this machine is fairly quiet. If you’re in another room, you can miss when something is done, as well as when the machine shuts down. If you’re hard of hearing or buying this for someone who is a little forgetful or lives in a big house, this lower-volume beep might be an issue, though you could easily just set a louder timer. More important, this quieter beep is not a safety issue since the burner shuts off automatically when the timer sounds.

Our former top pick is still a great burner for its price, which at this writing is usually $20 to $40 less than the price of our other pick. The old-school design and the lack of bells and whistles on the Duxtop 9100MC —it has just six raised buttons and a notably small LED display—also make it extremely easy to use even without a manual. And because the control panel is not touch-sensitive, when you wipe it during cooking, you don’t mess up any settings.

The Duxtop 9100MC has 15 temperature and 15 power settings, acceptable for daily cooking tasks but not quite as convenient or as flexible as the 20 temperature and 20 power settings you get on the Duxtop 9600LS . It also goes only as low as 140 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas the 9100LS goes to 100 degrees. Perhaps as a result, this model’s pulsing in our tests was a little less smooth than that of the 9600LS—the pulsing happened less often and with more intensity, meaning higher highs and lower lows. We had to pay more attention to cooking and even manually change the heat setting more often than we did with the 9600LS.

The control panel is not glass and has raised buttons, so it doesn’t stay as nice looking when you clean it. In fact, the unit we’ve been long-term testing for a couple of years has lost part of a sticker on one button (though the button still works). Some people might appreciate the not very high-tech look and feel of this model, and they may even find this burner especially easy to use, but it takes just a little longer and requires just a bit more effort to change the temperature using these buttons than with other models’ touch controls. This model, which comes with either silver or gold highlights, also looks and feels a little outdated, frankly.

The 9100MC also lacks the convenient warm and boil buttons of our top pick and runner-up, so it offers no immediate way to drop the temperature quickly if it’s too high, other than to turn the machine off. If you plan to use your induction cooktop daily, every second saved with touch controls and warm and boil buttons counts.

In addition, the 9100MC has the largest footprint of our picks. It’s technically the same size (14 by 11½ inches) as the Duxtop 9600LS, but it has square edges instead of rounded ones. Even a quarter-inch or so makes a difference when you have limited counter space, as it can give you ​​just enough room for a spoon rest in front of the burner, say, or a place to rest the pot lid. The 9100MC also has a slightly louder fan and beep than our other pick, but only slightly. In fact, the louder beep might be useful to anyone who is hard of hearing.

While the raised buttons of the 9100MC may make it easier for someone with low vision to use in contrast to the touch controls of the 9600LS, this model, like all the others we looked at, has many design features that would make it difficult or impossible for a blind person to operate the appliance by themselves. As Lucy Greco, a product reviewer who is blind, points out in her video about this model , it offers no indication of what the buttons do, nor does it provide an easy way for you to keep track of what mode it’s in or what setting you’ve selected if you can’t read the display.

If you need a double burner: Duxtop 9620LS

The biggest drawback of a double-burner induction cooktop is that the total wattage gets split between the two burners, which is one of the reasons we didn’t recommend such models in previous versions of this guide. (For example, you could do both sides at half-power/medium heat, or one at 80% power and one at 20%, or one at 40% power and one at 60%. For an explanation, see the section below on how induction burners work .)

Yet there are definitely reasons that some home cooks might want a double portable induction burner, particularly if they need to use it as their only cooktop for any length of time. We chose to test the Duxtop 9620LS primarily because it met our criteria for a good burner. One side is essentially the same as our top pick , the Duxtop 9600LS, as it provides 20 heat settings and 20 temperature settings and all of the other benefits of that burner. The other side has the look and feel of the 9600LS but provides only 10 heat settings, so it’s perfectly fine for many less demanding cooking tasks—such as slowly heating, simmering, or bringing water to a boil—which is often what you’re doing with a second burner.

While testing this burner, we found that although the wattage splitting was maybe a little frustrating at first, we very quickly learned how to work with it. And for everyday cooking, it is actually fairly rare to have to cook two things at extremely high temperatures at the same time, anyway. You can bring your rice to boil and then lower the heat before you bring your already cooked beans up to a simmer, for example, or you can heat your sauce on low as you boil pasta on a medium-high setting. We also found that we could even bring water to a boil on induction on a medium setting or even medium-low in a properly sized pot—it just took a bit longer.

If you need a lightweight travel option: NuWave PIC Flex Cooktop

The NuWave PIC Flex has received good ratings on Amazon and positive YouTube reviews for years and is widely advertised on TV, so we wanted to test it for this guide. It also promises programmable cooking—you can set the burner to change the temperature after a predetermined amount of time—as well as the ability to adjust the temperature in 10-degree increments between 100 and 500 degrees, which would give you far more than the 20 temperature settings of our top pick. And usually it offers all this for less than $80.

However, we found that the NuWave PIC Flex is not powerful enough for normal home cooking. It seems to have a smaller element than most of the models we tested, so it works best with smaller pots and pans—such as the 9-inch nonstick skillet it often comes packaged with—and goes only up to 1,300 watts, in contrast to the 1,800 watts of our top picks. (We go more in depth on the importance of element size and wattage elsewhere in this guide.) In our testing, we also had difficulty perceiving any real change in temperature except at each of the six built-in presets, which meant we were limited to just those six temperatures and weren’t really able to make finer adjustments as the marketing material suggests. (There’s also a button that lets you toggle between 600, 900, or 1,300 watts, which essentially sets the burner to low, medium, or high, respectively.) Additionally, the NuWave PIC Flex has an old-fashioned raised-button display panel, and its fan is quieter than most and also shuts down the second you stop cooking, instead of after the machine cools (which was the case with nearly all the other burners we tested). We’re concerned that this could potentially decrease the long-term shelf life of the NuWave model.

The good news? This was the only portable induction burner we tested that really felt like we could toss it into a tote bag or a suitcase for travel. It has a compact, round shape and a small footprint (4.5 pounds, or a pound or so lighter than the average induction cooktop). Plus, its limitations are fine on a trip, when you’re likely just making a small pot of soup in a hotel, say, or eggs in an RV. And theoretically it works with a travel-size 3½- to 4-inch coffeepot, depending on the material and design.

If you want precision cooking and app-based recipes: Hestan Cue

The Hestan Cue is one of two induction burners we tested that are designed to work with integrated apps you manage on a smartphone, and it’s the only one of the two we’d recommend buying, though with some big reservations. (The other such burner is the Tasty One Top by Cuisinart, which we discuss in the Competition section .)

The Hestan Cue is meant to be used with either a special wireless probe (see the discussion on probes in Less important considerations ) or proprietary cookware with built-in wireless temperature sensors, all of which you can buy separately or in various bundles with the burner. Using data from the probe or the pans, the cooktop works to keep the contents as close to a target temperature as it can by pulsing between higher and lower temperatures; it can also change a temperature or turn off when it reaches a target temperature.

The Hestan Cue is primarily designed to work with a series of recipes created by trained staff for the app. You work through the recipes one step at a time—all the recipes have videos for some of the steps, as well—and if you’re using the proprietary Bluetooth probe or cookware, the cooktop detects the temperature of your food and adjusts the heat as you cook your way through the recipes (though you can also advance through the steps manually). The recipes we tested worked well, and the app also has a decent supply of them (nearly 1,000 and growing). The company hopes to eventually release a feature that allows you to create and save your own. The app might not teach you how to cook, per se, but it can help to ensure success for many techniques that people often have trouble with, such as deep-frying or pan-cooking meat and fish. Although the recipes can feel very Euro-centric when you’re sorting through the app’s range of cuisines (for now, you can choose from American, Mexican, Latin American, Asian, Italian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and French), the selection is stronger when you’re searching by technique or using other tabs with labels like “main ingredient,” “light and healthy,” or “family friendly.” The app also has a small handful of recipes from guest chefs such as Sean Brock , Brandon Jew, and Bonnie Morales.

The Hestan Cue app also allows you to use your phone to adjust the temperature of the probe or the company’s proprietary pot or pan to any degree between 100 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit. You use your finger to easily set any temperature in that range in 1-degree increments. As a result, you could use this burner to do sous vide or other types of cooking at specific temperatures and times, such as making yogurt at 112 degrees or cooking stew at exactly 186 degrees. (When you use the app, there’s no limit to the timer; with the manual buttons on the machine, the timer will run for up to 10 hours, though we did not confirm this ourselves in testing.)

This feature—and the potential to program and save recipes—is what moves this burner closer to being an affordable version of the $1,500 (as of this writing) Breville Control Freak induction cooking system, which is widely considered the Rolls Royce of portable induction cooktops (we discuss that model more below). The Hestan Cue burner and probe bundle is $300 at this writing.

There’s one big drawback, however: If you want to operate the Hestan Cue manually, as you would a regular induction cooktop, it doesn’t stack up against our picks. It has only 10 power settings, which is not a great range for day-to-day cooking. The machine is also perfectly round—it’s about 12½ inches wide, so it’s slightly larger than the NuWave PIC Flex—which is nice, but the control-panel functionality is an afterthought. There’s a small on/off button and one small button for changing the heat level up and then back down. The heat level is noted not by a number but by a bar of lights that gets longer the higher the heat is.

You might be thinking that you could simply use the app to get more temperature levels in that case. That is true, but in our tests we discovered that trying to change a set temperature under a pot or pan quickly via an app on a phone is not an ideal cooking situation—especially if you’re holding a spoon in one hand.

The Hestan Cue also goes up to only 1,600 watts. Although that translates to just a little less power for high temperatures—water might take longer to boil, for example—this is not a problem for most cooking.

Ultimately what all of the above means is that you are spending $300 or more (at this writing) on a model that is hard to use as an ordinary induction cooktop. If you’re looking for an all-purpose induction cooktop for everyday cooking, this model isn’t for you. If you’re interested in sous vide (and don’t already have the dedicated equipment on hand), this model could be for you. If you want a fun but not-so-cheap kitchen gadget that might help you learn new recipes and pick up a few new skills, this model might be for you.

Still, if the Hestan Cue had 15 or 20 power settings and a manual control panel that was just a little easier to use, it would be a real contender for an upgrade pick.

If you want the ultimate in control and features (and price): Breville Control Freak

We also took another look at Breville’s staggeringly expensive Control Freak , as this burner is often described as the best portable induction cooktop you can buy. That claim is probably true—if you can afford this machine. Whereas the Hestan Cue relies on a smartphone to be, well, smart, all of that functionality is built into the Control Freak. The Control Freak has more features and functionality than many high-end induction ranges we’ve tried, and it’s very impressive and fun to use: You can use it with an integrated probe thermometer for extremely precise cooking, you can choose any temperature between 77 and 482 degrees Fahrenheit using a sleek spin knob, you can set a 72-hour timer to count either down or up, you can set the “intensity” to heat up a pan slowly or quickly, and you can save recipes as programs so that you or someone else can perfectly repeat the process—you can even save them to a USB stick to use with other Control Freak machines.

However, the Control Freak has a few issues that even those folks who can afford a $1,500 induction burner should consider. As with the Hestan Cue and the Tasty One Top, using the machine manually—without programs or probes, as you would a more traditional cooktop—is a little less intuitive. Instead of selecting a power or heat level the way you do with most cooktops, with the Control Freak you scroll to adjust the temperature, which takes some getting used to. The Control Freak is also really big—as tall as a commercial machine and a little longer—and it takes up about as much counter space as a 1980s microwave. (The manual also recommends leaving 8 inches of space between the appliance and the wall, as well as plugging it into a wall outlet with a safety switch.)

The IKEA Tillreda is the updated version of our former budget pick, and while it has a sleek look, it lacks some key features. It has only nine power settings and doesn’t have a timer or the ability to set a temperature. Its fully flat surface isn’t as easy to use as an angled control panel, and this model only goes as low as 200 degrees Fahrenheit, which means it won’t handle lower temperatures as smoothly as our picks.

Despite its drawbacks, the Tillreda might work well for someone who doesn’t plan to do much intensive cooking or in a small guest house, rec room, or art studio.

With an all-white base and just a few low-contrast markings on its sleek black surface, this model looks more like a chunky iPad than a cooktop, especially when it’s turned off. It does have a slightly smaller footprint than our picks and comes with a metal hook on its back that you can hang it from (though there’s no place to tuck in the cord). And the interface is incredibly easy to use since the cooktop has so little functionality.

The US Environmental Protection Agency recently gave all induction cooktops an Energy Star Emerging Technology Award because induction cooktops lose less heat to the surrounding air than gas or even electric cooktops. (This also helps to keep your kitchen cooler, possibly lowering the load on some air conditioners during warm weather.) According to Energy Star, gas stoves transfer energy at an abysmal efficiency of 32%, electric cooktops (also known as resistance heating) transfer energy at an efficiency of 75% to 80%, and induction cooktops have an energy-transfer efficiency of 85%.

Unlike gas or electric stovetops or burners, which heat using thermal conduction (also known as heat transfer ), induction burners heat using electromagnetic induction .

Below the surface of the glass-ceramic top in an induction burner is a wire coil. Electricity running through this wire creates a magnetic field that causes the electrons in an iron or magnetic stainless steel pot to generate heat. Induction creates heat directly in the pan, instead of in an element on the cooktop’s surface. This is why the bottom of a pan can heat up so quickly on an induction cooktop—it doesn’t have to wait for something else to get hot first and then transfer that heat over. That means reducing the heat is almost instantaneous, too, as the pan doesn’t have to wait for the burner to cool down before it’s able to. With induction, you have a lot more control.

The cooking element works only on what is directly on top of it. This is what keeps your kitchen cooler, as the heat is produced in the pan itself instead of on the cooktop (some heat gets transferred from the pan to the cooktop surface, but it is mainly under the pan). That necessary direct contact also explains why you get better results with a pan whose base is not much bigger than the element.

An induction burner controls the heat level by adjusting the wattage that runs through the element. For a lower heat it might apply 600 watts, for example, while at a higher heat it might apply 1,400 watts. Induction burners also usually go back and forth—or pulse—between higher and lower wattages to maintain a heat level or a target temperature, especially at lower settings. Some models are better at this than others: In other words, they oscillate more gradually and gently between high and low instead of spiking up and down abruptly.

The majority of portable induction burners that we looked at give you the option of adjusting the level of heat in one of four ways: You can set an actual wattage, you can set a power level, you can set a temperature (we discuss the accuracy of the temperature settings elsewhere in this guide), or you can choose between “low” or “medium-high” or “simmer” or “boil.” Most offer some combination of these settings and usually give you between six and 20 options. No matter the language used or the number, a burner manages all of these by adjusting the wattage.

Note that a small but growing handful of more expensive burners now come with integrated temperature probes or sensors that allow you to set the heat with even more precision. They do this by monitoring the temperature of the pan or its contents and seamlessly adjusting the wattage to hit the target temperature. We looked at three such cooktops, and we liked the Hestan Cue and the Breville Control Freak, which you can read more about in Other good induction cooktops .

Because of the way induction burners work, they offer five big advantages over other types of stoves:

Safety Induction cooktops are inherently safer than other kinds of stoves because they don’t involve flames or direct heat. They literally can’t get hot without a pot on them, because the pot is what heats up , not the cooktop. Some burners also come with a setting lock so that no one can accidentally change the settings (though you could still change them by turning the burner off and then back on again). All of the burners we tested self-regulate or shut down when pans get too hot. If you use a temperature setting, you can also make sure the burner maintains the same temperature over time so that it stays cooking at a steady simmer, for example, even as the volume in the pan reduces. Note that although some people say these burners don’t get hot, that’s not really true. They do indeed get very hot right where they’re in contact with the pot, and that spot could burn you if you accidentally touch it. A majority of the portable burners we tested actually flash the word “hot” on their displays until they cool down, which usually takes no more than a minute or so unless you were heating a very heavy pot over very high heat.

Coolness Induction cooktops keep your kitchen far cooler than gas and electric-coil burners do because the heat goes directly into the pan, not into a heating element (or into the air) before the pan even heats up. We tested most of these burners in a fourth-floor apartment with a window AC unit in the middle of a New York City summer, and we can tell you that the difference between the induction cooktop and a gas stove was unmistakable—even while simmering stock for a few hours, the induction burner didn’t heat up the kitchen.

Cleanliness Induction cooktops are also easier to clean than gas or electric burners since induction cooktops have a single smooth, flat glass surface that you can wipe clean. They also don’t get hot anywhere except right under the pan, so food doesn’t cook onto their surface the way it does with other types of burners. If you’ve ever had to clean up a gas or electric-coil burner after milk has boiled over, you’ll have some idea of how much better an induction cooktop is in this respect.

Precision Most induction burners give you an option for a range of temperature settings, and the burner tries to maintain that temperature—lowering the power when you add a lid or if the pot loses liquid or gets too hot, for example, or increasing the power if you add cold ingredients to a stew or to hot oil. Although we found that induction burners don’t always cook food at the exact temperature you select , gas and electric burners lack that option altogether. Along with the ability to cook at a very low temperature, we found this feature to be one of the biggest perks of cooking with a portable induction cooktop.

Some more expensive induction burners now come with integrated temperature probes that allow you to set the heat with even more precision. They monitor the temperature of the pan or its contents and seamlessly adjust the wattage so that it hits the target temperature. We looked at three such cooktops, and we liked the Hestan Cue and the Breville Control Freak, which you can read more about in Other good induction cooktops .

Maintaining a low temperature Most induction cooktops can easily keep a pot or pan at a low temperature, even below 150 degrees Fahrenheit, which is extremely hard to do on a gas stove in particular as the flame tends to blow out when you try to get it that low. With the best induction cooktops, you can melt chocolate without using a double boiler, or you can keep something just barely warm, like scrambled eggs that need just a little more time to set.

The biggest drawback of using an induction cooktop—other than its being more expensive than most other types of burners—is that getting the best results involves a learning curve.

With most portable induction burners, you have a limited number of heat settings that you press a button to get to, instead of a round knob that you turn to make fine adjustments. This can be frustrating, especially at first, before you become familiar with your burner and figure out what setting works best with which type of pan or style of cooking. You also have to learn how to properly use the temperature setting , which maintains a target heat level—an amazing feature—but doesn’t necessarily match the exact temperature shown on the display.

Pans also tend to get very hot faster on induction than on gas or electric stoves, which can warp a thin or empty pan or burn what’s in the pan if you’re not keeping a close eye. It’s best not to start a pan on anything other than very low heat unless you’re really paying attention.

But the biggest part of this learning curve is determining which of your pans work best with induction. First, you need to use ferromagnetic cookware. Most everyone has some pots and pans that will work, but you might find that your favorites don’t work very well—or at all—on an induction burner.

You also have to pay particular attention to the size and shape of the pot or pan, and make sure it’s the right choice for your cooking project. A pot might fit atop the glass surface of your burner, but for best results its diameter should fit within the range specified by the manufacturer, and the bottom needs to sit flat on the cooktop surface. With older pots and pans, especially cast iron, you also need to make sure the bottom is clean, or else any residue on the pan will interfere with the interaction between the coil and the pan and can also stick to the surface of your cooktop.

Whatever isn’t heated by the element is heated by thermal conduction—that is, the transfer of heat from one part of the pan to another. This means that pots and pans that are a lot wider than the element don’t work as well and remain much cooler at the edges. Meanwhile, the sides of many pots and pans slope outward from the base, which also means the outer edges may not be in direct contact with the burner and don’t heat up as much.

With nearly all the induction burners we tested, we found that the very largest pans that still worked well were about 10 inches wide (and were usually smaller across the bottom). When we tried to sauté things in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, the very outer edge barely cooked at all, which meant we had to almost constantly shift things around in the pan to get them to cook evenly. This is less of an issue with a gas or electric stove, as the heat those stoves emit tends to wrap up around the bottom of the pot, and you also can easily see the size of your heating element. The effect might also be less egregious with pans made of several layers of metal designed for induction, which we discuss below .

We also found that when we were using deeper pots, straight-sided saucepans or 5-quart or smaller Dutch ovens worked best. We learned this the hard way at the outset of our testing, when we tried to cook with Dutch ovens that had 8-inch bottoms and grew to 10 or more inches at the top. With a pot that shape and size, no burner could maintain a boil at its highest wattage. Each burner stayed slightly under the boiling point, which meant that it took longer to cook pasta. Frying in that larger Dutch oven was even harder because the burner rarely got above 305 degrees once we put food in the hot oil. Reaching a rolling boil or a fry temperature was not as much of an issue when we used smaller Dutch ovens or straight-sided pots.

This is definitely something to consider if you’re always cooking for four in a 12-inch skillet or if you were planning to use an induction burner to fry foods in your 5½-quart or 7¼-quart Dutch oven. You’d likely be frustrated with the results. (By the same token, you might also encounter problems with pots where the flat part of the bottom is slightly under 4 inches wide. With smaller-diameter pots, some burners possibly won’t work at all because the element can’t “see” the pan. But very few pots are that small, so this is less of an issue.)

Some people have also said that home electronics that use radio waves—such as radios, televisions, and cell phones—can sometimes interfere with an induction burner’s electromagnetic field, causing it not to work well. We did not notice any such problems in our testing. We’ve also seen reviews claiming that the electromagnetic field can cause a digital instant-read thermometer to malfunction , but in our tests we had no problems using the ThermoWorks Dot , whose design allowed us to place the body of the thermometer slightly away from the appliance.

Since an induction burner transfers heat through a magnetic field, it requires cookware made from a ferromagnetic metal, such as cast iron or magnetic stainless steel. Copper, aluminum, glass, ceramic, and non-magnetic stainless steel (including 18/10 and 18/8) cookware pieces don’t work—though fully clad cookware, which has a copper or aluminum core sandwiched inside magnetic stainless steel, does work, and so does cookware with a magnetic stainless steel plate affixed to the bottom. In other words, the pot or pan should be magnetic, and it should be strongly magnetic; a weak connection doesn’t work. A non-magnetic or weakly magnetic pan won’t hurt your burner—it just won’t heat very well or at all. You can save yourself some time by testing the pan with a magnet.

(Wirecutter’s picks for the best induction cookware can help get you started.)

For one portable induction burner, this is far less of a big deal than with a range. Most people usually have at least one or two pots or pans that work, and since you can cook with only one pan at a time anyway, a skillet and a saucepan or two is often all you need.

You can buy an induction interface disk that sits on the surface of the burner and allows you to use non-magnetized pans. But such disks reduce the effectiveness of the burner, as you’re no longer heating the pan but transferring heat from the hot disk to the pan, so you’re losing all the heat efficiency that induction provides. (And you’re transferring some of that heat to your kitchen.) Such disks also heat or cool at different speeds than your pan, which makes it harder for you to nail the right setting on your burner as you cook. Even more important, an induction burner constantly adjusts itself to avoid overheating the vessel on its surface or to maintain a certain temperature, but with a disk, it is adjusting not to the pan but to the disk, which will always be hotter than the pan. If you had one pan you really needed to use on an induction cooktop for some specific reason, this add-on might be worth trying, but it is not a great long-term option for all your cooking.

In our cookware set review, we recommend fully clad cookware—the kind made from a single piece of aluminum sandwiched between stainless steel, with sides as thick as their bottoms—because we found that it heated more evenly in our tests on gas ranges. But in our previous induction-cookware tests, cookware with an encapsulated bottom, namely a thick disk bonded to the base, boiled water faster and heated more evenly across the entire surface of the skillet, which could be important for pans wider than your element. (By the way, we’ve also found that good old cast-iron cookware works great, as well, as long as it has a flat, fairly clean bottom and you keep it within the range of the element.)

Scott Misture, professor of materials science and engineering at Alfred University, told us that the pan with an encapsulated bottom likely cooked more evenly because it had a thicker layer of aluminum in its base. Aluminum is highly conductive, and a thicker layer better distributes the heat being generated by the pan’s thin outer layer of steel. In our previous testing with encapsulated-bottom cookware, we used and liked the Fissler Profi 2-quart saucepan and the Fissler Profi 9½-inch fry pan .

If you already own induction-compatible cookware, we suggest starting with that, no matter the type, and seeing how it performs. If you use your induction cooktop often and find that you miss a non-induction-compatible pan of a certain shape or size, you can then consider investing in a few new disk-bottom pans.

In most cases a kitchen rag or a damp paper towel is all you need to wipe an induction burner’s surface clean. (We found that a sponge tends to just smear the liquid around.) Although you can wipe down spills around the pot as you cook, before fully cleaning an induction burner, let the fan stop on its own and then unplug the appliance and let it cool completely. We found that it’s best to clean the surface after each use, otherwise you risk staining the glass top because the next pot will heat up whatever might be left uncleaned underneath it. The staining isn’t a big deal, though, since most models’ tops are black anyway.

For food spills that are difficult to remove, use a damp paper towel and wipe the surface clean in a circular motion. Never use harsh chemicals or abrasive sponges on the surface of the cooktop unless they’re clearly made for glass cooktops, as doing so can mar the surface. Avoid using ammonia-based glass cleaners, as they can remove the markings on the glass-ceramic surface indicating where to place your cookware. We hope it goes without saying that you should never submerge a burner in water to clean it—it’s an electrical appliance.

You should also make sure the cooktop’s surface (and the bottom of your pot or pan) is fairly dry before using it. Avoid placing cooking utensils on the surface of the cooktop, especially if they are made of magnetic metals—be careful about laying them across the top of the pot, too. Also, never move the burner while it’s hot or when pots or pans are on top of it. If for some reason the cooking surface cracks, immediately turn off the burner, unplug it, and contact the manufacturer for repairs, if your appliance is under warranty. To avoid damaging the cord, be sure to keep the outlet and plug far enough away from the cooking vessel.

Always allow enough air to circulate around the exhaust vent (which is usually located toward the back of the unit). Most manufacturers recommend a clearance of at least 4 to 6 inches. If buildup occurs near the exhaust vent after prolonged use, some manufacturers suggest using a vacuum cleaner attachment to remove debris.

We’d like to test the Tramontina Guru . Tramontina makes many of our top picks for cookware (including the best non-stick pan for induction ). The Guru’s designed to work with a sensor-enabled pan for self-guided cooking, similar to Hestan Cue.

Duxtop makes many induction cooktops (including the low-priced 8100 MC ), but we only seriously considered the company’s traditional countertop models with at least 15 temperature settings:

• The Duxtop E200 is a flat-panel burner with 20 temperature and heat settings managed with a sensor-touch dial. It’s very similar to our top pick , the Duxtop 9600LS. Unlike our pick, however, it has a 170-minute timer instead of a 10-hour one. Additionally, its fully flat surface takes up more real estate than necessary and doesn’t allow you to read the control panel unless you’re standing right over it.
• The Duxtop P961LS/BT-C35-D is one of two lower-cost commercial models we tested and is essentially our top pick , the Duxtop 9600LS, but in a commercial-grade body designed for use in a professional kitchen. We found it harder to use because it was an inch or so taller and wider than the 9600LS (16½ by 13 inches instead of 14 by 11 inches). It doesn’t make a lot of sense for most home cooks to spend so much more on the commercial version, as it takes up more room on a counter than our top pick.
• Though we didn’t test the Duxtop 8500ST/E210C2 , it has nearly identical functionality to our budget pick , the Duxtop 9100MC. But like the Duxtop E200, its surface is fully flat, which isn’t ideal. (Our pick has a control panel set at an angle, which we prefer.)

The Zavor Induction Pro Cooktop seemed promising. Of the burners we tested for this update, it’s the only completely flat model, and it looked great on our countertop. It also claims to allow adjustments in 10-degree increments between 140 and 465 degrees. However, in our testing we had difficulty perceiving any real change in temperature except when the burner reached each of the eight existing presets, which is fewer than we think is useful for everyday cooking. The settings have names like “simmer,” “boil,” and “sauté,” but their results didn’t always match up to the type of cooking that takes place at those settings. What’s more, the Zavor burner takes up a little more room than most of the models we tested, for no apparent good reason. We also found that an angled control panel was easier to use than an entirely flat cooktop like this.

Like the smaller NuWave PIC Flex , the NuWave PIC Gold has good ratings on Amazon and positive reviews on YouTube and is widely advertised on TV.  It’s essentially a larger version of the Flex, with slightly more wattage and what appears to be a larger coil. As with the Flex, we found that we couldn’t actually adjust the Gold’s temperature in 10-degree increments as promised, and that the appliance essentially limited us to just six built-in preset heat levels, which we don’t think is enough options for everyday cooking. Plus, this model also has an old-fashioned raised-button display panel.

We really wanted to love the Tasty One Top by Cuisinart , which connects to an app managed by BuzzFeed’s Tasty team. First released in 2017, the Tasty One Top is super cute, with a spaceship-like pentagonal design featuring rubber wings. However, the app is buggy, which is troubling since it has been around so long. The app should work like the Hestan Cue’s : You should be able to use it to change the temperature to a specific degree, as well as to cook your way through a recipe. With the Tasty app, however, you can’t change the temperature once you set it, unless you turn the burner off and on again. And the recipes we tried didn’t work that well—not only were the instructions very confusing at times, but if we took too long to hit the Next button during the cooking process, we got dumped out of the recipe, and we couldn’t pick up where we left off. This happened to us every time we tried to use the app, and it happened when we did normal things like stepping away to wash our hands, or when we were waiting for sugar to melt (per the recipe). The cooktop itself also has the same limited manual control options as the Hestan Cue, and it was the only model we tested where we could actually feel heat coming from the sides of the appliance around the bottom of the pot. (Maybe it was those cool rubber wings!)

The Vollrath Mirage Cadet was one of two less-expensive commercial models that we tested. We had reservations about testing Vollrath burners as the company specifically says that they are not for home use and that the warranty is voided if you buy one for that purpose. However, we found several reviews that include this model among their top picks, and we wanted to see if it was noticeably better than the household machines we’re recommending, as it provides roughly the same functionality as the Duxtop 9600LS —such as the temperature range, the number of settings, and the maximum pan size—but in a slightly larger and taller body designed to withstand commercial use. We tested the Cadet once, and we did not find it to be any easier or better to use than the 9600LS. It had only a 180-minute timer, whereas the 9600LS’s timer goes up to 10 hours. But most important, this machine emitted a very loud and worrisome electrical hum whenever it was plugged in, even when it was off.

Michael Sullivan and Sharon Franke contributed reporting. This article was edited by Winnie Yang and Marilyn Ong.

Dr. Fred Kusumoto, cardiac electrophysiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Florida , email interview , December 13, 2022

Portable Induction Cooktop Reviews (And How to Choose the Best One) , The Rational Kitchen , August 13, 2021

Brenden Duncombe, hardware engineering team lead at Hestan Cue , phone interview , July 20, 2021

Rebecca Leber, How the Fossil Fuel Industry Convinced Americans to Love Gas Stoves , Mother Jones , July 17, 2021

Lukas Volger, The Best Portable Induction Cooktop for Stove-Free Cooking , Epicurious , June 8, 2021

Scott Misture, Inamori professor of materials science and engineering at Alfred University , email interview , January 20, 2019

Werner Irnich, Alan D Bernstein, Do induction cooktops interfere with cardiac pacemakers? , Europace , March 23, 2006

Meet your guide

Rachel Wharton

Rachel Wharton is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter covering ovens, stoves, fridges and other essential kitchen appliances. She has more than 15 years of experience reporting on food issues and a master's degree in food studies, and has helped write more than a dozen books on that topic (including her own, American Food: A Not-So-Serious History ). One of her first real gigs was reviewing kitchen gadgets in less than 50 words for the New York Daily News.

Further reading

The Best Nonstick Pan

by Lesley Stockton

We’ve cooked mounds of eggs and more in 27 nonstick pans since 2016, and we recommend the slick and durable Tramontina 10-Inch Professional Restaurant Fry Pan .

The Best Induction Cooktop

by Rachel Wharton

An induction cooktop—safe, sleek, and efficient—can transform your kitchen and the way you cook. Here’s how to choose the best one for you.

The Best Carbon Steel Pan

We fried eggs and browned chicken in nine carbon steel pans, and the slick, lightweight, comfy-handled OXO Obsidian Carbon Steel Frypan came out on top.

Redesigning Your Kitchen? Here’s Why a Cooktop Is Better Than a Range.

Versatile, design-forward, and great to cook on, a cooktop allows you to customize your kitchen with more flexibility than a freestanding stove.

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

R&K Insider

Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel, what they eat, where they stay. Free to sign up.

A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

Featured city guides.

RV Zone is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

The Best RV Ovens and Stoves for Your Camper & Travel Trailer Kitchen

Writen by Tom Hank

Fact checked by Joseph Varney

If you mostly live in your RV and spend a sheer amount of time in it throughout the year, then you need to have the best RV oven and stove. With that appliance, you can assure yourself that you will always be eating well while on your trips.

If you want more than the usual fried foods and the occasional chilli, then investing in a stove and oven combo is a must. Trust me; it will open an entirely new culinary world. What do you need to look for when you are shopping for the best RV range and oven?

First of all, make sure that what you are getting will fit in the space that you have in your RV. Fortunately, the space is usually not a problem as there is always a provision for this type of appliance in most RVs. However, you still need to make accurate measurements of the space available and only look at the brands that can truly fit.

Remember that it will be much easier to fill in gaps instead of hacking off pieces from your countertop just to make a large stove and oven fit. You will also have to consider many other things during the selection and buying process. You will learn all of them as you read through this article.

Aside from that, you will also be getting a couple of helpful recommendations on brands and models. The moment you finish reading this article, you will more or less be able to make a wise decision when planning to purchase a new stove and oven for your RV.

Table of Contents

Best RV Oven and Stove Reviews

1. atwood | dometic rv-1735 stove range rv-1735.

The first camper stove oven combo we have has quite an impressive set of features. The first thing that I liked about the Atwood RV stove is the stovetop itself. I noticed that there are three different burners placed on a 17-inch grate surface. This wide cooking surface means you can use even several large pans and pots at the same time.

All the burners also come pre-installed with lighters, making them easier to light. These lighters are much safer to use than the old clicker lighters because they spark continuously. With that, there is a smaller chance of the propane leaking out too much and then flashing when they do light up.

It is a useful safety feature to have since propane gas can quickly fill up the small space inside your RV when you let the gas flow without lighting it. This choice for the best RV stove is also quite easy to clean, thanks to the sealed burners. It means that spilt foods will not seep underneath the burners.

I just need to lift off the steel grate and then wipe off any food spills using a kitchen sponge or a damp rag. Also, you just have to clean it frequently as the food spills tend to pile up quickly. The oven also has a broil function. What it means is that you can also use the oven to brown the surface of the dishes you are cooking quickly.

For instance, if you just want to melt the cheese topping on your lasagna without drying up the inside, then you just have to set the oven to broil it. You can expect it to get done in a couple of minutes.

• Compact, ensuring users that it will not take up too much space at all
• Has three separate burners, the strongest of which is in front
• Equipped with a safe lighter
• Easy to clean, thanks to the sealed burners
• Boasts of a broiler function
• The grate is set a bit too high off the burners.

2. SUBURBAN MFG Suburban 3241A Gas Range

This best RV cooktop has a rather large broiler area, which I have used quite often from the moment that I got it. The space is large enough to squeeze in a pair of medium chickens. It is excellent considering that this stove and oven is not that large at all.

The entire oven is a very impressive RV oven upgrade. It has walls that are nicely insulated. With its excellent insulation, it does not produce any problems at all reaching temperatures of up to 500 degrees F.

Of course, there are very few, if any, recipes that call for such high cooking temperatures. However, it is nice to know that my oven can reach such intense heat when needed. I also like the three propane burners. The one in front is capable of producing 9,000 BTUs of heat, while the back burners can reach 6,500 BTUs each.

I usually use the front for high-heat cooking, like stir-frying and cooking steaks, among many others. The ones at the back are generally only used when I need to cook using two or more pots. In most cases, these tasks include simmering and braising.

I also love the efficient ignition system used by the stove. I am used to using old stoves that use clicker ignitions, but those are very inefficient and unsafe. This portable oven for RV comes with safe Piezo lighters to prevent wasting any propane. It also prevents sudden flashes that usually end in singed eyebrows.

The only complaint I have is not with the RV gas range itself; it is about how the Suburban’s packaging does nothing to protect the contents. I had to return the first one that I ordered because when it arrived, it was so severely dented.

The next one that I got still had a couple of deep dents, but fortunately, they were in a place that is not visible once installed, so I did not return it this time.

• Has a large broiling area
• The oven is nicely insulated and can reach 500 degrees F
• Boasts of three powerful burners
• Comes with a nice stove grate that is quite sturdy
• Equipped with an efficient piezo ignition switch
• Suburban’s packaging does not protect the contents at all.

3. Camp Chef Outdoor Camp Oven

This appliance is not a camper stove and oven, per se, but you can still take it with you on your trips. It is a nifty portable stove and oven. It is a complete cooking station meant for use in the great outdoors.

I like that even though this stove is initially designed for use with a one-pound propane tank, it does come with fittings that allow you to use a 20-pound propane tank. It sounds great if you want to use this appliance as your permanent outdoor cooking kit. It is easy to set up, so this kind of arrangement is very feasible.

I think that the best feature of this stove is the cover of the burners. It is because when propped up, it also acts as a wind cover. With that, it can prevent the flames of the burners from being blown out by the breeze.

Speaking of the burners, I discovered that there are two that can produce flames that can reach up to 7,500 BTUs each. It means that I can also use this stove for cooking any kind of cuisine, even deep fat frying.

The RV toaster oven might look small, but it can easily fit a regular 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan. It means you can use this appliance for baking things, including bread, meatloaf, and others. The oven is also rather efficiently insulated and can reach temperatures of up to 400 degrees F.

• Small and compact, allowing you to take it anywhere
• Comes with a burner cover that also works as a good windscreen
• The burners can reach up to 7,500 BTUs each.
• Has a substantially sized oven, which can fit a standard baking pan
• Provides ample insulation in the oven, can reach temperatures of up to 400 degrees F
• Cannot be installed in the RV kitchen

4. COSTWAY 24-inch Built-In Single Wall Oven

This appliance from COSTWAY is a neat-looking, and very efficient, built-in, under-the-counter RV electric oven. The nice thing about this oven is that it fits right underneath your RV countertop, so you do not need to cut out any part off the surface. You just have to clear out some drawers, and you are good to go.

Once installed properly, you would swear that it looks like it came stock with the RV. Another feature that I liked about this RV wall oven is that you can choose if the heat comes from the top, the bottom, or from both. When only the top heating elements are activated, they help brown and broil the surface of the food.

When you utilize the bottom on its own, it cooks the food from the bottom up, like a stove. Now, if both heat sources are on, it turns into a convection oven ideal for baking. I also like the number of different safety features. The one that I liked the most is the cooling fan. It automatically turns on when the oven senses that it gets a bit too hot.

The fan also helps keep the exterior of the oven relatively cool. Although some people doubt electric ovens, this one will erase all of those. Thanks to the double-paned tempered glass door, this oven is very efficiently insulated. It allows this appliance to reach temperatures of up to 450 degrees F.

• Very compact, making it fit underneath most kitchen counters
• Has two powerful heating elements – the top and the bottom
• Can be programmed for specific cooking tasks
• Well-insulated and can reach temperatures of up to 450 degrees F
• Has a modern, minimalist look that will fit most décor
• Does not have a cooktop; it is an oven only

5. Suburban 2985A Cover-Slide-in Cooktops and Ranges

It is not a stove or an oven, but it will help add more counter space to your RV kitchen, provided that you have a Suburban stovetop or stove and oven. It is a tempered glass cover that, when installed properly, will lay flush to your countertop. It can essentially give you more counter space in the process.

Aside from giving you more counter space, the glass cover also helps keep the burners clean. Nobody likes to clean propane stoves. There are so many nooks and crannies, and you have to scrub vigorously to get caked-on food spills. Having a cover to keep the burners free from dust is, therefore, a huge plus.

This stove cover is not just practical. It also gives a cool design aspect to your kitchen. This cover, which is made from smoked tempered glass, makes any kitchen look a bit more sophisticated. Your guests will be surprised when they walk into your RV and find a kitchen that looks like what celebrity chefs would have in their homes.

Aside from keeping your burners clean and providing additional counter space, this cover also serves as a useful windscreen when lifted. With this cover in place, you do not have to close the kitchen port window just so the wind does not blow out the flames.

• Can be used on all compatible Suburban cooktops
• Very easy to clean and maintain
• Helps protect the burners from dirt and damage
• Provides additional counter space
• Also acts as a windshield
• Suburban’s product packaging fails to provide ample protection to its contents

6. Atwood Mobile Products Wedgewood 52458 Oven Range

At just a little over 17 inches wide, this built-in the Wedgewood RV stove will fit in any RV kitchen. You just need to cut out a minimal amount from your existing counter. Also, if there is already a provision for this kind of appliance, I am sure that it will fit perfectly.

My RV already has a space for such a stove, and it only took me roughly two hours or so to unpack and install it properly. This Atwood RV oven has three propane burners that I genuinely like. It is because I always have my family with me on trips, and having the capacity to cook for a lot of people is certainly a plus.

The front burner is the largest of the three. You can use it for tasks such as deep-frying, searing meats, and wok cooking. The back burners are for simmering, slow cooking, and other cooking tasks that require gentle heat.

The oven is big enough for two chickens to roast side by side. It might look small from the outside, but when you open the door, you will find that the cooking chamber is deceptively large. The opening is wide enough that you can use a regular 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan. It also has two racks, so that you can do some serious baking with it.

The oven is also insulated quite well, and because it is smaller than the regular oven, it heats rather quickly. Also, because the walls and the door of the oven are very effectively insulated, the oven can reach temperatures of up to 500 degrees F – that is if you can control yourself from opening the oven every five minutes

• Easy to install
• Minimalist design and works on all décor
• Well insulated, can reach temperatures up to 500 degrees F
• Might look small, but can fit a regular baking pan
• Has three powerful burners
• Does not have an automatic ignition

7. Avanti GR2013CSS Gas Range

Although this travel trailer stove is a bit wider than most, at 19 inches, you do get the benefits of having four burners, and a wider oven. Although you have to make a bit more room, you can be sure that the space that the range occupies is used very efficiently.

The oven door has a small port window so that you can check on whatever you are cooking without having to open the door every time. With that, you can prevent a lot of heat from escaping inside the oven. To monitor what you are cooking with ease, there is an oven cavity light.

It is bright enough for you to check out how the cooking process is going. It also comes with a broiler function. With that, you have the option to brown the surface of the dishes quickly. It is excellent when you are cooking dishes like lasagna, certain pastries, toast, and others that you just need to crisp up and not necessarily cook through.

I also appreciate that this oven comes with its broiler pan. It also features an oven drawer. You can use this specific part to keep other dishes warm while you are still cooking something in the oven.

Although the stove did come with a conversion kit, finding a professional who can help me install the said conversion kit was very difficult. When the guy I hired was finished, he said that he would like it if he would not have to work on another case like mine again.

• Perfect for the RV or small apartments
• Has an oven door window so you can watch as the food gets cooked
• Comes equipped with an electric ignition
• Has a broiler function with a broiler pan included
• Has an oven drawer for extra storage, or for warming up dishes and pieces of breads while the oven is being used
• The conversion kit from natural gas to propane is not that easy to use.

8. NutriChef 30 Quarts Kitchen Convection Oven

If you do not have that much space to spare in your RV, or if there are no provisions for a stove and oven in your kitchen, then this handy electric appliance is the best choice. Aside from letting you get a nice, electric oven, you will also be enjoying the two hot plates on top. It means you are getting two cooking appliances in one.

Speaking of the hot plates, there are two that are situated right on the top of the oven. The larger of the two can pump out as much as 1000 watts of power while the smaller one can use 600 watts. It means you can use the larger plate for tasks like frying or searing meats, while the smaller is for simmering and keeping food warm.

The oven is quite large as well, considering that this is a countertop model. I particularly like the rotisserie function as it cooks entire chickens evenly and thoroughly. Also, because it is on a rotisserie, it bastes itself, thereby ensuring that the finished product is still quite juicy.

I have also tried roasting pork and beef, and they all came out nice. The neat thing about this appliance is that you can easily set which part of the stove and oven will be working. You can set it so that only one of the burners is turned on.

It is also programmable in a way that only the top or bottom heating element turns on. You can use it for a load of other different functions that will let you fine-tune your cooking process.

• Very small and compact, allowing it to fit on any countertop
• Has two hot plates on top
• Can use any kinds of cookware
• Has a rotisserie oven that can fit one large or two small chickens
• Can choose between different modes of cooking just by twisting a knob
• Does not allow the simultaneous use of the oven and the hot plates

9. Flame King YSNHT600 RV Cooktop Stove

This product is a drop-in stovetop, so you have to cut out a hole in the countertop that you wish to turn into a stove. You should then drop it into the hole and secure it with screws. Do not be scared as it is effortless to install, even without the assistance of a professional contractor.

If you know how to operate essential power tools, then you can mount this appliance correctly onto your countertop. It is very suitable for RVs because it is lightweight. Also, you do not have to cut out a large part of your counter, so that you can install this cooktop.

Even if you do not have enough room in your RV for a regular-sized stove, it will not be a problem here. This stovetop has two burners. The first one is under a large circular grate and can produce around 7500 BTUs of heat. It is enough for cooking steaks, and for using a deep frying pot.

The other one, which is under the oval grate is capable of 5200 BTUs. It is excellent for delicate cooking tasks, like poaching eggs, stews, and slow cooking. You can even use both burners at the same time, as long as the pots and pans can fit beside each other.

This stove comes with a nifty cover that converts into a windscreen. The cover unfurls to reveal a windshield that protects three sides of the stove. With that, the wind will not be able to blow out the flames. It means you can open up the kitchen window and let the cool breeze inside the cooking area.

• Lightweight and compact
• Easy to install, as it only requires minimal carpentry work
• Comes with a cover that doubles as a windscreen
• Resistant to vibrations
• Has two burners that have high BTU capabilities
• The stove tends to get hot when both burners are used.

10. Camp Chef Deluxe Outdoor Camp Oven

If you think that you cannot bake when you are out camping, then you are entirely wrong. This stove and oven is meant for use in the outdoors, and it is pretty decent. It can run on a one-pound propane tank, or you can connect it to larger tanks, provided you have the right regulator and fittings.

This stove and oven combo comes with two brass burners. The first one is capable of producing 9,000 BTUs, and the other smaller one can pump out 3000 BTUs. It means that you can use large pots for cooking on the larger burner and it will not be a problem at all.

It also lets you cook delicate dishes with the other burner, which has a smaller heat output. Whatever dish you have in mind, whether it is a big pot of chilli, or you want to make pasta, this stove can handle it. The stove also comes with a sheet metal cover to protect the burners from dirt and damage while in transit.

Furthermore, when opened, the cover doubles as a windshield. It is convenient when it comes to cooking outdoors. Not even a strong gust of wind will be able to blow out the flames of the burner with the cover in place. Moreover, the cover protects the surroundings from food splatters.

The oven may look small from the outside, but it can fit a standard size baking sheet. It can even fit two of them – one on each of the two racks. I have used this oven many times for making muffins and sourdough bread. For outside use, the walls and door of the oven are well-insulated, allowing the inside to reach temperatures of 400 degrees F.

• Allows you to cook and bake even when you are outside
• Can use a one-pound propane tank or larger ones
• Has two powerful burners
• Comes equipped with a well-insulated oven that can reach 400 degrees F
• The oven does not have a thermostat.

11. Furrion 17-inch 2-in-1 Gas Range Oven

The most impressive feature of this gas range and oven is the huge cooking capacity of the oven. It is one of the biggest ovens I have seen in a 17-inch wide form-factor. When you open the door, you will be treated with 1.24 cubic feet of space. It provides more than enough room for anything that you plan on cooking.

The Furrion RV oven is also very easy to clean. It is also a feature that I do appreciate because cleaning up stovetops is usually a daunting chore. With this stove, the grate can be taken off quickly for easier cleaning. There is also a ceramic coated drip pan that catches all of the spills from the pots and pans.

It is also removable to make it easier to clean. The inside of the oven is made entirely of non-stick stainless steel, so it is easy to wipe away any food splatter. This oven and stove is made for the RV life. For instance, the grate inserts neatly into the rubber-lined holes to prevent them from rattling around when the RV hits bumpy roads.

The glass oven door is also made of two layers of very tough and durable tempered glass. This material will not crack due to heat. Also, they will not shatter even when the RV hits a huge bump on the road.

Probably the most fantastic feature of this stove and oven is its auto-cut-off safety function. When the stove senses that the propane is flowing, but there is no light on the burners or in the oven, it will automatically shut off the gas line.

I thought at first that my propane leak alarm was broken when I rushed back into the RV as soon as I realized I left the stove open. However, when I opened the door, there was not even the faintest hint of propane in the air.

• Has a large oven capacity
• Comes with three powerful burners
• Can run on natural or propane gas
• Has a lot of safety features
• The front burner could be a bit more powerful.

12. Atwood (56472) DV 30S Drop-In 3-Burner Cooktop

If there is not that much space in your RV for a stove and oven, then this drop-in cooktop might just be the thing you want to find and use. You only need to make a small cutout in your counter. As its name suggests, you just drop in this stove and screw it down securely.

This stove will sit flush to your countertop, and it will look like it came standard with the RV. Despite its size, this cooktop has three different burners. The largest one can produce up to 7200 BTUs, while the two smaller burners can pump out 5200 BTUs.

Although these numbers are significantly lower than those of the other items on this list, you can expect these numbers to be more than enough for regular home cooks. The knobs also allow the user to tweak the amount of heat coming from each burner accurately.

For instance, if you need to dial down the flames, you just need to turn the dial to the left, instead of dialling down to the weakest burner level, which is still quite high. You should then just keep an eye on the flame to make sure that it is the right intensity.

The gas range also comes with a cover that allows you to extend the counter space when the stove is not in use. When the stove is installed correctly, the cover will be flush against the rest of the countertop. When not in use, and you need extra counter space for food preparation, you just have to place the cover on the stove and you are set.

• Easy to install, as it only requires minimal carpentry skills
• Makes good use of space with three burners
• Easy to clean, thanks to the entirely stainless steel construction
• Comes with a cover that doubles as an extension of the countertop
• Features dials that allow precise gas control
• Poor quality control

Best RV Ovens and Stoves Buying Guide

How Many Types of Oven and Stove for RV are There?

When it comes to stoves and ovens, take note that you can classify them based on how they are installed in the RV. Among these classifications are the slide-through, drop-in, countertop, and outdoor stoves and ovens.

The slide-through stoves look similar to the ones that are installed in most home kitchens. You can just slide these units through a space between countertops. When fitted correctly, it will make them look as if the counters were built around the stoves.

The only difference between slide-through stoves for RVs is that they are narrower and smaller, allowing them to fit into smaller kitchens. If there is no provision for a slide-through stove and oven in your RV, you can make one by taking out a couple of drawers and then sawing out enough counter space to fit the unit.

If this is the only option that you have, you should at least get the services of a professional carpenter to help you out with the installation. The drop-in stoves are more suitable for smaller RVs. These appliances are installed with the aid of a hole cut out from an existing countertop.

The drop-in stove is, for lack of a better term, then dropped into the recess. These stoves have outer lips that can then be screwed securely onto the countertop to prevent them from moving. In most cases, these appliances only come out as stoves. There are no ovens included.

The great thing about this kind of stove is that it requires minimal carpentry skills to install. If you can use a circular saw, mounting this kind of stove will be quite easy for you.

Countertop stoves and ovens are almost always electric-powered. These are portable cooking stations. You get an electric convection oven or toaster oven, and a griddle or hot plate on the top. It is for RVs that have very limited counter space.

The great thing about countertop stoves and ovens is that you can stow them away when not in use. You just then clear up enough space later when it is time to start cooking.

The last is the outdoor stove and oven that are neat pieces of the kit. These appliances look very similar to normal gas ranges, but these are much smaller. They are small enough that you can place them on top of a picnic table.

These stoves are designed to run off small one-pound propane tanks, but with the right fittings and regulators, you can hook them up to your RV’s propane line as well. The only problem with this kind of stove and oven is that it is not suitable for indoor use.

The fumes that these kinds of cookers produce can quickly fill the space inside the RV if you are not careful.

So which one among the mentioned types should you choose? It will depend on how much room you have in your RV. Take inventory of how much space you can spare. If you still have a lot of counter space, go for the slide-in stove and oven. If you do not have nearly enough counter space, then go for the drop-in or the countertops.

In addition, when you choose the oven and stove for your RV, you will probably also be interested in our list of RV cookware sets and list of the best RV range hood .

How Does an RV Oven and Stove Work?

RV ovens and stoves work by igniting a mixture of propane (or other types of fuels) using a pilot light or an electric igniter. The more propane that gets fed into the burner, the higher the flames will be.

Stoves are connected to propane tanks as their source of fuel. However, to make sure that the gas fed into the burners are of constant and safe pressure, a regulator needs to be installed between the propane tank and the stove.

Which Brand of Oven and Stove for RV is the Best?

I have tried and tested quite a lot of stoves and ovens throughout the years, and I noticed that several brands have stood out from the rest. If you are shopping around for a new RV stove and oven, then an eye out on truly reliable brands.

Among these brands are Atwood, Camp Chef, COSTWAY, Suburban, Avanti, NutriChef, Flame King, and Furrion. I have personally tested these brands, and they go above and beyond what is expected of them. If you want to get the most bang out of your buck when it comes to RV stoves and ovens, then these are the brands you can trust.

How to Choose the Right Size?

The best way to find out which size of stove and oven you can fit into your RV kitchen is to take a tape measure and get measurements of the countertop. Also, take note of the amount of counter space you need and can spare.

If you found out that you can spare to hack out more than 17 inches off of the counter, then you can get one of those fancy slide-through stoves and ovens. These items will provide you with the most number of cooktop burners and more space for ovens.

On the other hand, if you definitely cannot spare counter space, you can use either the drop-in stovetops or the countertop stoves and ovens. Drop-in stoves usually come with covers, so you can still maximize the counter space.

Countertop stoves, on the other hand, can be stowed away once you are done using them, so they save a lot of space, too.

How to Set Up?

Let’s say that you have correctly fitted the stove and oven into your RV. The next thing that you need to do is make sure that it is correctly connected to your RV’s gas line. Modern stoves are easy to connect to the gas line. They usually already come with the necessary fittings, so you just have to thread them in.

However, you need to make sure that the stove and oven that you will be buying is compatible with your RV’s propane tanks. There have been stories of many people not knowing that what they bought were natural gas stoves. It could not work with propane unless, of course, they use a conversion kit.

How Do I Use My Oven and Stove in My RV?

First, you need to make sure that the propane tanks are open. Once the gas is flowing through the lines, you just need to twist the knob for the appropriate burner that you will be using. Many modern stoves already come with electric piezo lighters. It means there are two wires near the burner with a spark jumping in between.

The spark will ignite the propane the moment that it exits the burners. Place the pot or pan on the burner and adjust the size of the flame accordingly. If you find that the lowest setting on the knob is not weak enough for what you need, there is a trick to lower the flame to a level that it is almost out.

Instead of turning the knob towards the weaker flame setting, twist it past the maximum setting to the point where you will practically be turning off the burner. The flames will be so small that they will be enough just to keep the pot or pan warm or on a low simmer.

Care and Store

A good set of RV stove and oven can last for many years. However, you have to do your part and give it enough care and maintenance. First, you need to clean the burners and the oven properly after every use. This way, the spilt food or splatters will not have time to get baked into the surface, which will only make them harder to remove.

For the stove, after letting it cool down, remove the grate and wash it with soap and water in the sink. While it is drying, get a kitchen sponge, dampen it and place a bit of dishwashing soap in it. Proceed to scrub away at the bits of food that spilt out of the pots and pans and onto the burners and the surrounding area.

For tougher bits of food that have been baked into the surface, use a bit of white vinegar mixed with some water and let it soak into the dried up nasty bits of dirt. After a while, it will have loosened up considerably.

If possible, take off the tops of the burners and scrub them with soap and water in the sink. You might also want to take a toothpick and make sure that there is no gunk stuck in the holes.

To clean the oven, especially if there are tough, baked-in bits of food on the sides, here is what you can do. Make a slurry using baking soda and a bit of water. Apply it liberally over the parts where there are tough bits of caked-on food. Pour a bit of white vinegar over the baking soda slurry.

Let the fizzy reaction run its course, which will only take a couple of seconds. You should then wipe away the loosened dirt and grime. If you have a modern oven, you can use the self-clean function. What it does is that it runs the oven on overdrive, often reaching temperatures of up to 900 degrees F.

In these high temperatures, the baked-on dirt along the sides of the oven will get disintegrated and fall off. The only caveat here is that it can get scary. Also, the inside of your RV will smell quite funky while the oven is self-cleaning.

Buying Guide

If you are a first-time buyer or looking to replace the old cooking range that you have in your RV, then you are probably worried that you might get something that is not worth the price. To prevent yourself from getting cheated off of your money, here are some of the things that you should consider when shopping for a new cooking range.

By considering these factors, you can somehow make sure that you will be happy with your purchase.

Available space – The first thing that you need to make sure of when buying an RV oven or stove is the amount of space available in your vehicle. If you are set on getting a cooking range, then you will need a space that is at least 17-inches wide. It is the smallest commercially available appliance right now.

If you are thinking of getting a countertop electric cooking station, you have to consider the depth of your countertop. There should be a couple of inches of space between the backsplash and the back of the cooker. It is a big help for proper ventilation.

Fuel options – You first need to choose what kind of fuel the cooking will be using. Choose from either gas or electric or maybe even a combination of both. One benefit of having a gas range is that the burners are more responsive. It also allows you to control the temperature quite precisely.

Moreover, you will notice that it is inexpensive to use in the long run. The only reason why you need to plug it into an electric socket is for the electronic ignition. Regarding electric ranges, you will enjoy the fact that these appliances are much easier to install. It is mainly because you do not have to deal with gas plumbing.

You just need to plug it into an electric socket that has its high amperage fuse. Electric ovens are also better than gas because they have more consistent temperatures.

Although these units are more expensive, the combination of gas and electric range provides the best of both worlds. You will be getting a gas burner stove and an electric oven in just a single unit. It will also let you get precise flame controls and an evenly heating oven.

Installation – Another thing you have to consider is how the cooking range (stove and oven) will be installed in your RV. The first option is the drop-in range. It is smaller than the other ranges, and you might need custom cabinetry to make it look like it belongs in the space provided. It does not have any bottom drawer for storage.

The other is the slide-in range. Ideally, the height of the cooktop and the height of the surrounding countertop should be the same. These units are called slide-in ranges because they slide into the space provided. As such, the sides and back are not finished as they will not be visible once you successfully installed the range.

Other RV Ovens and Stoves We Reviewed

Camp Chef Professional Barbecue Grill Box

This grill box is a handy addition to your outdoor cooking arsenal. Just slap it on your two-burner or three-burner stove, and you are all set.

Key Features:

• Heats and cooks evenly
• The lids lock in place for portability.
• Comes with a thermometer and vents for heat control

HBHOB 12-inch Gas Cooktop

If you do not have that much room in your RV or trailer, then this 12-inch drop-in stove is perfect for you.

• Comes with an electric ignition (must be plugged in)
• Has a flame-out safety feature
• Easy installation and does not take much room

Atwood Mobile Products 52933 Atwood 3 Burner

If you use an Atwood 3-burner stove, it will make cleaning the appliance a breeze.

• Cut to the perfect shape and size of the stove
• Catches all food drips and prevents baked-on food
• Highly flame-resistant

GAS ONE GS-2000 Dual Fuel Double Propane or Butane Stove

This unit is perfect for cooking both indoors and outdoors. You can cook anywhere you like depending on your mood and the weather, of course.

Key Features

• Can use either propane or butane
• Has a piezo electric safety igniter
• Each burner is capable of providing up to 8000 BTU.

Suburban 3215A 22-inch RV Gas Range

This sleek black 22-inch gas range is the perfect kitchen companion for people who seem to live full time in their RVs.

• Comes with an ample broiler space
• Porcelain-enameled oven surfaces for easy cleaning
• Three propane burners

Dometic MO0911CIS0000US Cooktop

This unit is the ultimate solution in terms of space-saving. Not only will you get a two-burner stove, but you will also have the chance to use a kitchen sink!

• Combination kitchen sink and two-burner stove
• Channeled stove for easy cleaning
• Easy installation

Ramblewood GC2-37P 2-Burner Gas Cooktop

With its minimalist design, this drop-in 2-burner stove will fit in almost all kitchen décor.

• Can use either propane or natural gas
• Comes with heavy-duty cast iron grates
• Equipped with a thermal couple and automatic shut-off valve

Atwood Mobile Products 52232 Wedgewood

This drop-in range just looks sophisticated. It is pretty easy to use and will look good in any kitchen, whether big or small.

• The front burner can go up to 9000 BTUs.
• Has a spacious broiler/oven

Avanti MKB42B Multi-Function Convection Oven with Dual Burner Cooktop

Don’t have space for an actual range cooker? The Avanti MKB42B is the all-in-one oven and electric stove that you can use.

• Large convection oven with rotisserie
• Has two electric burners on top
• Comes with precise temperature controls

Suburban 2938ABK 3-Burner Black Cooktop

This drop-in cooktop is very easy to install and a joy to use. It is perfect for RV kitchens or any place where space is a premium.

• Enamel-coated surface for easy cleaning
• Precise flame controls

RoadPro 12-Volt Portable Stove

Although not a real stove, this lunchbox-sized heater can cook simple meals. It is a must-have for the person on the go.

• Can heat up to 300 degrees F
• Plugs into any 12V lighter socket
• Can cook stews, rice, and other simple meals

Coleman Camp Oven

Although this appliance might just look like an ordinary metal box, it is still a stovetop oven and a great one at that.

• Can fit on any gas stove or grill
• Has three adjustable rack heights
• Folds flat for maximum portability

Just because you are enjoying the great outdoors, it does not instantly mean you have to compromise regarding food. When you have the best RV oven and stove, you can cook delicious dishes like you would when you were still in your home kitchen.

Having a stove and oven means that you will not be limiting yourself to just one type of cooking technique. This simple appliance will open up a lot of different eating options, thus making your RV trip all the more enjoyable.

Hi, I am Tom Hank, an RV-er since 2014. Back then, I started without much help. As you can imagine, the struggles are endless. But now, you do not have to begin your adventures knowing next to nothing about RV lives.

Son confesses to killing father after found bloody in gas station restroom

by Sophia Lesseos

SANGER, Calif. (FOX26) — A man has confessed to killing his father after he was found locked in a gas station bathroom with blood on his clothes early Wednesday morning.

[RELATED] Father shoots son during argument in Madera County

Around 3 a.m., the Sanger Police Department received a call from Fast Trip Gas Station saying a man had used the restroom but had yet to come out. Employees tried to contact the man but received no response.

When officers arrived, they broke into the bathroom to gain entry.

[RELATED] Bloody man at gas station confesses to murder, police find father dead

"Upon initial contact, he did seem emotional, distraught, somewhat erratic," said Commander Joshua Johnson from the Sanger Police Department.

That's when they found a man covered in blood, stating he killed his father.

46-year-old Gilbert Canales was arrested.

A welfare check was made at a home on on Diamond near DeWitt in Sanger.

Police say they could see a man lying on the floor with blood on his clothes.

Officers forced entry to the home, where they found 80-year-old Roel Canales, the father of the suspect, dead with multiple stab wounds.

This appears to be a crime of passion or crime from very personal, maybe from a place of anger, but we're the investigation is ongoing, and we still have a lot of work to do," said Johnson.

Officers say they also found a weapon at the home.

This is the first homicide of the year in Sanger.

Police believe this is an isolated incident.

This is still an ongoing investigation. If you have any information, contact the Sanger Police Department at (559) 875-8521.