When it comes to camp cooking, the possibilities are endless and really does depend on where and when your adventure will take you. Of course, budget will also play a role in deciding on what kind meals you will be preparing on your holiday. Deciding on the best portable camping stove is not an easy task, but at Outback Equipment you will find the best camping stoves in Australia, with the latest portable camping stoves to make easy camping food. We break down this article into types of camping stoves, so you can decide how to choose a camping stove that best suits your needs.
The three main things to take into consideration when looking into how to buy a camping stove is how exposed to the elements will you be when cooking, the type of gas or propane tanks you want to carry and the amount of people who will be using it. Wind is the biggest enemy when it comes to cooking with an open flame, as many campers have found out the hard way just how annoying it can be to create a wind barrier around the pot. Depending on your budget and ability to carry weight, there are many solutions to this problem. Take light weight hiking as an example, jet burners have become incredibly advanced, allowing hikers to adventure much further while still being able to enjoy a hot meal. Carrying a two burner stove up a mountain, just does not make sense, so be sure to plan your journey ahead and if you are looking for light weight options a jet boiler is the way to go.
Below we highlight some of the best portable camping stoves of 2021:
A Jet Burner
A jet burner allows you to enjoy easy camping food whilst travelling on foot. Jet burners were designed to accommodate to hikers, bikers and light weight travelling. Easy camping food includes 2-minute noodles and dehydrated food you can make yourself or buy premade from specialty stores. Below we’ve listed some options to suit everyone's budget.
Budget: Survivalists have gotten around carrying a gas cooker altogether obviously by making a campfire but in order to simulate the effect of a jet boiler, some campers have been known to make a hole into the middle of a dry log, then another hole at the bottom for airflow. This creates a hot narrow flame at the top of the log which you can let burn on the inside and place a small pan/pot on top. This is great in dry weather, rainy weather not so much, so we don’t suggest relying on this method for a long trip.
Fancy: The Pro Nano X2 Cooking System weighs in at just 500g making it the most ideal light weight cooking solution for people who need to travel as light as possible. This jet boiler from Companion features a compact design, integrated gas control and removable pot trivet. For best results we highly recommend purchasing with a wind guard to save on gas and to achieve best results.
Elite: The Companion power cooker isn’t exactly a lightweight option but is a very similar style of jet cooking, where it relies on one powerful flame from a gas bottle. This pot weighs in at 7.5kg and is ideal for cooking seafood, like crabs and mussels on mass with a whopping 20L capacity.
Single Burner Gas Stove
One pot camping meals are ideal for solo adventurers who want to keep things simple. Some of the easiest camping meals are made in one pot or pan, like omelettes and stews. Single burners are recommended for weekend use only, simply because it can become tiresome having to cook things like pasta and sauce separately, which is why two burners are so ideal. But if you are into simple, then a single burner stove is for you.
Budget: This single burner stove attachment from Companion, is lightweight and compact design ideal for solo travellers. This burner simply screws onto any 3/8" LH gas cylinder. These are great as they pack away easily into tight spaces, meaning you can store your gas bottle outside of the vehicle which is what most grey nomads will recommend.
Fancy: This small single burner with a stove is propane compatible. It has a slim, low-profile design, which can be taken apart with removeable trivets for those of you that are tight on space. This is one of the few portable camping stoves that uses propane. So, what is the difference between natural gas and propane? Think of propane and gas as you would petrol and diesel: Propane is a far more efficient fuel and has more than twice the energy of natural gas. Natural gas is easier to make and is therefore cheaper however you will use more to heat the same appliances. You can get twice the heat from propane, naturally, use less, and it can be stored in a smaller container, saving on space.
Elite: Similar to the Companion power cooker, the Mega Jet Outdoor Power Cooker is also designed for larger cooking capabilities. The cast iron burner and gas control are ideal for high heat output and can easily be adjusted. This power cooker can bring a 30L pot of water to boil in approximately 40 minutes, making it ideal for seafood dinner and slow cooking roasts.
2 Burner Gas Stoves & Grills
Look no further if you are after one of the best portable camping stoves Australia has to offer then it’s time to think about expanding your cooking range into the chef category. Not only does a two burner allow you to cook meals in less time, but the added feature of a grill means those eggs on toast will be absolutely crisped to perfection with the recommendations below.
Budget: This 2 burner stove has all the classic features you’ll find in a portable camping stove. It has adjustable controls for each burner and built-in windshields. This is the original design loved by many as it’s perfect for those slightly longer trips, whilst maintaining a lightweight design at just 4.3kg. For the higher output version check it out here:
Fancy: The Dometic 2 burner portable camping stove is perfect for whipping up two meals at once. It features 2 chrome burners which can be easily started with the push-button Piezo ignition, so no need for a lighter.
Elite: It starts to get up there with the meals you can achieve with a grill and a two-burner camping stove wrapped into one. If you are particular about the way you like your grilled sandwiches or can’t live without a piece crispy toast in the morning, then this next suggestion is for you. Companion and Dometic both offer great designs when it comes to all-in-one package. These portable two burner camping stoves with inbuilt grills are a game changer.
Wind Guards and Why They Are Important
If you’ve ever travelled to Western Australia, then you know first-hand that cooking outside is impossible, with most of the year seeing considerably high winds on the west coast, open flames are bad for cooking, so if you do plan on cooking outside your vehicle then pick up a wind guard to not only save on gas, but to keep you sane as you battle some of those most persistent winds in the country.
Budget: A vanlifer once taught me a neat trick whilst on the road, as they watched me struggle with a single burner. Head to Bunnings and pick up two small hinges and another chopping board. Drill two chopping boards together with the hinges in one side so that they fold flat. You can use this as a sturdy wind guard when the wind picks up and flat packs into very tight spaces. Just be careful not to melt plastic chopping boards.
Fancy: Companion have got you sorted with a wind shield that is predominately designed for use with jet boilers but can be used for pretty much any open flame small single burner.
Elite: If you have the space and want to full send on the cooking budget then by all means, pick yourself up the ultimate portable oven and gas cook top from companion. With built in wind guards and a sizable oven for cooking in, you’ll never struggle with cooking in the wind.
We hope this information helps you decide on what you’ll need to bring on your next adventure. It really does depend on the set up and everyone's individual needs when it comes to establishing what good camping meals means to you. For any other enquires feel free to get in contact with our customer service team.
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