How to Choose a Backpacking Stove: Canister, Liquid Fuel & Alternative Stoves
Quick answer: For most backpackers, a canister stove is the easiest choice: light, clean, simple to light, and good at simmering. Choose a liquid fuel stove if you cook for a group, travel internationally, or camp in cold weather and at high altitude, where canisters lose pressure. Ultralight hikers often go with alcohol or solid fuel stoves and accept slower boil times.
A warm meal at the end of a long day or that first sip of hot coffee in the morning can make any trip better. With so many stoves available, though, it can be hard to know where to start. The right one depends on how you travel and what you cook.
Start with a few simple questions. What kinds of trips do you take? Are you going ultralight, thru-hiking for weeks or months, or heading out for a quick weekend getaway? How many people are you cooking for? Are you just boiling water, or do you have full meals planned?
Features to consider
- Weight: Did you drill holes in your toothbrush handle to shave a gram? Your stove choice will differ from someone on a short weekend trip with friends.
- Burn time: How long a stove burns on a given amount of fuel determines how much fuel you carry.
- Boil time: How quickly the stove brings water to a boil.
- Temperature control: Can it hold a simmer for real cooking, or is it built mainly to boil water?
- Maintenance: Will it need periodic field maintenance or special tools?
The three types of backpacking stoves
Backpacking stoves fall into three categories based on fuel: canister, liquid fuel, and alternative fuel (wood, solid fuel tablets, and denatured alcohol). Each has advantages and drawbacks.
Canister stoves
Canister stoves are among the cleanest and simplest stoves available. They screw onto a threaded, self-sealing canister of pressurized gas (butane, isobutane, propane, or a blend), so spills and leaks are nearly eliminated. They are low odor, need almost no maintenance, and offer solid temperature control.
Performance can drop at high altitude and in very cold temperatures, when the fuel loses pressure and the flame weakens. Canisters aren't refillable and must be packed out for disposal or recycling.
Pros
- Compact: Many designs fold small for storage.
- Lightweight: Some weigh under two ounces.
- Easy to light: Many have a built-in piezo igniter.
- Sealed canister: No fuel leaks or trailside spills.
- Simmer control: Good for cooking, not just boiling.
Cons
- Hard to gauge remaining fuel: A sealed canister doesn't show how much is left.
- Fuel cost: Canister fuel costs more than liquid fuel.
- Limited wind protection: Fully enclosing a top-mounted canister stove with a windscreen can overheat the canister, so you have to rely on partial wind blocks.
- Cold-weather drop-off: Depressurized fuel means a weak flame and wasted fuel.
- Waste: Empty canisters must be packed out.
Liquid fuel stoves
Liquid fuel stoves burn mainly white gas, and some multi-fuel models also run on kerosene or unleaded gasoline, which is helpful when traveling abroad. You pressurize the refillable fuel bottle with a small hand pump, which gives better performance in cold weather and at altitude.
Liquid fuels don't burn as cleanly as canister gas, so expect more fouling and field maintenance. Many models must be primed before use, and refillable bottles carry a higher risk of spills.
Pros
- Stable: A low center of gravity supports larger pots.
- Visible fuel level: You can check the bottle between uses.
- Less waste: Refillable bottles mean no canisters to pack out.
- Cold and altitude performance: The pump lets you control fuel pressure.
Cons
- Priming and maintenance: Required for reliable operation.
- Spill risk: Refillable bottles can leak.
- Weight: Usually heavier than canister stoves.
- Cost: Higher upfront price.
Alternative fuel stoves
Wood-burning stoves
These burn small twigs gathered at camp, so there's no fuel to carry, a nice option for longer or lighter trips. They're simple, often just a base, pot support, and windscreen, and are frequently made of lightweight titanium. The tradeoffs: you have to gather dry fuel, wet weather can make that difficult, and wood fires may be prohibited during burn bans or in some high-elevation areas.
Solid fuel stoves
Popular with ultralight backpackers, some solid fuel stoves are small enough to fit in a pocket. They're inexpensive and easy to use, and tablets can be extinguished and saved. They burn cooler and boil water slowly, tablets can give off an odor, and fuel isn't available everywhere.
Alcohol stoves
Alcohol stoves weigh only an ounce or two, and you can carry just the fuel you need in a small bottle. They're inexpensive, burn clean with almost no maintenance, and denatured alcohol is cheap and easy to find across the U.S. They burn cooler than other liquid fuels, need a windscreen to perform well, and fuel can be harder to find abroad.
Which stove is right for you?
- Weekend trips and most three-season backpacking: Canister stove.
- Winter camping, high altitude, group cooking, or international travel: Liquid fuel or multi-fuel stove.
- Ultralight and thru-hiking: Alcohol or solid fuel stove, or a very light canister stove.
- Long trips where carrying fuel is a burden (and fires are allowed): Wood-burning stove.
Stoves and fuel are available in-store at our Grand Avenue store in Portland's Central Eastside, where our staff can help you compare models side by side. Online, you can round out your camp kitchen with these:
Shop camp kitchen gear
- Kelty Camp Galley Deluxe Organized camp kitchen
- Kelty Chef Roll Utensil roll-up
- Kelty Trash Pak Pack out your waste
- Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash Pocket Soap Lightweight dish soap
Backpacking Stove FAQ
What is the best type of backpacking stove for beginners?
A canister stove is the easiest for most beginners. It screws onto a sealed fuel canister, lights quickly (often with a built-in igniter), simmers well, and needs almost no maintenance.
Do canister stoves work in cold weather?
They work, but performance drops as the fuel gets cold and loses pressure, giving a weaker flame. For regular winter or high-altitude use, a liquid fuel stove with a hand pump is more reliable.
Can I use a windscreen with a canister stove?
Use caution. Fully enclosing a top-mounted canister stove can trap heat and overheat the canister. Use a partial wind block, or choose a stove system designed with an integrated windscreen.
Are alcohol stoves good for backpacking?
Yes, for ultralight hikers who mostly boil water. They weigh an ounce or two and the fuel is cheap, but they boil slowly, need a windscreen, and are restricted in some areas during fire season.
Staff Pick: Therm-a-Rest Parsec 20F UL Sleeping Bag Review
Quick take: One of our staff carried the Therm-a-Rest Parsec 20F UL for 150 days on the Continental Divide from Mexic...
Read More
Mastering the Art of Kayak Reentry: A Guide for Sit-On-Top Enthusiasts
Quick answer: To re-enter a narrow sit-on-top kayak, kick to the far side, grab the edge, and pull the boat upright, ...
Read More
Best Shoes for Kayaking: An Expert Review
Quick take: The best kayak shoe depends on how you paddle. The Astral Loyak is a light, packable, grippy all-arounder...
Read More