Wouldn’t it be nice if there was one compact and lightweight stove that could be used for everything? The fact is, there isn’t a lightweight hiking stove that performs perfectly in every climate and activity – there will always be some compromises that need to be made.
With four kinds of stoves available – canister, integrated canisters, ethanol and liquid fuel stoves, each with their own pros and cons, it can be tricky to figure out which one will suit your needs. However, there is a process that will help you narrow down your options when choosing a single stove that will complement your outdoor adventures.
We will cover all the questions you should ask yourself when choosing a stove, and give you a rundown on each style of stove below – so keep reading for all the details.
Once you know what to look for, you can narrow down your choice. Image: BioLite
Consider these things when deciding what lightweight stove to choose:
- What are you cooking? Are you a gourmet camp chef, or do you like the convenience of freeze-dried/dehydrated food?
- What environment will you be using it in? Target your choice to suit the climate in which you will be undertaking most of your adventures.
- Which fuel will you use? Think about where you are travelling and which types of fuel may or may not be available. It’s also worth researching whether the area observes restrictions over summer due to fire danger season as liquid fuel stoves may not be permitted.
Think about your fuel, environment, and types of meals you’ll cook. Image: Sea to Summit
1. Canister stoves
These are the most popular, fuss-free stoves, and are probably what the majority of people picture when they think of a hiking stove. They use resealable gas canisters with Lindal valves which have a common thread and are interchangeable between brands.
Pros
- They are lightweight and compact
- Simple and easy to use
- Provide good heat control
- Very affordable
- Little to no maintenance
Cons
- Poor performance in the cold (unless regulated or inverted)
- You need to carry the empty canisters with you when hiking
- The upright models are not as stable
- It can be difficult to gauge the remaining fuel level
- Fuel canisters can be hard to find in some areas of the world, so they’re not ideal for international use
Best for
These suit most users who need a versatile, straightforward stove for all types of cooking and activities in warmer environments.
Canister stoves are easy to use for all-around use. Image: JetBoil
2. Integrated canister stove
Utilising the same canisters with a Lindal valve, all-in-one stoves incorporate a cooking pot and burner in the same unit. They provide quick and efficient boiling of water and usually incorporate windbreaks in their design.
Pros
- Fuel efficient
- Quick boil times
- Easy to set up and pack up
- Reasonable performance in cold conditions
Cons
- Not as versatile as you cannot simmer with them
- You are not able to use other cooksets with it
- Can be on the pricey side in comparison to other styles of stoves
Best for
Integrated canister stoves are ideal for people who travel fast and light and want to boil water for beverages and dehydrated or freeze-dried meals.
An all-in-one canister stove is perfect for those travelling light. Image: JetBoil
3. Metho (ethanol) stoves
These could be categorised under liquid fuel stoves, but metho stoves deserve a category of their own on account of their uniqueness and simplicity.
Pros
- Reliable and safe
- Durable as they have no moving parts
- Usually includes all pots, pans and windbreaks that you might need
- Performs in most conditions
- Burns silently
- Uses cheap fuel that’s readily available
Cons
- Slower boil time
- Bulky when purchased as a package with pots and pans
- Usage may be restricted during fire danger season
Best for
These are a good all-around option for people who are happy to wait a little longer for their coffee and don’t mind the bulk of a stove and pot package. It’s one for the traveller who prioritises simplicity and reliability from their gear.
These are a classic and reliable design. Image: Trangia
4. Liquid fuel stove
These stoves burn in any condition and can use a wide variety of fuels. They are a little fussier to use and maintain, but some of us find that therapeutic!
Pros
- Perform even in alpine environments
- No empty canisters to carry out
- Inexpensive fuel
- Easy to gauge fuel level
- Some run on a variety of fuels (diesel, kerosene, unleaded)
- More environmentally friendly as fuel bottles are reusable
Cons
- Heavier than canister options
- Require priming
- Can be on the expensive side
- Require the purchase of fuel bottle
- Need to be maintained
- Usage may be restricted during fire danger season
Best for
Those who spend their time in particularly cold environments, or who travel remotely and need to utilise whatever fuel is available, or, if you are like me, just want one because it looks cool. Some come with a simmer control making them ideal for group cooking. They are also more eco-friendly as you can refill the fuel bottle over and over instead of throwing away empty gas canisters.
When travelling remotely or in cold climates, a liquid fuel stove is ideal. Image: MSR
Knowing the pros and cons for each stove type will help you to narrow down your selection, however, there are still further considerations within each category.
Hopefully, this makes the process a little easier and you find the perfect stove for your adventures.
What’s the best lightweight stove you’ve ever used?
About the writer...
Trekker, surfer, climber, mountain biker, runner, camper. Participator in most things… master of none.
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Combine a trangia with a multifuel stove such as the edelrid hexon. You then have a stove and cookset capable of using alcohol, canister gas, petrol/white gas and kero. Built in windshield, pots and multi fuel.
You can always find local equivalents of Shellite/Coleman fluid, etc wherever you go around the world in any environment and other solvents work at a pinch. For a the small amount of care/maintenance these liquid stoves (Primus, MSR, etc) are brilliant.
Metho/ethanol (Trangia and copies) stoves 2nd choice but low calorific value flame and crappy flame control mitigate against.
Cannister stoves – last choice – lazy and quick for cuppa but big enviro load, variability in gas mix and packing out non-crushable empties is a pain.
But what the hell – buy one for each application!
I think there are many people that feel a bit hesitant over liquid fuel stoves, Chris. Mainly because of the handling of fuel, but it’s worth taking the time to gain confidence with them because as you say, they’re brilliant!
I’m with you, one for each application and you’ve got yourself sorted! 🙂
Very helpful summary Ben.
I used a liquid-fuel stove (Optimus Nova) when living in Mongolia because gas canisters were unavailable (and transporting by air is illegal). Unleaded petrol is easily obtained, cheap and clean burning. And easy to start even in very cold weather.
Otherwise, there is a good range of gas canister fuelled stoves for a vast majority of AU hiking situations, as you’ve suggested.
Thanks,
GobiOne
Great to hear of your experiences with liquid fuel, GobiOne! Mongolia would have been an incredible experience and yes, in very cold weather, liquid fuel is definitely the way to go. Cheers mate
I have used the Biolite stove on remote trips in PNG. It certainly works well as a stove where it is hard to obtain fuel. But the USB battery charging was extremely slow. I would not buy it for the charging function – just for the fuel issue.
Excellent article.
For years I have been using an MSR Pocket Rocket gas stove (for gas canister) matched to titanium billy for bushwalking in TAS and cross-country skiing in KNP because it is the most lightweight and reliable stove. One issue not mentioned, perhaps for legal reasons, is that if you are forced to cook in a tent vestibule by severe weather, there is a risk with liquid fuel stoves of a flame flare setting fire to the tent fly. I have never had this problem with the gas canister stove.
For sea kayak trips I used a trangia. Simple, robust and no sharp edges.
Bicycle touring we use a trangia burner that drops into a stove I machined from aluminium tube and the assembly rides inside a small aluminium billy.
We use Coleman dual fuel stoves for the regular extended black outs we get here in rural NSW.
Used a trangia in Antarctica but takes a bit to get the metho lit.
Esbit type stoves? Solid fuel tablets?
Great point Doug, thanks for the feedback! We only carry one of these stoves in our range and they sit in our ‘first aid and survival’ category on the website so they can be easy to forget about. You can certainly use these for hiking, we just find them more popular for emergency use or as a backup cooking option.
would love to know the pro’s and con’s of the Biolite equiptment, im considering switching from gas to the biolite just for the recharging benifits alone ( recharges camera’s, power banks, phones etc etc ), only 2 problems i can see with it though is 1, its a touch on the heavy side and 2. not all places alow you to burn wood and only allow gas fires, whats your thoughts?
Hey Pete,
You’ve touched on both considerations I would raise to any customer asking about these stoves, weight and the fuel you use. The Biolite CampStove has an onboard battery which will give you roughly a full charge for an average smartphone, using the stove will top up the onboard battery but you would have to burn continuously for some time to charge the onboard battery from empty to full, and you would use a lot of fuel.
I was unable to find any information on exactly how long this would take. I think that if you are charging a number of batteries, then a solar set-up may be a better option as you can utilise the suns power for 8+ hours a day rather than just 5-10 minutes of stove burn time once or twice a day.
I’d suggest weighing up the combination of a solar set up with a portable power bank (check out the Goal Zero products) and a lightweight gas stove, versus the Biolite Campstove. I hope my opinions here help.
All good advice! We actually have all the stoves (and more) pictured in this story. The Trangia remains one of the most versatile and useful for us, and comes with a large variety of pots and even a little kettle for anywhere, compared to some stoves which need specific canisters.
The Jetboil is great for day hikes when you need a cuppa, though the hiker in the family finds it way too bulky for hiking/camping trips, and the accessories are very expensive.
Our MSR Microrocket Stove is a great purchase too, and very small and extremely lightweight. For hikers where weight is analyzed in depth, then this would be the choice for us.
Thanks for your input Annie. the Microrocket is relatively new to the MSR range i believe, and I don’t have much experience or feedback on its performance, so its good to hear from someone who has used it in the field.
We have been using the MSR Microrocket since February 2012 – its the stove that family hiker is taking on the Overland Track due to its lightweight and efficiency on a long trek.