Recommend a camping stove...

EarleD · 03-26-2013, 09:57 AM

I need to get a camping stove and don't know if I should go with propane of white gas. Needs to hold two pans. Propane is easier to carry than tanks of liquid fuel.

This will be used for car camping so weight isn't a huge issue.

Any thoughts

EarleD · 03-26-2013, 10:16 AM

was looking at the Stansport 2 burner cast iron stove with stand for $129

ChadTower · 03-26-2013, 10:23 AM

Coleman. You will never go wrong with Coleman camp stoves. They've been the standard for decades. In fact if you can get a 30 year old Coleman dual fuel stove in good shape that will be the last one you ever need.

bsmit212 · 03-26-2013, 10:55 AM

Agree with ChadTower. Pick up a Coleman from just about any store that sales camping equipment. I have one now and have no complaints.

Gus · 03-26-2013, 11:03 AM

One more vote for Coleman. And an extra "Amen" for picking up an older one. I have both old and new Coleman's, and it may be a cliche', but it's true "... they just don't make 'em like they used to"

As for propane vs. liquid - liquid works better in cold-weather camping, but if you don't have to worry about freezing temperatures - propane sure is easy and convenient. And inexpensive.

Gus
"Of course I trust my political representatives ... just not with my liberties or my wallet" :Camping with Gus

carmen · 03-26-2013, 11:07 AM

Coleman makes great product and we have never replaced ours, the thing has been beat and bruised but it still works. We have also had a few spills with it when the kids are transporting but if it can hold up to them, it should be able to hold up to anything you toss in the way.

Grandpa · 03-26-2013, 11:23 AM

I've still got a good, serviceable 1950's era white gas coleman. I've got other colemans that are somewhat newer. However, when size and weight are not an issue, we use a Camp Chef free standing two burner propane for primary cooking and a coleman propane converted to feed off a bulk bottle for the morning coffee/chocolate etc. But then when we car camp, we usually have a whole herd of the clingons along so a big stove is a necessity.

When space is an issue, I fall back on the old gas coleman. There are lots of coleman style knockoffs out there but I can't recommend or criticize any of them.

ChadTower · 03-26-2013, 11:28 AM

Well, if we're talking portable grills, then the conversation goes a whole new direction. When car camping my primary cooking device is usually a tailgating grill with multiple surfaces.

This is the one I use most often lately. It has swappable cast iron grates, cast iron griddles, and chromed burner grates. That does take up quite a bit of space in the truck bed so it's definitely for those "space is not an issue" trips.

When space is an issue I have one of these. Same selection of surfaces but they are aluminum. It takes 2-3 rounds to feed four hungry people.

Both are Coleman. There are Weber equivalents of both that might be a little better but would cost a whole ton more.

EarleD · 03-26-2013, 11:49 AM

using a bulk propane tank would be nice as those little ones add up after awhile. Looks like you can get an adapter for a Coleman stove to use the big tanks. Any thing avoid. Ebay has tons of Coleman stoves.

I'm can post links soon.

Thanks

ChadTower · 03-26-2013, 11:56 AM

The small Coleman above is ridiculously efficicent on propane. I can go a whole bunch of 3 day trips on one canister. Of course, efficiency generally trades off with power, so when you're cooking with the lid open it's not nearly as hot as with the lid closed.

The one main pain in the butt with both of those is that they both have a specialized adapter to the propane tank. It "attaches" to the small one with a weak clamp that never holds it well. The larger one's adapter doesn't even attach. It is very easy to pack the grill but forget that adapter. I have done that.