Best Portable Wood Stove for Camping

An outdoor wood stove that is portable, lightweight and burns multiple fuel types is a great piece of equipment for backpacking, day hikes, taking to the state park or beach, or simply using on your patio or in the backyard.

We’ve got the best portable outdoor wood stoves in a range of categories from minimalist, ultralight models to those large enough to meet the needs of a group or family and come with a nice range of accessories.

Best Outdoor Wood Stoves Reviews

Here is a detailed look at the top 8 outdoor wood burning camping stoves available, including small and large stoves, stove with BBQ grills, and rocket stoves.

We’ve picked a top portable wood burning camping stove for the most popular categories.

#1 Solo Stove Wood Burning 2-4 Person Camping Stove and 2 Pot Set

Best Overall

This compact wood burning stove is # 1 recommended by Backpacker Magazine and has what you’re looking for in a multi-person capable camp stove.

Features: These features make this our Best Overall outdoor wood stove.

• The stove, two pots, and lid compactly nest together for space savings.
• The pots hold are 3 liters and 1.5 liters
• Stuff sacks included.
• The packed size of the stove is about 7” x 7” x 7” and it weighs 5.75 pounds.
• Features a unique double wall that creates super-clean, low-smoke gasification and a secondary combustion so fuel burns hot and completely.
• Boils water in 2-4 minutes.
• Durable and built to last, of premium, food grade stainless steel.

Ratings: This stove is right at the top. Customers give this stove exceptional reviews for quality, usability and convenience.

Pros: This stove will meet all of your requirements in a wood burning camp stove set. It’s compact, lightweight, and burns clean and efficient. You can use wood, twigs, leaves, and pinecones as fuel. Top rated by Backpacker Magazine, Discovery Channel survivalist Matt Graham, and won Gear of the Year Award from 50 Campfires & Section Hiker. Obviously, no fuel canisters are required.

Cons: There really are no negative reviews on this stove but it might be a bit too heavy for some backpackers and it’s on the high end of the price range. But it does a lot more than cheaper outdoor wood stove models.

Bottom Line: This is an excellent outdoor wood burning camping stove and worth the cost. And at under 6lbs, its weight won’t scare serious, fit backpackers.

#2 Stadelhorn Titanium Minimalist Outdoor Wood Stove

Best Small/Lightweight

This very small, incredibly lightweight personal wood stove is just right for backpacking, hiking and survivalist adventures. It is our Best Small Stove because it is light but tough.

Features: This great little stove has all the features you’ll need for cooking on the trail.

• Very durable, long-lasting, 100% Titanium construction making it lighter than stainless steel, yet stronger.
• Weighs just 7.3 oz. and packs to 5” x 7” x .4”
• The stove is easy to assemble, disassemble, and clean.
• This stove features a stable cooking surface and the cooking surface, or cross bar, can handle over 100 pounds.
• Features a wide opening to easily add more fuel and side air vents to keep oxygen flowing.
• Burns wood you bring or, twigs, leaves, moss, and pinecones you gather along the way.

Ratings: The Stadelhorn Titanium outdoor wood stove gets high marks for rugged, lightweight durability. Steel with the same strength would weigh twice as much. The reviews are outstanding.

Pros: This is an excellent stove, well made, sturdy, and well ventilated. Quick, easy assembly, easy to add additional fuel. The stove can boil 12 ounces of water in about 5 minutes after initial lighting.

Cons: The carrying bag doesn’t seem to be as well made as some would like. Plan to upgrade it at some point. Some might also wish there were an additional larger crossbar included with the stove to support a pot.

Bottom Line: For a small, lightweight wood burning camp stove, you won’t find anything better, and at a reasonable price.

#3 Ohuhu Portable Wood Burning Camping Stove

Best Value

Compact and lightweight, this stove has so many features at a great price, making it our Best Value. It’s fueled by the great outdoors.

Features: This little stove is loaded with features and perfect for any camper or backpacker.

· Lightweight and compact, it collapses to 5.3” x 5.3” x 3” and weighs only 14.2 oz.

· Includes a cook top to hold pots or pans and a grill for barbequing.

· Fuel sources include wood, twigs, leaves, pinecones and solidified alcohol pellets.

· This personal camping stove will stand up to a steady, hot fire, as well as, heavy pots or pans.

· Safety: It remains stableeven when the wind is whipping, with a 3-arm base support system.

· Easy set-up

Ratings: A high percentage of users across many retail platforms give this Ohuhu outdoor wood stove for camping and adventure excellent reviews.

Pros: Backpackers, hunters, day hikers and even backyard enthusiasts give this portable wood burning stove high marks. It’s efficient, burns fast and hot, and easy to keep it burning long enough to cook a meal. It’s sturdy enough for heavy pots and is very easy to clean.

Cons: You have to lift off the pot to add fuel, but that’s not a major con. The Tomshoo outdoor wood stove and a few others on the list can be fed from the front.

Bottom Line: This is a good quality, easy to use stove, at an excellent price.

#4 Tomshoo Portable Camping Wood Burning Stove

Editors Choice

Here’s another small, lightweight, and sturdy stove included with an owner’s manual and a 2 year warranty making it the Editors Choice.

Features: With its small size and sturdy construction, you’ll find just what you need in a portable camping and backpacking stove. It even comes with a small bellows for stoking the flames!

· Constructed with high quality stainless steel, it can stand up to high heat and heavy weight.

· It won’t rust.

· Collapsed size measures 5.5” x 5.5” x 3.38” and weighs just 9.8oz.

· Pocket bellows and air vents provide good ventilation and efficient burning. Secondary combustion keeps stove continuously burning with little smoke.

· Large front opening makes adding fuel easy and won’t interrupt the cooking process.

· Includes stove, cooking ring, pocket bellows, owner’s manual, and 2 year warranty.

· Burns wood, twigs, leaves, grasses, pinecones.

· The pot stand is a handy extra.

Ratings: Most customers give this stove positive reviews for its versatility, hot-burning oven with the right fuel and that it is light and portable.

Pros: This stove is lightweight but very sturdy when assembled, simple to put together, and easy to clean. The design creates good air flow allowing the stove to burn hot and efficiently. Can boil water very quickly.

Cons: Be careful when assembling the stove as the tabs may bend.

Bottom Line: This well designed, small, wood burning stove is a great addition to your camping equipment and is available at a very reasonable price. This stove is often purchased with the Stanley Adventure Camp Cook Set with vented lid and two nesting 10-oz. cups.

#5 Unigear Wood Burning Camp Stove Grill BBQ Cooker Folding

Best Stove with Grill

This high quality, lightweight stove is very versatile and can be used to cook and grill, making it our choice for Best Stove with Grill. It is built with stainless steel and has a fairly rugged design.

Features: The versatility of this stove provides you with all of the features you want in a wood burning camp stove.

• Small and lightweight, this stove collapses like a book to 7.1” x 6.3” x .8”. That’s less than an inch thick when folded! It weighs 1.54lbs.
• Manufactured with premium, durable stainless steel.
• Unique design creates a stable cooking platform which evenly distributes heat.
• Compatible with a variety of fuels including wood, leaves, pinecones, wood pellets, coal, and solid alcohol tablets.
• Easy assembly.
• Can be used to boil, cook, and grill.

Ratings: Verified users give the stove excellent reviews for setup, even burn with the multiple vent ports and handy features. It is amazingly compact when folded.

Pros: This fold-up, lightweight camp stove will cook enough food for multiple people and has side vent holes to keep the fire burning efficiently. Open front makes adding fuel easy. Sturdy cook surface will hold your food securely. Comes with a canvas carry bag.

Cons: The warranty is just 6 months. Some think the stove takes longer to boil water and cook food than they expected, but it really comes down to the quality of the fuel you’re using. If it’s dry and abundant, cook times are much quicker.

Bottom Line: This stove is a great choice if you’re looking for the versatility of fuel and cooking options.

#6 Vida Libre Portable Outdoor Wood Burning Camp Stove Grill

Best Large Stove with Kit

This unit, with multi-fuel capability has cooking utensils included, and is really everything you could want in a portable camp stove, making it our Best Large Stove.

Features: This sturdy stove features a cook top, a grill top, a large pan, utensils and skewers and can cook a meal for up to 10 people.

• Made of high-grade stainless steel and coated with a fire resistant paint.
• Packed size measures 14” x 11” x 13” and the weight is 20lbs, so it isn’t a backpacking outdoor wood stove, but if you’re driving to your site or enjoying a daytrip to the woods or beach, this unit gives you more cooking accessories and options than the others.
• Fuel sources include wood, twigs, leaves, biomass, charcoal, solid alcohol, and propane, although the gas burner for use with propane is sold separately. Here’s the link: Propane Gas Burner Kit
• Easy and fast assemble.
• Highly efficient, boils a large pot of water in 8-10 minute.
• Can be used outdoors in any wind or weather condition.

Ratings: Purchasers that read the details and understand this is a large outdoor wood stove give it very high marks for convenience and completeness in terms of the accessories. .

Pros: This is a perfect size wood burning camp stove for a family or group, it’s well made, sturdy, and cooks everything very well, from spaghetti to ribs and steaks. The stove comes with durable pans, lid, and cooking and serving utensils, and a carrying bag

Cons: This stove is too large and heavy for long backpacking trips. The legs are riveted. If you’re handy and like to tinker with things, we suggest you cut out the rivets if the legs get loose and replace them with bolts and nuts.

Bottom Line: This is an extremely versatile, portable, wood burning, camp stove that’s more than worth the cost. If you enjoy time on the deck or patio or just out in the backyard, you’ll appreciate all this unit offers.

#7 StarBlue Portable Outdoor Wood Burning Rocket Camping Stove

Best Rocket Stove-Large

This thing cranks out the heat and is versatile enough for cooking too. It is well-made and suitable for a group or family, making it our Best Large Rocket Stove.

Features: This stove has all of the features needed for cooking on a family camping trip.

· Strong and durable, made from low carbon, rust-resistant stainless steel.

· Compact and lightweight, collapsing to 13.4” x 13.4” x7” and weighing 15.4lbs/

· Functional design with an 8.66” cross bar and grate providing a stable platform for cooking.

· Large fuel chamber allows longer burn time and efficient heat transfer with low smoke.

· Uses wood, twigs, leaves, pinecones, biomass as fuel

· Easy, quick assembly and cleaning.

Ratings: Users appreciate the rugged versatility of the StarBlue rocket stove stainless steel stove with its own carrying case (that will wear out long before the stove needs replacement).

Pros: This is a well made, high quality, portable, wood burning stove, capable of cooking a meal for up to 4 people. It’s fast, efficient, quick to assemble and lights easily. The open bottom makes it easy to add fuel even while a pot of something delicious is on the stove top.

Cons: Like we said, don’t expect the carrying case to last forever.

Bottom Line: This is an excellent mid-size, versatile, and cost-effective camping stove.

#8 Marsh Kettles Flat Pack Wood Burning Camping Mini Rocket Stove

Best Rocket Stove – Small

This very compact stove is good quality and well functioning and therefore our Best Small Rocket Stove. The design is certainly unique, and it is easy to feed while its cooking dinner.

Features: This stove packs very small, is sturdy, and can cook an entire meal making it a great choice for backpackers.

• Packs to 8” x 8” x 1” and weighs 6 pounds.
• Fuel sources include wood, twigs, leaves, pinecones and biomass.
• Fairly to assemble once you get the hang of it
• Ignites easily and breathes well, so the fire won’t smolder when dry fuel is used.
• Gravity self-feeding and efficient.
• Made of durable stainless steel.
• Sturdy and secure, can handle large cooking pots – 3 quart or larger.
• It’s made in the USA.

Ratings: Reviews are positive across the board from backpackers to survivalists to people wanting a little outdoor wood stove for the patio.

Pros: The Marsh Kettles flat pack portable wood stove features the right balance of sturdiness and low weight in an outdoor wood stove. The assembly was quick and the stove lights quickly. Very capable of handling large pots and skillets.

Cons: It might take you a few times to get to the point where “the assembly was quick.”

Bottom Line: You’ll be satisfied with this lightweight, yet sturdy, wood burning, camp and backpacking stove.

Bottom Line: You’ll be satisfied with this lightweight, yet sturdy, wood burning, camp and backpacking stove.

What to Look For in a Portable Outdoor Wood Burning Camp Stove

There are several key aspects to think through when buying an outdoor wood stove.

Use & Weight: Consider how and where you will use the stove, for instance, will you carry your camping gear in your vehicle to the campsite or will you be carrying it in your backpack, where weight and size make a big difference. Maybe you’re just going to use this stove in your backyard, or in case of an emergency or power outage. In that case, you might be glad to spend a little more to get a larger stove that can serve up to 4 people with heat or a tasty meal.

Fuel: Also consider what kind of fuel you will use and its condition. In our experience, fuels with a little moisture in them won’t start as easily in a rocket stove. However, if you have dry starter fuel, those same slightly damp fuels will burn better in a rocket stove once super-hot embers are present.

Quality, Assembly and Cleaning: Then look for a high quality stove that’s easy to assemble and clean. Also consider what you want to spend. Look for the stove with the highest quality and that has the best customer reviews within your budget.

Accessorize your portable wood stove: You should also consider whether there are accessories available that will work with the stove such as pots, pans, or attachments that can convert the stove to use gas. A lot of accessories aren’t suitable for backpacking long distances, but for other uses they can be handy.