Survival Stove

A look at some of the different options for your best survival stove.

assorted survival stoves and small camping stoves

Selecting a survival stove requires a little thought around the particular situation you are preparing for.  There are literally hundreds of options when it comes to selecting the best stove, and as many scenarios that might require one. 

If you are sheltering in place you can afford the luxury of a larger stove, but if you are on the move, as always, the smaller and lighter the better, so unless you are clairvoyant, you should prepare for all possibilities.  If you've ever put together a bug out bag, or a backpack for an extended outing, you know space is at a premium, and weight is the enemy.  You may be travelling by vehicle, but eventually you could find yourself on foot, possibly as soon as you burn whatever gas is in your tank, and cant get more.  Digging out your big ass camp chef or coleman 4 burner camping grill, and throwing it in the back of the truck is probably not a great plan.

Once again, anything is better than nothing at all, but there are not many things that will bring you, or your family, comfort in a tough situation like a warm, well prepared meal, so its worth some thought.  Can you survive by skewering a rat carcass on a stick and putting over a fire... maybe, but thats better left as plan B... or C.  Take the proactive step of knowing what you'll eat, and how you'll get it cooked.  With a good survival stove or small camping stove, if you need to evacuate, or shelter in place for a few weeks or even more, there is no reason to worry about where your next meal is coming from.  For more info on what to cook with your stove, check out the survival foods page on this site.   

For the purposes of this discussion we'll first be focusing primarily on smaller, lightweight options for a survival stove.  Listed below are some of the more common choices, ranging from very basic and inexpensive stoves to more expensive cooking "systems". 

Alcohol Stove	PROS: Light Cheap fuel: abundant		CONS: requires some DIY                      Not good in cold Limited adjustment Limited burn time fragile
Esbit Stove	PROS: Light Compact Versatile		CONS: Expensive fuel Leaves residue on cookwear Limited capability
Gel Fuel Stoves	PROS: Inexpensive Small Longer burn time Resealable		CONS: Lot of waste Limited availability slow
Coleman Max Micro	PROS: Inexpensive Small		CONS: unstable Uses bulky Fuel Loud
Pocket Rocket Stove	PROS: Small Light Reliable Hot!		CONS: Uses bulky Fuel Loud
Single burner Propane Stove	PROS: Inexpensive Good cooking ability		CONS: Requires bulky fuel Loud Requires separate base
MSR whisperlite	PROS: Accepts multiple fuels Fairly Compact Excellent cooking ability		CONS: Requires bulky fuel Loud Fairly expensive
Jetboil stove	PROS: Integrated with cooking system Very fast cooker		CONS: Expensive

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