In this article, I will discuss the best cheap camping stoves for camping, hiking and backpacking. Whether you are looking for an ultralight stove for your next backpacking trip or you are looking for a heavier more convenient stove, I will try to find a cheap solution for everybody.
Best cheap lightweight camping stoves
In this section I will talk about all the lightweight budget options. These recommendations should be especially interesting for backpackers and hikers. I will discuss regular camping stoves as well as compact wood stoves and even other alternatives.
Camp Stove Titanium Backpacking Stove
Let’s start with the most obvious option. A regular lightweight camping gas stove. The remarkable thing about this stove is that it’s super cheap and very lightweight. The biggest issue with most stoves that are both cheap and lightweight is that they are often not very safe. Make sure to do your research when looking for cheap camping stoves, never sacrifice safety.
This stove only weighs 0.88 oz (25 g), which is something ultralight hikers will love to hear.
It is made from a combination of titanium, copper and stainless-steel which results in a product that is both cheap and lightweight. I would expect a product like this to be at least 50% more expensive than it actually is. You can combine this stove with regular jetboil fuel.
Additionally, this stove comes with a little bag. This is pretty common, but for this price I wouldn’t be surprised that they wouldn’t include it.
If you are looking for a cheap backpacking stove, I see no reason why you should pick another stove than this one (except if you prefer another fuel source).
The exact price constantly fluctuates, but if you want to know the latest price, you can find it on amazon: Camp Stove Titanium Backpacking Stove.
Lixada Camping Wood Burning Stove | Regular
If you want to take on the challenge of cooking on a wood stove, you should try the Lixada camping stove. It’s a folding camping stove that packs down very small. The biggest benefit? Well, you don’t need separate fuel because nature becomes your fuel source.
Not only will this result in more money saved – which I assume is pretty important since you are reading an article titled “The best cheap camping stoves”. Simply collect some wood and you are good to go. You could also bring some fire paste or fuel tablets. This is a handy backup for when you are staying the night (or simply want to cook) above the treeline. Finding wood isn’t always as easy as you would think.
Among the wood stoves, the Lixada camping stove caught my attention because it has such a smart design. It really packs down to a very small package which makes it very portable (Approx. 10.5 * 10.5 * 1.5 cm / 4.1 * 4.1 * 0.6 in). Also, it’s built to withstand the worst conditions, no durability issues at all.
Note that the Lixada camping stove comes in many different shapes. I’m talking specifically about the regular (silver or gold) version.
The weight of this stove only 6.7 oz (190 g)! This stove also comes with a pouch, the total weight (including the pouch) comes down at 7.2 oz.
Once again, if you want to know the latest price, I advise you to check it out on amazon: Lixada Camping Wood Burning Stove.
Canway Camping Wood Stove
A good alternative to the Lixada Camping Wood Burning Stove would be the Canway Camping Wood Stove. It’s a pretty similar system and it is also very high-quality for its price.
For hikers and backpacker I would still recommend the Lixada because that’s an even lighter alternative. This stove weighs 18.4 oz (pouch included) – which is more than twice as much as the Lixada. Performance-wise this stove will outperform the Lixada because it’s designed with a secondary combustion system. Also, the Canway doesn’t pack down as small as the Lixada.
It basically comes down to weight and size vs performance. If you are looking for a compact and cheap wood stove for a camping trip -but you also don’t want to bring a very heavy stove- the Canway is probably your best option. If you are planning a long distance hiking trip where staying lightweight is super important – go with the Lixada instead.
For more information, you can always take a look on amazon: Canway Camping Wood Stove.
Best cheap heavy camping stoves
These recommendations are not suited for hikers and backpackers. However, these stoves might be more convenient for those of you who are going on a regular camping trip. Now, you might ask yourself what is the benefit of having a heavier camping stove, why can I not just bring a lightweight camping stove? If you really want to go lightweight, you definitely can, but a heavier camping stove will be a lot more convenient and performant.
Classic Coleman Gas Stove
Size: 4.1 x 21.9 x 13.7 inches | 2 x 10,000 BTU | 2 burners | propane
By far my favorite (heavy) camping stove is the classic Coleman gas stove. It’s a simple, straightforward, but very solid product. When you are looking for a cheap camping stove, this is really the first stove to consider.
This stove comes with 2 independent adjustable burners, which I would recommend for most people.
The Coleman Gas Stove is small enough so that it’s easy to pack, but it’s large enough so that it’s convenient and practical enough to cook on. Also, it packs down to a compact size. I would never recommend to bring this on a backpacking trip, but within the category of a camping stove it’s a pretty lightweight pick as well.
It’s not going to perform better than stoves that cost 4 times as much, but it’s going to perform decent on all categories. Which is the best you can hope for if you are buying a very cheap camping stove.
On top of just being solid, it’s also very easy to set up and use, especially with the adjustable wind screens! It will boil water in around 5 minutes, which isn’t too bad – this is around average (but for a better price). At this price, 20,000 BTU is pretty good.
Once the wind starts kicking in, the adjustable wind screens make a huge difference. Meaning that this stove will outperform most alternatives in windy conditions.
Once again, there are lighter, more portable and more performant options out there. However, when you are truly looking for a budget camping stove, this is really the one to get. Best bang for the buck out there!
You will need a regular propane tank to make this stove work.
As usual, this affordable camping stove is available on amazon: Coleman Gas Stove.
Note that this stove does not come with a bag, I found a very nice dedicated camp stove case in case you are interested: Coleman Camp Stove Carry Case. Sadly, it will make the total cost go up by quite a bit.
Camplux New Dual Fuel Stove
Size: 13 x 11.2 x 3.14 inches | 7,200 BTU | 1 burner | propane & butane
PS: If you don’t care about the dual fuel (which means that this stove can burn both propane and butane) than I would recommend the Coleman Butane Instastart instead. (this is the next option on this list).
So the Classic Coleman Gas Stove would be my first choice. However, there might be a few reasons why you might consider an alternative.
A couple of these reason might be:
- You want an even cheaper camping stove
- You want an even more compact camping stove
- You want the option to use butane
- You don’t care too much about the quality
- You don’t care about the second burner
If this is the case, you might be interested in a camp stove like the Camplux New Dual Fuel Propane Stove. It’s not the highest quality stove, but it will get the job done. Also, people who are not going to use this product to often might not need the quality that the Classic Coleman Gas Stove provides.
I would still recommend the Classic Coleman if money is the only argument. Yes, the Camplux will be slightly cheaper, but the difference isn’t that big. If you also care about the other arguments, like the weight, compactness and the fact that you can use butane, then this might be exactly what you are looking for.
Prices are constantly changing, so if you want to know the latest price, make sure to take a look on amazon: Camplux New Dual Fuel Propane.
Coleman Butane Instastart
Size: 14.25 x 12 x 4.5 inches (including case) | 7,625 BTU | 1 burner | butane
The Coleman Butane Instastart is direct competition for the Camplux New Dual Fuel Stove. So, which one is better? Well, if you don’t care about the dual fuel -which means you are fine with only using butane- then the Coleman Instastart is the clear winner.
Why is the Coleman Butane Instastart a better budget camping stove? Let’s start by saying that Coleman is a trustworthy brand, well known in the outdoors/camping world. So when it comes to safety and trustworthiness, this stove has an edge. On top of that: this stove is even cheaper than the Camplex Dual Fuel and it has slightly more performance (7,650 BTU vs 7,000 BTU). Plus, this ridiculously cheap product also comes with a case and a year warranty.
Note that this product has been around for a long time, it has been available since 2006 (!) on amazon. Nope, old doesn’t always mean bad. This stove has been tested so many times… It has been praised for it’s quality and durability by multiple outdoor enthusiasts.
From the comparison it’s pretty clear that the Instastart is the best option for a lightweight, budget-friendly, single-burner stove. The only reason why you should go with the Camplux New Dual Fuel Stove, is if you care about the dual fuel…
PS: Don’t forget to buy the butane fuel 🙂
For more information – or for the latest price, feel free to take a look on amazon: Coleman Butane Instastart.
Camp Chef Explorer 2-Burner
Size: 32.75 x 14 x 7.75 inches | 2 x 30,000 BTU | 2 burners | propane
If you want to turn it up a notch, you could consider buying the camp chef explorer 2-Burner. I have to say, this stove is quite a bit more expensive than the other options.
However, you do get a lot more for that money. For starters, you get 2 30,000 BTU burners, which means this stove has a total of 60,000 BTU.
If you want to do some serious cooking on your camping trip, I would definitely recommend the Camp Chef Explorer. It’s obviously a lot larger and heavier than the alternatives as well.
You can ditch the legs -which weigh 11.5 pounds- if you are planning on using it on a table or something similar.
I can conclude the following: This stove is meant for people who want to combine cooking and camping. However, having a great cooking experience on a camping trip does come at a price. You will need to pay more and the stove will be bigger and heavier.
You will need to buy a propane tank separately, but a hose and a regulator are included.
Feel free to take a look on amazon if you are wondering about the latest price: Camp Chef Explorer 2-Burner.
If you are also looking for a carry bag, here you go: Camp Chef Carry Bag.
Conclusion
I can conclude that I would recommend the “Camp Stove Titanium Backpacking Stove” (first option on the list) for all backpackers and hikers. With the exception of hikers who want to use a wood stove. In this case, I would recommend the Lixada.
For the regular campers, who would like to enjoy a more comfortable cooking experience, I would recommend the “Classic Coleman Gas Stove”. A very solid product with an affordable price tag. One of the best cheap camping stoves you can buy today.
That wraps it up. I hope you were able to find the perfect cheap camping stove for your needs. If you have tried any of these products -or any other cheap camping stove- feel free to share your experiences in the comments below. Sharing information is always valuable and helpful for everybody!