Camping might mean roughing it, at least a little, but you don’t have to subsist on biscuits and beans. Unless that’s your thing, but even then you might want an easy way to heat up your biscuits and beans, which is where the camp stove comes in.
You can buy camping stoves that might be nicer than the stove in the average American apartment, though the wealth of options available can be overwhelming. No sweat! We’ve tested more than a dozen of the best portable propane gas stoves, then narrowed the field based on cooking ability, clean up, transportability, and power.
There’s something in our list for every use and budget, whether you want a compact way to whip up bacon and eggs for two, or you need something massively powerful to boil a cauldron of stew for a troop of hungry scouts.
Also, be sure to check out our guides to the best camping gear, best tents, portable grills, portable espresso makers, and trail running shoes.
Updated May 2022: We’ve removed a stove that was no longer available and added Coleman’s new Cascade 3-in-1 stoves.
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