How many people will I be cooking for? If you're a large party and only have one cooker, you'll probably need more than one burner. This means a compact stove won't be much use as they rarely have more than one burner. Plus you might struggle to cook using big pots. 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. Ideally, when camping, you want the same bit of kit to do many different things to reduce the amount of stuff you need to take.

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 There were one or two slow models, but most of the stoves got the kettle whistling after around five minutes.We cooked eggs and sausages using the same pan on every stove we tested, scoring each on how user-friendly and comfortable they were to use. Heat-up speed This is just so useful in so many ways – clean, easy, safe – we loved it and it totally surpassed our expectations. I suspect it may also get a few more outings in the garden too. 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.

Measuring at a width of 360 millimeters, a depth of 360 millimeters, and a height of 420 millimeters, this compact grill is ideal for transportation and storage. The Party Grill 400 is designed with three legs, providing stability during use. However, it does not have castor wheels for easy mobility. Well, yes, there is. We've had a brief look at the popular Cadac system before, and now there's an alternative: the Campingaz Party Grill. What you get with the Party GrillThose who come camping with the Baker household know we like our toys, and frankly when camping the tech, gizmos, cooking gear, sofas, comfy beds and, well, tech gear (tablets, laptops and phones) is only limited by the boot space in the car – now severely restricted since we swapped the big Dacia Estate for a shiny Ford B-Max and a nippy little Skoda. Cooking big guns – can this little stove compete? Larger, heavier camping stoves with several burners and a design that's more similar to your home cooker. 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. 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.

So, if you can't have a campfire or BBQ, is there anything you can take camping that will give you a lot more cooking options than just a camping stove? While the Party Grill 400 does not have a built-in capability, its simplicity and portability make it a practical choice for camping trips, picnics, and other outdoor activities. The grill's construction ensures durability, with premium materials used to enhance reliability over time. If you've been browsing camping shops recently, you may have seen the new Campingaz Party Grill 600. When I looked at it, I thought it looked like a great kit for family camping. Fortunately, our friends at Campingaz agreed and sent us a sample to review. 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.

Will my meals require more than one burner? Even if you're camping solo, you should think through the meals you'll want to cook and how many burners you normally use at home. If you aren't keen on one-pot meals, you'll probably need a stove with at least two burners.

Tents

We put 500ml water in our camping kettle and timed how long it took each camping stove to boil it. We found that there wasn't much difference in most of the times we recorded. This applies to camping stoves, too, although you're unlikely to find many stoves that have different-sized burners. It's lightweight when in its bag, making it practical to take for days out, such as to the beach. Cooking Versatility