One Man Tents

Camping stoves and cooking kit

A camping stove for backpacking is a small, light burner for heating water and simple meals at camp, carried with a pot and its fuel. The stoves, pots, fuel and mugs below are sized for one or two people and packed to fit in a rucksack. Most solo campers need a stove, one pot, a mug and a lighter. For everything else a night out needs, use our wild camping kit list.

A camping stove for backpacking is a small, light burner for heating water and simple meals at camp, carried with a pot and its fuel.

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The stoves, pots, fuel and mugs below are sized for one or two people and packed to fit in a rucksack. Most solo campers need a stove, one pot, a mug and a lighter. For everything else a night out needs, use our wild camping kit list.

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Brass Meths Burner

£10.49In stock

Good for: Cooking on methylated spirits: a simple brass meths burner.

Should you choose a gas canister, meths or solid fuel stove?

A gas canister stove is the simplest choice for a first backpacking stove: it lights instantly, boils quickly and leaves no mess. Gas canisters screw onto the burner and burn cleanly, but they work less well in cold weather and you can't tell exactly how much gas is left. Meths (alcohol) stoves have no moving parts and are silent, but they're slower and their flame is hard to see in daylight. Solid fuel tablets are the lightest to carry, slowest to cook with, and leave a sticky residue on the pot.

How long does a backpacking stove take to boil water?

A gas canister stove boils half a litre of water in a few minutes in still air. Meths and solid fuel stoves take noticeably longer. Wind makes the biggest difference to every stove: a windshield around the pot, used as the maker says, saves both time and fuel.

What size pot do you need for one or two people?

One person needs a pot of about 750ml to 1 litre; two people need about 1.3 to 1.5 litres. That's enough to boil water for a dehydrated meal and a hot drink at once. A pot that holds the stove and a small gas canister inside it saves space in the rucksack.

How much fuel do you need?

For one person and one or two nights, a small gas canister is usually plenty for boiling water morning and evening. Take a spare on longer trips or in cold weather, when stoves burn more. Only cook with the fuel your stove is made for.

What else do you need to cook at camp?

Besides a stove and pot, most solo campers need a lighter or matches, a mug, a long-handled spoon and a way to clean up. Carry two ways to light the stove, because lighters fail when they're wet or cold. A long spoon reaches the bottom of a dehydrated meal pouch without covering your hand in food.

How do you cook safely at camp?

Cook outside the tent, not in the porch: stoves inside tents cause fires and carbon monoxide build-up. Put the stove on flat, stable ground away from dry grass, and never leave it lit and unattended. Check local rules before you go, because some land managers ban stoves during dry spells.

Put the rest of your kit together

A stove and pot complete a night's kit. Add a one man tent and a backpacking rucksack to carry it all, or see what the Wild Camp Kit includes.

See the Wild Camp Kit

Rambler Rucksack

£39.97In stock

Good for: One night with light kit, or a long day: it holds 44 litres.

Ben Nevis Rucksack 2024

  • 52 litres
£109.99In stock

Good for: Overnight and multi-night trips: 52 or 65 litres, in unisex and women's fits, with a height-adjustable back.

Questions people ask

Can I take a gas canister on a plane?
No. Airlines don't allow gas canisters in hand luggage or the hold. Buy a canister at your destination instead.
Can I cook in the porch of my tent if it's raining?
No. Stoves in porches cause tent fires and carbon monoxide build-up, even with the door open. Cook outside under a tarp, or eat something that doesn't need cooking.
Which gas canister fits my stove?
Most small backpacking stoves take screw-thread canisters, but some take a different fitting. Check the canister type on the stove's product page before you buy fuel.
Camping Stoves and Cooking Kit for Backpacking | One Man Tents