Best camping stove for a power outage

The short answer

For most homes, the best camping stove for a power outage is a two-burner propane stove such as the Coleman Classic, run outdoors on 1 lb cylinders. Add the Camp Chef Everest 2X for more heat, or a Jetboil for fast boiling water. None of these stoves is for indoor use.

At a glance

The picks

No. 1Camp stove

Coleman Classic Propane Gas Camping Stove, 2-Burner (5430)

Best for: A cheap, familiar two-burner stove that runs on 1 lb cylinders

• 2 adjustable burners, 20,000 BTUs total
• Up to 1 hour with both burners on high on one 16.4 oz propane cylinder (manufacturer)
• Fits a 12-in. and a 10-in. pan at the same time
• WindBlock panels; PerfectFlow pressure regulator
• 11.65 lb; 22.5 × 5 × 14.5 in

Tradeoffs

• · Match lighting: no built-in igniter on this model
• · Outdoor stove: never use it indoors or in a garage

Check price on AmazonRead the full reviewSpecs: manufacturer page, checked Nov 1, 2026

No. 2Camp stove

Camp Chef Everest 2X (MSHPX)

Best for: The most heat in a tabletop two-burner

• 2 burners, 20,000 BTU each
• Matchless ignition
• 215 sq. in. of cook space
• Propane
• Earlier model MSHP was recalled by CPSC (recall 21-053, December 2020); the current model is MSHPX

Tradeoffs

• · Burns fuel faster at full output than lower-BTU stoves
• · Outdoor stove: never use it indoors or in a garage

Check price on AmazonRead the full reviewSpecs: manufacturer page, checked Nov 1, 2026

No. 3Backpacking stove

Jetboil Flash 1.0L Fast Boil System

Best for: Boiling water for freeze-dried meals, coffee and formula prep

• Boil time 120 sec per 0.5 liter (average over life of a JetPower can)
• 10 liters of water boiled per 100 g JetPower can (manufacturer)
• 5,300 BTU/h (1.5 kW); 1-liter cook pot
• 13.1 oz (371 g) system weight
• Uses JetPower isobutane-propane fuel

Tradeoffs

• · Built for boiling water, not for frying or simmering a family meal
• · Outdoor stove: never use it indoors

Check price on AmazonRead the full reviewSpecs: manufacturer page, checked Nov 1, 2026

No. 4Butane stove

Iwatani 35FW Portable Butane Stove

Best for: Strong single-burner cooking on a porch table

• 15,000 BTU/hr solid brass burner
• Burning time approx. 55 minutes at max power (manufacturer)
• Double windbreaker; magnetic canister lock; piezo ignition
• 4.2 lb; carrying case
• Manual: for use indoors and outdoors in commercial restaurants; never in an enclosed space such as a camper, tent, car or home
• Max pot base 9.5 in.; CSA listed to ANSI Z83.11 / CSA 1.8 (manual)

Tradeoffs

• · Not for home indoor use per the maker's own manual
• · Manual says it is not for use below freezing (32°F)
• · Iwatani says to use Iwatani-brand butane

Check price on AmazonRead the full reviewSpecs: manufacturer page, checked Nov 1, 2026

No. 5Camp stove

Camp Chef Explorer 2-Burner (EX60LW)

Best for: Big pots and long outages cooked in the yard

• 30,000 BTU per burner
• Available as 2-burner (EX60LW) or 3-burner (EX90LW)
• Propane from a bulk tank via the included hose and regulator
• Takes Camp Chef 14 in. accessories (griddle, grill box, pizza oven)
• Removable legs; 3-sided windscreen

Tradeoffs

• · Freestanding stove: bulkier to store than a tabletop model
• · High output means high fuel use; outdoors only

Check price on AmazonRead the full reviewSpecs: manufacturer page, checked Nov 1, 2026

No. 6Butane stove

Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane Camping Stove (2800)

Best for: A small backup burner that stores in a case

• 7,650 BTUs; 1 adjustable burner
• Up to 1.25 hours on high on one 8.8 oz butane cylinder (manufacturer)
• Instastart matchless ignition
• Fits one 10-in. pan; 5.15 lb
• 1-year warranty

Tradeoffs

• · One burner and modest output
• · Coleman markets it for cooking outdoors

Check price on AmazonRead the full reviewSpecs: manufacturer page, checked Nov 1, 2026

Top picks in detail: read the full Coleman Classic review, the Camp Chef Everest 2X review and the Jetboil Flash review.

Best camping stove: propane vs butane

Propane is the default outage fuel. The 1 lb green cylinders are sold almost everywhere, and the stoves are simple. Two-burner propane stoves let you boil water on one side while you cook on the other.

Butane cassette stoves are compact and light easily, which is why they show up on lists for a butane stove during a power outage. They have two weak spots. Cold: Iwatani's manual says the 35FW is not for use below freezing (32°F), so a winter outage is the worst time to rely on one. Indoor rules: Iwatani says the 35FW is for use indoors only in commercial restaurants and warns never to use it in an enclosed space such as a camper, tent, car or home.

Backpacking stoves like the Jetboil boil water quickly and sip fuel. They are the right tool for freeze-dried meals, coffee and washing water, and the wrong one for frying eggs for four.

What to look for in an emergency cooking stove

Two burners for a household

One burner is fine for one or two people. A family eating hot meals for several days will want two, so a pot of water and a pan can run together.

Fuel you can buy and store

Pick one fuel and stock it. Propane 1 lb cylinders and 8 oz butane cans both store well when kept outdoors in a shaded spot away from the house. Iwatani says to use Iwatani-brand fuel in its stoves, so check the manual before buying generic canisters.

Output you will actually use

Higher BTU boils water faster but burns fuel faster too. The Everest 2X's two 20,000 BTU burners can deliver twice the heat per hour of the Coleman Classic's 20,000 BTU total, which also means about twice the fuel per hour when both run flat out.

Ignition

Matchless ignition is convenient, but keep long matches or a lighter regardless. The Coleman Classic 2-burner is match-lit; the Everest 2X, Iwatani and Coleman butane stoves have built-in igniters.

Fuel math for a week

These are our estimates, worked from each maker's stated burn time or boil figure. Real use varies with wind, cold, pot size and flame setting.

Save fuel by cooking with a lid, choosing one-pot meals, and storing extra boiled water in an insulated bottle. Our how to cook without power guide covers more ways to stretch a cylinder.

Where to set up

• Open air on a stable, non-flammable surface: a patio table, a tailgate or the driveway.
• Away from windows, doors and vents, so exhaust does not drift inside.
• Never in a garage, a tent or an enclosed porch, even with the door open.
• Out of the path of generator exhaust; generators run at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages (Ready.gov).
• With a wind block: Coleman's WindBlock panels help, and a sheltered corner of the yard helps more.

Honest tradeoffs

• The cheapest stove here, the Coleman Classic, is also the most fuel-hungry per hour when both burners run on high.
• The Explorer's 30,000 BTU burners are excellent for big pots and canning-size jobs, but it is a large freestanding stove to store.
• The Iwatani has strong output for a single burner, but its maker limits indoor use to commercial restaurants and rules out freezing weather.
• The Jetboil cannot replace a two-burner for real meals; it complements one.
• If you have a gas cooktop that lights with a match, you may not need a camp stove for cooking at all. Check your manual first.