There are four main types of cookers you’ll see out there. Each has its place depending on your needs.

1. Canister Gas Stoves

These are by far the most common camping cookers in New Zealand and Australia, and for good reason. They screw straight onto a gas canister, they’re light, compact, easy to use, and boil water fast. I’d say these are the best option for 90% of hikers. 

However, there are quite a few different canister gas stoves on the market. You’ll find everything from tiny, minimalist burners that fold down to the size of a chocolate bar to integrated units with their own pots and heat exchange systems. We’ll explore the different features to look for in more depth below.

The major downside of these hiking cookers is they tend to struggle in sub-zero temperatures as the pressure required for the gas to vaporise drops when the canister gets cold. So if you’re an all-season hiker, you may want a back-up stove for the winter.

Pros:

• Fast boil time

• Lightweight and compact

• Easy to use and clean

• Gas bottles sold at most outdoor and hardware stores

Cons:

• Struggles a bit in freezing temps

• Canisters aren’t refillable or recyclable

• Performance can drop at high elevation

2. Liquid Fuel Stoves

These are the old-school workhorses. Instead of gas, they burn white spirits, kerosene, or even unleaded petrol. They’re bulkier and heavier than gas cookers, but the main thing that sets them apart is they’re reliable in freezing temperatures. That’s because you manually pressurise the fuel with a pump.

The fuel bottles on these cookers are generally refillable and they can last quite a bit longer than gas canisters, making them a good option for longer, multi-day hikes.

These are much less common than the canister gas stoves, but you may have seen a few hardcore hikers or older adventurers using these around camp. They cost more and they’re a bit more fiddly to use, but they’re a good option for winter and longer expeditions.

Pros:

• Better performance in cold weather

• Fuel is widely available (great for overseas trips)

• Refillable bottles reduce waste

Cons:

• Heavier and more complex

• Needs maintenance

• Not ideal for quick meals or beginners

3. Alcohol Stoves

These camp stoves are a favourite among ultralight hikers. They burn methylated spirits and are basically just little metal cups that heat up your pot slowly and steadily. Unless you’re set on keeping weight to a minimum, I don’t see any other benefits with these. They’re slower to heat up, you don’t have any means of controlling the flame, and they’re pretty much useless in wind and rain (unless you bring a wind shield, which defeats the purpose of keeping weight down).

Pros:

• Super light and simple

• Quiet and reliable

• Fuel is cheap and easy to find

Cons:

• Slow to boil

• No flame control

• Not great in wind or wet

4. Solid Fuel Stoves

These use little fuel tablets kind of like firelighters. They’re mostly for emergencies or minimalist missions. But there’s really no need to use one of these cookers in this day and age.

Pros:

• Tiny and ultralight

• Great as a backup option

Cons:

• Slow, smelly, and weak flame

• Not ideal for everyday use

These are the features I’ve found most important when picking the right outdoor cooking gear.

Compact and Packable

You want a camping stove that doesn’t take up too much space in your hiking pack. I’ve seen people lug a portable butane BBQ into the outdoors and there’s zero need for that. The best option here would be a gas canister cooker that either folds into a plastic carry case or packs into its own pot. Bushbuck jet cookers, for example, are designed so that the gas stove and canister pack into the pot.

Lightweight

You want a lightweight hiking stove that doesn’t weigh you down. Thankfully, most gas cookers designed for hiking are pretty light these days. But lighter doesn’t always equal better. Ultralight, minimalist cookers often sacrifice wind performance or stability. I recommend going with a cooker that gets the job done in a range of conditions, even if it means carrying a few extra grams of weight.

Fast Boil Time

If I’m cold and hungry, I don’t want to wait any longer than I need to for a hot meal. Boil time can vary greatly between camping stoves. Most cookers will advertise the boil time, but ideally you want to be looking for something in the 2-3 minute range. Stoves with a heat exchange system and wind protection will generally boil faster than those minimal camping cookers. Only you can decide how important boil time is for you. But jet cookers really do pay off on those cold mornings when you want to heat up some coffee and porridge and hit the trail.

Heat Control

Unless you’re a fan of burnt food, you definitely want a cooker with a reliable simmer control valve. Some of the camp stoves mentioned above, such as alcohol stoves and solid fuel stoves, don’t have anything in the way of temperature control. Thankfully, most modern camp cookers have a valve for controlling the heat. But that’s only part of the picture. A lot of hiking stoves concentrate the heat at the centre of your pot, which doesn’t result in the most even heat distribution. Camp cookers or pots with a heat exchange system will ensure heat is distributed more evenly, which helps prevent hot spots and burning. This is especially important if you’re cooking up some meat on a frypan. 

Wind Resistance

Even a gentle breeze can stretch your boil time by double. If you’re planning to cook outdoors at all, and you don’t want to be huddled around your cooker trying to shield it with your hands, I definitely recommend using some kind of wind protection. You can buy a simple, lightweight aluminium wind shield. But I prefer cookers that have wind protection built-in. It’s just one less thing to worry about. It also contributes to overall fuel efficiency, which is especially important on longer missions. If you’re only planning to stay in huts, wind protection is less important. But it can still be good to have if the hut’s full and you end up cooking on the deck.

Capacity

Think about how many people you’re cooking for. If it’s just you, a 500–750ml pot will do the trick. For two or more (or people with a big appetite), 1–2L is safer. Some setups let you swap pots depending on the mission. That kind of flexibility is handy if you’re mixing solo and group trips. But start with the capacity you’ll need most and consider adding another option when the time comes.

Fuel Availability

Butane gas is easy to get in New Zealand and Australia, pretty much any outdoor or hardware store sells them. Just be aware that you can’t fly with gas canisters so if you’re heading overseas (or between islands) make sure you’ve lined up a place to buy fuel when you arrive. If this isn’t an option, you may want to consider a liquid or solid fuel option for that particular adventure. Obviously, you can’t stock up on more fuel mid-hike so make sure to carry a little more than you need just in case.

Extra Features

In addition to the features above, these are some additional nice-to-haves in your camping cooker set-up.

• Ignition switch: A built-in push igniter (known as a piezoelectric start) is really handy, especially if you forget to bring a back-up lighter or your matches get wet. 

• Pot lid: If you choose a cooker with an integrated pot, something as simple as a lid comes in super handy. You can cook up your breakfast before leaving camp and then eat it somewhere on the way with a better view without it spilling everywhere.

• Neoprene sleeve: You use these to keep your beers cold, but they’re also handy for keeping your food hot inside your pot. 

• Accessories: Is the cooker compatible with other accessories, such as a frypan, coffee plunger, or different sized pots? This is always worth checking out for when you want to expand your camp kitchen set-up.

There’s no one “best” camping stove for everyone. It’s always about what works best for your style of hiking. Personally, I keep a couple of cookers in the gear cupboard, but these days I’m pretty much only using the Bushbuck Spitfire Jet Cooker as it’s more than delivers on everything I need.

At the end of the day, all that matters is that you have a reliable camp stove for cooking up some grub and a hot drink to fuel your adventure. While I’d recommend going with a cooker that ticks most of the boxes above, you don’t need to overthink it. But you’ll never regret choosing a quality hiking stove from the outset. Because, as you’ll know, food becomes even more top of mind when you’re out there getting after it.

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