Portable butane stoves are cheap, they can be lightweight and easy to carry, and they allow you to cook a whole host of meals while you’re camping. They’re an essential item to bring camping in a tent.
What is a butane stove? What should you look for in a portable butane stove, and how can you tell if they’re safe enough to use?
The bottom line up front: we think it’s well worth checking out the . It’s ideal if you’re cooking for a crowd, and it’s robust with good safety features.
We also like:
- Gas ONE GS-100 – a lightweight, good value choice that is great for backpackers
- Martin Outdoor Heavy-Duty Portable Butane Stove – a durable stove ideal for tougher conditions
Today we’ll be looking at:
- What a butane stove is
- What main features you should look for when buying a portable butane stove
- Our top picks this year, including their key features, pros, and cons.
- The most frequently asked questions, including safety tips
- What we like about our top picks
Table of Contents
- The Best Portable Butane Stoves Compared
- What is a Butane Stove?
- What to Look for in a Portable Butane Stove
- Top 5 Portable Butane Stoves
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Our Final Thoughts – Which Portable Butane Stove is the Winner?
Let’s start by looking at how our top choices compare to each other.
The Best Portable Butane Stoves Compared
What is a Butane Stove?
A portable butane stove is a small stove, typically with one burner. They are fueled by small gas canisters.
Butane is liquified petroleum gas. It has the advantage over other types of gas (like propane) in that it reaches high temperatures quickly, and it is a little more cost-effective. The downside is it doesn’t flow as well in freezing temperatures, so if you’re camping out in the cold, you might want to look at a propane stove instead.
Portable butane stoves are ideal for camping and traveling.
What to Look for in a Portable Butane Stove
If you’re looking for a new portable stove, here are a few of the key features you’ll need to consider:
Temperature Control
You may see the measurement BTU – this stands for British Thermal Unit. The higher the number, the quicker your stove can reach maximum temperatures. Some stoves can go up to 15,000 BTU. You should be able to control the temperature using a dial, allowing you to heat food gently, as well as dialing it up to the max.
Size and Weight
If you’re tight on space, it’s well worth looking at the size of your stove once packed into their case. Most stoves come with a carrying case to protect them during transit, and looking at the size of the case can help you figure out if you have enough room to carry it.
You can also look at the weight, which is especially important if you need to fit your stove into a backpack to be carried for long periods of time (check out REI Co-op’s guide on Meal Planning for Backpackers for more tips on this).
Fuel Efficiency
Butane has the advantage of being a cheap fuel, but it’s also the least efficient, meaning you’ll burn through it quicker. It has the highest boiling point, meaning it will take more fuel to reach the same temperatures as other types of gas, like propane or isobutane.
However, some butane stoves are more fuel-efficient than others and are able to reach hotter temperatures faster. If you want to keep costs down, look for one that states ‘fuel efficient’ as a feature.
Safety Features
Safety features are obviously very important when it comes to portable butane stoves. Look for features like:
- Stable legs/non-slip feet – to stop your stove from falling over during use
- Automatic shut-off – this shuts off the stove when it reaches a certain pressure
- Wind guard – to protect the flames from being blown out
- Automatic starter – this prevents you from having to light it using a firelighter or a match
It’s important to stay safe when using gas-powered stoves – Mountain Warehouse has a guide on Using a Camping Stove which goes into this in more detail.
Extra Features
Some stoves also come with handy extra features to make your life a bit easier on the go. These can include removable drip trays for easy cleaning, portable baking trays, and extendable legs for easy grilling.
Top 5 Portable Butane Stoves
Here are our top 5 portable butane stoves. We’ve gone for a range of styles and features, so you should be able to find one that suits your needs!
Chef-Master 90235 – Good All-Rounder
Key Features
- Color: Grey
- Dimensions: 13 x 11 x 4 Inches (33 x 28 x 10 Centimeters)
- Materials: Brass
- Max BTU: 12,000
- Number of Burners: 1
- Weight: 25.9 Pounds (11.74 Kilograms)
The Chef-Master 90235 is a good all-rounder, and a handy, portable stove to take camping. It packs neatly into a protective hard case, and it comes in a variety of models, from 7,650 all the way through to 15,000 BTU. It’s a simple stove with a single burner, and no legs, so you’ll need a small table or a safe surface to put it on.
It has an easy-to-use heat dial, a wind guard, a pressure sensor (which shuts off the stove the moment the pressure reaches a certain level), and electric ignition, saving you the trouble of using a firelighter. It’s a good stove in terms of safety measures.
It’s also fairly fuel-efficient, which is great – you won’t burn through gas canisters too quickly. It doesn’t really have much in the way of extra features, however.
Pros
- Compact and simple
- Lots of safety features
- Fuel-efficient
Cons
- Lacks extra features
- Doesn’t come with standing legs
Gas ONE GS-1000 – Best Value
Key Features
- Color: Black
- Dimensions: 13.5 x 11.2 x 4.4 Inches (36 x 28 x 10 Centimeters)
- Materials: Metal, enamel
- Max BTU: 7,650
- Number of Burners: 1
- Weight: 3.1 Pounds (1.4 Kilograms)
The Gas ONE GS-1000 is a great value portable butane stove. It’s lightweight and small, which makes it a good choice if you want to take it in your backpack. It does have a fairly low BTU in comparison to other models (like the Chef-Master 90235). At 7,650 BTU it’s not the most efficient out there and may take longer to reach high temperatures. However, it does have the advantage of being light enough that you can carry a few extra canisters around with you. It’s a basic stove with 1 burner.
It has a heat dial, a wind guard, an automatic shut-off when the pressure reaches a certain level, a safety lever (this stops you from being able to click the canister into position while the stove dial is in the ‘on’ position), and a built-in cartridge ejection system (this ejects the canister if irregular pressure is detected).
It’s a very simple burner and doesn’t come with any extras apart from a carrying case.
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- Easy to use
- Lots of safety features
Cons
- No extra features
- Not the most fuel efficient
Martin Outdoor Heavy-Duty Portable Butane Stove – Most Durable
Key Features
- Color: Black
- Dimensions: 5.12 x 11.22 x 15.84 Inches (13 x 28 x 38 Centimeters)
- Materials: Steel
- Max BTU: 8,000
- Number of Burners: 1
- Weight: 5.5 Pounds (2.49 Kilograms)
The Martin Outdoor Heavy-Duty Portable Butane Stove is a tough, durable stove that will withstand a lot of use. It’s small and compact, but has a fairly low maximum BTU of 8,000, meaning it could be more fuel-efficient. It is a basic stove with 1 burner.
The stove has a heat dial, a unique air-cooling design to stop the inside from getting too hot, a built-in windshield, and a cartridge ejection mechanism to eject the canister if too much pressure is detected.
It comes with a heavy-duty carrying case but lacks any extra features.
Pros
- Compact
- Good safety features
- Durable with a tough carrying case
Cons
- No extra features
- Not the most fuel-efficient
GasOne GS-8300 – Best for Solo Campers
Key Features
- Color: Orange or Blue
- Dimensions: 12.5 x 14 x 4.25 Inches (31.75 x 10.16 x 10.79 Centimeters)
- Materials: Brass/enamel
- Max BTU: 8,000
- Number of Burners: 1
- Weight: 4 Pounds (1.81 Kilograms)
The GasOne GS-8300 is a very compact, easy-to-use stove. It has a maximum BTU of 8,000, and it’s not the most fuel efficient, but if you’re cooking for one, it works really well. It’s fairly lightweight and easy to transport – it has a unique folding design that keeps it protected when not in use.
It has an adjustable burner, electric ignition, and an automatic pressure detector which shuts off the stove if unusual pressure is detected.
It folds up into its own case, and it works with cast iron pots, saucepans, and kettles.
Pros
- Folds down small
- Good safety features
- Perfect for one person
Cons
- Not the most fuel efficient
Gas One GS-2000 Dual Fuel Double Portable Stove – Best Larger Stove
Key Features
- Color: Silver
- Dimensions: 26.7 x 11.3 x 5 Inches (56 x 28.72 x 12.7 Centimeters)
- Materials: Stainless Steel
- Max BTU: 16,000
- Number of Burners: 2
- Weight: 10 Pounds (4.53 Kilograms)
The is ideal if you want to cook larger meals, as it has 2 burners. It goes up to 16,000 BTU, so it’s pretty fuel efficient, and you can use both propane and butane depending on what you have to hand. It’s pretty heavy though, so may not be the best option for backpackers.
It has adjustable burners, electric ignition, a built-in cartridge ejection system if you try to use the wrong type of fuel, and an automatic pressure sensor which cuts off the stove if unusual pressure is detected.
It comes with a fairly robust carrying case.
Pros
- Comes with 2 burners
- Good safety features
- High BTU
- Can use butane and propane gas
Cons
- Heavy to carry
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you go, here are some of the most frequently asked questions about portable butane stoves:
What kind of meals can I cook?
One-pot meals are excellent for camping – Tasty has a great video with some ideas for one-pot meals that you can cook at home, and can easily be adapted for camping. If you have a stove with 2 burners and a grill, that opens things up a lot!
With a little imagination, you can cook most things that you would cook at home – try Buzzfeed’s 20 Camping Food Hacks for more inspiration.
How can I safely cook on a portable butane stove?
The main thing to consider is ventilation. It’s really important to stay well-ventilated when using gas-powered stoves, and it’s important not to use them as a heater to warm up your tent. This is because using a butane stove in an enclosed space like a tent can raise carbon monoxide in your tent to dangerous levels. (You can find out more about carbon monoxide in Anevay Stoves guide on How to Stay Safe When Using a Stove in a Tent.) If you’re unsure, prepare your meals out in the open.
It’s also important to make sure you use the right kind of gas for your specific stove, make sure you place your stove on a flat surface, and keep children away from the cooking area.
What sized gas canisters will I need to buy?
That depends on the size of your stove – check the manufacturers’ instructions to make sure you get the right size.
What else do I need to bring with me to prepare meals while camping?
You’ll need to take:
- A cooler – vital for storing ingredients like meat, dairy, fish, poultry, and any leftovers you might have (one tip is to cook a meal at home, then transport it in a tough cooler, like a rotomolded cooler, so you can reheat it on your first night when you may be too tired to cook). We like the YETI Tundra, as it’s a tough, durable cooler.
- Kitchen equipment – chopping boards, knives, a cheese grater, a colander, a can opener, and a bottle opener are some basic essentials. This Portable Camping Kitchen Essentials Kit includes a lot of the gear you will need.
- Pots and pans – you can even buy travel-sized ones to save a bit of space, like this Collapsible Camping Cookware Kit.
- Tableware – Plastic is easier to carry, and you can buy whole sets, like this Gear4U Camping Tableware Kit.
- Equipment for cleaning up – including a bowl for washing your dishes, soap, and towels
- Water bottles and flasks.
Our Final Thoughts – Which Portable Butane Stove is the Winner?
We really like the . If you want a double burner butane stove, it’s a great choice. The safety features are good, and you have the option of using propane gas, too.
However, it’s worth checking out the Gas ONE GS-1000 if you want something that is good value. It’s also lightweight, making it ideal for backpackers.
If you want something that is going to be tough enough to withstand a lot of outdoor adventures, look at the Martin Outdoor Heavy-Duty Portable Butane Stove – it’s portable, super tough, and hard-wearing.
If you’ve decided on the best portable butane stove for you, let us know in the comments – we’d like to know your thoughts. Plus, if you found this article helpful, please feel free to share it with other campers!