STOVE GUIDE

CHOOSE THE RIGHT STOVE

No matter what kind of adventure lies a head—whether you're fueling up for a summit push, cooking with friends around a campfire, or heating a quick meal on the trails—there’s a Primus stove that fits your needs. In this guide, we’ll help you figure out whether a camping stove, a backpacking stove or an expedition stove is right for you.

What kind of adventure are you planning? 

The type of stove you need depends on where you're going, how far you’re carrying your gear, and for how many you’re cooking for. 

Cook together outdoors?

Camping stoves are for outdoor food lovers who want to cook proper meals together – perfect for vanlife, picnics or BBQs.

Jump to the Camping stove section to learn more.

Make meals on the move?

Backpacking stoves are for explorers who need a lightweight, efficient and compact stove when hiking, running, bikepacking or paddling. 

Jump to the Backpacking stove section to learn more.

Cook in extreme conditions?

Expedition/multifuel stoves are for adventurers heading into cold, windy or remote places where reliable performance is crucial. 

Jump to the Expedition & multifuel stove section to learn more.

FOR SOCIAL COOKING UNDER OPEN SKIES

1. Camping stoves

If food is how you connect with people, a camping stove is your best companion. These stoves bring the homecooking experience outdoors, with dual burners, wide cooking surfaces and smart features for group meals.

Camping or campfire stoves are ideal when cooking is a big part of the experience—whether you're grilling at the beach, making pancakes in the forest, or serving a three-course meal at your campsite. They're foldable and light enough to carry short distances, for example from the car to the campsite or down to the lake. 

What to consider 

Choose a camping stove if you want flexibility to cook multiple dishes at once, prefer a more comfortable cooking setup, and don’t need to carry your gear far. All models are designed for easy transport and pack flat, but they’re not meant for long hikes.

Ideal activities 

Picnics and casual BBQs 

Outdoor meals with friends & family

Road trips, vanlife & boat adventures

Other things to keep in mind

Beyond cooking style and transport needs, it’s also worth considering the weather, weight and how many people you’re cooking for.

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Weather conditions 

Camping stoves are great for standard outdoor use. The Alika and Tupike stoves include wind protection for windy cooking spots.

Weight & portability

Our camping stoves weigh from 2.3 kg (Moja Stove, single burner), to 5.2 kg (Atle Stove, dual burner). All models are light enough to carry with one hand but not suitable for long hikes.

Cooking capacity

Depending on the camping stove model, you can cook for up to 3 or 6+ more people.

FOR MEALS ON THE MOVE

2. Backpacking stoves

When you're covering distance on foot, every gram counts. Our backpacking stoves (also called trekking stoves) are built to be lightweight, compact and fuel-efficient—giving you hot food and coffee without slowing you down. 

Whether you're on a solo hike, a multi-day run, or paddling to a remote island, these stoves keep your load light and your energy levels up. Some models are simple and minimal, while others include all-in-one pot systems with built-in wind protection for easy outdoor cooking. 

WHAT TO CONSIDER

Backpacking or trekking stoves are all about practicality. Choose one based on how light you want to pack, how many people you're cooking for, and whether you want an integrated stove system or a stand alone burner. If you’re often exposed to wind, look for models with windproof burners or integrated pots with lids.

Ideal activities 

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Day hikes, weekend treks & lightweight camping 

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Multi-day adventure races

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Trail running, bikepacking, kayaking & ski touring

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Fishing or hunting trips

Other things to keep in mind 

Beyond cooking style and transport needs, it’s also worth considering the weather, weight and how many people you’re cooking for.

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Weather conditions

Our backpacking stoves are made for normal weather conditions. For improved wind performance, all our backpacking stove systems (Essential, Primetech, Lite Plus, Lite XL, and Ulti Stove System) feature an integrated pot-burner-design.

Weight and portability 

Our backpacking stoves weigh from 58g (Micron III) to around 1 kg (Primetech Stove Set). All are designed to be lightweight, efficient, and pack down small.

Cooking capacity 

From 1 person up to 5, depending on the backpacking stove model and setup.

STOVE SETUP

Backpacking stoves come in three main setups: 

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Top-mounted

Also called sit-on-top stoves: the burner screws directly onto the gas canister – a compact and quick setup for fair-weather conditions. For example Lite Plus, Lite XL, Essential Trail, Mimer, Express

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Remote canister

The hose connects burner and canister for better stability and wind performance, especially with larger pots. For example Primetech, Easy Fuel, Gravity, Ulti, Omnifuel.

Stove systems

Stove systems combine a burner and pot designed to work together in one integrated unit. The Primetech, Lite and Ulti series all feature heat exchanger pots for maximum fuel efficiency and heat transfer—even in challenging weather.

WHEN FOOD IS YOUR FUEL ON THE ADVENTURE

3. Expedition & multifuel stoves

For high altitudes, harsh winds, extreme heat or sub-zero temperatures, you need a stove that performs without fail. Our expedition and multifuel stoves are made for remote, demanding adventures, where you need food to keep going and to stay alive. 

These stoves are robust, easy to maintain and compatible with multiple fuel types, including liquid fuels—ideal if you're traveling where gas isn't always available. However, they do require some practice to use efficiently, especially in harsh conditions. They’re designed for reliable performance even with thick gloves on, in snow, rain or heat.

WHAT TO CONSIDER

Choose an expedition stove if you’re going off the grid or into extreme environments.They’re not built for cooking fancy meals, but for melting snow, boil water fast and run dependably no matter what. Multifuel stoves offer great flexibility, especially abroad, but they do require some practice to use correctly.

Ideal activities 

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Mountain expeditions

Arctic or desert travel 

Remote multi-day treks

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Harsh weather & terrain

Other things to keep in mind 

Beyond cooking style and transport needs, it’s also worth considering the weather, weight and how many people you’re cooking for.

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Weather conditions 

Expedition & multifuel stoves are made for the toughest conditions—cold, wind, heat, and altitude. Easy to operate with gloves.

Weight and portability 

Our expeditions stoves weigh from 230g (OmniLite Ti) to 690g (Ulti Stove System 1.7L). They’re compact and packable without compromising reliability.

Cooking capacity 

From 1 to 4 people depending on the expedition stove model.

Still not sure which stove to choose? 

Take our stove test to find the right model based on your adventure, cooking style and group size.

START TEST
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