Camping is always a great experience but you can make it even better when you have a good camping tent stove. Traditional tent wood stoves have always made outdoor cooking quite cumbersome.
But the good news is that there are now many lightweight options designed with the latest stove accessories like warming trays, chimney ovens, water heaters, and much more. The best tent stove today also comes with safety features to ensure that you enjoy your cooking without fear of starting a fire in your tent.
We all know that the best way to start your morning at a campsite is by having a warm fire ready. With the best tent stove, you can also enjoy other benefits such as hot baths every morning.
The best camping stove is also a moderate fuel burner that can even burn during the day to cater to your cooking needs. However, finding a reliable stove model in a market pervaded by tons of different models is a difficult task, especially for beginners.
Best Camping Tent Stove
In this best tent stove review and buying guide we provide you with some of the top options to consider and what you should always look for in a good camping stove.
1. VidaLibre Camping Stove
Every feature in this stove qualifies it for portability, ease of use, and excellent craftsmanship.
This wood-burning system is best for a wide range of outdoor activities, but not for tent heating. However, the stove is famous for providing a highly coveted baking function. In fact, you can use the VidaLibre multifunctional stove to boil, cook, and bake cakes, fry, or simmer. As such, this stove is one means of enjoying an expansive camping menu.
The VidaLibre Stove can utilize several types of fuel including charcoal, dry alcohol, and biomass. The versatile stove comes with a cooking set comprising the main body, a stove cover, a chimney, a coal grid, one cooking pot, one lid and tray, one pan, and a barbeque grill. The kit also contains a grip for handling hot pans, six pieces of skewers, a large spoon, and a customized carrying bag.
All the cooking elements are made of 304 stainless steel. The stove and its lid are covered with heat-resistant paint. Weight-wise, the VidaLibre is 11.9 kg. The packed size with folded legs occupies 14 x 13 x 11 inches. However, the stove has a handle to enhance its portability across short distances.
2. Winnerwell Woodlander Medium Tent Stove
Winnerwell Woodlander is the small version of the two regal Woodlander designs. Its basic dimensions consist of a 13.1-liter firebox and 2.5 inches pipe. This stove is a remarkable source of heat for cold-weather camping tents.
The full kit includes five pipe sections, a grate, an ash scraper, and a spark arrestor. A pipe damper is integrated into one of the pipe sections. It’s conveniently fitted with two wide and folding racks, so they double as handles when you’re in transit.
The Winnerwell Medium is made up of 100% stainless steel elements. This stove is designed for heating, cooking, and for providing light on dark camping nights. Although lightweight, the Woodlander Medium Stove is durable and delivers without warping or rusting.
Aesthetically, the Woodlander Medium is built with beautiful handles on the door and the pipe damper. The folding legs make the stove more eloquent and make it one of the best portable camping stoves in the market. Weight-wise, the Woodlander stove weighs 9.1 kg. When it’s packed, the overall size is 15 x 8 x 8 inches. One great advantage of this stove is the fire-resistant glass window on its door. The glass can withstand high temperatures and is good at monitoring progress while saving energy.
3. SHTFandGO Bullet Proof 50BMG Rocket Stove
These stoves are the most efficient fuel burners. The basic design of the Bullet Proof Rocket Stove is either L-shaped or J-shaped. Because of its capacity to use 100% of the energy towards cooking, the 50BMG stove can provide an awesome heating experience. This model is suitable for large tents because it lacks stove pipes.
The SHTF tent stove is exceptionally lighter than most of the cylinder and box-style stoves. They are designed with folding parts or parts that can be easily disassembled like the legs. The SHTF satisfies one of the most essential features of the best tent stove – an air-tight door. A weak door allows oxygen to escape from the stove. The door of the SHTF Rocket Stove resists warping. It’s easy to regulate the fire with this budget tent stove.
A stove pipe cap fitted on the SHTF is an absolute necessity. It prevents snow, rain, and unwanted objects from falling into your stove. The stove is also built with several safety features including spark arrestors which prevent sparks from damaging your tent.
A seven-gauge steel stove, the SHTF isn’t actually bulletproof as the name suggests. However, the stove is designed with a self-feeding feature that makes it unnecessary for you to frequently monitor the wood.
4. The Uncompahgre Collapsible Pack Stove
The Uncompahgre Collapsible Pack Stove is one of the lightest best camp stoves available. It measures 23”x 14” x 11” at the firebox and is 19 in length when fully assembled. One of the most essential features is a 4” round stovetop hole and a control damper in the door.
The Uncompahgre is the best tent stove if you want a comfortable and versatile outdoor experience. The stove has a hot water tank hanging on the side of the stove pipe.
This unit guarantees hot water for bathing or coffee once it’s lit. It also has a chimney oven to allow many cooking options in the wild. Besides baking rolls or casseroles, the Uncompahgre can keep your food hot for a long time.
Other features in the Uncompahgre stove that will enhance your camping experience include a flap damper valve in the stovepipe that helps to slow the flow of air through the stove. This reduces the fuel burn rate allowing for a load of firewood to last many hours.
5. Winnerwell Fast Fold Titanium Tent Stove
If you’re looking for a strong stove, the Winnerwell is your best choice. This stove weighs less than 2 kg, but the titanium used in its construction makes it one of the best tent stoves ever designed.
Interestingly, the Winnerwell is designed with one single titanium piece rolled width wise when you transport it, but you can also roll it lengthwise to make the stovepipe. The firebox volume is 900 cubic inches or 14.7 liters. The pipe has a diameter of 3 inches and a length of about 270 cm.
The ultra-light titanium body can withstand higher temperatures than many tent stoves. Whereas steel melts at lower temperatures, the Winnerwell can withstand a heat of above 1,650 degrees Celsius. Titanium material also makes this model have a high heat transfer efficiency that can make the coldest camp night pass unnoticed.
The Winnerwell Titanium has an intricate, ingenious, and attractive design. When collapsed, the stove packs to a very small size. The pipe damper is integrated into the pipe section which is part of the stovetop. The folding legs make it more convenient for transportation. All this is based on integrated clasps. No tools are needed to set it up.
6. Fltom Camp Tent Stove
Also called the Tentsme Wood Stove, the Fltom’s main body is constructed out of rolled steel. The functionality of this stove is enhanced by two side trays extending 50 cm to keep cooked meals hot. One conspicuous feature in this design is the pipe’s offset system allowing it not to directly attach to the stovetop. Many of the stove’s components, including four legs, trays and their holders, the pipe holder, the top ring plate, and a six-segment pipe are all removable.
The whole top of the stove is an ample cooking area. When the side trays are included, the working area is 48 by 28 cm. The door is with closable vents that may be used as a damper. The door also has internal clasps that make it virtually airtight. The Fltom is built with two inner chambers. The upper chamber acts as a firebox while the lower one acts as an ash depository.
In terms of ventilation and fuel regulation, this stove is designed with double walls. There are ventilation openings that connect the firebox with the space between the walls. If you want a stove that can cook big meals, then the Fltom is a good choice.
The stove can serve in very small tents without real danger to carbon monoxide poisoning. Easily classified as a best budget portable tent stove, the Fltom is the hunter’s choice. This comes from its incredible ability to maintain heat for long durations.
7. The Camp Chef Alpine Wood Stove
The Alpine Wood Stove weighs 30 kg, mainly due to its pure steel composition. Its walls are around 1/8 inches or 3 mm in thickness. However, when folded, all the elements, including the racks and legs, fit perfectly in its firebox.
Fortunately, its legs are with an adjustable length which makes it easy to level the stove on any ground. It comes with a pipe of a reasonable length of five inches diameter and length of 10 ft. The top surface of this reliable stove is 24 x 14 inches.
The Robust Camp Chef is equipped with brackets for mounting a water tank to the side. The potential reservoir unit can guarantee you warm showers throughout your stay outdoors.
The eight-inch square door is big enough to hold huge firewood to maintain the boiler unit. The Camp Chef is recommended for tents that are a minimum 10 x 12 ft and maximum 14 x 16 ft dimensions.
8. Goture Camping Stove
The Goture is a 100% stainless steel stove with two very useful side racks at the top. This stove comes with a dark arrestor, a door vent, and an integrated dumper. The Goture full package also includes a carry bag, glass window, door vent, and foldable legs.
One advantage of the Goture model is that you have the opportunity to choose between two models. The MC-109 is cylindrical while MC-110 is rectangular in shape. Both makes are functional and are fitted with useful features.
The pipe is divided into five segments and it’s equipped with a damper. The damper allows you to control the burning speed suited for low-level burning. The Goture also has a spark arrestor, but must not be left burning unattended. Standing at a total height of 240 cm, the Goture model is usable in tall tents. The wide side racks extend the working area more than twice.
The Goture is fitted with side handles for easy carrying across a short distance. The folding legs of this stove make it extremely easy to transport. The model also has a side wire for hanging substance or camp cutlery.
How to Pick the Best Tent Stove
Here are some of the most important factors to consider when shopping for the best tent stove:
Material
The type of stove material you choose will impact heating efficiency, weight, and durability.
Stoves made out of galvanized steel, rolled steel or stainless steel are durable with proper care but heavy. Beware that cast iron is heavier and more cumbersome than steel.
The lightest and most cost-effective stoves are made out of aluminum. Because of the flexibility of aluminum, you’ll find that most collapsible tent stoves have utilized this material.
A lighter alternative is a stove made out of titanium. Titanium is strong and a titanium stove is very light.
With a melting point above 3000 degrees Fahrenheit, this ultralight material can withstand higher temperatures than steel and also has high heat transfer efficiency.
Safety
Safety is the most important factor to consider when shopping for any appliance that works with fire. The best tent stove is designed to ventilate carbon monoxide safely through an exhaust pipe.
Inspect the pipe to determine quality since a tiny leak may be disastrous. A high-quality exhaust tube will prevent headaches from carbon monoxide poisoning, dizziness, and nausea.
You don’t want a stove that can easily cause flames and an unwanted inferno. Invest in a stove with spark arrestors.
The best camping tent stove will also have trays for holding ash or hot embers to avoid burning things, including your tent, unintentionally. Fortunately, you can make one from welded wire in minutes.
Weight and Portability
As a cumbersome but absolutely essential camp requirement, the best wall camping stove must be portable. The stove should have properly insulated handles to make it easy to carry across a short distance.
To minimize the load you have to carry to the campsite, choose lightweight material. For portability, select a design with features such as foldable legs. The best stove packs all its accessories in its firebox.
When choosing a lightweight stove, beware that you’re simultaneously sacrificing efficiency and performance.
Fuel Type
Camping tent stoves either use firewood or propane gas to make a fire. Wood is the best option for a camping stove. Wood is abundant in many camping environments.
This means you don’t have to carry a load of wood from your compound. However, a propane stove can come in handy if your firewood is wet. Propane stoves are cleaner and time-saving.
You must be prepared to carry a propane tank around by choosing a propane stove. The only threat to wood stoves is carbon monoxide poisoning which is seldom in outdoor camping.
Design
In the broadest sense, wall tent stoves are either cylindrical or box-styled. These units are similar to traditional wood-burning stoves in simplicity.
However, the latest models have been augmented with useful features to enhance outdoor experiences. Cylindrical and box-style stoves are best for large tents, and for feeding large groups of people or big families.
The collapsible designs are made up of several foldable parts. The unit can be quickly disassembled, making a more compact package to carry.
Features
Premium stoves have built-in features like a cooktop, damper, and water heater. Make sure that you pick a stove with things such as chimneys or integrated furl storage units.
Every accessory isn’t built for luxury. A simple gadget can save you from a stressful experience in the wilderness. Spark arrestors are a must-have feature that can prevent a nasty fire.
Choosing a stove with more features adds to the functionality of the stove. For example, stoves with side trays make the experience of sitting around the campfire virtually effortless.
Your working area is greatly enlarged, and your camping utensils are within reach when needed. The best camping stove comes with its own carry bag, tailored to fit.
The Stove Jack protects the tent from the hot stove pipe. The best camping stove is fitted with a wood grate. This will simply frame to allow the circulation of air may save you from enduring a smoky camp.
Durability
A tent stove can serve as an important survival tool. Choose a model that will give you many years of quality service.
Inspect the stove’s material and choose a stove that can withstand frequent use with little maintenance.
Final Thoughts
The tent stoves discussed above provide the best service for your outdoor or camping fire needs. They are all versatile stoves built to last.
However, for the best outdoor cooking experience, we recommend the VidaLibre Portable Stove. It’s a durable stove made of stainless steel and further coated with heat-resistant paint. This stove is very reasonably priced considering that it comes with both stove and kitchen accessories.
If you want the camping experience of a lifetime, look no further than the VidaLibre Portable Stove. It’s one of the best portable wood stove options that will allow you to make a wide range of camper’s delicacies, including hot bread and even cookies for breakfast.
We are confident that the VidaLibre will serve you perfectly, and most importantly, safely.