A backpacking stove can boil water but it cannot fry — the burner is too small, the heat too uneven, and one gust kills the flame entirely. The five stoves here all deliver at least 20,000 BTUs on a burner wide enough to hold a 10-inch skillet flat.
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Top Pick
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Versatile
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Budget
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Best Value
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Best for Reliability
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Camp Chef Explorer Two Burner Stove | Camp Chef Everest 2X Two-Burner Stove | Blackstone 2363 20-Inch Camping Griddle | Coleman Triton+ 2-Burner Propane Camping Stove | GasOne High Pressure Single Propane Burner with Heat Shield |
| Fuel | Propane | Propane | Propane | Propane | Propane |
| Output | 60,000 BTU total | 40,000 BTU total | Not specified | 22,000 BTU total | High pressure, adjustable PSI |
| Wind guard | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cooking surface | 14 x 32 in | 215 sq in | 20 x 14 in | Fits 10 and 12 in pans | Single burner head |
| Buy Now | Check Price → | Check Price → | Check Price → | Check Price → | Check Price → |
Quick Tips
Preheat your pan for at least 90 seconds before adding oil — camp stoves take longer than kitchen ranges to stabilize heat across the full pan surface.
Use a cast-iron or carbon steel pan rather than thin aluminum — they hold heat through the inevitable gusts and give you a more even sear.
Turn your stove so the wind blows parallel to the wind guards, not into the opening — a 20-mph crosswind will still drop BTU output significantly without this adjustment.
Bring a splatter screen. Camp cooking at high heat without one means grease on your tent, your gear, and your regulator hose.
Camp Chef Explorer Two Burner Stove
Best for serious camp cooking and group breakfasts
Camp Chef Explorer Two Burner Stove
Best for serious camp cooking and group breakfasts
What we like
- Two 30,000 BTU cast-aluminum burners provide enough heat to fry while keeping a second pan warm simultaneously.
- Three-sided windscreen is built into the frame and holds up in real wind without requiring any setup adjustment.
- Compatible with Camp Chef's full 14-inch accessory line including griddles, pizza ovens, and grill boxes.
- Detachable steel legs make it compact enough to fit in a truck bed or cargo box without taking up a full bin.
What we don't
- Heavier than single-burner options at around 12 lbs, which rules it out for backpacking or long carry-ins.
- No ignition on the base model — you need a lighter or matches to start it.
- Accessories like the griddle and grill box are sold separately, adding cost if you want the full setup.
If you want to cook real food at camp — bacon, eggs, pancakes, fish, all at the same time — this is the stove that handles it without compromise. The dual 30,000 BTU burners hold steady heat in wind that would kill a canister stove, and the wide cooking surface gives your skillet room to sit flat and heat evenly.
This is the right stove for car campers and overlanders who cook for three or more people and want a setup that works like a kitchen, not a compromise. If you're a solo backpacker or cooking freeze-dried meals, it's more stove than you need.
Camp Chef Everest 2X Two Burner Camping Stove
Best for campers who want power in a lighter package
Camp Chef Everest 2X Two Burner Camping Stove
Best for campers who want power in a lighter package
What we like
- Folds flat and latches shut like a briefcase, making it one of the most packable two-burner stoves at this power level.
- Matchless ignition fires with a knob twist — no matches or lighter required at camp.
- Folding lid creates a three-sided windscreen that keeps the flame stable in breezy conditions.
- Stainless steel drip tray catches grease and wipes clean after frying sessions.
What we don't
- At 40,000 total BTU it has less raw output than the Camp Chef Explorer, which can slow recovery time when frying cold proteins.
- Cooking surface at 215 sq in is narrower than the Explorer, limiting pan size to around 10-11 inches.
- Not compatible with Camp Chef's 14-inch accessory line, so griddle upgrades require a separate purchase.
The Everest 2X gives you two solid propane burners in a package that actually fits in a day pack or camp bin without a dedicated case. It fries well — the burners are wide enough for a 10-inch skillet and the windscreen keeps heat from dropping when the breeze picks up.
Best for campers who move sites frequently or have limited truck space and want a capable two-burner stove without hauling the Explorer's footprint. If you cook for six people every morning, step up to the Explorer — this one is built for twos and threes.
Blackstone 2363 20-Inch Camping Griddle
Best for flat-top frying and group breakfasts
Blackstone 2363 20-Inch Camping Griddle
Best for flat-top frying and group breakfasts
What we like
- Ceramic titanium non-stick coating eliminates the need to season the griddle and makes cleanup after frying fast and easy.
- Briefcase-style design with secure latches and a carry handle means it goes from the truck to the picnic table without any assembly.
- Leveling feet adjust the cooking surface on uneven ground — a real advantage when frying eggs or pancakes on a campsite.
- Wide flat surface means you can fry bacon, eggs, and toast simultaneously without juggling pans.
What we don't
- Not compatible with metal utensils or abrasive pads — the non-stick coating requires plastic or silicone tools only.
- No wind guards, so in exposed campsites you may need to position it against your vehicle or a windbreak.
- Output is not rated in BTUs, so heat performance at altitude or in cold weather is harder to predict.
This is the camp cooking setup for people who think in terms of surface area rather than BTUs. You get 280 square inches of flat, non-stick frying space — enough to cook a full breakfast for four adults in one pass without flipping pans or waiting for turns.
The right pick if you cook large group breakfasts, love smash burgers, or want cleanup to be wipe-and-done. Skip it if you need high-heat searing, stew-style cooking in a deep pot, or the flexibility to boil water on the same unit.
Coleman Triton+ 2-Burner Propane Camping Stove
Best for campers who want a proven reliable all-rounder
Coleman Triton+ 2-Burner Propane Camping Stove
Best for campers who want a proven reliable all-rounder
What we like
- PerfectHeat and PerfectFlow technology keeps burner temperature consistent even when the fuel canister runs low.
- Push-button InstaStart ignition means no matches, no lighters — the stove fires with a single button press.
- Wind block shields on both sides keep the flame steady enough to maintain a frying temperature in moderate wind.
- Removable chrome grates clean easily after frying — no stuck grease buildup on fixed surfaces.
What we don't
- 22,000 total BTU is the lowest output on this list, which means slower heat recovery when you add cold food to the pan.
- Cooking surface fits a 12-inch pan maximum — not wide enough for a large cast iron griddle.
- At lower BTU output it is not well-suited for high-heat searing or wok-style cooking.
The Coleman Triton+ is the stove half the campers you've met already own, and for car camping it earns that reputation. It fries eggs and bacon reliably, lights every time, and fits in the corner of any camp bin.
The lower BTU output is noticeable compared to Camp Chef options but rarely matters for standard camp meals. Choose this if budget is tight, you cook for two, and your camp meals stay in the eggs-burgers-pasta lane.
If you ever want to fry a thick steak or cook for a group, you will eventually wish you had more BTUs.
GasOne High Pressure Single Propane Burner with Heat Shield
Best for deep frying and high-heat camp cooking
GasOne High Pressure Single Propane Burner with Heat Shield
Best for deep frying and high-heat camp cooking
What we like
- High-pressure burner head delivers intense, concentrated heat ideal for deep frying or bringing large volumes of oil to temperature fast.
- Built-in heat shield protects the hose connection from oil splatter and heat damage during frying sessions.
- Heavy-duty cast iron burner head resists warping under sustained high-heat use unlike thin stamped-steel alternatives.
- Compact and inexpensive enough to bring as a dedicated fry burner alongside a standard two-burner stove for camp.
What we don't
- Single burner means you cannot cook a side dish simultaneously — everything happens in sequence.
- High pressure output makes low-and-slow heat control harder than on a standard regulated camp stove.
- Requires a 20-lb propane tank with the included regulator — not compatible with the 1-lb green canisters most camp stoves use.
If you actually want to deep fry at camp — fish, hushpuppies, donuts — this is the only setup on this list built for it. The high-pressure burner recovers oil temperature between batches, which a standard camp stove cannot do, and the heat shield makes it safe to run hot oil over without worrying about the hose.
Best as a dedicated fry burner for hunters and anglers who cook fresh catch at camp and want real results. Skip it if your frying is just pan-frying eggs — a full two-burner stove gives you more flexibility for the same money.
What to Look For
Burner diameter matters more than peak BTU output for frying. A wide, flat burner — 5 inches or more — distributes heat across the pan bottom so edges don't stay cold while the center scorches.
Wind guards are the difference between consistent cooking and constant relighting. Three-sided windscreens built into the stove lid outperform clip-on accessories in real camp conditions.
Stability under a loaded skillet is easy to overlook until a pan tips. Look for a cooking grate rated to hold at least 30 lbs and legs that lock open rather than fold under pressure.
Who Should Skip This
If your camp cooking is exclusively boiling water for freeze-dried meals, any of these stoves is more than you need — a compact canister stove at a quarter of the weight will serve you better. Ultralight backpackers covering miles per day should not carry a two-burner propane stove; the weight and fuel logistics are wrong for that use case.
If you cook for two or fewer people and never fry, look at a single-burner canister option instead.
What the Community Actually Uses
On r/CampingGear the frying question comes up constantly, and the consensus is consistent: the biggest mistake is bringing a backpacking stove and wondering why pancakes burn on the outside and stay raw in the middle. Members regularly recommend going to a full-size two-burner stove for any trip where real cooking is on the agenda, and the Camp Chef line in particular gets mentioned by name more than any other brand in threads about camp breakfast.
Quick Picks — In Case You've Already Decided
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a backpacking stove for frying?
Technically yes, but the results are poor. The small burner head creates a hot spot directly under the flame while the rest of the pan stays cold. For occasional eggs or a small tortilla it works, but for anything requiring even heat across the pan surface you need a wider burner.
What size pan works best on a camp stove?
A 10-inch cast iron or carbon steel skillet is the sweet spot for most camp stoves. It fits on a single burner, heats evenly, and handles everything from eggs to fish fillets. Go larger than 12 inches and you risk uneven heat and stability problems on the cooking grate.
Do I need a special stove for deep frying at camp?
Deep frying requires a high-BTU burner that can maintain oil temperature as food goes in. A single high-pressure propane burner like the GasOne is actually better for deep frying than a standard two-burner camp stove because the higher BTU output recovers temperature faster.
How much propane does frying use compared to boiling?
Frying runs your burner at medium to medium-high for longer periods, so it uses more propane per meal than a quick boil. Plan on roughly double the fuel per cooking session compared to heating water. A 1-lb canister gets you about 1 hour of cooking time at medium heat.
Can I use a griddle with these stoves?
Yes, and for camp frying a griddle is often a better choice than a skillet. The Camp Chef Explorer is designed to accept Camp Chef's 14-inch griddle accessories. A flat griddle surface over two burners gives you even heat distribution and more cooking space for group breakfasts.
Buying Guide
For frying at camp you need a wide burner head, not just raw BTUs. Look for cast-iron or cast-aluminum burner construction — they spread heat more evenly than tube burners.
Wind guards are non-negotiable. If you plan to fry bacon or eggs for a group, two burners lets you cook and keep food warm at the same time.