Camp Stove
- Thread starter Steve Curren
- Start date
Joanne
Adventurer
Hi all,
I just posted this over on my cooking forum, but I've read a lot of very insightful posts over here so I want to post here too.
My original camp stove was a nice Century two burner (cheap but worked great). When it finally quit working I couldn't fine another like it so I purchased a Coleman. I have been VERY disappointed with it's performance. In cold weather (around freezing) I can only run a single burner at a time. If you turn on two burners, there isn't enough pressure to keep both of them going. Needless to say, that's not a good thing in the morning when I'm trying to cook breakfast and want coffee too! It's probably the regulator, but I don't want to throw good money after bad trying to get it to work.
I've found this CampChef stove at Walmart.com for $98.88 and am thinking about picking one up. (It looks like a great deal with free delivery to the store just up the street.) It uses bulk propane rather than those little bottles that I run through regularly.
I wanted to see if anyone here has one of these. Any input or personal experience with one of these?
Joanne
I just posted this over on my cooking forum, but I've read a lot of very insightful posts over here so I want to post here too.
My original camp stove was a nice Century two burner (cheap but worked great). When it finally quit working I couldn't fine another like it so I purchased a Coleman. I have been VERY disappointed with it's performance. In cold weather (around freezing) I can only run a single burner at a time. If you turn on two burners, there isn't enough pressure to keep both of them going. Needless to say, that's not a good thing in the morning when I'm trying to cook breakfast and want coffee too! It's probably the regulator, but I don't want to throw good money after bad trying to get it to work.
I've found this CampChef stove at Walmart.com for $98.88 and am thinking about picking one up. (It looks like a great deal with free delivery to the store just up the street.) It uses bulk propane rather than those little bottles that I run through regularly.
I wanted to see if anyone here has one of these. Any input or personal experience with one of these?
Joanne
Robert Bills
Explorer
Joanne said:I've found this CampChef stove at Walmart.com for $98.88 and am thinking about picking one up.
I wanted to see if anyone here has one of these. Any input or personal experience with one of these?
That is a good price for that stove. They are popular among Boy
Scout troops and seem to stand up to the abuse they receive. However, they are bulky and heavy, not the sort of thing I would carry while offroading.
I have that particular Camp Chef stove (Weekender) as well as the larger 3 Burner Expedition model. The Weekender has good powerful burners and will make cooking, searing anything easy even in windy conditions. The legs are a bit short and so the cooking height is a bit low for me (I'm 5'10") but not too uncomfortable.
I think all Camp Chef stoves are made in China. The quality of the weekender is a tad lower than the 3 burner expedition model. There was actually a defect in mine, the tube that connects to the two burners had a hole in the end and allowed propane to leak. The unit is heavy but you'd be hard pressed to find a more powerful stove for $99.
If you want something lighter, Camp Chef makes their All-Terrain stove that is dimensionally similar but is made of aluminum. However, the burners are not the same and actually less powerful. Might be fine though because I'd imagine some would say the burners on the Weekender are an overkill.
I think all Camp Chef stoves are made in China. The quality of the weekender is a tad lower than the 3 burner expedition model. There was actually a defect in mine, the tube that connects to the two burners had a hole in the end and allowed propane to leak. The unit is heavy but you'd be hard pressed to find a more powerful stove for $99.
If you want something lighter, Camp Chef makes their All-Terrain stove that is dimensionally similar but is made of aluminum. However, the burners are not the same and actually less powerful. Might be fine though because I'd imagine some would say the burners on the Weekender are an overkill.
I really like the look of the Partner Steel stoves that seem to be the rage here. I want one after I recover from my Solaire purchase.
Regarding the Camp Chef All Terrain aluminum stove, the nipple for the propane input sticks straight out the front, and the metal it attaches to is thin and bends easily. I'd rate it not acceptable. If just this on thing was different, it could be a pretty good stove.
The Weekender looks like a butt kicker and has a much better attachment for the propane. I've not cooked with one, but the burners look really big. For $99 it's hard to go wrong.
One other thing (and I hate most modern Coleman gear of any type). There is a new Coleman propane stove that has the usual 2 burners and a third center square burner. It would be absolutely perfect for cooking on a cast iron griddle. I almost bought one just for that. I think this is it:
http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=2000000502&categoryid=2010
Regarding the Camp Chef All Terrain aluminum stove, the nipple for the propane input sticks straight out the front, and the metal it attaches to is thin and bends easily. I'd rate it not acceptable. If just this on thing was different, it could be a pretty good stove.
The Weekender looks like a butt kicker and has a much better attachment for the propane. I've not cooked with one, but the burners look really big. For $99 it's hard to go wrong.
One other thing (and I hate most modern Coleman gear of any type). There is a new Coleman propane stove that has the usual 2 burners and a third center square burner. It would be absolutely perfect for cooking on a cast iron griddle. I almost bought one just for that. I think this is it:
http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=2000000502&categoryid=2010
Joanne
Adventurer
AndrewP said:
I looked at them but the price is out of my range right now... :-(
The propane attachment is what immediately turned me off to that stove. I was wondering if there was a way to attach a 90° fitting that would route the propane hose straight down so it didn't stick straight out the front?
The burners do look big (30K btu). I think I would actually like the 20K btu burners on the All Terrain better. I can imagine it will be challenging to simmer on the 30k ones.
Andrew, thanks for your input!
Joanne
big sky trapper
Adventurer
Mines pretty antiqudated, but has been used at least weekly since 2000. just a plain jane CENTURY.
When I purchased it, it was the only US made stove at the time that was reasonbly priced. I ve seen there are a few new brands out there now that are as well but a lot more price.... I still love it. its very compact thickness wise and about the same as the rest lenght and width.
I still have a old coleman white gas stove, but it pretty much retired, I switched to propane for ease of fuel storage (spills, smells ect...) on my lanterns stoves ect. I looked at coleman back then but they were all chinise made and said nope.....
When I purchased it, it was the only US made stove at the time that was reasonbly priced. I ve seen there are a few new brands out there now that are as well but a lot more price.... I still love it. its very compact thickness wise and about the same as the rest lenght and width.
I still have a old coleman white gas stove, but it pretty much retired, I switched to propane for ease of fuel storage (spills, smells ect...) on my lanterns stoves ect. I looked at coleman back then but they were all chinise made and said nope.....
MaddBaggins
Explorer
I've been using my green Coleman for about 8 years now. Fits well in my Horizon side box and sits nicely on the door for cooking.