Coleman Classic Review Tested by GearLab

The 3-in-1 in the name refers to the cast-iron grill pan and griddle, which come with both stoves so you can swap out the two-burner grate for a grill and griddle. I prefer grilling over charcoal or wood when camping, but sometimes it’s nice to get some grill marks on your chicken without spending 15 minutes coleman camp stove getting the charcoal ready. (It’s also your only option in places where fires aren’t permitted, which is an ever-increasing number of places.) I also found that you don’t really have to remove the two-burner. You can put the griddles on top of it, which gives you even more cooking versatility.

Still, in other important ways, they are indeed throwbacks to an earlier age. The result is a camp stove that’s both classic in design and modern in function. This model is instant lighting and features two burners of pressed steel; the burner rings are stainless steel. The rust proof Solodur tank is finished in brown lacquer. The body of this stove is finished in forest green baked enamel.

Other stoves are definitely designed for those with plenty of storage space in their camping vehicles, weighing 36 pounds and packing quite a bit of bulk. Among camping stove options, some compact options are designed with everything fitting into a single large cup. They may provide an insulated cozy and a lid that operates as both a pour hole and a strainer, and a cooking pot that can serve as a mug, measuring cup and a bowl.

There is a larger version of this stove that will cost about $30 more. The Dual Fuel Powerhouse is 2” longer and pumps out a few more BTU’s. The Powerhouse provides 9,000 and 8,000 BTU’s for each burner compared to 7500 and 6500 for the model we are reviewing here. Popular for stoves, grills, heaters, generators and more, our Coleman propane cylinders come in a sturdy container with dependable valves for safe and easy use.

I think for the 413G I may just run a strip of high temp black gloss down the the front of the stove around the generator hole – like a racing stripe. Not authentic, but it should hold up better and maybe even look a little interesting. I have begun working on the gas tank and valves, but I think I’ll make that a separate instructable. So at the store I wanted to buy two cans of the brown primer because it’s supposed to be better at stopping rust.

This stove is also guaranteed to turn the bottom of any pot black with soot. The Coleman Classic’s low price point and durable design made it our Best Value pick. While it doesn’t have the features or performance of our other award winners, it gets the job done. The Camp Chef Everest was our Top Pick for the simple reason that its performance blew every other stove out of the water. Autoignition is a top feature, keeping you from having to strike a match or carry a lighter around with you.

If you have the money, and do enough camping to justify it, the Cascade 3-in-1 is a really nice upgrade. With large pans, the outer edges get significantly less heat. Using a digital thermometer to check the temp around a 12-inch cast-iron pan, I found that temps varied by as much as 100 degrees from the center to the edge. You’ll get the best results with 10-inch and smaller pans, which heat much more evenly and in my testing rarely varied more than 50 degrees from center to edge. If you really need to evenly heat larger pans to get your group fed, I suggest something like the Camp Chef Pro series stove. Outwardly, the new Cascade series two-burner camp stove and the 1900 series two-burner camp stove are nearly identical, except for their color.

I love camping the best way to appreciate life and all you have. Needs to review the security of your connection before proceeding. Prices, promotions, styles, and availability may vary. Prices and availability of products and services are subject to change without notice. Before you purchase fuel, remember to check the compatibility of your Coleman appliance to find the right fit.

coleman stove

Despite just 10,000 BTUs per burner, the compact design packs a little punch. If speed is a priority for your boiling needs, however, one option is to pair the Classic with a rapid-boiling backpacking model like the JetBoil MiniMo. Not only will this mean you get your morning coffee faster, but it frees up a burner to make extra pancakes. Trying to use pots on all three burners at once felt pretty crowded. We often cook with a cast iron grill pan, but getting even heat across a large pan on a typical camping stove is virtually impossible.