Guide to buying Camping Stoves
Camping Stoves
A good stove to take camping with you is a very important piece of the camping gear jigsaw when going on holiday. As such there and there are many different factors you need to take into account before making a final purchase.
Stoves come in a wide range of different shapes and sizes and prices, from the very cheap to the very expensive. While you can walk away with everything including the kitchen sink and the microwave from the camping store, a look at your forthcoming travelling conditions, camping locations and space in the vehicle/rucksack need to be looked at before taking the plunge.
Factors to look at when buying a stove:
- Do I need a portable camping stove
On many campsites these days there are good cooking facilities which solve your problem straight away, why waste money and car space.
If you are going walking in the hills then a stove and equipment can be very heavy, would you be better off carrying dry, cold food if you're going for anything up to a week?
- Size/Weight Of the Stove
Do you need a large multi-burner stove or a single burner portable camping gaz version? If its only you who's going to be on the receiving end of the food then the single burner stoves are an excellent solution because they are very portable and just about every camping shop anywhere in the world sells the little bottles of gas they require.
If you're looking for the ultimate in portability then the trangia stove is the best solution as it combines a methanol burner with all the pots and pans you need. It isn't as civilised but when you're in the middle of nowhere it provides a great solution. If you're going to be carrying it then weight of not only the stove but also the utensils to cook with it becomes a large factor. This is where the trangia comes in handy as it provides everything in a little neat package.
- Multi burner stoves
These are great if you've got a car/trailer and are cooking for more than one, they allow you to cook proper meals with the hassle of being stuck in the camp kitchen, fighting for the remaining hob. When buying one think about what you'll be cooking on it and how many rings you'll need and whether you will want a grill. If you've room to spare in the car/trailer and you've got a family then get the biggest you can afford as you'll soon be needing the hobs and grill at the same time. Just be aware of the need to buy a big gas cylinder to be able to power it.
- Wind Breaks
If you've gone for a multi-burner portable stove (good for the family) then always get one with a three sided wind break, and if possible take an extra wind-break with you. Beach wind breaks do a great job here!
Without that wind protection the time it takes to cook will go right up and if it's really windy you may be phoning the local Chinese before you know it
If you take into account those points then you should have bought a quality stove that does the job for you and/or your family. Just make sure you don't end up with a something that's so big it doesn't go in the boot of the car or you'll end up having to buy a camping stove thats fits.
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