If you’re anything like us, you’re itching for some outdoor time about now. Where I live, summer is too hot for camping, which means Labor Day marks the beginning of the camping season.
Whether you’re just ramping up for fall or hoping to squeeze in a few more trips before the cold arrives, make sure you have a good stove. Camping might mean roughing it, at least a little, but you don’t have to subsist on biscuits and beans. 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 September 2021: We removed a stove that didn’t hold up over time, added two new stoves, and updated pricing throughout.
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