The Best Camping Stoves and Grills: Staff Picks

Coleman is known for its durable, time-tested outdoor camping stoves, and the Cascade 222 is a sleek update on a classic. This cooker features two independently adjustable burners that can each deliver up to 11,000 British thermal units of heating power. That's enough to seamlessly sear a salmon filet or whip up a campsite stir-fry at a moment's notice. Plus, you won't have to worry about the wind ruining your culinary masterpiece—this stove has built-in shields on both sides that help protect flames from gusts.

Coleman is a brand that's been at the forefront of the camping scene for decades, and its gear is known to withstand years of adventure. "My 2-burner Coleman liquid fuel stove that I still use is over 35 years old," says Portland REI sales associate Steve Jackson, adding that he also has a Coleman gas lantern that is more than 60 years old.

The Cascade 222 has a sturdy aluminized steel cooktop that can support medium-size pots and pans, plus a latching lid that keeps everything secure when it's not in use. Says one customer-reviewer: "The stove is compact and very easy to take while traveling." This unit can run on propane cylinders (sold separately) or attach to a 5- to 20-pound propane tank with Coleman's High-Pressure 5-ft Propane Gas Hose.

To set up the stove, simply attach the fuel cylinder, turn the knob and use the automatic ignition like you would for a gas range at home—no need for fancy gadgets, complicated instructions or even a lighter. It's not the most fuel-efficient stove on the market (some others, like the Camp Chef, have a faster boil time), but it's a fan favorite that'll surely get the job done.

There's something soulful about cooking over a fire, whether you're watching a marshmallow turn golden and gooey on a roasting fork or warming a pot of chili mac over open flames. But, if you're camped in an area that doesn't allow DIY ground pits or you want to avoid the hassle of fire cleanup, check out the Snow Peak Takibi Fire & Grill. It lets you enjoy the best of both worlds: a cozy fire and a freshly grilled meal. (The breezy cleanup is just the cherry on top.)

The Takibi Fire & Grill is made of stainless steel and built to last many seasons outside. (And should something happen—like the grill rusting or a part breaking—Snow Peak provides a lifetime warranty).

Plus, it's portable and collapsible (making it easy to stow), so outdoor lovers who want to end their day with food over flames can take it anywhere they go. "I personally love cooking over the fire when I'm camping instead of using stoves most of the time," says Elizabeth Nguyen, a camp sales lead at the REI store in Atlanta, Georgia. "This can handle a 10-inch cast iron and still has room for cooking burgers and vegetables."

The kit comes with five pieces: a grill net, a grill bridge, the fireplace, a baseplate and a carrying case. (If you want to burn charcoal, you'll have to purchase the Fireplace Coal Bed separately.) This modular design allows whoever's playing chef to lower and raise the grill into three different positions, adjusting the heat intensity from a full scorch to a mellow simmer. The baseplate protects the ground from heat and ash, and the carrying case makes it easy to store and take anywhere.

One caveat: Some online customer-reviewers shared that they had trouble burning larger logs. You may have more success with small sticks and twigs. Still, customers appreciate this wood- and charcoal-powered grill for its versatility, packability and style. It'll make even the most novice camp cook feel like a master chef in the great outdoors.

BioLite raises the camp-kitchen bar with its CampStove 2+, a wood-burning, canister-free cooking setup that does everything from sizzle sirloin to charge your devices when you run out of power. And it's smokeless, thanks to a small, heat-generated fan that feeds the flames. This can amount to a lot fewer emissions compared to a traditional wood fire.

The main unit also features a 3,200-milliamp hour battery, a small 100 lumen LED light and a port for charging your phone. "It's for someone who needs to have their technology close by while camping," says Nguyen.

REI Sales Associate Jackson says this versatility makes it popular with far-out adventurers, like a journalist Jackson met who paddled the entire length of the Columbia River. The writer relied on the stove for cooking and to power his devices so he could document his journey, Jackson reports. "He said that there was plenty of wood along the river and that, other than some rust, he was very happy with its performance." The ability to create electricity for charging small devices using green power (from utilizing biomass and wind power) makes this a solid choice for multiday camping trips or anyone who likes to have a way to power their devices.

The CampStove surface is made of stainless-steel grates that can hold up to four standard-size hamburger patties or six hot dogs, which will come in handy if you've got a couple of little ones (or hungry mates) in tow. Plus, the burner temperature can be adjusted between high, medium and low for that just-right char on your camp steak (or just to heat your noodles quickly). Pitching a tent where there's not much wood? No problem. The stove also burns biomass pellets.

Telling ghost stories around the campfire is a rite of passage for most outdoorsy kids (and their parents), but with a historic drought in the American West and fire restrictions common throughout peak recreating months, s'mores-loving campers may have to get a bit more creative.

Enter the Ignik FireCan Portable Fire Pit, a compact and more-sustainable alternative to traditional wood fires (wood fires release more emissions). "It uses propane for a campfire experience, making it useable during [lower-level] burn-ban season," says REI sales associate Jackson.

The FireCan is an ammo box-style metal canister that holds a propane-fueled flame to give the look and feel of a traditional fire. It's easy to set up, even for first-timers—just attach a propane cylinder (sold separately), light the flame with a match or lighter and adjust the flame with a simple knob. This unit can burn for up to nearly 2.5 hours at max flame, and it produces no eye-singeing smoke or ash.

The Ignik FireCan is designed to be low-maintenance, making it ideal for car camping and backyard gatherings alike. It provides mega warmth and a cozy ambiance without the hassle of finding (or buying) logs, building a fire pit or cleaning up coals. Plus, it boasts a metal mesh that prevents sparks from flying out willy-nilly, helping to reduce wildfire risk. Our online reviewers love it too, calling it "the friend-maker" for its ability to draw in other chilly campers like moths to a, well, flame!

Jackson noted that, at this price point (plus the cost of a propane canister), this portable fire pit is more expensive than other stoves on this list. But it's worth it for campers who live in areas where burn bans are common, or for backyard stargazers who want to add some extra toasty vibes to their patio.

If you're in the market for a more traditional stove with the same level of portability, consider this one. The REI camp stove specialist who recommends the JetBoil Genesis loves both its versatility and its aesthetic: "It looks like it's something out of the future." Its compactness bona fides come from the fact that its two burners fold together so it can be slipped inside the included carrying case and JetBoil's 5-liter pot (not included) to make a clean, packable unit. That also makes this stove a great option when your camping vehicle of choice is a bike or backpack.

The Genesis' versatility comes from the ability to link a single fuel source to both your Genesis and many other JetBoil and Eureka propane stoves (adapter hose not included). "Your JetBoil backpacking stove can become an extra burner if you'd like," says the camp stove specialist. "That sets you up for the ultimate camp chef moment—frying bacon and eggs side by side at the same time you have water boiling for the coffee." You can also pair the Genesis with a compatible two-burner camp stove to create a group kitchen.

Our camping specialist shared another, more altruistic use for your Genesis: "It's a great stove for trail angels. It's so compact you can pack it in on a side trail to fry up a feast. That'll make you a hero to a whole lotta thru-hikers."

Not everyone needs a two-burner, which is why one-burner butane stoves like the Eureka SPRK+ Camp Stove also have a dedicated following. "One-burner butane stoves are smaller, lighter and more affordable than their two-burner propane counterparts," our REI camp specialist explains. A one-burner butane stove makes an ideal choice for people who have compact vehicles or less elaborate menu plans.

A low weight and a low price do not equate to low performance, though, as the Eureka SPRK+ Camp Stove is a truly impressive cooking appliance. Its solo 11,500-BTU burner eclipses the individual burner output on a basic two-burner stove. The SPRK+ also offers precise flame control from a rolling boil down to a simmer.

This stove also includes adjusters to keep your cookware level even when the cooking surface is not. Sides all around the burner shield it from breezes in any direction, and the stove also has a dedicated compartment to house your 8-ounce butane fuel bottle. Other nice touches include push-button ignition and a handy hard-sided carrying case.

Our camp specialist noted one other compelling reason for many REI customers to buy this stove in recent months. The SPRK+ is ideal for an emergency kit, something more and more of us are assembling these days. If severe weather, a natural disaster or a plain old power-grid failure happens, it's nice to be able to whip up a belly-warming batch of comfort food. Buy now

Related Eureka SPRK models: The Eureka SPRK Camp Stove is a little smaller, has a slightly less powerful burner (10,000 BTUs) and comes without leg levelers. It also costs less than the SPRK+.