It used to be that in the early sixties when us Boomers went camping that most of us learned to cook over an open wood fire. Boy, wasn't that fun, you had to get the coals just hot enough and then hope that they lasted long enough to cook the whole meal. Then there was the soot from the the pans that got all over everything and didn't ever wash off in the lake. Also everyone got to enjoy the taste of ash in their food. Kinda makes you miss those times doesn't it. No, not really.

Now days most everyone, from serious backpackers to car campers, cooks with a camp stove of one kind or another. The styles of camp stove that are offered vary widely as does the prices. First you need to decide what you are going to use the stove for, what you are going to cook, and what type of fuel that you want to use.

If you are planning on using the stove for backpacking, you can find light weight stoves that are built especially to be small and usually are one burner units. You can chose what type of fuel that you are planning on using. Most people will chose a propane cartridge type due to the convenience, however it is not very green because you have the container to dispose of properly. There is a container that is made to carry fuel, if you decide on using a liquid fuel stove. They are usually of turned aluminum and will hold about a pint of fuel. This is usually enough when backpacking because for the most part you will be heating water for coffee or to reconstitute your freeze dried meals.

If, you only plan on coffee and single pan meals a camper who plans on staying a day or two can get by with a single burner camp stove, but why? The two burner stoves that they are making now are smaller and lighter weight with the propane cartridge stoves being the lightest. For a family a two burner stove is a necessity. You will be able to cook a full meal on the two burners without a whole lot of juggling. If you get really ambitious you can even buy a little oven that will fit on top of the stove. Everybody needs a T.V. Dinner when they're camping.

A propane camp stove is lighter and can even hook up to a full size propane bottle. A gas camp stove is usually heavier and requires you to pump up the fuel tank, however they burn hotter.