The Best Camp Stove
The Stubbornest – MSR PocketRocket 2
We believe the MSR Pocket Rocket 2 is the best all-around stove for most people. It combines reliability, performance, and value into one solid package.
DURABILITY
Solid and rugged design and materials.
COST
Good value for what you get.
USABILITY
Easy to light, easy to setup and store.
Pros
Cons
Also Great – Soto Windmaster
If you will be cooking in windy conditions and don’t mind spending a little more, then the Soto Windmaster is a fine choice. We think it is not quite as durable as our top choice (the MSR), and auto lighting features tend to break easily, but it was the easiest to use and got great reviews.
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VIDEO REVIEW
Our video review of the best camp stoves, showing how we tested. Join us as we burn stuff.
CANDIDATES
Because there are so many camping stoves out there, we started by scouring reviews, looking at materials, and looking for suggestions in the BuyItForLife Subreddit (BIFL). After extensive research, we narrowed it down to four highly rated stoves, known for their versatility and durability in tough conditions. We tested how easy they are to use, how fast they can boil water, and just how durable they are by putting them through some serious stress and drop tests. Plus, we kept an eye out for any weak spots that could affect their reliability over time.
We compared stoves from several prominent brands: MSR, Soto, Fire Maple, and BRS. We did not test models from Jetboil or Coleman, as those got mixed reviews by serious backpacking users.
ANALYSIS
This matrix highlights each stove’s score across all areas of our testing. The lower the score, the better the performance. We evaluated them on price, weight, support thickness, drop test performance, boil time, and stress test results. The MSR Pocket Rocket 2 came out on top, easily earning a score of 5 anvils. Following closely in second place was the impressive Soto Windmaster.
We believe the MSR PocketRocket 2 is the best all-around stove for most people. It combines reliability, performance, and value into one solid package. However, if you’re willing to invest a bit more and need a stove that can handle high winds, the Soto Windmaster might be a better choice. Just keep in mind that while the Soto excels in windy conditions, its pot supports can be a bit flimsy and frustrating to work with.
At Stubborn Gear every product undergoes a rigorous review process by an experienced mechanical engineer. We only recommend products that perform exceptionally and are built to withstand the test of time.
We evaluated each stove for the following characteristics:
STOVE TYPE
Camping stoves come in all shapes and sizes, each with their own advantages. There are larger car camping stoves that offer more cooking space, or a lightweight backpacking stove if portability is key. We’ve all seen those classic green Coleman two burner stoves that have been around forever. If you come across a vintage one in good shape, it could be a solid choice, as they’re known for durability. However, recent models don’t quite match the quality of the older ones, so we can’t wholeheartedly recommend them anymore.
In the end, we opted for a backpacking stove. It’s versatile enough for both car camping and backcountry trips, plus it’s light and easy to store when you’re not using it – a great all around choice.
FUEL SOURCE
Another big factor in choosing a camping stove is the fuel source. You’ve got quite a few options: alcohol, liquid fuel, white gas, isobutane, propane blends, and even wood. After weighing the pros and cons, we focused on isobutane canister stoves. They’re user friendly, fuel efficient, and the canisters are widely available. Plus, unlike older models, there’s no need for constant pumping to maintain pressure. This type of fuel setup gives us the best balance of fuel efficiency, convenience, and ease of use.
Some stoves, like the MSR WhisperLite International, are designed to burn multiple types of fuel, offering greater flexibility. These multi fuel stoves can be a solid choice if you need adaptability in various settings. However, we’re cautious about certain features, like the rubber hose, which we see as a potential weak point that could wear out over time. We also found it inconvenient to have to clean the hose when switching fuel types, so we ultimately decided against this option.
USABILITY
If you’ve ever rolled into camp after dark, you know the stress of setting up a tent or cooking with limited light. A user friendly stove can make a huge difference, helping you get a meal going with much less hassle. We evaluated each stove how easy it was to set up and light, and how stable it felt with pots on top. These usability factors are key to making cooking in any condition less stressful and more enjoyable.
In our experience, the Soto was the easiest to use, thanks to its built in ignitor and wind protected flame. While the pot supports felt a bit flimsy and sometimes folded up unintentionally, they did provide the widest base for pots, adding stability.
The MSR came in a close second, needing an external lighter to get started but offering excellent sturdiness and an easy to adjust valve, making it a reliable choice.
The smaller, lighter Fire Maple and BRS stoves were a bit frustrating to work with. Their compact size made it harder for them to support larger pots securely, which limited their practicality in certain cooking situations.
BOILING TIME
Boiling time is an excellent indicator of a stove’s heating power. The faster a stove can bring water to a boil, the quicker it can cook or heat up any meal or drink. To keep things consistent, we tested each stove by timing how long it took to heat three cups of water from 64 degrees to a rolling boil. This gave us a clear comparison of each stove’s performance under the same conditions.
The Soto Wind Master came out on top, boiling water in just 3.4 minutes, with the MSR Pocket Rocket 2 close behind at 3.5 minutes. The Fire Maple and BRS models took over 5 minutes, which was expected since smaller burners generally correlate with less heat output.
Additionally, the Soto Wind Master was the only model equipped with a windscreen, which helps shield the flame in windy conditions, giving it an extra advantage in outdoor performance.
If you’re looking to heat water or food even faster, each of these stoves can be paired with a heat exchanger pot. Originally popularized by Jet Boil, these pots are now available from several brands and can significantly speed up cooking times. We’re planning to do a full review dedicated to testing these pots in the future, so stay tuned!
WEIGHT
The weight of a stove becomes a concern mainly for backpacking, where every gram adds up. If you’re only car camping, then a few extra grams won’t matter at all. But even for backpacking, weight can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, a lighter stove is ideal for reducing pack weight on a long backcountry trip. On the other, it still needs to be sturdy enough to handle rough conditions and regular use.
Take the BRS, for instance. It’s incredibly lightweight at only 26.1 grams, which is impressively tiny! However, the longer boil time and flimsy pot supports make it less practical, and in our view unlikely to last.
The matrix is the measured weight of each of the four stoves in our test, with the Soto WindMaster standing out as the heaviest option.
STRESS TEST
To assess the durability of each stove, we conducted stress testing by applying unusually high weight loads. We then observed the materials responses to identify any signs of deformation or potential fatigue over time. This process also allowed us to evaluate the stoves’ performance under high-load conditions, such as when supporting heavy pots.
For the test, we used a stock pot filled with one gallon of water (weighing 8.3 pounds) and placed it on each stove, closely monitoring for any signs of damage. Among the stoves tested, only the BSR failed, with one of its supports bending under the weight of the full pot.
IMPACT RESISTANCE
We performed a drop test on each of the 4 stoves. These impact resistance tests simulate common drops and impacts that might occur in outdoor use, such as falls from a table height or being knocked over. Each stove’s structure and pot supports were observed for signs of bending, cracking, or other damage. We dropped each stove 3 times from a height of 82 inches onto a hard cooler. We were pleasantly surprised that each stove passed this test without any damage or issues.
THICKNESS
Even though the Soto is the heaviest stove, we don’t actually find it to be the sturdiest. Its pot supports are the thinnest of all the stoves we tested, and we found the legs frustrating. They tended to flop around and could easily bend with a bit of pressure. They were also the only legs that were not permanently attached to the body.
Surprisingly, the MSR and Fire Maple, despite being lighter than the Soto, have much sturdier and thicker pot supports, making them feel more stable and durable overall.
REVIEWS
After narrowing down our choices, we scoured the internet for good quality reviews. These can be very hard to find now that fake and paid-for reviews are everywhere.
Sites like ReviewMeta and FakeSpot analyze reviews with their algorithm to eliminate suspicious ones and give an updated score.
The MSR PocketRocket 2 that is our winner had 4082 ratings on Amazon as of the time of this review. Fakespot review analysis gave it a score of A, showing that the reviews are accurate and high quality.
AMAZON RATING
4.8
ADJUSTED RATING
4.8
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