Always keep the valve open—even after the flames have sputtered—for about a minute or two to ensure that any final vapor has escaped. In our comparative test for low-temperature control, the Coleman Classic cooked soft scrambled eggs from raw in 4 minutes. This result was well below the 10 to 15 minutes that the recipe calls for, yet still 2 minutes 30 seconds slower than the more-expensive Coleman FyreCadet took. Also, even though the Classic’s eggs weren’t as ethereal as those cooked for more than 10 minutes at home would be, they were still wonderfully soft. Burners over 30,000 BTUs are overkill for most campers and can get hot enough to damage typical camping cookware.
That said, if you’ll be doing a lot of four-season camping, liquid fuel is the most reliable choice and can come in the form of white gas, unleaded gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, or diesel. White gas is one of the best choices for backpacking and basecamping in extreme conditions, but there aren’t a whole lot of options in a full-size camping stove style. If you’re a hardcore adventurer, consider a stove like the Coleman Guide Series Dual Fuel (not listed here), which can run on either white gas or unleaded gasoline. Liquid-fuel stoves cost more than propane models and don’t offer any performance benefits in mild conditions, so for most folks, propane remains the best option. Two burners are sufficient for most campers, but aspiring camp chefs or those who typically head out with larger groups might want to step up to a three-burner stove.
We like both stoves, and think it really depends if you prefer an automatic ignition or not. The Coleman Triton stove was my kitchen away from home for a 2,000 mile road trip through Oregon, Nevada, and California where my wife and I visited several National Parks and Monuments. Every breakfast and dinner we had during those two weeks was cooked on the Triton’s two burners. Ravioli were boiled to perfection, eggs were made over easy, and sloppy joes were simmered for exactly 30 minutes as per the rules of my mama’s secret recipe. Shop designs with adjustable burners, plenty of sizes and power options, and removable grills for easy cleaning. Wherever you go, Coleman makes it easy to have a great meal.
Most camping stoves, including our top pick, have a tendency to jump temperatures, from very low to very high, with barely a touch of the hand. Uncovered, the Coleman Classic boiled water in 5 minutes on the right burner and 6 minutes 30 seconds on the left burner. The Coleman Classic also boiled water 3 minutes faster than the more expensive (and reportedly more powerful) Coleman FyreCadet. These stoves are not for hiking expeditions, but if you use a car or truck as the base for your overnight trips, two-burner camp stoves are fundamental to a successful car-camping adventure. They’re essential for trips to national parks or local recreation areas, where cooking on an open fire or barbecue pit may not be allowed, especially during wildfire season.
Cooking outside over an open flame conjures up an ancient, primal sense of accomplishment from deep within. Never mind that I came fully prepared with several cans of propane and a BIC lighter — I still feel like I’m Arthur “Master
of the Flame” McMahon when I’m manning the picnic table stovetop. Coleman 426 is a 3 burner model that also dates to the late 1940’s. The controls for the side burners project through holes in each end of the stove case.
The first is obviously the car camper who has a large group to feed, like me when we go on family trips. If you have to do some serious cooking, you definitely don`t want a small one burner stove. Many two burner stoves are still small and can barely accommodate two 8″ pans let along two 12″ cooking pans. The tip cleaner valves are above the fuel control valves on these Military Heating Units. These military heating units have fittings in the top of the tanks for supporting a grate as on Models 521 and 522 above.