The side-tables take a bit of fixing into place with wing-nuts and we wouldn’t trust them with anything very heavy – certainly not a large saucepan of food. Steer clear of the double-canister Popamazing stoves – a fault on the connection could make them dangerous. Also, don’t bother with the Campingaz Bistro 300 – very low on gas power and the plastic parts melt far too easily.

Advice varies on how much gas hobs cost to use, and it does depend on the size hob ring you use and the heat level you set your hob to. We've seen prices ranging from 20p per hour to 66p per hour. At the time of publishing, a typical 250ml gas bottle for a portable gas stove will cost around 95p per hour to use, and only last three hours.There were one or two slow models, but most of the stoves got the kettle whistling after around five minutes. On your cooker at home, you'll usually have a selection of different-sized burners, and you'll select the one best suited to the size of your cooking pot. There are exceptions, however. The Campingaz Camp Bistro 2 and the Kemper Camping Stove Xtra Smart are medium-sized but only have a single burner – so they're a compromise between the portability of the compact stove and the familiar cooking experience of a larger one. Using a camping stove instead of your main gas cooker to save money isn't a good idea, as a camping stove is highly unlikely to be cheaper. Although you can get standard gas hob-style flames, there are camping stoves available that have welding-style flames with intense heat and an audible roar.

The fabric shelf needs to be fitted as it adds stability to the legs. There’s still quite a bit of wobble, though. Our main gripe is with the windshield/lid, which is held in place by one very small catch that slips into a tiny groove. Why they didn’t put one on the other side to make the lid less wobbly, we’ve no idea. It tends to give the cooker an unstable feel.

The best camping stoves you can buy in 2023

This applies to camping stoves, too, although you're unlikely to find many stoves that have different-sized burners. The best camping stoves you can buy in 2023 1. Campingaz Party Grill 200 Stove: Best for larger groups (4-6 people) Larger, heavier camping stoves with several burners and a design that's more similar to your home cooker. Do I have room for a gas canister? It can be easy to only focus on the camping stove itself and forget the fuel you'll need to burn with it. If you've got a larger stove, you'll probably need a large canister to go with it, which means even more bulk and weight in your vehicle. Although it's convenient to have a speedy stove, you'll likely find most camping stoves heat at a similar pace once the flames get going.

You can, but as you're dealing with an open gas-powered flame, you should ensure there's a good amount of ventilation before you use one to cook. In addition to being extremely portable and easy to use, this updated model of the Campingaz® Camp’Bistro stove has many additional safety features ensuring it now conforms to the latest European Safety Standards for all flat bed stoves.

In case there's a lot of wind on your camping trip, or if the piezo ignition simply won't play ball, it's worth having a box of matches on standby so you can light your stove manually. 4) Heating speeds are similar

Choosing a small burner for a large pot runs the risk of the heat being concentrated in the centre, leaving the edges of your food undercooked. And please do read the warning that follows. Some cheaper versions of these stoves can explode or set on fire. We’ve been getting a stream of scary stories from readers since posting Jim’s warning (see next).

Fancy a cuppa and a bite to eat? A decent camping stove makes all the difference on camping trips

There was also a trend in how long it took the stoves to heat our pan to 200°C. Although there were a couple of rapid outliers that heated the pan in a minute or less, most took around two minutes to heat. 5) Burner size matters The stoves we tested with this type of flame burnt the hottest, were great at heating up pans and proved much more resistant to wind interference than standard burners. Ideal for festivals and best suited for one-pot cooking recipes, you can take everything in a very compact, surprisingly light case without compromising on cooking performance. The stove has raised feet which lift it away from the surface it is sitting on, allowing additional ventilation. Buy more fuel refills than you think you’ll need, and if you’re heading abroad on a car camping trip it’s worth taking as much as you’ll use for the entire camping trip, as it might not be available at your destination. You can also buy hose adaptors that let you connect gas stoves to big, refillable propane tanks, which is a more eco-friendly and economical way to cook than regularly replacing smaller canisters.