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Portable Camping Stoves And Usage Of Them

You decided to go camping or you just want to go on a trekking trip to explore the great outdoors. They are both awesome ideas to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

But if you want to be able to eat freshly cooked meals, you will have to go with one of those portable camping stoves.

There are different types of portable camping stoves. The one you go for will depend on your camping plans. Is it just you or is it a group? Does your camping site allow building fires? These questions and more need to be considered in order to choose a suitable camping stove.

Portable camping stoves are basically meant for cooking, but some are more useful than others. Below we explore the common portable camping stoves available.

Portable gas burner

This type is quite common and ideal for campsites that won’t let you build a fire.

There is the gas stove that has just one burner. The gas canister is concealed on the side where the burner control is. This is a great option for anyone camping solo or with one other person. These types are mostly self-igniting, you will just need to turn the knob or push it in to get it to ignite.

Be sure not to use an oversized pan so the heat does not go back down causing the canister to overheat. And be sure to disconnect the gas canister when you are not using it.

The double burner gas stove is ideal for group campers as it can prepare larger meals faster. It can even be used for family events and front-country hangouts.

It also uses pressurized propane gas and is fitted with safety features. They are easy to clean and built rugged.

One issue you might have is that they are not exactly compact and are a bit on the heavy side. So, these double burner portable camp stoves are only ideal if you will be driving to your campsite.

Non-Pressurized Liquid Stoves

These are portable stoves that use liquid fuels to keep the fire burning. The fuel goes into a canister that is connected to the burner. They are available in several designs from different manufacturers.

A certain brand has a pot attached to its burner so it can be used to boil water for coffee or anything else you might need hot water for.

You will often find other lightweight designs of non-pressurized liquid fuel that have stands for pots and pans. Just be sure to follow the weight capacity of the stove so you don’t overload it.

Most of these designs are meant for solo camping, as part of an emergency kit, or backpacking. They have collapsible stands and are generally lightweight.

Pressurized Liquid Stoves

These types of portable stoves often come with a canister to hold the pressurized fuel. There is a pipe feeding the fuel into the burner to keep things working.

Some manufacturers of these types of stoves offer an all-in-one package. They include the stove system, pots, and pans. Some even let you connect one unit to another to make multiple burner stoves.

They are even designed to be attractive and some have handles to help carry around.

Some designs are quite simple. Just the pressurized fuel canister and the burner. If you are looking for a compact stove that is easy to store, one of those simple designs might just be what you need.

Solar Stoves

One of the best portable camping stove type is the solar stove. It requires no other type of fuel than, you guessed right, the sun.

These stoves come in different designs, shapes, and sizes. They cook fast and don’t pollute the environment.

Another good great thing about solar stoves is that they retain most of the nutrient in your food, cook evenly; give your food better texture and great taste.

A number of these solar stoves allow you cook anything. Some even come with accessories that let you bake, grill, fry, etc.

Windscreens

If you want to be extra traditional and don’t mind going into the woods to fetch twigs, these minimalist designs will be great for you.

They are often made with folding screens so the wind won’t topple your dinner over. The screens are strong enough to hold up your pot or whatever container you want to cook in.

The space in front is where you place your twigs, barks, or grass and light up to create the fire that does the work.

It is important that you’re careful when using this type of portable camping stove as it does not have any safety precaution to prevent the fire from running amok.

Mistakes that lead to forest fires are the reason some campsites do not allow visitors build their own fires.
One good thing about this portable stove type is that you can even create one by yourself!

It is best used when backpacking as it does not take much space to store. It will easily fit into your bag.

The Minimalist

As the name implies, these types of camping stoves are small. Incredibly enough, they are about pocket-sized. They are lightweight and collapsible so they don’t take much to deploy.

With an insignificant weight and storage space, this is a perfect fit for portable emergency kits.

In case you wondering, there is a small space that houses the fuel tablet that sustains the fire. The tablet is non-toxic, will not leave ash residue, and is environmentally safe.

As you must have guessed, this tiny stove also produces a rather tiny fire, hence low heat. So, it will take a while longer to boil water. And you can forget about cooking anything.

But in cases of emergency where you need some fire, this will definitely come in handy.

Whichever portable camping stove you end up deciding on, just be sure it serves the purpose you need it for. And most importantly, do whatever it takes to keep yourself and the environment safe.

We leave you with the following safety tips which are applicable to whatever type of stove you are using.

  • Tents are mostly made with inflammable materials. So, the last thing you want to do is cook inside it. Even when cooking outside, make sure you are far from your tent and the wind is not blowing towards the tent. That way, the tiny flares from burning wood will not stray towards the tent
  • When cooking with any portable camping stove, be sure it is placed on an evenly flat surface. You don’t want to eat your breakfast off the floor, or worst still, start a fire
  • Keep your stove in top condition and check for any damage before putting it in use. If you suspect it might be damaged in any way, do not use
  • Clean your stoves after every use and store, especially the canisters, in a cool dry place
  • There are times you might be in a hurry, but it is better safe than sorry. You should always let your stove cool down before you detach the canister
  • Finally, whatever you do, don’t modify the stove

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