---
title: "Three Features You Need in a Portable Butane Stove"
description: "When you're camping off grid and miles from the nearest roadside coffee pit stop, there's nothing better than a gritty cup of coffee on a cool morning. But to make the coffee, you need to boil some water, and to boil the water, you need a pack stove. That's where a small, portable, single-burner butane stove becomes your favorite piece of gear. These devices are inexpensive, lightweight, easy to operate, and work just as well on a truck tailgate as they do on the ground in some alpine landscape. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you shop for your next butane burner, and a short roundup of products that will serve you well."
date: "2019-11-08"
modified: "2019-11-08"
authors:
  - name: "The Editors"
    link: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/authors/the-editors/"
url: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/features-you-need-in-a-portable-butane-stove/"
categories:
  - "Gear"
tags:
  - "Evergreen"
  - "Gear Reviews"
---

# Three Features You Need in a Portable Butane Stove

![Portable Butane Stove](<https://www.outdoorlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/07/QD4X73Z5CLFCHD6EQUC44APM2E.jpeg>)
*A single burner stove makes it easy to boil water or warm meals fast without sacrificing much fuel. Coleman*

There are so many types of camp stoves available today that it’s impossible to pick one all-purpose burner. A backpacking stove isn’t much good for park-and-pitch family camping, and you won’t get far lugging that two-burner suitcase contraption into the backcountry. But for everyday use short of wilderness trekking, it’s hard to beat a single-burner butane stove. They’re lightweight, start with the press of a button, and are just as handy in the kitchen or at a backyard barbecue as in camp. Look for these features in a personal butane burner.

The best trait of single burner stoves is the hassle-free ignition. No pumping or connecting the fuel bottle. Just set up, click the switch, and you have a proper outdoor kitchen almost anywhere.

While butane is usually the primary fuel for a single-burner stove, many come equipped with a fuel-line adapter to attach a standard propane bottle. That’s handy in very cold conditions, as propane has a much lower boiling point than butane. A folding windscreen will also conserve heat and protect meals in gusty conditions.

A carrying case keeps all components of a single-burner stove in one place and makes everything easy to store. To begin cooking, it’s really as easy as opening the lid and pushing a button.