Stove choice is a fuel choice. Canister stoves are light and simple; white gas works in cold and at altitude; propane is cheap per hour at a car campsite; multi-burner models exist because one burner cannot cook a family meal. Pick the fuel that matches your coldest, highest, and longest trip, then choose the burner count.
Fuel types
| Fuel | Cold performance | Availability | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isobutane canister | Good to 20 °F, poor below | Outdoor shops | $1–2 |
| Propane | Good to −40 °F | Hardware stores, campgrounds | $1.50–3 |
| White gas | Excellent, any temperature | Outdoor shops, some hardware | $2–3 |
| Alcohol | Fair, slow | Hardware, pharmacies | $1–2 |
| Wood (rocket) | N/A | On site | $0 |
Butane/propane mixes lose pressure in cold. Below 20 °F, invert the canister or switch to white gas.
Burn time
| Stove | Fuel load | Burn time |
|---|---|---|
| Canister, 100 g | 100 g | 45–60 min |
| Canister, 230 g | 230 g | 90–110 min |
| Canister, 450 g | 450 g | 180–220 min |
| White gas, 600 ml | 600 ml | 90–120 min |
| Propane, 1 lb cylinder | 454 g | 2.5–4 hours |
| Two-burner propane | 20 lb tank | 20–30 hours |
Burn time falls in wind and cold. Budget 30% more fuel for a winter trip and 20% more for an exposed site.
Boil time
| Stove | 1 L boil | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ultralight canister | 3–4 min | Calm conditions |
| Standard canister | 3.5–5 min | Most common |
| White gas | 3–5 min | Consistent in cold |
| Two-burner propane | 5–8 min | Slower, wider flame |
| Alcohol | 8–12 min | Slow, silent |
Boil time is a calm-day figure. In wind without a screen, add 50–100%.
Weight
| Type | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Ultralight canister | 2–4 oz | Solo backpacking |
| Standard canister + pot | 12–20 oz | Two-person backpacking |
| White gas | 20–32 oz | Cold, altitude, groups |
| Two-burner propane | 10–20 lb | Car camping, family |
| Single propane | 4–8 lb | Car camping, one pot |
The stove is rarely the heaviest item; the fuel and cookware usually are. Weigh the full system, not the burner.
Wind resistance
| Design | Performance |
|---|---|
| Integrated pot system | Best |
| Remote canister with windscreen | Very good |
| Upright canister | Fair |
| Two-burner with lid | Good |
| Alcohol | Poor |
A $10 foil windscreen improves any upright canister stove more than upgrading the stove does. Never fully enclose a canister stove — overheating the canister is dangerous.
Cookware compatibility
| Stove | Pot size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ultralight canister | 0.7–1.5 L | Small pots only |
| Standard canister | 1–2 L | Stable enough |
| White gas | 1–4 L | Wide flame |
| Two-burner | Two 8–12 in pots | Family meals |
| Alcohol | 1–2 L | Slow, low flame |
Wide pots on a narrow burner lose heat around the sides. Match pot diameter to flame spread; a 10 in pot on a 3 in burner wastes fuel.
Refuel availability
| Fuel | Where to refill |
|---|---|
| Canister | Outdoor shops; not refillable, recycle empty |
| Propane | Hardware stores, campgrounds, tank exchange |
| White gas | Hardware stores, some gas stations |
| Alcohol | Pharmacies, hardware |
Canisters cannot be refilled legally or safely. Plan the number of canisters from burn time, and carry one spare for trips over three nights.
Fuel safety
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| Never refuel a hot stove | Flash fire |
| Check the O-ring before every trip | Most leaks start there |
| Store fuel outside the tent | Vapour accumulates |
| Cook outside the tent | Carbon monoxide |
| Let a canister reach room temperature before use | Restores pressure |
| Dispose of empty canisters at recycling, punctured | Not in camp trash |
Carbon monoxide is the risk people underestimate. A stove burning inside a tent can kill before the tent feels warm.
Which stove for which trip
| Trip | Stove |
|---|---|
| Solo backpacking, summer | Ultralight canister |
| Two people, three seasons | Standard canister + 1.5 L pot |
| Winter or altitude | White gas, or canister inverted |
| Car camping, one pot | Single propane |
| Family, two pots | Two-burner propane |
| Basecamp, group cooking | Two-burner + 20 lb tank |
Match the stove to the meal, not to the trip’s reputation. A two-burner is a burden on a backpacking trip and a joy at a car campsite with four people.
Maintenance that prevents failure
| Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Check the O-ring | Every trip |
| Clean the burner ports | Every 5–10 uses |
| Empty and dry the fuel line | Before storage |
| Replace the canister seal | Yearly |
| Store without fuel in the line | Always |
A stove that will not light is usually a dirty jet or a dry O-ring, not a failed burner. Carry a spare O-ring; it costs less than a dollar and it is the most common field failure.
Fuel for a group
| Group size | Stove | Fuel per day |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Canister | 100–230 g |
| 3–4 | Canister or two-burner | 230–450 g |
| 5–6 | Two-burner propane | 1–2 lb |
| 7+ | Two-burner + 20 lb tank | 2–3 lb |
Group cooking is a throughput problem, not a heat problem. Two burners halve the time to dinner, which matters more than boil speed when six people are waiting.
Storage
Store canisters upright, away from heat, and never in a vehicle that sits in the sun. A canister left in a hot car can vent or rupture.
Price
| Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Ultralight canister | $40–70 |
| Standard canister | $50–90 |
| Integrated system | $130–200 |
| White gas | $90–150 |
| Single propane | $40–80 |
| Two-burner propane | $80–180 |
Where to go next
For cooking without an oven, see the no-oven cooking guide; for kitchen kit, the kitchen essentials guide; for backpacking stoves specifically, the backpacking stove guide.
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