Camping sotves are a staple piece of equipment when it comes to camping, they are highly useful for cooking meals and making hot drinks. They are also compact and easy to use especially if you plan to camp without electricity.
A camping stove can last anything from 45 minutes to 4 hours depending on the camping stove itself, brand, quality and gas cannisters being used. This also depends on how long you are using your stove for in one sitting as this will last longer than using for short bursts.
In this article we are going to talk about what camping stoves are, how long they last and what you can do to help prolong the life of a camping stove.
Does Quality Matter in a Camping Stove
Like every other thing, quality matters in a camping stove. There are certain qualities that will affect the burning time of your Camping Stove.
The BTU, Accessories, and other technical specifications are some things that can affect the performance of your camping stove.
1. BTU
British Thermal Unit shortened as BTU is the amount of heat energy you need to increase the temperature of a pound of water by a degree Fahrenheit.
This is just an assumption if the efficiency of your stove is 100 percent. Of course, this isn’t always possible as the heat of the stove gets thrown off into the air.
A higher BTU means the hotter thee stove gets. So a stove with great BTU will burn faster and will take less time to prepare your meal.
A stove with 20k BTUs should be enough but you can also go for something greater like 30k BTUs.
2. Wind Resistance
While strong gusts will completely out the flames your camping gas should be protected against a moderate gust. One of the qualities of a good camping stove is that it can withstand wind to a certain extent.
Stoves that have windshields along the three sides protecting the burner are very good and should be chosen for camping, hiking and all.
Although if your stove doesn’t have inbuilt protection you can easily improvise and create a barrier. Alternatively, you can purchase one.
Even if there is a strong wind, a windscreen combined with a good camp set up in a protected area should get you a stable flame- at least to some extent
3. Accessories and Extras
The accessories that come with a stove also matters. Although this might not be the most important factor, but it counts. A quality camping stove should have accessories such as a camp pan or pot kit.
How Long do Camping Stoves Last?
For everyone going away camping, one of the primary concerns is cooking food. This prompts the question of how much gas will be needed to cook food.
How much gas will be enough is a very broad thing, but we will be surely simplifying it as much as possible and you’d be knowing how much gas you’d be needing for your next camping trip
There are different burning rates depending on the kind of gas but on average most camping gas burns at a rate of 2g of gas per minute. This means if you use a standard 220g aerosol gas canister it will burn for about 2 hours while a standard 450g cartridge will take you up to over 3 hours under favorable conditions.
There is no straightforward method of measuring how long your cartridge or gas canister will last. But certainly, there are factors that will influence the rate at which your camping gas will burn .
The temperature and altitude of both the camping environment and the gas will have a huge impact. Another factor that will influence the burning time of your gas is your efficiency with using the gas .
Before purchasing a camping gas, you’ll discover there are three main options you can choose from:
- Camping gas cartridges,
- Aerosol gas, and
- Butane patio style gas.
Campers, Hikers, and Backpackers will need to use camping gas cartridges or Aerosol gas canisters in their gas stove.
Camping Cartridges or Aerosol canisters are the most suitable for campers, backpackers, and hikers while the butane patio style has (because of size and weight) is suitable for use in caravan and in a home environment.
Below is a table showing some of the most popular camping gas, their sizes, and how long you can expect them to burn under favorable conditions.
| Stove Type | Brand | Gas Weight | Burning duration |
| Aerosol | Camping gas self-seal | 220g | 2 hrs |
| Aerosol | GoGas Winter Butane Propane Mix | 227g | 2 hrs |
| Aerosol | Quechua Butane Gas Cartridge | 220g | 2 hrs |
| Cartridge | Campingaz C206 | 190g | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Cartridge | Coleman c100 Xtreme Gas | 100g | 45 minutes |
| Cartridge | Coleman c500 Performance Gas | 240g | 2 hours |
| Cartridge | Coleman CV 300 Plus (300+) | 240g | 2 hours |
| Cartridge | Coleman Propane Gas cylinder | 465g | 3 hours 45 minutes |
| Cartridge | Coleman Xtreme Gas C300 | 230g | 2 hours |
| Cartridge | Camping Gaz Self Seal | 220g | 2 hours |
| Cartridge | Campingaz CV 470 Plus | 450g | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Cartridge | MSR IsoPro | 113g | 1 hour |
| Cartridge | Forclaz Screw-On V1 | 100g | 45 minutes |
| Cartridge | Forclaz Screw-On V1 | 230g | 2 hours |
| Cartridge | Forclaz Screw-On V1 | 450g | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Cartridge | Forclaz Cold Weather Screw-On V1 | 230g | 2 hours |
| Cartridge | Forclaz Screw-On V2 | 100g | 45 minutes |
| Cartridge | Forclaz Screw-On V2 | 230g | 2 hours |
| Cartridge | Forclaz Screw-On V3 | 100g | 45 minutes |
How to Make a Camping Stove Last Longer
So you want your calling stove to be more efficient?
Here are five quick tips you can follow:
- Cover the pot for as long as possible.
- Use a windshield or a sleeve to protect your flames.
- Use the smallest cooking utensils for your needs.
- Try to cook meals that will require just one pot.
- Turn the flame down before the food finishes cooking.