Whether you are an avid hiker, weekend camper, or looking to cook during a romantic picnic, finding the best backpacking stove will make both tasks a breeze! We reviewed a variety of stoves that use different fuel sources, from the most compact to party sized, to find a stove that will work for just about anyone. Before we get into the reviews, though, there are a few features you should focus on when buying a backpacking stove. Let’s get started.
Most Important Backpacking Stove Attributes
Material
Choosing the right material has to do with weight and durability. Stainless steel stoves are durable, but they can sometimes be heavier to carry. Aluminum is lightweight, but may not be able to hold up heavier pots full of food.
Fuel
There are several types of fuel you can use to fuel your stove. We reviewed gas models that run on butane, propane, etc. There are also wood-burning stoves that don’t require carrying a fuel tank to save space and weight.
Flame Control
Most gas-burning stoves have fuel controls that allow you to adjust the flame and heat settings to meet your cooking requirements. Wood stoves usually come with air vents you can adjust to change the size or intensity of the flame.
Pieces
Depending on your needs, kits can be as simple or all-inclusive as you want! Some are just the stove itself, and you provide the cooking pots and utensils. Others are entire kits with everything you need to cook and eat!
Size
If you are planning to pack a lot of stuff, note the size of each backpacking stove! Some of them are small enough to fit in your pocket, and the all-inclusive kits will take up more space in your backpack.
Weight
Just like size matters, so does weight! The kits we reviewed range from a few ounces to over a pound. Choose a kit that will have everything you need, and also be light enough to carry without weighing you down.
Top 10 Backpacking Stoves
Now that you know what you’re going to need, let’s get to the reviews! We reviewed several stoves to find 10 that we think are the best backpacking stoves for sale. You should have no problem finding the right one for you! If you’re short on time, it’s not a problem! Check out our Top Pick and Budget Pick to get you started. When you have more time, definitely come back later to review the rest! Let’s dive in!
Jetboil Flash Cooking System
Features
- Material: Aluminium
- Fuel: Butane, Propane
- Flame Control: Yes
- Pieces: 5
- Size: 4.1″ x 7.1″
- Weight: 14 oz
When looking for top rated backpacking stoves, we stumbled across this great model from JetBoil. It’s a simple cooking system that comes with an aluminum cup and lid that can hold up to a liter of liquid, which is plenty for 2 people to make soup, ramen noodles, or a couple large cups of coffee. The cup also comes with a neoprene cozy with a handle, and it changes colors when hot! The burner is adjustable and comes with a tripod to keep your butane tank stable while you’re cooking on uneven surfaces. Another great feature? The burner has built-in wind guards, so you can cook in just about any weather! If you’re not a fan of instant coffee, no worries! You can even buy a French press attachment that easily fits into your cup for compact storage! We ranked this as our Top Pick because it’s simple, durable, and perfect for 2 people out on a weekend camping trip.
Etekcity Ultralight Stove
Features
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Butane, Propane
- Flame Control: Yes
- Pieces: 2
- Size: 3.5″ x 1.8″ x 2.3″
- Weight: 4.8 oz
Our pick for the best cheap backpacking stove comes from Etekcity, and it is also our favorite for a light backpacking stove! Inside the carrying case, it’s small enough to fit in your pocket! This aluminum and stainless steel stove connects easily to 7/16 thread butane canisters, which is great because you don’t have to use a specific model or brand. You can adjust the flame to suit your needs, which is efficient, less wasteful, and better for the environment. The base has anti-slip arms that fold out to stabilize whatever cup or pot you plan to place on top. It also adheres to the “leave no waste” principles that various U.S. parks organizations created to ensure clean burning with no soot or debris left over to dispose of. If you want a stove that’s easy to set up, good for the environment, and won’t add extra weight to your backpack, we highly recommend this one for your camping kit!
Ohuhu Backpacking Stove
Features
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Wood
- Flame Control: No
- Pieces: 6
- Size: 5.3″ x 5.3″ x 3″
- Weight: 14.2 oz
If you prefer using a wood stove to one that uses butane or alcohol, we liked this model from Ohuhu for backpacking, picnics, and small barbecues! Our favorite feature is the 3-arm support system, which you can adjust to fit smaller or larger pots securely. You don’t have to worry about larger pots tipping over in the wind, or cooking safely on uneven surfaces like thick grass or gravel! For a wood-burning stove, it’s also really lightweight and compact, making it great to throw in your kit without weighing you down. Since it doesn’t require a butane tank or alcohol, you only carry what you truly need! There also won’t be any harmful fumes, which is good for both campers and the environment. It comes with a convenient mesh bag to keep everything organized and secure in your backpack. For an easy-to-use, wood-burning stove, we highly recommend this one to use with all of your camping pots, pans, and cups!
Bisgear Backpacking Stove
Features
- Material: Aluminium
- Fuel: Butane, Propane
- Flame Control: Yes
- Pieces: 12
- Size: 8.46″ x 8″
- Weight: 19.2 oz
Whether you are a new camper or looking to upgrade your kit, Bisgear makes an excellent set for your next solo camping trip! This 12-piece set comes with everything you need to cook and eat. The kit includes a set of foldable cutlery, 2 sizes of nonstick pots, corkscrew, mini stove, tripod for butane tank, dishcloth, carabiner, and bag to store everything in! We like that the mini stove allows you to adjust the flame to get just the right amount of heat you need to cook soups, coffee, and whatever else you’d like. It also comes with a small tripod to keep the butane tank stable, which is a huge plus! Not only does it keep your kit stable on tough surfaces like grass, it also helps prevent the whole kit from tipping over and causing a ground fire! We think this would make a great gift for the camper, hiker, fisherman, or weekend adventurer in your life!
kampMATE WoodFlame Stove
Features
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Wood
- Flame Control: No
- Pieces: 5
- Size: 6″ x 6″ x 7″
- Weight: 17.6 oz
Want a wood stove that’s both huge and stores easily in your backpack or emergency preparedness kit? This wood stove from kampMATE is a great choice because it creates a large amount of flame and heat, and it is stable enough to place a large pot or pan on top. You can cook for several people with ease without needing to bring a large butane-fueled grill! No more fighting over who has to carry the extra weight from a full grill and tank! Oh, and here’s the best part – it folds up completely flat! It will fit against the side or bottom of your bag, leaving you with less wasted space! This means more room for what matters – snacks (or an extra pair of socks)! It’s incredibly easy to set up, tear down, and keep clean. If you’re taking the family camping or planning a weekend trip with some friends, bring this stove to cook a feast for a crowd!
MSR Whisperlite Liquid-Fuel Stove
Features
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Gas
- Flame Control: Yes
- Pieces: 5
- Size: 6″ x 6″ x 8″
- Weight: 11 oz
On our hunt for the best lightweight backpacking stove, we found the MSR Whisperlite stove on the top of our list. It’s a compact, lightweight stove that attaches to a variety of liquid fuel sources. This kit comes with an adapter for white gas, but you can buy adapters to use it with butane, kerosene, and even gasoline! You have the ability to control which fuel source you want to bring with you on your trip, depending on the elevation, weather, and weight. We enjoy the versatility this stove has to offer, and we’re also huge fans of the size! Its wide base and cooking surface make it perfect for small and large pots alike, keeping everything off the ground and stable, even on grass! Cleaning is a cinch, too – when cool, shake it off and pack it up! For the more advanced adventurer in your life, we think this makes a great gift or upgrade to their camping kit!
Reehut Ultralight Camp Stove
Features
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Butane, Propane
- Flame Control: Yes
- Pieces: 2
- Size: 1.57″ x 2.17″ x 3.15
- Weight: 4 oz
Another super lightweight stove comes to us from Reehut, who made a stove so small that it’s roughly the size of a pack of cigarettes! The Piezo ignition will light quickly and under even the worst conditions, which is great because it means less wasted fuel over time. The flame controller allows you to control the heat, and the cooking base folds out to fit pots up to about 8” in diameter. This is plenty large enough to cook for 1-3 people, and can withstand your heavier pots full of yummy soups and stews! We also like that this stove is compatible with any 7/16 thread single butane or butane-propane tank. You can choose what you bring to suit your needs, from a smaller tank for solo trips to a larger tank suitable for the family. To save space, this stove folds up into a carrying case that you could fit in your pocket – a major plus when packing light!
VINIDA Camping Stove
Features
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Wood
- Flame Control: No
- Pieces: 5
- Size: 4″ x 5.1″
- Weight: 9.17 oz
While scouring backpacking stove reviews, we found this incredibly lightweight, durable wood stove from VINIDIA! This stainless steel stove comes in 4 parts that are a piece of cake to build, and even easier to collapse and store in your backpack. Since it’s a wood-burning stove, you don’t have to worry about packing an extra fuel source – just use the leaves, twigs, and wood you find out on your journey! This is also a great idea to pack when you are traveling to your next adventure because you can pack safely in your airplane luggage. No worries about violating TSA guidelines, or needing to hunt down fuel tanks when you arrive at your destination! This is the perfect size for a solo camper’s pots and pans, but will also easily hold up heavier pots for feeding a couple friends, too! At just over half a pound, you can clip this to your bag without adding much bulk to your kit!
MSR Ultralight Backpacking Stove
Features
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Butane, Propane
- Flame Control: Yes
- Pieces: 2
- Size: 2″ x 2″ x 3″
- Weight: 2.6 oz
The lightest backpacking stove we reviewed comes to us from MSR, a favorite brand among hikers, backpackers, and adventure seekers alike! It only weighs a miniscule 2.6 ounces, which you will barely notice in your backpack! You can easily hook this up to most self-sealing threaded fuel canisters, which is a must when traveling around the world! Instead of carrying extra adapters, this should work with fuel tanks found in most countries! We like that the pot supports are serrated, meaning this will work on so many sizes – from small solo pots and cups to mid-size pots for two! Since there is no priming or pressurizing required, you can start cooking as soon as you hook up the fuel tank and light it up! It only takes 3.5 minutes to heat up a liter of water, so you can grab that morning coffee or some much-needed dinner without the wait! We think this makes a great gift for any camper!
TOMSHOO Mini Camping Stove
Features
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Butane, Propane
- Flame Control: Yes
- Pieces: 5
- Size: 4.9″ x 4.9″ x 6.7″
- Weight: 16 oz
The last product we reviewed for our backpack stove buying guide is a basic kit from TOMSHOO. It comes with a mini stove with carrying case, pot, pan, and mesh bag to keep everything organized. You could easily add accessories like cutlery, cleaning cloth, or can opener to the bag without weighing it down too much! The small size is perfect for a solo hiking trip or camping trip, or a romantic picnic on the beach for two. The mini stove is sturdy and can withstand a lot of heat and weight, making it great for coffee or a heavy stew! It also folds up so small that you could fit it in your pocket! The silicone covers on the pot and pan’s handles is also a major plus to reduce the chance of burning your hands while cooking. We think this mini stove kit would make a great gift for just about anyone: hikers, campers, picnickers, and party hosts!