Open Air Camp Kitchen: Quick Guide To Camping Stoves & Fuel Options

Text by Jonathan; images by Angus Whitby

Need help choosing a camping stove? Yesterday we brought you an in-depth look at gas stoves. Today, as part of our series on all things camp kitchen, we’ve put together a handy guide to the alternative camping stoves and fuels you could choose.

Most stoves only work with a single type of fuel, and different fuels have different strengths and weaknesses, so you’ll first need to consider which type you want to use. If you want to be able to use your stove anywhere and in any conditions, a multi-fuel stove is more versatile, but can be heavier and more expensive. Otherwise, you’ll need to pick which is the most suited to your needs.

• Gas Stoves
• Liquid Fuel Stoves
• Alcohol (Methylated Spirits) Stoves
• Solid Fuel Stoves
• Wood Stoves

Canister Gas Stoves

Fuel types include Propane, Butane and IsoButane.

Best for: Ease and range of use

Advantages	Drawbacks
Easy to use	Not widely available in remote places, including southern and eastern Europe
Very quick	Different types of canister valve are not cross-compatible
Requires little maintenance	Performance diminishes in cold weather (winter-specific gas mixes are available)
Easy to find gas in the UK	Difficult to recycle empty canisters
Flames can be easily regulated
Stoves are usually light and compact in design

Liquid Fuel Stoves

Fuel types include Petrol, White Gas, Kerosene and Diesel

Best for: Cold weather and/or remote destinations.

Advantages	Drawbacks
Widely available in many countries	Stoves tend to be heavier
Some stoves can work with different types of liquid fuel	More complicated than gas
Works comparatively well at low temperatures and high altitude	Stoves need to be well-maintained
Fuel is cheaper than gas	Initial cost for stove and fuel bottle may be higher

Alcohol (Methylated Spirits) Stoves

Fuel types include methylated spirits (in the UK) or pure ethanol (e.g. in the USA). The classic alcohol stove in the UK is the Trangia, but they can be made out of aluminium cans!

Best for: Lightweight enthusiasts.

Advantages	Drawbacks
Fuel widely available	Slow cooking time
Stoves can be extremely light and compact	Struggle in windy or cold weather
Stoves can be very cheap	Harder to simmer/regulate flames
Home-made “Coke can” stoves are simple to make	Hard to judge the exact amount of fuel needed, or to refill the stove if it goes out too soon

Solid Fuel Stoves

Fuel types include Hexamine or Esbit tablets.

Best for: Simplicity.

Advantages	Drawbacks
Stoves are compact and light	Slow to cook
Easy to use	Not great in wind or rain
Cheap stoves	Fuel tablets can be expensive and not always widely stocked
	Can’t control the flames
	Can produce a slightly unpleasant smell and leave a sticky residue on the bottom of pans

Wood Stoves

Best for: Cost and ambiance.

Advantages	Drawbacks
No need to carry fuel	Relies on fuel being available – don’t cut down live wood; fallen/dead branches can be important wildlife habitats
Fuel is free (if you can find it)	Takes effort to gather enough fuel
Potentially less impact than other fuels	Wet kindling is hard to light
Nice ambience and aroma from wood fire	Slow cooking times
Fire provides some heat to you	Can’t use in areas with a risk of fire

There you have it! We hope you’ve enjoyed our quick guide to the different types of camping stove and fuel commonly available. If you have any more questions, we’d be only too happy to provide assistance. You’ll hopefully soon be able to visit us again in person at our store on Green Street, Cambridge; in the meantime you can contact us by calling, emailing or using LiveChat.

Thanks for reading!