Camping Stove Tips: Better Burner Basics

1. If your camping stove's performance seems to be fading, the flame seems weak, or it's taking longer and longer to cook your food it might need a good cleaning. Over time fuel lines, jets and needle valves can collect deposits that will eventually slow or clog your stove. Use a cleaning cable, or possibly a pipe cleaner (if it will fit), to clean out your fuel line. Also try to avoid dirty/contaminated fuel when possible. (If you're looking at new stoves, canister fuels and white gas are your two cleanest choices, have a look at the camping stoves page.) Follow your manufacturer's camping stove tips for an "annual" cleaning as needed.

2. If you use diesel, unleaded gas or kerosene for fuel, or use your stove in windy conditions you will have to clean it much more often. Fuels like gasoline that burn dirty not only make cleaning your camping cookware more of a chore, they also work to clog your camping stove much more quickly. Clean fuels mean less maintenance.

3. Some camping stove tips seem obvious, but I've seen this one happen recently, so I'll mention it. Light your stove at a low level of fuel flow, otherwise the escaping gas can blow out the match.

4. White gas burns clean and hot and works well in most weather conditions. Whereas canister fuels, depending on the type can't go down below 0 degrees F (-18 degrees C) at the lowest. Make sure when you need it most that your stove will perform.

5. If you're having difficulty lighting your liquid fuel stove at higher elevations, try using less fuel reservoir/bottle pressure. With less oxygen available at higher elevations it's important to lean out the mixture, so to speak. Too much fuel can 'suffocate' the flame because there's not enough air for the flame to breathe.

6. Reducing the fuel bottle pressure is also a good idea if you have a stove that doesn't simmer very well. Less pressure, equals less fuel, which means a smaller flame.

Want hot food quicker?

7. If you frequently use your camping gear or hiking equipment in windy conditions, and even if you don't, a full stove windscreen is a great idea. Besides sheltering your camping burner from being blown out, they also serve to hold the heat in. This coupled with a great stove with a heat exchanger and/or an insulated pot can make a huge difference in cooking times and in fuel savings. Add it up over the course of a trip and it means less to carry, and the more you use it, the quicker it will pay for itself. (You can also get windscreens separately.)

8. It may sound funny, but fuel can lose its 'freshness' if it's exposed to air for awhile. That's why it's important to have airtight containers for storage to insure maximum performance from your stove.

9. How much liquid fuel should you bring?

If you only need fuel for cooking figure about 1/2 of a cup or 4 ounces per day per person. Double that if you plan on doing "mild" winter camping and plan on using snow as a water source. This will vary depending on the fuel used, wind, temperature, altitude, type of stove, cooking times, and individual habits.

11. How many fuel canisters should you bring?

During warm weather a 4 ounce (118 milliliter) fuel canister should last one person about 7 days, or enough to boil about 12.7 pints (6 liters) of water. Again this will vary as mentioned in #9 above. So bring extra if you plan on boiling your drinking water.

12. The next of the high elevation camping stove tips... Removing your camp stoves windscreen to let the flame breathe easier can also help to light your fire. Sorry, I just couldn't avoid the Doors reference. ;-)

13. Liquid fuel stoves require priming and fuel vaporization to perform efficiently. White gas is vaporized in the generator which passes through the flame. That's the reason it takes a few seconds after ignition for the yellow sooty flame to clean up and turn blue. Once it's turned blue, the fuel is being vaporized and combined with the oxygen in the air for a good burn.

14. Canister stoves light to provide immediate maximum heat, though they usually don't burn as hot and the canisters also require disposal, which can be a hassle if you're backpacking.

15. Never cook inside your camping tent. Odorless and colorless carbon monoxide can quickly fill a small space and cause death... which would pretty much ruin your weekend. Seriously, be careful and take it outside.

16. Make sure to bring your stove maintenance/repair kit with you so you have it when you need it. Don't let a dirty fuel line or simple o-ring ruin your trip.

17. OK, this is less of a tip and more of a request. Please e-mail me any camping stove tips I may have missed, or if you've got a great suggestion that you think others might find helpful. Thanks. :-)

Check out the camping stoves page for more camping stove tips, what stoves I recommend, and important things to look for in a camping stove.